Every HR knows that evaluations are an integral part of an employee’s experience, although they can be exhausting when a firm has a lot of employees. However, performance evaluations are very important. Employee experience is a topic that is talked about a lot and how important it is, a process that represents the all-encompassing path of employees from the moment they become a part of an organization until they leave the same.
Evaluations are touchpoints where managers and HR can evaluate the employees’ performance as well as his/her whole experience in the company. It all depends on the company when the evaluations will be done, some are held on a quarterly, semi-annual or annual basis.
Nevertheless, employee evaluations can be among the most valuable interactions that HR and managers can have with employees.
THE BIG WHY
Evaluations are a meeting where the employee is evaluated, his skill set, work performance, his view of the company as well as their experience. Evaluations are also a feedback space provided by the manager to the employee.
Evaluations enable:
- Self-Assessment: Allowing employees to assess their performance can also be a beneficial review method. Not only can this provide a clue to managers as to some areas where employees feel they can improve and expand, but it may make it easier for employees to accept constructive criticism from managers. However, if employees and managers diverge substantially in their performance reviews and perspectives, this process can present challenges.
- Roadmap to Success: When a performance evaluation is properly implemented, it’s a roadmap. It tells you where you’ve been, it shows you where you can go, and it gives you directions on how to get there. Any HR professional will tell you that a performance evaluation should start with feedback about what an employee has done within the evaluation period.
You should use the goals from the last evaluation, or, if this is the first evaluation, you can use the employee job description.
The performance review should be used for a frank discussion on accomplishments and goals that are still in process. This will provide perspective on what has worked for the employee and what hasn’t.During the evaluation, you can discuss the goals that have not been met yet and determine new approaches and new goals. Employees want to know where they stand, so be honest and open. The criticism you give should be constructive because, ultimately, this is the only way your employee will improve.
- Knowledge is Power: It’s easy to think of a performance evaluation as a one-way interaction in which you give an employee praise for success and discuss their opportunities to excel. But it doesn’t have to be so one-dimensional. The most productive performance evaluations should be a conversation, not a lecture. Take a moment to listen to your employee.
Ask what they consider their best accomplishments during the evaluation period and find out what they need to repeat and build on their successes. Ask for their ideas and find out how you can support your employee, especially when it comes to training needs. After all, their success not only helps the company but also reflects on you as their leader.
- Communication Develops Relationships: Employees will talk to each other, but they might not talk to managers, supervisors, or even their Human Resources department. Employees naturally regard management with distrust. This means that you may miss out on important information that can improve your business. It also means that your employees may not be as motivated to go the extra mile.
Even worse, it can increase the likelihood that they will leave. There are a lot of things you can do to prevent turnover, but one of the simplest, and most effective is maintaining an open line of communication.
The performance evaluation isn’t the only time you should speak to your employees, but it’s a critical opportunity.
How to conduct an employee evaluation
In this process, the synergy between HR and the Manager should be strong, where they will go through all parts of the evaluation together and reach common conclusions about the employee. After that, they hold an evaluation together and go through the discussion with the employee.
To have a truly successful employee performance evaluation process, all aspects of the process must be considered, including goal setting, routine, and regular performance evaluations, self-performance reviews, and recognition programs. The process must be approached carefully and with great understanding, so employees know what is expected of them, as well as how their roles relate to the organization as a whole.
The more effective performance evaluation processes detail the goals that employees should accomplish. Performance evaluations should be used as communication tools to make certain that employers are effectively communicating with employees.
One of the keys to providing employees with a performance review is the principle that an employee should not be learning about a positive performance example or negative performance example for the very first time during a formal performance review.
The most effective managers will have regular touchpoints with employees to discuss the positives and negatives as it relates to employment. If a manager adheres to this practice, the performance evaluation process should then aim to be simply a re-emphasis of the most critical points discussed with the employee throughout the year.
The employers aim to provide regular and routine feedback to ensure that performance reviews are not reduced to a tedious annual exercise. Employers are encouraged to meet with employees quarterly. In today’s market, performance evaluations and career development usually occur twice in a given calendar year; this is not as effective as more frequent evaluations.
While performance evaluation components can vary from company to company, it remains that most effective performance evaluations have goal setting as the first step in the process. This will allow an employee to know exactly where they need to be in terms of performance. By having periodic discussions with your employees about their job performance, you can focus on the most significant aspect of the employee’s role.
Speaking with employees about their goals and performance is vital, but you must reduce this discussion to writing as it allows the employer and employee to see a shared picture of mutual goals and goes far in terms of allowing the employee to be best positioned for success. Employers must also present a crystal-clear roadmap and methodology to how employees are evaluated in the performance evaluation process.
Take the time needed to describe clearly what is expected from the employee and explain the components of the performance evaluation process. Make it clear to the employee that he/she plays an important role in the process. Perhaps the performance evaluation will involve a self-evaluation, so you must fully understand the role of self-evaluation in the performance evaluation process.
Sharing the results of the performance review with an employee is vital to the process. This way, the employer can ensure that there are no surprises for the employee and they will clearly understand the results and expectations. Take enough time to explain to the employee how the employer will continue to assess their performance.
The employee should leave the performance review discussion with a clear understanding of all that is required of a fully performing employee.
