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Developing a clear performance appraisal strategy
Whether you are the interviewer or the interviewee, we are guessing that you do not look forward to the annual job performance interviews. Interviewees do not really want their manager to tell them what went wrong in the period under review. They would rather hear about their strengths and how their manager plans to empower them. Interviewers, on the other hand, tend to feel they end up with nothing to show for all the time and effort they put into preparing for the interviews. Many organisations are still just going through the motions; after ticking some boxes, they get back to business as usual. But that will not do in this day and age. So, how can employers make their employees feel comfortable with having their performance appraised and how do they turn this into a productive and enjoyable process for both managers and their direct reports? Read on to find out more.
How does the performance cycle work?
As an employer, you can choose between different performance appraisal methods. The traditional method has three interview moments: the goal-setting interview, the mid-term performance interview and the end-of-year assessment interview. Another method that is more common nowadays is the continuous performance cycle, which is based on the following principles:
- Continuous process tailored to the employee’s needs
Continuous performance monitoring will prevent the goals that were set at the beginning of the year from having become obsolete at the end of the year. If the employee’s performance on a particular task is lacking, they are given interim feedback and the opportunity to take action.
- Focus on the employee’s talent
Do not waste your time and resources on a lost cause. Give your people the freedom to discover what they are good at, empower them and let them develop their talent. A job performance interview should not focus on the past. Rather, the interviewer should ask constructive questions that help the employee move forward. The past should only serve to inform the conversation about how a person might improve upon their performance. This will empower them to forge ahead. - Ownership on the part of the employee
Defining performance goals should be a two-way street with input from both the interviewer and the interviewee. The interviewer might ask the interviewee how they expect to contribute to a more general business or departmental objective. This will increase their engagement with the cycle as well as the chances of reaching their goal. - Role of the manager as the interviewer
Your managers can make or break the performance appraisal process. So, you need to make sure that they are comfortable in their role and that they are conscientious about preparing for the interviews. - No complexities
Make sure to use as few tools as possible and that the applied tools are user-friendly. If the documents are relatively simple, you can concentrate on what the employee is saying. And that will make an interview a real conversation.
Benefits of development/performance interviews
- The interviewer and the interviewee know the score. The interviewee is clear on where they stand in relation to their goals, what they have to do to reach these goals and what they need to get there.
- The interviewee is motivated to develop and improve themselves and their performance.
- By continuously engaging with each other, you will foster an open, learning culture in your organisation that will make your people feel fulfilled at work.
Want to make the right start with job performance interviews?
We can help by:
- Designing an effective structure for job performance interviews.
- Creating the right tools and resources for your organisation.
- Providing training and on-the-job coaching for your managers.
- Implementing a performance appraisal system in your organisation (e.g. drafting a policy, communicating it to your people, etc.)
Want to find out more about our performance management services?
For more information about how to appraise the performance of your employees and how we can help, please leave your contact details here and we will reach out to you for a no-obligation consultation.