Performance Evaluations - How to Make Them Less Intimidating

Performance Evaluations

How to make them less intimidating

Wendy DiPasquale

12/6/2012

Most managers and employees have anxiety for weeks prior to an employee evaluation. Even when it’s an employee that does a wonderful job every day. Most evaluations require a manager to write in things that can be improved. Of course, most employees are not perfect and there is usually something that can be written in that section. Due to lack of training to supervisors and managers, many do not know how to give constructive feedback to their employees. This causes the employees to feel unappreciated and down on themselves after an evaluation from their manager.

The real evaluation happens in hundreds of encounters during each work day. It's what bosses should do several times a day as a key part of their job. Do evaluation every day. Then, use the formal evaluation meeting as an occasion to review and plan with your subordinates.

There should be no surprises at an annual evaluation. When you sit down at that formal meeting your subordinate should never be surprised by anything you have to say. You shouldn't be surprised by your subordinate's reactions either. If the hard work is done in little steps every day, that will be accomplished.

A manager should be able to figure out what's most important and use the annual performance evaluation to discuss those things. What are the critical things that your subordinate should be able to do? What level of performance should he or she strive for? What behavior is important to keep the team functioning at top level? Once you know the answers to those questions, you know what to monitor and measure and adjust.

Use every contact as occasion to improve performance. That means every contact, every day. Mangers should be involved with their employees so that they can learn about their people and they get to learn more about the manager too. All interactions should be viewed as an opportunity to coach, encourage, counsel and correct.

If there is a reason for corrective action or improvement, many times, a manager’s suggestion to change behavior or performance will be informal. That means written documentation won't be needed. Hopefully, your suggestion and coaching will result in improved behavior. Sometimes, you will need to let your employees know that they're not doing well enough. If they keep doing what they're doing, you'll have to start documenting their behavior. The most important thing is to let them know that you are documenting their behavior before your start actually doing it. It will show the employee that you do take an interest in their success and may be more likely to improve