Performance reviews are used to evaluate an employee's work at their job.Many performance appraisals are done by the employee's manager, though some employers may ask employees to appraise their own work or complete a self-evaluation.Learning how to write a performance review can help clarify the roles and responsibilities of everyone at your place of business, whether you're writing a review of your employees' work or your own work.
Step 1: The position's description should be changed.
If you want to review an employee's performance, you should double-check their description in your employment files.The description of the position needs to be updated if it has changed in the last few years.It wouldn't be right for the employee to evaluate them based on outdated position descriptions.The work employees are expected to do this year is not the work they've done in the past.Any special skills or knowledge required to do the work should be included in the description.
Step 2: There are expectations based on job roles.
The essential performance functions of the position should also be reviewed.You can use these functions to identify your expectations for that employee.Accountability covers whether the employee is reliable and consistent.Punctuality, respect for the organization and its employees, and ability to meet or exceed performance expectations are included in accountability.The production standards should be objective and measurable.A person picking stock in a distribution center is expected to pick 100 pieces an hour.Job knowledge may include the employee's professional skills, ability to assist coworkers, and willingness to continue developing their knowledge and abilities.Required knowledge includes operating, maintaining, and instructing others with special tools and equipment.Communication may include communication skills, or it may cover an employee's ability to work with other employees.Interpersonal relations deals with how the employee treats their colleagues and how tactful and respectful they are.You may want to include evaluations on patience, approachability, reliability, and the employee's commitment to following up with customers if the position involves customer service.
Step 3: Review last year's appraisal.
As you prepare to assess an employee's performance over the past year, it is important to review what you said about that employee last year.You should know in advance if the employee's performance has gotten worse or if significant improvements have been made.Performance reviews have been done by other people for the past three years.Employees should note any comments about past reviews.
Step 4: The employee's performance needs to be documented.
Documenting the work that an employee has done is the best way to start a performance appraisal.If the things you document are good or bad, take note of what the employee has done in their position.Reviews should be objective based on the results.Explanations in the review should be noted if subjectivity is required.You will need to decide on a method of documenting and evaluating performance in order to complete a performance appraisal.When an employee commits an infraction, it needs to be documented in the employee's personnel file.The employee's performance appraisal should include a review of these transgressions.There are specific rules and policies at work.Make sure the rules and policies are followed by all employees.
Step 5: Receive feedback from the employee and their co-workers.
An important part of the appraisal process is getting feedback from coworkers and the employee himself or herself.Managers can get a better idea of how an individual views their job and how their coworkers view them.Ask an employee's coworkers how he or she performs at work, both independently and in collaboration with others.Ask about the accomplishments of that employee and any areas that their colleagues think need improvement.Co-workers' comments are often based on their relationship with the employee.Rather than relying on single interviews, indicate the use of appraisals.
Step 6: Between performance reviews, give your employees regular feedback.
Employees should not be surprised at their performance reviews.If there are elements of an employee's performance that need improvement, let that employee know in a professional way.When you see an employee doing a good job, praise them.Evidence that the employee understands the reason for a negative comment and the expectations for improvement should be written in the history of any reviews.
Step 7: You can choose an appraisal format.
You have to decide how to review an employee's work before you start a performance appraisal.There are many ways to organize your appraisal.An open-ended appraisal is one that can include any thoughts the appraiser chooses to include, rather than using a rating scale.If you only manage a small group of people, this format is better.Between open-ended and checklist evaluations, the structured response appraisal is a middle ground.You fill in the questions based on the employee's performance.The responses need to be based on observation of the results.Managers with a lot of employees use the checklist appraisal.A numerical ranking of how a given employee performs in each category is included in the list of performance appraisals.It is possible to recognize low performance by ranking employees in groups against each other.If no improvement is made, the lowest 10 percent is automatically terminated.
Step 8: Consider what has been achieved.
It is easy to confuse accomplishments and activities.The results or outcomes of an employee's activities and hard work are what are referred to as accomplishments.When assessing an employee's performance, you need to distinguish between doing their job and actually doing things for the company.Praise good work on the employee's part, but also have concrete accomplishments to praise.If the employee is doing work for multiple people, you should praise them.Many employees get saddled with extra work after downsizing, but they never get recognition for it.Focus on the entire reporting period.It's unfair to ignore the last 11 months of flawless work and focus on one bad incident.
Step 9: Define each part of the evaluation.
