Job Performance Appraisal Methods
If you are in the position of evaluating the performance of employees, you don’t often have a choice of which method to use. Most companies have a standard evaluation process that must be followed.
Yet, you want to make sure that these performance appraisal methods work to help you accomplish company goals through your employees.
The appraisal process should help you to encourage your workers, create a better understanding of goals within each position, and build a better working relationship between you and the members of your team. Ultimately, it is a time to motivate workers toward the achievement of future goals and to evaluate where each team member can improve.
If your employees meet or exceed in their job performance, you do as well.
Turning Performance Appraisals into a Valuable Tool
While your company’s job performance evaluation process may be a company-wide format using a standard rating system, that doesn’t mean you have to view the evaluation process as the annual form completion task.
Real people and their careers are involved, and they want to know that you view this as an important and constructive tool. To get the most out of the employee review, consider the following:
How to Conduct Effective Performance Appraisals
1. Be a Respected and Credible Evaluator
• Don’t grumble to your employees or to other managers about the process of doing annual performance appraisals. It’s part of your job and is intended as a tool to advance employee contributions and the company as a whole.
Complaining about the task is no different from your own workers complaining about their own projects, and they’ll lose respect for you if they overhear you doing so.
• Always communicate about goals and performance. Don’t let “review time” become “surprise time.” Employees do not respect managers who leave an area of dissatisfaction for discussion during the review period. Give your workers the opportunity to correct or improve their performance before performance evaluation time. Who wouldn’t want a star team where all the members excel? Aim for excellent appraisals all year.
2. Be an Effective Communicator
• Always be specific in verbal and written communications regarding performance. Don’t be vague, leaving goals or advice up to interpretation. Be clear so that your employees have the opportunity to meet your expectations. This should be done throughout the year and also on the written performance appraisal.
Discuss these specific goals and listen for feedback to ensure your employees have a good understanding of what needs to be accomplished. In sales jobs or customer service jobs, this will include quantitative information. Revisit these numbers on a monthly, weekly, even daily basis.
• Communicating includes listening. Listen to your employees to see how important changes can be made to help them accomplish their goals.
This is important for making progress within your department as well as building credibility with your workers.
3. Be the Coach
• There’s a difference between coaching your team and bossing your team. The coach sees himself as part of the team, and the team sees him that way as well.
The boss only cares about results, not how they are being achieved because he’s got people for that. Everyone listens to the coach because they all want to win together. Even if the coach criticizes a part of your performance, you understand that he’s just trying to help you improve so that you can all win together.
If you hand down criticism like “the boss,” ears will close, and defensive walls will go up. Show you have a vested interest in the success of your employees.
• Don’t view yourself or present yourself as “the boss” either. This is not to say that you should not take charge of your team or be less professional, but that you should be aware that your performance is closely tied to the performance of your employees.
Working with them to meet their goals is beneficial to your own success.
4. Set Your Goals High
Setting up successful performance appraisals is a daily process. If your company uses a 1-5 rating system, your goal should be to give out 5’s to all your employees.
It’s an aggressive goal, one that is not easy to achieve, but why would you make your goal any other number? Remember, appraisals are all about moving forward. It’s not about what was done the wrong way but how it can be done the right way.
Be sure to take time to consider the right way to do performance appraisals.
Assessing and Improving Employee Performance: Best Practices
While following the standard performance appraisal methods is important, there are additional steps you can take to enhance the effectiveness of the process and ensure meaningful outcomes for both employees and the organization.
1. Provide Ongoing Feedback
Don’t limit feedback and coaching to just the annual performance review.
Regularly communicate with your employees, offering constructive feedback, recognizing their achievements, and providing guidance for improvement.
This helps in establishing a continuous feedback loop and enables employees to make timely adjustments to their performance.
2. Set SMART Goals
When setting performance goals for your employees, make sure they are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART).
Clear and well-defined goals provide employees with a sense of direction and purpose, making it easier for them to align their efforts with organizational objectives.
3. Focus on Development and Growth
Performance appraisals should not only address past performance but also foster employee development and growth.
Use the appraisal discussion as an opportunity to identify training needs, career aspirations, and areas for skill enhancement. Encourage employees to set personal development goals and provide resources or opportunities for them to acquire new skills.
4. Encourage Self-Assessment
Incorporate self-assessment into the appraisal process. Encourage employees to evaluate their own performance, strengths, and areas for improvement.
This promotes self-reflection and empowers employees to take ownership of their professional development. Comparing self-assessments with your evaluation can lead to more productive discussions during the appraisal meeting.
5. Recognize and Reward Success
Acknowledging and appreciating employee accomplishments is crucial for motivation and engagement.
Recognize exceptional performance and provide meaningful rewards or incentives to reinforce positive behavior. This can range from simple gestures of appreciation, such as verbal recognition, to more tangible rewards like bonuses or career advancement opportunities.
6. Foster Two-Way Communication
Make performance appraisals a dialogue rather than a one-sided evaluation.
Create an open and comfortable environment where employees feel encouraged to share their thoughts, concerns, and suggestions. Actively listen to their perspectives, address their questions, and involve them in goal-setting and decision-making processes whenever possible.
7. Training for Evaluators
Ensure that managers and supervisors responsible for conducting performance appraisals receive proper training on effective evaluation techniques.
This includes providing them with the necessary skills and knowledge to assess performance objectively, deliver feedback constructively, and identify areas for improvement without bias.
8. Document Performance Data
Maintain accurate and comprehensive records of employee performance throughout the year.
Document specific achievements, challenges, and instances of behavior or results that warrant discussion during the appraisal. This helps ensure fairness, consistency, and objectivity in evaluations and prevents biases based on recent events.
9. Follow Up on Action Plans
After the performance appraisal, work with employees to create action plans for improvement or development.
Establish a system for follow-up and monitoring progress on these plans. Regularly check in with employees to offer support, provide feedback, and ensure they have the necessary resources to achieve their goals.
By implementing these strategies, you can transform performance appraisals into a valuable tool for employee development, motivation, and organizational success.
Remember, the goal is to create an environment where employees feel supported, encouraged, and empowered to reach their full potential.