documenting performance in an Employee Feedback Log yearround. “If managers provide timely feedback, then the accuracy
of that feedback is going to be much better than if they wait
until an annual review,” says Durling.
She adds that having a performance management system that
allows the attachment of files and notes is a great way for
“The performance review is a chance
to relive some of the past year’s
challenges and victories together,
and discuss what you each want for
the coming year.”
Coastal Salt & Soul, which creates a scented body butter and soap
line, employs a 10-question survey as a performance review tool.
Tips to
Effectively
Conduct
Performance
Review
30
PULSE
■
October 2016
— Ryan J. Young, HR and Finance Supervisor,
The Spa of Colonial Williamsburg
1.
Prepare and avoid being too vague. Durling says performance review can
only work when managers use specific examples that will improve an
employee’s job performance. “Keep a file or document where a manager can
jot down specific instances of both exceptional and ‘need improvement’
performances and job habits,” she says.
2.
3.
4.
Follow up. As part of the review, a manager should be setting goals for the
coming year. “Performance reviews only work if there is a follow-up
throughout the entire year and not just for an hour (or less) once a year,” says
Durling.
Use employee self-reviews. “Self-reviews are extremely helpful because they
give employees a way to reflect on their own performance and give managers
more details on how the employee has performed,” Durling says.
Know your standards and be clear about them. “If you are clear on your
standards and express them in a concise manner, your employees already
know where they excel, where they may be deficient, and what is expected of
them. The most time-consuming aspect of reviews occurs when an employee
is unclear on a standard he or she may have scored low in and is willing to
fight to make you see things his or her way,” Young says.
5.
Set the timeline and stick to it. When scheduling reviews, the amount of time
you spend with each employee is noticed. If an employee needs to spend more
than the scheduled time on their review