Appraisals - Who Serves First

 When a Performance Appraisal is scheduled at this organization (based on date-of-hire) it unfolds like a tennis match. Tasks are volleyed back-and-forth with the most important step, the vital employee-manager conversation situated in the middle of the exercise.

  The first serve goes to the employee, directing them to go to the online form and reflect on their skills, performance and achievements, and aligning them with the organization's core competencies. When completed, the assignment and form are lobbed over to the manager.

  I confess to being a bit surprised by some staff who thought this task order put them at a disadvantage.

  The tennis serve usually provides an advantage to the server, dictating speed, location, strategy for the competitive point. The Performance Appraisal isn't a competition, but completing the Self-Assessment before the manager is an opportunity to set the tone for the appraisal.

  Imaging what goes through a manager's mind when he sees the following:

• Each competency contains feedback journal notes from grateful clients and professional colleagues
• Each competency contains ideas for development plans that ensure the employee continues to develop their core skills and adapts to ongoing changes
• Comments sections are reflective and proactive, making it clear that the employee takes this assessment opportunity seriously and constructively

  I expect a good manager would dial up the commitment level to match that of the employee!

  Conversely, if the employee has quickly made the rating scale selection and hit the complete button, the manager could interpret that this feedback and reflection opportunity are nothing more than a distraction.

  Point-opportunity lost!

  The time spent with staff, introducing the system has been very rewarding. It has confirmed what they told us in our bi-annual Employee Engagement surveys:

• They want more feedback
• Many don't feel their efforts are recognized and valued
• The lack of feedback eliminates most desires to give that extra discretionary effort that they still have at their disposal

  Staff often confess to feeling like the underdog in the Performance Appraisal. Serving first gives them an opportunity to make this exercise an adult-to-adult exchange of perspectives, reflection, anticipation, and recognition.

As per our blog policy - the opinions and comments in this article represent those of the author and should not be considered representative of the ROHCG.