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How to deliver effective performance appraisals

Many managers have a problem with performance appraisals. They just can’t bring themselves to take them seriously. In fact, some believe they are a complete waste of time. Others go through the motions, although they aren’t really convinced of the benefits. But half-hearted efforts are doomed to fail. Because before you can deliver effective performance appraisals, you first need to ‘buy-in’ to the validity of the concept.

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Performance appraisals are mainly concerned about two things: the organisation, and the individual. Think of the organisation as a family, and each individual as a member of that family. Wouldn’t it be nice if they could all get along together – sharing ideas and effort; developing new skills and interests; working in harmony towards common goals; and perhaps having a bit of fun along the way? Performance appraisals help the most important assets of the family – the individual family members – contribute fully to the culture, happiness and success of their family.

Here are top tips on how to deliver effective performance appraisals. If you’re still not convinced that appraisals are well worth the time and effort, perhaps the tips will persuade you to take them more seriously:

A week or so before the appraisal meeting send the employee a proposed agenda and suggest that they add anything they wish to discuss. Remember, this is all about the employee. Sending them a reminder will encourage them to be proactive. Keep the agenda brief; there’s no need for extreme detail. A bullet point list of the main topics should suffice.

Begin a performance appraisal meeting by stating its objectives. Something along the lines of “The purpose of this meeting is to exchange feedback, review progress and plan ahead, etc”. This may seem unnecessarily formal, but if you don’t define your objectives and focus on the agenda, the meeting might head off out of control, in completely the wrong direction. Any random matters, or queries that arise during the meeting can be addressed at the end.

Don’t spring any surprises on the employee during the appraisal meeting. The time to address performance issues is when they occur. Don’t save up a litany of blunders as evidence of inefficiency with which to confront the employee during an appraisal meeting – they will be too busy worrying whether they are on the verge of dismissal to pay attention to anything else that is discussed. But of course, it’s all right to mention past problems in the context of learning from mistakes, etc.

Don’t get into discussions about personal matters or the performance of other members of staff. The meeting is about this employee, their job description, objectives, performance in the organisation, and skills/knowledge development. It’s not about personality clashes or any other personal issues, which should be dealt with by the HR Department. Don’t get sidetracked.

During the meeting take relevant notes, and afterwards briefly confirm in writing the key issues and actions that were agreed. Your organisation may even use a standard form for this purpose. But don’t just tick boxes and then forget about everything until the next performance appraisal. This is an ongoing process, so between appraisals, both you and the employee need to keep monitoring what should be happening compared to what actually is happening.

Always remember that your point-of-view and that of the employee are likely to be quite different in many areas. There’s nothing wrong with that fact, but by being frank and open, you can help them to see things from your perspective, and you in turn should try to understand their own point-of-view. And there should be some common ground to build upon, because in the context of performance appraisals, both of you are working together for the benefit of the employee and the organisation.

Don’t try to ignore problems. They are unlikely to go away, and in fact, will probably escalate, so it’s best to deal with them at an early stage. If there are problems, especially in day-to-day performance, define them and seek a solution together. If problems seem insurmountable, that may indicate that the employee would be better suited to a different role within the organisation.

If an employee feels that you are giving them good support, they are likely to perform better. So encourage them when they do well, and help them when they have difficulties. Look for (and acknowledge) their strengths and build on them. Although saying “thank you” or “well done” may seem unimportant to you, a few kind words can transform the attitude of an employee. But as well as praising their achievements, you should also try to tactfully explore their weaknesses, and work together to turn them into strengths.

Keep a benevolent eye on the employee’s personal development plan. If they know that you are genuinely interested in their future progress as well as their current performance, they will keep trying to improve. That in turn will lead to enhanced productivity.

Ensure that the employee understands exactly what is expected of them, on both a day-to-day and long-term basis. Don’t just assume that they know their role. You may need to remind them of their duties from time-to-time, and perhaps set boundaries, to stop them straying into areas they shouldn’t be concerned with. And don’t assume that they can process information as quickly as you can yourself. That’s a skill it takes time and experience to acquire. So sometimes you may need to be patient with them, and explain things in greater detail and more slowly than you would expect.

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