Appraisal season is back and it sure is open to all kinds of diverse (yes, we’re being kind) perspectives from both employees and employers. Some hate it. Others love it.
While whatever your opinion is, we have collated some tips and tricks to enable effective, constructive, and conducive growth for everyone involved. Let's turn this often dreaded appraisal season into a desired one.
Plan And Inform
An undeniable truth is that employees respond better to appraisals when informed well in advance. It gives them time to self-reflect and come prepared. Therefore it is a wise idea for managers to conduct appraisals for an entire team within a few weeks. We also recommend sharing a tentative timeline in advance and holding a detailed discussion to arrive at concrete steps.
Remember To Do Your Homework
We discussed concrete steps in the previous point. Here’s a suggestion regarding it: Do your homework before inviting your employees to a performance review or appraisal conversation. For this, you can assess the outcomes of their effort and crystallise that information into clearly written objectives.
As a manager, here’s why you must sit down with a list of points to address before entering this conversation.
Take a moment and reflect on the following question, “What are three of your shortcomings?" Now move another step ahead and think about three of your USPs, Unique Selling Points: something that sets you apart from the crowd. Do you find it challenging to recall your USPs? That’s the point we’re trying to make here. Negativity bias dictates that, as humans, we tend to remember and highlight negatives more easily than positives. This means that when you regularly take notes on your employees' performance, a well-documented feedback system can emerge, encompassing both areas for improvement and areas of expertise. It will enable you to communicate your thoughts clearly to your employees and equip them with a starting point to strategise their next move.
Emphasise Their Team Role
Yes, employees may be fully aware of their roles. However, it is still recommended to reassess their job role, area of expertise, and performance in relation to the team. Simply put, it means that you may describe to them how you, as an employer, envision them contributing to the team. While individual feedback holds significant benefits on a personal development level, providing macro-level feedback on team development can offer valuable insights into the team's strengths and weaknesses, and how to optimise its overall performance.
Evaluate Overt Behaviour
Appraisals are conducted to record, evaluate and suggest development. They focus on employees' observable behaviours and outcomes. Deviating from that only to discuss their covert personality traits like personal characteristics and attitudes is not helpful and may come across as offensive. However, if an employee occasionally wants to explore their core beliefs or address their motivation issues, it's crucial to be open to scheduling follow-up sessions to discuss these matters. Always remember to approach these discussions with empathy and concern for the employee's well-being.
Follow Up With A Solution-Oriented Mindset
You’re nearing the end of this round of appraisals; you’re done pointing out performance gaps and areas where you could optimally harness your employees’ abilities. Now would be a good time to run through some of the key takeaways that emerged from this performance review. This is a great opportunity to identify your employees' motivation levels. Leave them with a couple of questions that not only point in the right direction, but also direct them towards a solution-oriented mindset. Even as you do this, remain mindful of positivity and practicality.
Finally, remember to follow up on appraisal goals and objectives. It is only through a positive and supportive approach that you, as a manager, can promote a well-being culture within your organisation.
We wish you a productive appraisal season!
Psst! This blog was made with💚and created after some thought by a real person.
