It’s that time of the year again: Annual performance evaluations.
You’ve got a team of 10 employees you need to evaluate. So, you start thinking
back… Bob has been lagging this winter but he did close that huge account last
summer… Barbara is a star at the moment but didn’t accomplish much in the first
half of the year… Jill has been sick a lot lately…
How can any manager possibly remember all these details? Can a manager really effectively and objectively evaluate an employee once a year?
What if the employee is a typically star player but made a big mistake
right before evaluations? What if a low performer closes one good deal right
before the evaluation? How can a manager comfortably address that employee’s
poor performance the rest of the year without seeming unappreciative of the
great deal?
Organizations need to shift performance evaluations from a once-a-year
review to one that encourages ongoing communications and feedback. The
frequency in which organizations address employee performance has undoubtedly a
profound impact on an organization’s efficacy. Ensuring that all employees
understand what's expected of them and how their goals align with their
organization’s strategic goals is equally important. If performance management
relies too much on infrequent goal-setting and inconsistent feedback, it does
not drive better performance.
Traditional performance appraisals are one of the most frequently
criticized talent management practices. And with good reason. Criticism ranges
from the workforces’ perception of it being “a complete waste of time” and
having a destructive effect that leaves employees disengaged and demotivated.
People only become engaged when they are growing and learning when they believe
that their own goals are attainable and when they see how their goals impact
their organization.
In order to develop top talent and be successful, organizations need to
give managers the tools and systems they need to efficiently evaluate and
support their teams. Technology plays an important role in performance
management. Effective performance management systems have enabled organizations
to shift from paper-based evaluation systems to electronic formats that
simplify the tracking and exchange of information. A good performance
management solution demonstrates how employees are currently performing and
identifies which ones contribute the most, or the least. It provides employees
with transparency into their personal performance in the workplace and insight
into their future career development.
Learn more about effective performance management and the solutions
available to help you achieve it by downloading our whitepaper: “The
future of effective performance management: Maximize potential, exceed goals,
get results.”
