Appraisals - Top Tips
The guiding principle is that a good appraisal process is one that engages people and helps them to develop their day-to-day performance. Holistically, the appraisal process should be all about the overall aim, not the process of doing it.
So why are appraisals seen as a chore and a necessary evil and disliked by both managers and employees, alike? Worse still, managers all too often miss-manage the appraisal process and virtually 'guarantee' that they will be unpleasant, adversarial, and virtually worthless.
We accept that appraisals are always going to be a little bit stressful for everyone, but lack of preparation and training compound these errors and guarantee that the objective of appraisals - improving performance, is lost in the 'hot air' of the resultant debate.
Our appraisal training and coaching courses will help overcome the barriers to conducting effective appraisal reviews. In our workshops we will address the most common barriers and excuses that inhibit the appraisal process;
Common Barriers and Excuses
- Too busy managing and fire-fighting
- It's all top-down
- Cancellation / delay of review meetings
- Fear and anxiety on both the appraisees and appraisers
- Avoiding the real issues
- Changing goals throughout the year
- Limited buy-in to the process from appraisees
- Lack of role model behaviours
- Manager doesn't really understand the appraisee's job / contribution
Appraisals Ten Point Checklist
1. Thorough preparation
2. Create the right atmosphere
3. Work to an agreed and transparent structure
4. Positive reinforcement (constructive criticism)
5. Let the appraisee do most of the talking
6. Encourage appraisee self-assessment and listen actively to what the appraisee says
7. Discuss behaviours, not personality
8. Analyse performance (relevant, quantifiable and honest) and recognise and reinforce achievement
9. Ensure no surprises
10. Ends positively with agreement to on-going SMART objectives and action plan
SMART Objectives
- Specific - relate to specific tasks and activities, not general statements about improvements
- Measurable - it should be possible to assess whether or not they have been achieved
- Attainable - it should be possible for the appraisee to achieve the desired outcome
- Realistic - within the appraisee's capability
- Timed - the next appraisal date, or earlier, should be agreed as the time for reviewing the achievement of the objective.
Performance Appraisals - things to avoid at all costs
- Spending more time on historical performance appraisal than future performance planning and communication
- Relative performance comparison with other employees
- Thinking a rating form is an objective, impartial tool
- Believing that managers are in the best position to accurately assess staff (which is not always the case)
- Thinking all employees and all jobs should be assessed in exactly the same way
Five key elements to an appraisal framework
- Organisational competencies, values and desired behaviours
- Job competency framework
- Key responsibilities and tasks
- Macro goals, projects and stretch objectives
- Individual action plan covering achievements and accomplishments
Get your managers to ask the right questions
To get the most out of the appraisal sessions ensure that appraisers ask open and probing questions.
Open questions are general rather than specific and they enable appraisees to decide how they should be answered and encourage them to talk more freely.
Examples of open questions include:
- How do you feel things have been going?
- How do you see the job developing?
- How do you feel about that?
- How do you see that developing?
- Tell me, why do you think that happened?
Probing questions dig deeper for more specific information on what happened or why. They can should support for the individual's answer and encourage them to provide more information about their feelings and attitudes. They can also be used to mirror back to the appraisee to check information.
Examples of probing questions include:
- That's very interesting. Tell me more about...?
- To what extent do you think that...?
- Have I got the right impression? Do you mean that...?
- Tell me how you contributed to the success of the project?
To find out how GA Training can help with your Appraisal Skills Training please call 0845 130 5714 or email info@ga-training.com.
Click here to view our Appraisal Skills Training Course programme.
