Employee Performance Appraisals: Evaluating Work Progress

Performance reviews should be short or sweet, just like this article (we promise).

While employee performance reviews can be a smooth ride for employees, it's a tough turn for employers.

Employers pack all their feelings into one lunch box; appreciation, criticism, guilt and respect. They go through a series of reflections before holding this annual review meeting.

At the end of the year, employers use their performance management system to roll back the year, assess employee performance against HR goals, and map out a future development or training plan.

Clear the air between expectations and results in a subtle way. Performance evaluation is important, but how you do it makes all the difference.

In keeping with the theme, we'll try to cut to the chase.

What are employee performance reviews?

Employee performance reviews are comments or summaries given to employees after a specific period of service. Their immediate supervisor reviews an employee's progress and the manager receives feedback to complete the cycle. A raise or promotion usually follows.

To succeed in your performance evaluation interview, release the will to perform and improve. Performance speaks volumes, but the willingness to take advantage of weaknesses is greater. No amount of written feedback can replace that. However, as an employee, self-assessment and self-criticism is the first step.

How to write a performance review

It seems optimistic to evaluate or elucidate your performance at work over a specific period. But hey, that's how the ticker moves. Over time, all eyes turn to you, your work, and your progress. To prove your worth as a trained professional, you'll need to take the leap.

Performance reviews can be shortened or lengthened based on employee preference. It also depends on what time of year you're writing a review. If you write an annual review and feel like you've surpassed your responsibilities, a well-tailored thesis works. If it's a weekly or monthly review, spoken verbiage sounds better than written feedback.

Following these practices will help you calm your inner worries and write stronger reviews:

Be Candid: Relax and write your review in a happy, confident tone. Each sentence should lead to the next sentence without any uncomfortable or unreadable patches. Take a detour from memory and talk about the experiences you have had, what could be improved and the extra efforts you would make. Don't worry if your writing lacks flair; your thoughts should have it. Don't neglect your weaknesses: Get off your high horse (you need it). Although it seems eminent to get carried away with your victories, take a step back and examine your weaknesses. Everyone has sudden bursts of “wins” and “losses”. Our weaknesses shape us and give us a mantra to excel. The next time you write your review, dedicate a section to your weaknesses and your coping strategy. Speak in a clear voice: Be like water. Stay away from difficult words and an elitist tone. Cluttering your review will only result in negative points. Stand firm, believe your words, and don't be afraid of anything (big or small) you've tackled in your career journey. Praise your manager/workplace: Even though this is your relay race, your manager passed the baton to you. Put a word of appreciation for your immediate supervisor. A flower blooms in a flourishing environment. In the same way, a professional excels under the guidance of an illustrious leader. Don't Oil Your Palms: Praising the who's who of your workplace is good practice: unless it's going overboard. Keep the topic of reviews clear and crisp. Rate your knowledge base, skill base, and completed tasks rather than crediting someone else. The review process in most organizations is free from bias, opinion and favouritism. Be honest about your expectations: As a hard-working worker, be wary of what you expect from your workplace. Don't leave management in the dark by accepting whatever they send you. Take ground for yourself, your salary expectations and your ex...