It’s a common thought that appraisals have had their day. Many managers don’t like performing appraisals, or staff development reviews, and most employees dread that appointment arriving in their inbox. In that case, doesn’t it make sense to find a new system, one which works for everyone?
Employee appraisals are an important tool for both employees and employers, but the way in which this type of meeting takes place doesn’t have to be traditional. Many businesses are finding that a once yearly review simply doesn’t get to the heart of any issues, and doesn’t give employees a chance to identify real development opportunity. All of this raises one simple question – what are the alternatives?
Sitting around contemporary boardroom tables and having a formal conversation about how the year has gone isn’t the best route towards, and it’s often the case that a more informal chat yields better results. Whether right or not, most employees still experience the stigma that is attached to appraisals, e.g. the old adage that they are something to be feared, a meeting which is just going to be about hitting you over the head with targets you haven’t met. The truth is that an appraisal isn’t about telling someone what they did wrong, it’s about helping them identify development goals and reach them. Perhaps we should start with readdressing the reputation that these types of meetings have!
One option is to go down the route of a development package, i.e. a constant process which has regular check ins, and an open door policy for employees to go to their manager if they have an issue to discuss or they want to suggest a development opportunity they’d like to be considered for. This takes the stress of appraisals away, e.g. your employees aren’t going to be panicking at their office desk as their review approaches!
This type of constant review process involves one initial meeting, whereby objectives and goals are set, and from there the employee receives regular feedback in real time frothier manager, they are able to raise issues as they happen also, and they are also given praise and recognition for achievements, again in real time. By doing this, employees feel supported and they feel they belong to the office environment. All of this is important for morale and productivity, especially when used in conjunction with other morale-boosting endeavours, such as choosing comfortable and modern office seating alternatives and designing an inspiring office interior.
Let’s sum up what a constant employee performance package should include in short points:
- Setting goals which are realistic, measurable, and achievable
- Employees having regular catch ups with managers, via an open door policy
- Feedback on a constant basis, rather than once yearly
- Methods to measure how well an employee is doing, e.g. targets, deadlines met
- Constant support
Regular catch ups should be done in an informal manner, choosing the best office furniture for the job, e.g. comfortable and laid-back, without moving towards the ‘stuffy’, formal route of appraisals of the past.
Here at Calibre Office Furniture we strongly believe in helping staff to develop to the best of their ability and to reach and surpass their potential. For many businesses, appraisals work, but for equally as many (or possibly more), these old-fashioned types of meetings simply don’t tick the right number of boxes. In this case, perhaps it’s time you reassessed your current method of staff development, and maybe moved towards a more modern, forward-thinking approach.
A constant review process, such as the one we have discussed so far, is a great way to ensure that improvements and achievements are a constant thing, and not something which happens yearly. Let’s be honest, as a manager, do you enjoy staff appraisals? Probably not. And, as an employee, do you look forward to your meeting time? Again, it’s unlikely.
With that in mind, perhaps it’s time to move with the times and reassess the practice?