Few activities are more dreaded by managers and their staff than employee assessment. A similar issue across sectors is the uncertainty that surrounds assessments and their underutilization, which varies in complexity, duration, and length.
The key to managing workers throughout the appraisal process is to keep in mind that they are people. It seems easy enough, but in the midst of policymaking, managers sometimes lose sight of the fact that they are working with actual people. It is critical that workers believe they are handled personally rather than in a formulaic manner.
Never lose sight of the reason for staff evaluations: development and documentation. While some managers feel compelled to avoid confrontation by giving staff excellent ratings, this poses a dilemma if underlying difficulties worsen. Evaluating is only as good as it is accurate.
Relationships should not be formed throughout the course of an evaluation. Integrate assessment into day-to-day operations by creating a culture in which managers already have a connection with their staff. This alleviates the stress associated with the appraisal process and prevents workers from being caught off guard by less-than-ideal news.
Remember that one size does not fit everyone. There may be regulations governing engagement, information exchange, documentation, or feedback in an assessment that varies depending on where an employee is. Companies that transcend regional borders of any kind must react to and accept these variances.
Managers should be discouraged from beginning feedback sessions with issues. Ease the employee in by asking them to tell you about the fantastic things they’ve achieved. Request that the manager reinforce what has been described by providing a summary of all the excellent the management has witnessed.
When a manager becomes concerned, foster a development mentality by presenting the issues as opportunities. Managers should keep track of how much time is spent on the bad versus the good. I usually recommend that managers plot out what they want to say ahead of time, or at the very least have a rough idea.
Provide detailed comments. Managers must present concrete examples of situations when other remedies may have been employed and what the ideal strategy would have been when addressing chances for progress.
Along the same reasons, keep in mind that assessments constitute a legal record. Written evaluations must be clear and comprehensive, with no inflammatory, prejudiced, or discriminating wording. When it comes to discipline, maintaining records is essential. Rather of mentioning, “employee arrives late,” refer to the policy. Keep track of when and how much the employee has been late. How was the policy communicated to them?
Create a strategy, including deadlines, for what can be done in the future year to assist an employee’s progress. The management should undertake some of the job, but employees should be able to offer their own proposals as well. What does the employee need in order to feel supported?
Managers must be careful with their language. When we are nervous or uncomfortable, we have a tendency to overpromise. For example, encouraging workers “not to worry” and “you won’t be fired” might be misleading promises. Remind managers that remarks like this generate implicit contracts that may affect the company’s relationship with its workers, making it difficult to terminate if difficulties occur.
If an employee has major performance issues, have a management address them with an HR representative present. Having a witness take notes (particularly someone who is farther distant from the scene) ensures that nothing gets overlooked.
An employee review may be made less unpleasant and more rewarding by keeping an eye on the big(ger) picture and preparing ahead of time. Keep important stakeholders engaged throughout the process, notably Human Resources and Legal Counsel, and make it obvious to managers that they may contact stakeholders if they have any issues. In this manner, not only are assessments more significant, but a corporation can also guarantee that the process conforms with all necessary rules.
