How to Remain Professional after a Negative Job Appraisal
A regular part of the work routine is analysis of job performance. While generally these assessments are positive, there are times when an employee receives a negative job appraisal. The way that an employee reacts in such a situation is critical in determining how he or she will progress in the company in the future. An important factor in success is learning how to handle disappointment and failure. How can an employee act professionally after receiving a poor review?
Every management team of a company uses job reviews in order to assess how individual employees are progressing in their work. A job review orappraisalis a regular determination of how an employee has performed his or her job during a particular period of time. Companies use such reviews in order to determine if an employee is worthy of an increase in compensation or a promotion. It is also used to identify cases where an employee deserves some form of discipline or in some cases termination as a result of poor job performance. A job appraisal document serves as a communication tool by which management provides an objective assessment of the value that a particular employee brings to the job.
The first thing that an employee should do uponreceiving a negative job assessmentis to read the document carefully and as objectively as possible. Nobody enjoys receiving bad news and a negative assessment of a person’s work will generate feelings of disappointment, resentment and anger. Making the decision to form a clear picture of what the review is saying is essential in order to respond in a professional manner. The initial goal is not necessarily to agree with everything that is in the assessment document, but to form as clear a picture as possible of what the management individual is communicating. During this process it is valuable to see the performance of a person’s job from the point of view of management and what is required from the job. A company creates a job for a specific purpose and its expectations are related to that purpose. The more that an employee can get the perspective of his or her employer, the more likely a job review assessment will be understandable and useful.
No individual is ever in a position where improvement is not possible. A negative job assessment can be a useful tool for identifying areas of work performance where improvement is both necessary and possible. Doing a job in a particular manner may fit how a person has learned in the past or how he or she is comfortable, but that may not be how the company desires that it be performed or even the best way that it can be done. Having the humility to accept that others may know more and be able to teach a person how to do something better helps to respond professionally to a negative job review. Attacking the person who has given the poor job assessment often feels like the right thing to do and may achieve a short-term release, but it fails to address the real issues involved. A professional is one who is able to rise above feelings in order to get at the truth of the matter. Being open to personal shortcomings, accepting their reality, and responding appropriately will communicate respect for a person’s employer that will go a long way in mending harm done as a result of poor job performance.
The job assessment process is not designed to be a static process. The document that is produced is not the end of the conversation, but acts as a foundation from which each side can begin discussing how to move on. A professional approach to a negative job review involves asking good questions in order to draw out necessary details that will help to correct flaws in job performance. Asking questions shows that the employee cares about the employer’s point of view and wants to be completely clear about what is being communicated. In addition, asking appropriate questions reveals that the employee truly desires to improve his or her job performance. A professional is committed to good work no matter the job situation and no matter how he or she feels about a particular employer. Responding well to a negative job assessment is important even where an employee is not committed long-term to a particular company. An employee’s actions at one company will follow that employee no matter where he or she goes. Taking the time to ask questions about what was not done up to expectations and how it can be done better reveals a desire to improve and meet or exceed expectations in the future.
A professional is always looking to the future and always wants to get better. Where an employee realizes that he or she is lacking in a particular skill, that employee should request specific training in order to improve and excel. Requesting help reveals a willing, humble spirit and shows commitment for the long-term benefit of the company. Training also will help the employee to better understand how to do a particular job in the way that the company desires that it be accomplished. By understanding that a poor review is merely a snapshot in time, a person will have the confidence to continue to improve and do better in the future. Avoiding the tendency to sulk and do even more poorly in response to a negative assessment is essential if an employee is to remain employed. The time period of the review is over and there is nothing that a person can do to change the past. By focusing on the future, the employee reveals that he or she has received the truth communicated, made the necessary adjustments, and is committed to working harder to meet the expectations of the company.
Negative job assessments are not a final indictment of an employee’s job situation. Many people have overcome poor job reviews and become valuable employees in a company. A professional response clearly understands the company’s point of view, accepts where job performance has been lacking, seeks ways to get better, and focuses on doing a better job in the future. By keeping calm, responding appropriately, and being willing to adjust to the requirements of the company, an employee can overcome a poor job review and achieve success at a very high level.
