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Performance Reviews Help Create Great Employees
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Article 7: Set Goals For Performance Improvement
So one of your employees is doing badly. But why?
Maybe the cause is not so easy to determine. Could she simply be in the wrong role? Are outside activities impinging on her work?
Try asking the employee for some help in words such as these: “What would you say is one of the key reasons for your poor performance?” Since she may instinctively shift blame away from herself, you’ll need to get a discussion going. Try asking: “What can we do to improve the work environment to help you perform?”
These conversations can be difficult because they often touch on issues of personality and style. It’s important, therefore, to encourage the employee to open up and contribute.
“Make the review a two-way conversation,” suggests Don Schackne, president of Personnel Management and Administration Associates in Delaware, Ohio.
“Maybe you say ‘Here is how I see your performance,’ and then the employee can come back and say ‘here is what I think.’ Make each of your statements a discussion point rather than a threat.”
A good program, says Schackne, lets the employee leave thinking “my boss didn’t tear me apart or belittle me or make me feel like less than a whole person.”
Once causes for poor performance are identified, set goals for improvement with a clear time frame for accomplishment. Calendar dates can be important milestones to help avoid procrastination.
You need to follow a schedule, too. One of the traditional failings of evaluations is lack of follow-through. Mark your own calendar at checkpoints which have been coordinated with the employee. Meet on these dates to discuss progress.
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