Changing the Annual Review

There is growing consensus in the business community that the much-maligned annual review process simply doesn’t work. Too much time passes between reviews, leading to an incomplete and underwhelming critique of performance. This, ultimately, does a disservice to both the reviewer and the person being reviewed. Rather than fall back on last year’s strategy, consider some ways to change the annual review for the better:

Direct Reviews in Both Directions

An annual review that is an entirely one-way process can easily feel like an assault. Make sure any review process you rely on goes both up and down. It’s gratifying for employees to be able to review their superiors, and the process often reveals insights and ideas that have real merit. No manager should assume they’re exempt from scrutiny.

Conduct Ongoing Reviews

Trying to cover an entire year’s performance in a single review is simply unmanageable. Instead, conduct quarterly or even monthly reviews. This shorter time frame allows both the reviewer and the employee to honestly and accurately reflect back on performance. This approach also helps correct minor performance issues before they grow into major ones.

Be Prompt About Holding Reviews

Every employee gets anxious about being reviewed, especially if the results of that review affect their compensation. If you announce that you will be holding reviews, do it in a timely manner, within a week. If you schedule reviews throughout the year, stick to that schedule. There is no reason to keep your office waiting, wondering, and worrying.

Embrace the Value of Self-Review

Lots of lip service gets paid to the concept of self-reviews, but they can be a valuable exercise when treated as such. Have employees conduct regular self-reviews, and consider them seriously during the more formal reviews. They may reveal an important disparity between the reviewer and the employee. They also encourage employees to think about their performance in a formal way rather than just showing up and repeating the day before.

Build in a Bonus

If you want the review process to mean something, give it some real value. Reward employees who accomplish something exemplary or display remarkable consistency. This helps make everyone on the teamĀ more conscious of performance and creates a real incentive to do well. Related to that, performance penalties rarely, if ever, work as a motivator.

How has your team performed this week, month, quarter, and year? If performance is lacking, it could be because of the makeup of the team. Find an addition that can make a real impact by contacting the experienced staffing professionals atĀ Morris Bixby.

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