Keep employee performance reviews short and frequent
Staff performance reviews are critical in most businesses yet unpopular with the majority of managers who would probably admit they find conducting reviews a tedious task. However, with proper planning and using payroll and HR software, performance reviews can be a simple, quick, valuable and motivational experience for managers and employees.
So how can I make this happen?
The key is to ensure that the performance review process is simple and quick. “Avoid making the review process too complex or it could become both intimidating for employees and tedious from an execution point of view,” says Phil Meyer, technology director at Pastel Payroll.
Have general “performance chats” more frequently
Keep the process simple and develop a habit of conducting reviews more often as employees generally are more comfortable with this approach.
Simply, quick and regular views enable managers to deliver more value to employees, identify areas where improvement is necessary and provide the employee with an opportunity to improve in those areas by the next review. A combination of regular short reviews, with more detailed ones at longer intervals, probably offers the greatest value to both employers and employees.
“Despite the fact that performance reviews are not intended to be a tool by which to determine salary increases, they often end up playing that role,” adds Meyer. “The real objective, however, is to identify areas of concern and areas of excellence regularly for the benefit of both employee and employer.”
For employers, Meyer says well-developed personal skills lead to positive performance review outcomes. He points out that where regular reviews are implemented, employees who have received a negative review at least have a chance to turn that into a positive outcome at the next one.
Aligning employees to the company vision, mission and objectives is achieved through measurement and regular reviews. It is important for employees to receive recognition for achievement and to make them aware of under-achievement and what they need to do to rectify it.
How should you go about performance reviews?
Meyer recommends that reviews should take five to 10 minutes. “Regular appraisals and feedback is the way to keep on track. Employees have opportunities to improve and that improvement is easily traceable over shorter periods of time.
“Automated payroll and HRM software solutions assist managers by offering pre-defined Key Performance Area (KPA) and Key Performance Indicator (KPI) categories, and review templates that are automatically kept on record. Management is therefore able to store all review records and accurately monitor staff performance improvements.
“Employees like to receive written feedback from reviews, even if only by e-mail. Such brief reports provide a base for comparison and both parties know where they stand. The next review will enable both parties to identify the levels of improvement and progress achieved,” concludes Meyer.