Performance appraisals are only useful to the employee if they give specific feedback on areas that need improvement.Specific things the employee is doing well should be addressed and encouraged.Give each objective time to be reviewed.Don't play favorites among your employees and be honest in your assessment.Write comments and feedback for every score on the evaluation.Make sure your criticism is constructive.It's not helpful to tell someone they're not good at their job; instead, tell them how to improve it.When you are a manager, ask how you can help employees reach their goals.To achieve high standards, be people oriented.Give your employee new performance goals for the coming year if you want to focus on each employee's strengths and weaknesses.Encouraging employees to improve can lead to benefits such as a salary increase or a promotion to a better position.
Step 10: For the position, have goals and objectives.
If an employee needs to improve their performance, you need to give them the tools to do so.The best goals are called S.M.A.R.T.The acronym for goals is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound.Specific goals should target the parts of performance that need improvement.Instead of saying "Make better sales calls," you might suggest that the employee work on their tone and pitch with customers.Measurable goals should be easy to track.You should have a clear idea of what needs to be done, how much change is needed, and when it will happen.It is feasible for an employee to accomplish at least some of their goals.You should expect an employee to improve their sales numbers rather than expecting them to turn the company around.The employee's performance is linked to quantifiable results that relate to their function in the workplace.A customer service employee may be asked to increase the number of disgruntled callers in order to keep them as customers.Time-bound goals have a start and end date.Customer satisfaction ratings can be improved within the next six months.
Step 11: The review should end on a positive note.
The most critical performance appraisal should end with something positive.You have to evaluate the work an employee has done to find something positive.It's easier to give feedback if the review is positive.To find something positive you can praise, think about everything that employee has done over the last year, including how they interact with other colleagues.
Step 12: Follow up with quarterly or mid-year reviews.
Some managers like to follow up with their employees after big reviews.The goal is to evaluate each employee's progress so that they don't get blindsided by more criticism during the next annual review.You can follow up with employees informally through a one-on-one conversation, or through formal performance appraisals.Praise the changes the employee has made.Give them credit for their hard work.You should point out any performance aspects that haven't improved since last year's review.
Step 13: Give yourself time to think about your response.
Your manager may base your performance review on your self-evaluation, or it may be a tool to assess how you are progressing.It's important that you think about what you want to say about your work.You shouldn't rush through a self-assessment.If it's reviewed when you're up for a promotion, make it count.You don't need weeks and weeks to plan a response, but you might want to take a day or two to reflect on what you've done in the last year.
Step 14: Don't be dishonest with your work.
It's not a good idea to pat yourself on the back for your self-evaluation.An honest assessment of your performance over the last year should take into account both the good and bad aspects of you work.Take credit for your accomplishments.By the same token, make sure you don't inflate your assessment.You can frame your weaknesses as learning experiences.You could say, "I lost three customers this year; however, in the process, I learned more efficient ways of keeping customers satisfied with our performance, which will help keep future customers with us."
Step 15: Take the time to acknowledge how you meet your responsibilities.
It's a good idea to acknowledge what is expected from someone working in your position.Your performance can be evaluated by establishing a baseline.If you're using an open-ended format, make a few sentences about your position.Suggest ways to improve your work if you address how you actually meet those responsibilities.Writing a sentence or two about what's expected from your position is a good way to start.The rest of the paragraph should talk about how you meet, fail to meet or exceed expectations.Some general markers of what's expected of your position should be included in your evaluation if you're using a structured or checklist format.Rate your work based on how well you do.No matter what format you're using, include performance competencies for both your professional skills and your behavior in the workplace.
Step 16: There are areas that could be improved.
Some aspects of your performance should be included in your self-evaluation.You should be able to identify things that you could be doing differently, but you shouldn't be self-loathing in your assessment.Ask a trusted colleague or manager how to proceed with this part of the evaluation if you're not sure about writing about areas of improvement for yourself.Write about your weaknesses as a learning experience.One area in need of improvement is managing ongoing client relationships.I've learned that the best approach is _____.Talk about instances when you struggled with a project but were able to learn something from it.
Step 17: The self-evaluation can be used as an opportunity.
One thing that is common is that you can use this space to talk about what you want to do in your career.Don't be pushy or demanding, but give hints of where you want to go in the future.Discuss the aspects of your current position that are most exciting.Suggestions on how you can focus more time and attention on the things that interest you.Ask about being included in meetings that deal with exciting job elements, or request time and/or funding to enroll in some type of continued education or training opportunities.You could say, "Because of my interest in my current position, I think I might find working in _____ highly rewarding."My skills could help the department.These discussion points can be used to hint that you would like to take on more responsibility.Taking on more responsibility could lead to a promotion.