Though the mere thought of performance reviews is enough to leave employees feeling a sense of dread, the reality is they’re good for everyone involved.
Employees can work on their personal development, sharpening their skill sets as companies identify areas of improvement.
Performance reviews create a sense of anticipation among employees, but the fear they can strike in the heart of workers is largely down to organizations having poor systems of feedback.
If staff are regularly updated on their work achievements, regarding whether they’re doing well or need to step up, there’s a better chance they’ll embrace work reviews with confidence.
Feedback is a two way street, so it’s essential employees are given the opportunity to communicate their feelings.
This eliminates the shock and response come performance review time, because your team will know exactly where they stand.
Real-time, continuous feedback has gained significant traction, in some scenarios replacing performance reviews altogether.
But that doesn’t mean performance reviews have become obsolete.
In fact the opposite is true, where taking real-time feedback is arguably the most comprehensive means for keeping staff on track and boosting productivity.
The performance review provides a formal opportunity for employers to discuss job performance, organizational priorities, and goals.
There are always areas for improvement, so it’s up to leaders to create a culture that’s open to change and excited about progressive initiatives.
If you’re seeking further inspiration fortunately you’ve come to the right place.
Here are some top incentives for using performance reviews, which suggest why they’re so important even in today’s technological business landscapes:
The Difficulty Of Discovering Elite Talent
Star performers are few and far between, in fact discovering them is often more difficult than trying to find a needle in a haystack.
Staff retention is a top priority, so you can save on staff turnover and cultivate a loyal, skilled workforce who are united with the same ambitions.
It’s much better to cultivate talent internally, developing your staff into elite performers rather than employing them at 100% readiness.
Performance reviews are a kin to development, placing emphasis on accountability and giving workers a chance to grow and improve.
They Prove You Care About Your Team
Leaders should never be afraid to listen to their employees, in fact they can learn a lot from doing so.
Though feedback is synonymous with criticism, it certainly doesn’t have to be.
Constructive feedback is designed to help employees improve, which from this perspective is an indication of how organizations value their team.
Positive enlightenment shows a willingness to make people around you better, so they can maybe one day progress into a management or leadership role.
A team that feels valued will be more motivated to meet organizational targets, so will be better aligned with the best interests of the company.
Establish Weaknesses
Evaluating your own performance is tough at the best of times, especially when you’ve established a status quo that’s uncomfortable to break.
But gaining an outside perspective on where you can improve is a much more realistic proposition.
Staff often fail to realize where they’re going wrong, meaning performance reviews are important if you’re to counteract the oblivion.
Open communication is a great way to signal where staff are going wrong, before suggesting what they should instead be focused on doing.
Without performance reviews it can be difficult to determine where employees are going wrong, and this can in turn stunt the growth of your organization.
They’re Goal-Oriented
Performance reviews largely have a negative reputation because they’re associated with holding employees accountable for past mistakes.
What’s better is if you leverage a goal-focused approach to performance reviews which is progressive in nature.
You should always look forwards, not back.
Performance reviews can be used to gain a greater understanding of the big picture, set goals, and to get team members excited about the long-lasting impact of their success.
Now you’re intrigued to incorporate these tips at your next performance review, let’s quickly address a few common mistakes which are worth avoiding:
Performance Reviews: Pitfalls Worth Avoiding
Lack of Preparation
A failure to spend time preparing performance reviews will lead to them being ineffective.
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail, so be organized in advance and take note of your employee’s job habits throughout the year.
That way when it comes to the performance review you’ll have notes you can refer to.
Being Too Vague
Employees can really benefit from a comprehensive overview of their performance, but will leave feeling salty if the review feels like it was put together at the last minute.
Provide specific examples of good and bad, getting specific about what you do and don’t like about the reviewee.
This will help your employees take the performance review seriously.
No Follow Up
When you set performance goals for the following year, you should always remember to follow up some time later.
There’s no point setting goals if you’re failing to monitor progress and register whether these goals have been met or not.
Constant feedback and analysis will ensure employees are on track, so remember to always follow up!
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WalkMe Team
WalkMe spearheaded the Digital Adoption Platform (DAP) for associations to use the maximum capacity of their advanced resources. Utilizing man-made consciousness, AI, and context-oriented direction, WalkMe adds a powerful UI layer to raise the computerized proficiency, everything being equal.