Performance Assessment
Many companies provide periodic feedback to their employees to let them know how they are doing in an effort to improve their performance. In many cases it is accomplished annually and it is this review of performance where an employee is apprised of their performance. When a performance appraisal is done correctly it reinforces good behavior, identifies areas to improve upon and provides the employee with a sense that they are valued as a person and not just a company or organizational asset.
So how is all this accomplished? The answer is relatively simple even if many managers have difficulty with the process. The first step is to schedule a time period for the performance appraisal session and inform the employee of the time, place and purpose of the meeting. Every effort should be made to keep this meeting from being uninterrupted and that may mean letting the boss know that annual performance appraisals are being conducted. One very important part of planning the session is to have notes regarding the employee’s performance so that it comes from a written source and not just memory.
The second step is the actual session and it is here that the manager must structure the session correctly so that the employee feels good about how they are doing, if they are an average employee or better and yet also walks away knowing that there are areas where they can improve.
This method is called the sandwich method and the first step is to tell the employee where they are doing well and the significance of their contribution to the organization. The second part of the sandwich or the meat of the sandwich is where the manager addresses the areas for improvement. In some cases, these are clearly weak areas that an individual should work on in order to improve on the job. For others, these may be areas where the employee needs to develop in order to move up in the organization. The last part of the sandwich is an expression of belief that the person can indeed address the issues identified and continue to be a much needed asset of the organization.
For the poorest performers, the same process should be used but the last part of the sandwich must have a clear message that if the performance doesn’t improve that there might not be another performance appraisal but rather an exit interview.
Once the actual performance appraisal session is over the manager’s job isn’t done. The manager must monitor performance and assess the progress the employees are making in addressing the areas for improvement and some feedback on that progress should be shared with the respective employees as needed. Employees may see a performance appraisal as a once a year event but good managers know that it goes on every day and one way or another, the manager is always assessing an employee’s contribution to the organization.
