Conducting Effective Performance Reviews

Performance reviews are an essential component of employee development. The performance review meeting is an important aspect of career planning, and the outcomes of the meeting should be known to the employee and supervisor before the meeting actually takes place. Remember what the German philosopher Goethe said: “Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them become what they are capable of being.”

Setting goals and objectives to aim for will give both supervisors and employees a focus, and is one of the key aspects to meeting overall company objectives. Supervisors must also learn how to give feedback, both positive and negative, on a regular and timely basis so that employees can grow and develop. Performance appraisals involve all these activities.

• To recognize the importance of having a performance review process for employees.
• How to work with employees to set performance standards and goals.
• Skills in observing, giving feedback, listening, and asking questions.
• An effective interview process and the opportunity to practice the process in a supportive atmosphere.
• How to make the performance review legally defensible.

To start, participants will discuss what performance appraisals are and why they are important. The importance of building trust will also be covered.

This session will explore the three most common errors made during performance appraisals.

Next, participants will learn about the most common types of performance appraisals: formal reviews, informal reviews, probationary reviews, and 360 degree reviews.

To begin, participants will look at the four-stage performance management process through a lecture. Then, participants will work in small groups to review some sample appraisal forms.

During this session, participants will learn about the SPIRIT acronym for goals. They will also learn about setting short-term and long-term goals.

This session will explore the first two stages of the performance management cycle: the basis for review and performance standards. BAR’s and KRA’s will also be discussed briefly.

Participants will learn about the importance of standards through a short exercise.

Another key element in the performance management cycle is a performance development plan. Participants will learn about the components of this type of plan during this session.

This session will provide participants with some basic feedback and communication tips.

Next, participants will take a closer look at listening skills.

In this session, participants will learn about asking good questions, probing techniques, and body language.

This session will cover the six characteristics of effective feedback. To reinforce these concepts, participants will apply these characteristics to three case studies.

Next, participants will learn how to accept criticism graciously.

This session will look at some things that participants should do before delivering the performance appraisal.

In this session, participants will learn a basic interview format and practice it through a role play.

Day Three will start with a role play on the first stage of the performance appraisal process: goal setting. This role play will be followed by discussion and feedback from the trainer and other participants.

This session will ask participants to complete a role play on the second stage of the performance appraisal process: providing feedback.

Next, participants will learn about the third stage of the performance appraisal process: coaching. Participants will also practice coaching in a role play.

In this session, participants will prepare for a mock appraisal.

Next, participants will conclude the performance appraisal process with a mock interview.

Once an employee has achieved a particular level of performance, we usually want them to maintain that level. This session will explore some ways of doing that.

During this session, participants will learn what to do if an employee is not achieving a particular level of performance.

In this session, participants will learn what steps to take when someone needs to be let go. Participants will also have an opportunity to practice their skills in a role play.

To sum up the past three days, participants will look at their pre-assignment, identify areas of improvement, and develop an action plan.

To conclude the workshop, participants will review some checklists that they can use during the performance management process.