What (Not) to Do in Performance Reviews

How to advise part of a series of Best Practices for Server Harvard Business Review:

Performance review is one of the most feared workplace dialogues not only for employees but also for managers. Therefore, we try to avoid them as much as possible. Effective evaluation should, however, not be just a single interview before the end of the year.

It should be a yearlong process consisting of feedback in response to immediate events, which helps to build personal relationships with employees and facilitates frank exchange of views. How to do it? Read advice from a Best Practices series article on Harvard Business Review.

Do

  • At the beginning of the year make your employees clear on how the performance review will be conducted.

  • Before personal interviews concerning performance, provide all employees with copies of their evaluations so they can prepare.

  • Employees with good performance should be valued for their strengths and accomplishments.

Do not

  • Do not provide general feedback. Be specific about what behavior should be limited and how to proceed further.

  • Do not talk about salary during the evaluation. If you need to talk about money, mention the matter at the very beginning.

  • Do not enhance the evaluation of under-performing employees. Use the personal meeting to talk about your requirements for improvement.

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Article source Harvard Business Review - flagship magazine of Harvard Business School
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