Employee Performance Reviews
Source: BrantHR Staff
Does your company regularly evaluate your employees’ performance?
If you’re like most small and medium organizations, the answer is probably “I know we should, but....” The staff performance review has been said to be the most unpleasant task of supervisors and carries a high stress level for the employee. In busy times, it’s easy to find reasons not to complete regular reviews of your employee’s performance.
Why find time for regular reviews? One: you’ll get better results from your marginal performers. Two: You’ll improve the loyalty of your good performers. Three: You’ll have solid evidence in case you need to dismiss one of your poorest performers if they fail to improve.
Performance reviews don’t need to be painful and time consuming. Here are some tips.
Before the meeting:
- Select a format. There are lots of examples online and in books. At the end of the article are some suggested references to get you started. When you’re starting out, using the same generic format for all employees will be easier. We’ve provided one for you on this site. Later, you might want to customize it to each position.
- Think about what your expectations are for someone who is doing this job well. Evaluate each employee’s current performance against this standard.
- Write down your feedback on the evaluation form. Be sure to note areas where the employee is performing well and those which require development. Phrase your comments objectively. If you’re not sure, pass it by your boss or another coworker to get some input.
- Set up a time for the employee and you to meet to discuss the review. Then do everything in your power to keep the appointment.
At the meeting:
- Find the most private setting available in your workplace and try to avoid interruptions. This may be the one time during the year that your employee has your undivided attention that – believe it or not – they crave.
- Ask questions. Engage the employee in a discussion of how they think they are doing and see how well it matches up to your evaluation. Explore why and how the employee sees their performance differently than you do. Find out what ideas they have for improving the job and their performance. They may surprise you with their insights.
- Agree on (and write down) an action plan for any areas of improvement or growth.
- Get the employee to sign the form. If they refuse to sign, write this down. The review is your evaluation of the employee’s performance as their boss. Even if they don’t sign it, it is still part of their employment record. Signing does not mean they agree with the review. Most forms offer a space for employee comments.
In most cases, the employee review process will be positive and build commitment to your organization by giving employees recognition of their contributions and a dedicated opportunity to share their goals, ideas and concerns with you. Our advice – stop avoiding it!
Print Resources
Writing Performance Reviews: A Write it Well Guide By Natasha Terk (Write it Well Publishers, 2009)
Ready to Use Performance Appraisals: Downloadable, Customizable Tools for Better, Faster Reviews by William S. Swan and Leslie E. Wilson (Wiley, 2006)
Performance Appraisals that work: Features 150 Samples For Every Situation by Corey Sandler and Janice Keefe
Effective Phrases for Performance Appraisals: A Guide to Successful Evaluations by James E Neal (Neal Publications, 2006)
Website Resources
www.businessballs.com/performanceappraisals.htm
Offers a free downloadable template in Word which you can change and customize.
www.performance-appraisals.org/appraisal-library/Forms_Letters_and_Other_Tools
This page lists a variety of sample performance appraisals forms. You can choose the format you like best.
www.leadership-tools.com/sample-performance-review.html
More information on how to conduct the review along with a sample format. This site does require you to register, but registration is free.
Job Performance Sample Form
- Printable & Static (PDF Format)
- Editable (Microsoft Word Format)