Performance Appraisals Tips

1. Tip#1 Don't forget about performance planning. Many managers spend more time on
the actual performance appraisal of an employee than they do on the initial
performance planning and ongoing performance communication. This is a mistake and
will always lead to a poor appraisal interaction. The performance appraisal is merely the
end of an ongoing process. More attention should be given to employee development
and preventing performance problems rather than merely evaluating at the end of the
year. This will also make the appraisal easier to give and more comfortable for the
employee to receive. And, it will also greatly reduce if not eliminate surprises.

2. Tip#2 . Don't compare employees with each other. While it is always appropriate to
compare the end results achieved of employees with one another, take care to not
compare employees to or against one another. This can and often does create bad
feelings, poor morale, and an environment of unhealthy competition.

3. Tip#3 Don't forget that appraisal is about assessment. The purpose of an appraisal is to
provide an accurate assessment of performance, not to place blame. By assessing
performance accurately, both parties, manager and employee, can work in an
environment of trust and confidence. This is critical to merit based pay and employee
driven development and improvement.

4. Tip#4 Don't forget that ratings are subjective. It is common to use a rating system such
as 1-5 when appraising employees. Ratings are an effective way to apply a subjective
assessment based upon a wide variety of criteria. However, ratings are not real in the
sense that if two or more people rate the same employee, the likelihood of everyone
agreeing is very small. Seek to fairly apply the rating system, but don't let the final,
subjective, grade personify or label the employee being rated.

5. Tip#5 Appraisals are for performance improvement not salary administration. Many
people use the appraisal process to administer salaries. This is incorrect. The appraisal
process is for performance improvement, not salary administration. Of course,
appraisals are a key input into salary administration, but if an employee is at the
maximum salary for a position you should not stop conducting performance appraisals
for that employee.

6. Tip#6 Accurately assessing staff. Sometimes managers are over confident in their
belief that they can accurately assess their staff, even when they hardly ever work with
or even see their direct employees. Most managers are not in a position to consistently
monitor or oversee performance. Hence, the appraisal process needs to be a two way
working relationship and partnership between manager and employee.

7. Tip#7 Don't postpone appraisal meetings. Many managers delay or even cancel
appraisal meetings. Sometimes this is because the manager is not ready to give the
appraisal. Other times it is because something came up and the manager is all too
eager to avoid or delay an activity that they are not that keen to do. Postponing
appraisals is disrespectful. If managers are not willing to commit to the process and do
a good job, then they shouldn't be managers.

8. Tip#8 If necessary, appraise the trivial. Many human resource experts advocate
measuring only the big things, not the trivial. Others suggest that often times measuring
a few of the trivial aspects to one's performance is just a critical as the key goals and
objectives. Behaviours such as being late for key meetings, letting the phone always go
to voicemail, not replying to emails, dress, manner of speech, attitude, and many others
are expected areas of performance whether they are in the performance plan or not.

9. Tip#9 . No surprises, never. The performance appraisal should never be a surprise. By
discussing performance throughout the year, both parties should be well aware of the
end results achieved and how those end results will be appraised. Talk to staff
continuously. When end results are exceptional, take time to formally acknowledge that.
When they are poor, do the same. Generally speaking, managers should provide a
regular, once a quarter, interim assessment of performance. These interim
assessments help to ensure an effective manager/employee discourse, an accurate
final appraisal, and a no surprises along the way.

10. Tip#10 Don't treat all employees the same. Do all employees need to be treated the
same? Of course not. By way of policy, treat different employees differently. For
example, if you have a rating scale of 1 through 4 where 1 is outstanding performance
and 4 is marginal performance, you might consider having an interim review policy that
provides more rigour for marginal employees and less for outstanding employees.
Marginal performers need and should receive a quarterly interim assessment.
Outstanding employees may only need a mid-year assessment. Ensure common
sense, fair, and practical treatment of all those being appraised. Don't just go through
the motions; appraisals are and need to be an effective tool for building high
performance employees.