Are you dreading your appraisal?

January is often the time that businesses think about appraisals. Do you and your team “dread” appraisals? Here are some top tips to ease the dread and create a valuable and rewarding process:

1. Keep a performance diary
It is important for both managers and employees to note down their achievements, accomplishments and challenges as they occur, when the details are fresh in their minds. Keeping a diary will allow you to refer back and set future goals and objectives.

2. Monitor progress on goals
Managers and employees should review goals on a regular basis. The goals need to remain appropriate and relevant to ensure they can still be achieved. A lot can change throughout a year therefore it is important to ensure both managers and employees are happy with the current goals and what they mean.

3. Provide ongoing coaching and development
Employee development should not be addressed once a year. Development activities should be assigned to employees throughout the year to ensure growth and improvement. Regular meetings between managers and employees will allow these to be evaluated.

4. Communicate the value of ongoing performance management
It is vital to remind employees to make notes on their performance and update the status of their objectives and development activities. This will encourage them to continuously be aware of their personal development.

5. Support managers with the right tools.
Providing leadership training, tools and resources to support managers in providing ongoing coaching and feedback is very important.