An annual review should never be a standalone process it should always form part of a wider goal setting program that includes the use of personal development plans tailored to individual employee needs and organisational objectives. This article offers some practical tips for conducting annual reviews
Encourage Employee Self Assessment
Ask employees to complete an in house evaluation form that encourages them to think about what they have achieved. This should be completed every three months rather than just before the annual review as the employee will be able to recall specific examples of achievements more easily and it will also communicate the importance of self evaluation within the organisation. Self evaluation also provides the opportunity for the employee to reflect on their practice which will enable them to identify areas for improvement themselves without managers even having to point them out.
Provide an overview of the annual review format.
It is essential that the employee knows what to expect from their review meeting so take time to provide an overview well in advance. Most annual reviews take the following format:
- Introductions and purpose of review
- Discussion of the employee self evaluation form
- Feedback form employee about progress made against agreed goals
- Future goal setting
- Time for further questions from the employee
- Close
Preparation
Ensure that you prepare well for the review. Spend time familiarising yourself with job descriptions and gather feedback from the employee's colleagues and organisational statistics to assess progress.
Evidence your feedback, don't just rely on your own experience of the employee. The more sources consulted, the better the quality of feedback to the employee will be and the more beneficial for planning future objectives.
Schedule adequate time for feedback
Don't rush annual review feedback. Agree a time an date with the employee in advance, don't just spring it on them. This will allow adequate time for both the employee and yourself to prepare.
Compare Achievements against agreed goals
The whole purpose of an annual review is to evaluate how an employee has performed against agreed goals so it is critical that these have been recorded accurately in the first instance. Go through each goal individually and discuss with the employee how they feel they have achieved and ask for specific work based examples to evidence these claims.
For example if a previous goal has been to improve customer service skills the employee should be able to recount specific occasions where this has improved and cite instances where colleagues have witnessed this in action. Offering the employee time to record this information on a self evaluation form provides a good basis for discussion.
Review the job description
Job descriptions are important documents because they provide the evidence which informs salary levels. During the annual review it may become evident that the job description needs updating or changing because employees are involved in a far wider range of activities than expected. It also helps managers to identify where staff need to relinquish activities that don't form part of their job description.
Get the feedback balance right
The best approach for dealing with feedback to an employee is to give three pieces of positive feedback for every one piece of negative feedback. This will build confidence within the employee but also highlight areas for improvement. Also, never finish with negative feedback always leave the meeting on a positive note. Adopting this approach will ensure that annual reviews do not fill employees with dread.
Agree new goals
An annual review is a time to set new goals based on previous performance. It also offers scope for employees to develop skills in new areas and maintains motivation levels. Failing to agree new goals will lead to demotivated staff, as they will have nothing to work towards.
Summary
Annual reviews are an important tool in keeping employees motivated and developing individual skills and abilities. Remember that annual reviews are not a stand alone process but need to form part of overall business planning. |
