Ducks In A Row: Employee Reviews
July 7, 2009 by Miki Saxon
Most managers know that lousy customer service is one of the fastest ways to reduce the bottom line.
But what most managers forget in the daily press of doing way too much with drastically reduced resources is that their employees are also their customers.
As I’ve said in the past, one of the hats every manager wears is employee service manager (ESM) and reviews are a critical part of that.
Done right, reviews are a positive experience for both manager and employee; in some cases even a time to bond.
If the goals in January were done well, which means that they had a deliverable date and were quantified and measurable, then evaluating how someone is doing is simple.
An article in Business Week discusses the added weight being given to mid-year reviews as a result of business turmoil in the current economy.
In fact, the only goals that are fair to employees and managers alike always include those three points.
As a manager you should never forget…
As an employee you should always request…
- Due date
- Quantified action
- Measurable results
And while a good review means that you’re honest and authentic with your people, that doesn’t translate to abusive or destructive.
Offering
- recognition of what the person does well; and being
- candid about areas that need improvement
are two hallmarks of a good review.
The third is no surprises, which means that you’ve been giving candid feedback throughout the year.
Skipping any of these is setting you and your people up for review hell.
For more specific assistance, read how to give performance reviews and how to give a disciplinary review.
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Image credit: ZedBee|Zoë Power on flickr