The employee performance evaluation system in India has witnessed a significant rise due to technological advancements. Performance reviews processes have become transparent and effective with the rise of smart HRMS and performance evaluation software. HR managers integrate online performance management software to measure employees’ growth and progress. However, only the integration of software isn’t important, the way companies leverage it also matters. Here’s how to make better reviews and comments when your company reviews your performance-

Tips To Write and Manage Performance Reviews Effectively

Consider below mentioned tips and tricks to have an effective performance review of your candidature-

1. Provide regular feedback to employees

Employers must provide constant feedback to employees regularly, regardless of the annual performance management frequency. Employees are advised to provide informal feedback using a manual or smart performance management system. Providing a complete analysis to employees throughout the year helps them grow and improve constantly. It updates them with their constant growth regularly and help them know about current feedback on their work progress. Industry expert, Erika Rasure says negative or unexpected feedback during annual performance evaluation meetings impact their engagement with the company. Further, managers must appreciate top performers who contribute in achieving short-term and long-term goals. 

2. Prioritize transparency everytime

During performance reviews meetings with employees, managers must ensure transparency and honesty. Bringing constructive feedback, addressing important topics, specific issues, and employee’s contribution to the team must be discussed with effective coordination and with complete transparency. Address top and poor performers equally to foster unbiasedness, make clear and reasonable expectations for team members to make them work effectively. It makes a better understanding of their roles and responsibilities related to tasks and projects, enabling effective team coordination and management. 

3. Be comprehensive

Employee performance reviews must be result-oriented, growth-oriented, and future-focused. Managers must provide complete details and feedback that help them grow. Further, managers must leverage smart online attendance system and performance evaluation methods to provide a holistic approach by considering following factors-

  • Employees’ strength and achievements
  • Employees’ weakness and areas for improvement
  • Contribution to short-term and long-term goals
  • Contribution made to the team efforts

4. Consider all factors to evaluate employee performance

Managers must consider a 360 degree approach to analyze employees’ contribution and evaluate performance. It includes seeking feedback from the employee’s peers, team members, and team leaders whom he/ she have worked and engaged with for official tasks and activities. It helps employees to-

  • Collaboratively work with team members and build relationships.
  • Get detailed insights into an employee’s behavior towards his/ her teammates who work alongside. 
  • Know key areas where an employee’s contribution often gets unnoticed by managers.

Companies must leverage smart performance evaluation systems like leveraging the best HR management software to simplify employee performance reviews, as traditional ways of getting feedback from peers is time consuming. 

5. Constantly upgrade to best practices

Companies must stick to the basic principle of providing constructive feedback to upskill that help them grow in the long-run, using the best practices. Manual or traditional way consumes much time whereas Kasturi HR is one of the best performance management system where managers can easily monitor employees’ progress, work reports, and task completion. Further, companies must consider their evolving needs and human resources, and constantly evolve their performance reviews methods, ensuring employee engagement and satisfaction. 

Do’s of Writing Employee Performance Reviews 

It is important to know factors that managers and the management must include when reviewing employee annual performance:

1. Make Balance When Providing Feedback

Constructive feedback is important and carries value, but providing critical feedback in excess or overly sharing complimentary comments may frustrate employees and disengage them in understanding the current requirements for improvement. 

For instance, “Our team wouldn’t have succeeded without Prachi’s contribution,” becomes an overly complimentary statement. Therefore, using correct words that encourage employees without exaggerating it are better. Thus, “Prachi’s contribution to the XYZ project is commendable, we look forward to continuing the spirit for our future goals,” is a better statement.  

2. Analyze the Situation-Behavior-Impact Feedback Model

Besides leveraging a smart online attendance system and performance management software, Situation-Behavior-Impact (SBI) feedback model is another impactful evaluation method that provides constructive feedback to employees. It includes updating employees about situations where their behavior and attitude impacted the overall event. Providing feedback in this model helps employees understand specific situations related to their job profiles and tasks. 

For instance, “During the appraisal meeting, you should have mentioned your overall KRAs that your peers missed to mention, it would’ve caused a positive impact.” The statement showcases overall factors; situation, employee’s behavior, and impact it could have created on the overall employee appraisal meeting. 

3. Future oriented

Another important Do’s that managers must follow is providing feedback and criticism that help them grow in future. When providing an important criticism, focus on ensuring performance reviews help employees develop and cope with their work inefficiency. 

For instance, “Shivam is not approachable whenever it comes to updating graphics, his response to peers is not appreciable.” Therefore, provide feedback using a better formal tone, like “Shivam tends to be less accessible when it comes to updating graphics, and his responses to peers may need some improvement.”

Don’t of Writing Employee Performance Reviews 

Below-mentioned factors are not advisable. Therefore, managers must avoid those when providing employee feedback using forms:

1. Never Get Biased With Demographics

Managers must be unbiased towards every employee and must not consider his relation towards the employees. Further, it also includes fair performance evaluation treatment, regardless of employees’ gender, age, race, nationality, etc. 

2. Do Not Use Adverbs like Never or Always

When reviewing employee performance using smart online attendance systems or managed HR solutions, it is advisable for managers to not use terms like “never” or “always.” It includes situations when an employee performed well yet his performance is not counted or treated as adverse. 

3. Don’t Prioritize Hearsay Feedback

Lastly, never prioritize using the hearsay feedback from employees about specific employees. Managers must observe and accordingly react or provide feedback related to specific events. It makes transparency and reliability with the management. 

Ending Note

Performance reviews need not to be a rigid process, rather it is a process that requires complete employee engagement and participation. During the annual employee performance or appraisal process, always ensure to make things transparent, clear, and effective. Making employees participate and providing them opportunities to share their concern play a major part in an effective performance review meeting, leading to enhanced employee engagement, satisfaction, and productivity.