Get the Most from this Year’s Annual Performance Reviews

It’s the end of the year and time for you to conduct performance reviews for your employees. Managers often perceive performance reviews as a tedious and pointless requirement but, to the contrary, annual reviews are essential for the development of your employees. A meaningful review should consist of both a written review and a face-to-face meeting. By the end of the process it should be clear to both you and your employee what aspects of the job the employee does well and what areas, if any, need improvement. Below are a few tips to help you get the most out of this year’s review process. 

Prepare for the Written Review: Being prepared is probably the single most important step towards making written performance reviews meaningful. If you simply check the “satisfactory” box and don’t provide any details – the review isn’t productive. Even worse, if you check the “good” box for employees who need improvement, you’ll jeopardize the organization’s ability to take disciplinary action against that employee in the future. Likewise, an employee can’t improve their performance if they’re unaware of any problems. Accordingly, you must provide accurate and thorough information on the written review. 

Begin by summarizing the employee’s performance before completing the performance review paperwork and before meeting with the employee. Ideally you’ve discussed your employee’s performance (good or bad) throughout the year and hopefully you’ve documented these discussions. To prepare for the review, simply summarize your notes. If, however, the employee’s performance hasn’t been previously addressed then you’ll need to set aside some time to reflect, review, and document. Put simply, this means that you should review any work-product, customer comments, etc. that have been provided prior to the review before documenting your comments on the written review. 

Employee Input: Getting the employee’s input in the performance review process will help the employee to appreciate the review process. Consider providing your employees with a self-evaluation form well in advance of the performance review meeting. Ask about their successes and challenges throughout the previous year and if they need any additional resources to meet the organization’s expectations. 

Talking Points for the Meeting: A meaningful review should include a face-to-face meeting. The meeting should include you, the employee, and another manager. Make notes of what you’d like to cover during the meeting and prepare specific examples of instances when the employee has performed well and/or when their performance has fallen below expected standards. 

Set Goals for the Next Year: The performance review is the perfect time to set new goals for your employee(s). Review your expectations with the employee during the meeting and document those expectations. Where feasible, make the goals as objective as possible. Objective goals make it easier for both you and the employee to determine whether the goals are realistic for the next year and if the goals are ultimately met. 

Follow-up: After meeting with the employee and reviewing their performance, make sure to follow-up with the employee. Don’t wait another year before you discuss their performance again. 

Above all, don’t dismiss the review process as meaningless and mundane. Make it worthwhile and hopefully you’ll see an improvement in your employee’s performance and job satisfaction. 

© 2013 ePlace Solutions, Inc.

Do You Have to Be a Grinch this Holiday Season?

Nobody wants to play the part of the Grinch during the holidays, but employers who fail to control employees during the holiday season may have no choice. If, however, you follow the guidelines below, it might just be possible to keep the holiday spirit alive and well at work this year. 

Celebrations
Employees and employers alike enjoy celebrating the holidays together. In order to avoid the common pitfalls of the infamous “holiday party”, review these tips. 

• Keep holiday parties non-denominational. Put simply, keep religion out of the party. A lot of people associate the holidays with deep religious beliefs; however, not everyone at the organization will share the same belief system, traditions, etc. It’s better to keep the party theme “generic” rather than attach any religious message to the celebration. 
• Alcohol should be avoided. Not serving alcohol is the safest decision, but it may not be the most popular. If your organization provides alcohol at the holiday celebration, understand that you may be legally responsible for drunk-driving incidents, underage drinking issues, and, of course, the employee who drinks too much and acts inappropriately. Consider having an afternoon gathering or something more casual to avoid the issue of drinking. 
•  Appropriate venue and entertainment. Planning your organization’s holiday celebration isn’t the same as planning a bachelor party. Keep this in mind while you plan. 

Attendance Issues 
Your organization will likely see an uptake in “sick” days as the holiday season draws near. Typically the days prior to and after a major holiday bring a large amount of unexpected absences due to employees missing work because they’re “sick.” 

• Strictly enforce your attendance policy. Remind your employees that they’re expected to report to work during their regularly scheduled hours. If you normally require a doctor’s note or other form of verification for absences then don’t let your guard down simply because you’re in the holiday spirit. Enforce the policy to avoid the headache of having to scramble to cover shifts and deal with angry co-workers who didn’t take advantage of you. 
• Absences = No Holiday Pay. Plan ahead and implement a clear policy notifying your employees that employees won’t receive any holiday pay (if you provide it) if they don’t work the day prior to or after the paid holiday. If your employee’s regular day off falls on a holiday, you’re not required to pay them holiday pay. 

Overtime and Double Time 
For many industries, the holidays mean longer hours and lots of overtime opportunities for employees. 

• Keep Track. With the chaos of the holidays it may be difficult for you to accurately track employees’ overtime hours. Plan ahead by informing your managers, supervisors, and employees of the organization’s policies and procedures regarding overtime. Remember, holiday craze isn’t a defense to a wage and hour claim. 
• Equal Opportunity. Oftentimes employees desperately want to earn extra money during the holiday season. You need to make sure that managers aren’t giving the extra earning opportunities to their “favorites” or excluding certain classes of workers (e.g. women, older workers, etc.). If you have a policy dictating how overtime and/or the opportunity to earn double pay is determined – follow it! 

In short, you don’t have to be a Grinch this holiday season; but be prepared and make wise choices. Nobody wants the gift of a claim or a lawsuit! 

© 2013 ePlace Solutions, Inc.