Some people love them, some people hate them, but employee performance reviews are incredibly valuable to employees and management alike. Performance reviews are an opportunity for employees to learn where they need improvement and where they excel; for managers, performance reviews allow a chance to voice concerns and set expectations. If you’re unsure how to handle performance reviews, take a look at these tips!

Prepare

Very rarely does being underprepared work out in someone’s favor. It’s best to get your feedback ready ahead of time so when you do meet with your employee, you stay focused and not get side-tracked. This will also ensure that you cover everything you wanted to talk about and are prepared for any questions your employee may have.

It’s also best to have all your thoughts and comments documented so you can give a hard copy to your employee for their personal records. With actual documentation, employees can monitor their progress and goals and work on their self-development. It also provides them with the necessary resources if they’re considering asking for a promotion.

Be Upfront

You shouldn’t expect your employees to know what you’re thinking – even if you’ve been working with them for years! You don’t want your employees to be confused when it comes to what you expect from them. If an evaluation is going to be more negative than positive, don’t mince words or try to make the air lighter by not being honest with your employees. Be straightforward and direct.

Don’t be the only person talking, though. Give your employee time to respond, ask questions, and listen to their concerns and goals. If you have an employee who is quiet, encourage them to participate by asking questions like “what’s something you’ve accomplished that you’re proud of?” or “what are the areas where you think you need to improve?”

Be Clear

When you’re setting goals and expectations, don’t beat around the bush. Be clear in what you’re looking for in the future; a good guide to follow is the SMART guide:

Specific – state exactly what your employee needs to accomplish, including detailed tasks that need to be done.
Measurable – define the criteria for determining progress. They should be credible and quantitative.
Attainable – the goals should be challenging, but not impossible!
Realistic – the goals established should be able to be accomplished alongside other goals the employee may have. The goals should also be prioritized in terms of importance.
Time-related – include a deadline or checkpoints along the way to completion.

If you stick with this guide, your employees will have clear goals that are within their skillset and are tangible to complete.

Create a Schedule

And stick to it! Nothing is more frustrating than having a schedule and then not following through with it. Now, things can come up and get in the way of previously planned meetings; if that happens, let your employee know that you need to reschedule – don’t leave them hanging high and dry!

Performance reviews aren’t everyone’s favorite thing, but they are critical for improving employee performance. If you’re one of the many who dreads reviewing employees, stick to these guidelines, and never fear an evaluation again!

Crash Course in Employee Performance Reviews