Do you conduct periodic performance reviews with your team members? If not, you’re missing out on an important opportunity to help your employees learn and grow. As a manager, it’s your responsibility to meet with each person to discuss their accomplishments and shortcomings. When employees know they’ll be held accountable for their performance, they’re much more engaged in their work.

5 Tips to Establish a Successful Review Program

Use the following five tips to implement a dynamic performance review program at your organization:

1. Ask Employees to Complete a Self-Assessment: Prior to the review, provide employees with the same form you use to evaluate their performance and ask them to assess themselves. This is a great way to start a sometimes awkward conversation, as you’ll gain insight into how the person views their own performance. For example, if the employee notes they need to improve in a specific area you’ve already identified, it’s much easier to approach the subject knowing they agree with you.
2. Be Honest with Your Feedback: It’s easy to tell your employees they’re doing a great job, just to get the uncomfortable review process over as quickly as possible ─ but that doesn’t help anyone. It’s important to provide helpful feedback that allows people to improve themselves. There’s a fine line between constructive criticism and brutal honesty, but there are many ways to give honest feedback, without belittling people and causing them to feel discouraged.
3. Provide Specific Examples: Offer specific examples of things your employees are doing well and areas that need improvement, to help them get the most from the review process. Your employees can’t read your mind, so if you want them to know what you’re thinking, you have to tell them in a clear and concise manner.
4. Focus on the Future: Use this one-on-one time to discuss future goals with each employee. Find out where they’d like to be next year and in five years, so you can help them acquire the skills and experience to get there. When you take the time to invest in your people, they reward you by becoming long-term, loyal
5. Schedule Periodic Meetings: It’s not enough to meet with your team members once a year to discuss their performance. Get the most from the review process by scheduling quarterly meetings with each team member. Staying connected with each person allows you to ensure they’re on track to meet their goals for the year and create a plan to change course if necessary.

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