📝 How to Conduct a Great Performance Review as a Manager or Leader
As a manager or leader, conducting performance reviews is a critical part of your job. It allows you to understand and improve an employee's performance, motivation, and goals. In this article, we will cover three stages of conducting a great performance review: how to prepare for a performance review, how to conduct a performance review, and how to follow up after a performance review.
📋 Table of Contents
- **Introduction**
- **Preparing for a Performance Review**
- Reviewing Past Performance Review Notes
- Compiling Key Talking Points
- Asking the Employee to List Accomplishments
- Creating an Agenda
- **Conducting a Performance Review**
- Starting with Casual Chit Chat
- Reviewing the Agenda
- Discussing Employee Growth
- Evaluating Current Performance
- Identifying Areas for Improvement
- Discussing Career Plans
- Setting Targets, Goals, and Actionables
- **Following Up After a Performance Review**
- Writing a Summary
- Sending a Personalized Message
📝 Preparing for a Performance Review
Before conducting a performance review, it is essential to prepare for it. This involves reviewing past performance review notes, compiling key talking points, asking the employee to list accomplishments, and creating an agenda.
Reviewing Past Performance Review Notes
The first step in preparing for a performance review is to review past performance review notes. This will help you get familiar with things you've written down, such as action items, objectives, and expectations of that particular employee.
Compiling Key Talking Points
After reviewing past performance review notes, compile a list of key talking points that you want to discuss. Think about what the employee is doing that's working, what they're doing that's not working, and skills or behavior they need to develop to improve.
Asking the Employee to List Accomplishments
Ask the employee to list things they're proud of, such as accomplishments, clients won, skills they have built, or challenges they have overcome. This will help you identify things that you might have missed over the past year or since the last performance review.
Creating an Agenda
Once you've reviewed your performance review notes and compiled a list of key talking points, create an agenda for the performance review meeting. A typical agenda will follow this structure:
- Casual Chit Chat (2 minutes)
- Review the Agenda (3 minutes)
- How Much the Employee Has Grown Since the Last Performance Review (5 minutes)
- Current Performance (15 minutes)
- Areas for Improvement or Training Needs (10 minutes)
- Career Plans (10 minutes)
- Targets, Goals, and Actionables for the Next Performance Review (10 minutes)
Send this agenda to the employee you're going to be meeting about 24 hours before the performance review. This will give them an idea of what to expect and help them to be less stressed about it.
📝 Conducting a Performance Review
Now that you've prepared for the performance review, it's time to conduct it. Follow the agenda you've created and start with casual chit chat. Then, review the agenda so both of you are clear about what you're going to be talking about during this performance review.
Discussing Employee Growth
The next step is to discuss how the employee has grown since the last performance review. This starts the performance review on a positive note. Identify areas in which the employee has grown, such as accomplishments, projects they have been working on, clients they have won, skills they have developed, or challenges they have overcome.
Evaluating Current Performance
When looking at the employee's current performance, ask yourself or discuss with them what they're doing that is working and what they're doing that is not working. You can share your evaluation or opinions on what you think they are doing that is working or not working. Encourage them to discuss their own thoughts and opinions with you as well.
Identifying Areas for Improvement
Based on what you've discussed with the employee about what is working and what is not working, guide them into a conversation about what they need to improve on and how they can improve on those things. This could be technical skills, such as a program they need to master or learn how to use, tasks they need to become better at doing, or client work they need to learn to improve on. It could also be soft skills, such as communication, delegation, or punctuality.
Discussing Career Plans
You need to know what the employee's career plans are for the next six months, the next year, or even the next two years. Review their career plans that they talked about in the last performance review and ask them how close they are to achieving those career plans. What have they done to try to achieve those plans or at least work towards them? What do they need to do in the future?
Setting Targets, Goals, and Actionables
At the end of the performance review, you should have a list of targets, goals, and actionables that you require of your employee. You should have a list of things that you are required to perform as well. This needs to be clear between you and your employee before you end the meeting.
📝 Following Up After a Performance Review
After conducting the performance review, your work doesn't stop there. You need to follow up by writing a summary and sending a personalized message.
Writing a Summary
Write a summary of the performance review that includes key points discussed, issues raised, actionable items, and objectives agreed to. The summary only needs to be one page, so use bullet points as much as you can.
Sending a Personalized Message
When you send the summary to the employee, use a warm and personalized message in your email. Treat them with respect, warmth, and support. This will help them feel valued and included in the performance review process.
🎉 Highlights
- Performance reviews allow you to understand and improve an employee's performance, motivation, and goals.
- Before conducting a performance review, prepare by reviewing past performance review notes, compiling key talking points, asking the employee to list accomplishments, and creating an agenda.
- During the performance review, discuss employee growth, evaluate current performance, identify areas for improvement, discuss career plans, and set targets, goals, and actionables.
- After conducting the performance review, follow up by writing a summary and sending a personalized message.
❓ FAQ
Q: How often should performance reviews be conducted?
A: Performance reviews should be conducted on a fairly regular basis, such as once or twice a year.
Q: What should be included in a performance review summary?
A: A performance review summary should include key points discussed, issues raised, actionable items, and objectives agreed to.
Q: How can I make my employees feel more comfortable during a performance review?
A: Ask them to list accomplishments they're proud of, and encourage them to share their own thoughts and opinions with you. Treat them with respect, warmth, and support.
Q: What should I do if an employee becomes defensive during a performance review?
A: Stay calm and professional, and try to understand their perspective. Focus on specific behaviors or actions, and avoid making personal attacks.
