How to . . Reap rewards of performance appraisals

FOR many companies, performance appraisals have become things that have to get done, as quickly as possible, but with little thought about how they can be used to develop employees.

This attitude has led to many employees losing interest and faith in the system, too.

Neville de Lucia, new business development director at Dale Carnegie Training, has the following advice:

For someone to do their job brilliantly, they need to know exactly what is required of them, not a vague approximation. Managers need to provide a clear picture of what the job done well looks like, so employees can measure up. Often the problem lies with a manager who is unable to articulate what she or he requires;

Make sure that each employee understands how their particular job fits in to the bigger picture of the organisation’s vision, mission and goals. This fosters greater responsibility;

The review meeting should be used to encourage employees rather than as an excuse to point out their shortcomings;

Follow-up meetings to ensure that the employee is on track to meet their targets will increase the chance of success and help to develop a relationship of trust;

Build in a recognition system that identifies specific tasks (those listed in the performance appraisal) as well as the spontaneous recognition of other work. These can take the form of a simple but heartfelt “thank you” or e-mail; lunch for the whole team or tickets to an event; or even spot bonuses; and

The best way to encourage a positive attitude is to model it as a manager. Show employees you take your job seriously and want to improve yourself, and they are likely to follow suit. — Margaret Harris