3 Things to Prepare for Employee Evaluations

Employee evaluations, whether conducted annually or bi-annually, is a methodological method for managers to track and evaluate an employee’s efficiency and productivity.

Employee evaluations, whether conducted annually or bi-annually, is a methodological method for managers to track and evaluate an employee’s efficiency and productivity. When conducted properly, it can play a significant role in ensuring high-performers are given the due recognition, and lower-performers are given opportunities for growth.

Although most managers and the Human Resource department are aware of its importance, they are often overwhelmed by their own workload to find time and thoroughly prepare for employee evaluations. In order to prevent futile discussions and create meaningful employee-employer dialogue, here are three things to take note of when preparing for your next employee evaluation. 

Make Time
If you are looking to change the negativity or reluctance surrounding employee evaluation, dedicating time to prepare for it is perhaps the most effective first step. This goes beyond preparing the documents needed, but also refers to:
·         Taking the initiative to set up a meeting with your employee.
·         Giving your employee ample time to prepare and complete their portion of their self-evaluation.
·         Catering sufficient amount of time to speak with each employee instead of rushing through – you may miss out on important talking points which can help the employee or company improve its processes.

Be Concise
An essential component of employee evaluations is to give employees constructive feedback on their performance thus far, so improvements can be made. The rule of thumb for giving feedback is to steer away from being vague. Instead, try to be as concise as possible. A simple way to ensure the feedback has been well received and understood, is by giving examples or ideal solutions with each feedback.

Stay Neutral
Working with people of different working personalities can be difficult, and this may even lead to office politics or personal bias. During the period of employee evaluations, it is important to remain neutral, set aside indifferences and not look at your employee’s performance with tainted lenses.

Instead, focus on your employee’s performance, stay objective and not let previous evaluations cloud your judgement. In the event that you find yourself unable to stay objective and unbiased, it might be best to seek consul from the employee’s co-workers or fellow managers. Coupled with your assessment, they would be able to provide additional unprejudiced and accurate insight into their daily performance.