Performance Reviews – making the most of them !
If I mention “Performance Review” most of you would think of rating, salary increments, bonuses and promotions. Would you also think of future performance, skill enhancement and charting a stellar career? If the answer is “Yes” then you may already be making the most of your performance review, if the answer is “No” then read on.
Why do Performance Reviews exist?
By and large they exist to review your past performance and provide you feedback for improvements. Most performance reviews are completed on a yearly basis. For the organization the main objectives of having performance reviews include:-
To ensure each team member knows clearly what they are expected to do, individually.
To set standards / establish a level of competence for both the individual employee and the workplace as a whole.
To plan for and receive inputs from employees for their professional and career growth.
To ensure performance of employees are evaluated on same criteria for the same job.
- For a fair and objective basis for rewarding and recognizing individual performance To provide regular feedback on how one is doing to improve/develop self.
Usually performance reviews are completed by your manager and then reviewed together by both of you. This gives you one-on-one time with the manager to highlight your abilities and discuss professional growth. Thus the discussion is an important aspect of the review process. Let’s see how you can make this discussion meaningful.
Preparing for the Performance Review
Preparing for the performance appraisal ensures you are ready with your points of view and can table them with your Manager. Being unprepared means being a reactive or a passive participant in the process. It is essential that you take time out and do the following:-
- Review your work: Think about ….
Your job description, job responsibilities, and any job performance expectations set with your manager
Key achievements and factors that contributed to them
Factors that inhibited your optimal performance
Steps taken towards self-development
Career aspirations for future
Training and self-development needs.
- Document adequately: If the review form does not provide space for the points mentioned above document them in additional comments section. Be detailed in writing your self-evaluation. Make sure to give specific examples. If you saved the company money by suggesting and implementing a process, add that. Mention figures. Write “Trained 8 batches comprising of 15 people each” instead of “Conducted training for a lot of batches’’.
- Ensure feedback is received from all managers: If you've had more than one manager in the performance assessment period, be sure that the earlier manager has passed on feedback of your performance to the current one.
