Performance Reviews: What to Do Before, During & After

Feeling a little nervous when a performance review draws near is normal.

But if this is your first rodeo, the feeling might be too intense for your liking. So, to ease your mind, we cover what happens and what you should do to make the most out of your appraisal.

If it helps you better, let’s do it in phases! What should you do before, during, and after your performance review?

What is a performance review?

Management examines an employee’s work performance, recognizes strengths and flaws, provides comments, and sets goals for future performance during a performance review, a formal assessment.

Performance assessments and appraisals are other names for performance reviews.

For their entire workforce, many firms used to conduct annual performance reviews. Still, many businesses are switching to a frequent feedback performance management system where managers review quarterly, monthly, or even weekly.

Several businesses have stopped using formal performance assessments in favor of one-on-one meetings and more informal manager check-ins.

Why is an appraisal necessary?

The value of performance evaluations is being unlocked by more and more organizations even though old-fashioned methods are still used.

When employers implement them properly, staff members frequently provide the firm with more insightful feedback, feel more motivated, which helps accelerate their professional development, and—most importantly—help the company meet its objectives.

Managers may provide their direct reports with fair and useful evaluations by conducting effective performance reviews. This may boost employee engagement, offer powerful encouragement and reward, and build concrete, accountable avenues for employee progress.

What to do before your evaluation

You will have a clear view before the meeting if you have prepared for your performance evaluation.

1. Go back to your job description

Your job description should list the qualifications, duties, and objectives you must meet. These requirements might serve as the basis for your planning.

Consider how your job description relates to your achievements from the review period. The work description for the position at the following level should also be cited if you apply for a promotion.

2. Highlights of achievements

You must know your accomplishments from the review time going into the procedure. While you should be proud of your achievements, your boss will appreciate them more if you can relate them to your firm’s objectives.

You must explain how you obtained your goals and their quantifiable impact on the company while outlining your successes. The problems that kept you from achieving your goals should also be noted so that you can receive greater support in the future.

Finally, include any training or qualifications you may have obtained while working.

3. Determine what needs improvement

You can note the abilities, knowledge, or experience you need to acquire to continue progressing within your organization by identifying your areas for improvement.

You can create an effective growth plan with your supervisor by listing areas that need improvement.

4. Set objectives

Before meeting with your manager, be proactive by establishing your own goals.

Are there any certifications you’d like to get to boost your career?

Do you believe you need to work on any particular skills?

Make a workable plan or set of objectives. These objectives should align with those of your business or unit, demonstrating that they support

On your appraisal day

On the day of your performance review, take a deep breath and keep calm.

Remember that this evaluation is about your performance set against KPIs and is never directed at your person. Instead, use this opportunity to learn how you can improve your performance.

1. Be receptive to criticism

Be transparent with your manager and be willing to receive criticism. Your manager will see that you are adaptable to change and motivated to improve by visiting that you are receptive to constructive criticism and feedback.

After reviewing, note specifics from your evaluation, such as highlighted challenges or strengths. Take note of any suggestions for improvement or flattering remarks made by your manager throughout the assessment.

Every paperwork you receive from your manager should be saved so you may utilize it to prepare for your upcoming performance review.

2. Speak up

The best kind of performance review is when it’s two-way, meaning you get to advocate for yourself and suggest ways to improve your workplace and performance, too.

Why is it important to speak up for yourself? Because no one knows you better than you.

Communicate your issues, discuss what you think will help your work better, and just be open to contributing to improving your performance.

You can even bring up utilizing platforms to speed up your workflow.

For example, communication platforms like Slack can centralize your discussions. In addition, HR platforms like Hezum can provide solutions to streamline administrative processes such as time off management.

The point of speaking up is to let them hear your insights on what would aid you best in your quest for improvement.

3. Prioritize your strengths over your faults

By focusing on your strengths, you boost your morale and gain confidence that you have the skills and mindset to correct or improve your weaknesses.

After your performance review

Congratulations, you made it through your performance review!

What comes next is working on the areas for improvement that were discussed during the assessment.

1. Create a development strategy

You should concentrate on developing an action plan based on the feedback you get now that the evaluation is complete. This could be a more ambitious objective divided into doable steps to achieve it, with checkpoints along the route to assess progress.

To assess progress, schedule frequent check-in sessions with your supervisor. In this manner, the development plan develops into a shared objective with increased ownership and accountability.

2. Establish your needs, objectives, and deadlines

Creating a calendar for executing and monitoring that development plan is crucial, but you also need to pinpoint the areas in which you require more assistance or resources.

This can be as simple as admitting that, let’s say, Excel spreadsheets are not your strong suit and enrolling in a course to improve, or it can be considerably more complex.

On the other hand, there are places within the company where you may use your abilities to have a greater impact on the overall organization; these places should also be discovered and planned for.

3. Integrate objectives and milestones with the overall company plan

Even though many businesses lack the funding for continual training and education, you, as an employee, can coordinate your professional development with the company.

If you are fantastic at public speaking and know that the bigger corporate strategy calls for more communication or great public speakers to carry it out, then there is an alignment.

4. Create a strategy for a larger career discussion

Last but not least, consider more than just your current position and consider your entire career.

Here is where having a well-defined growth plan can help outline the trajectory of your career inside and outside your firm.

Consider your areas of strength and progress in your current role as well as in the context of your long-term career discussion. What might this position demand in a year, for example? Do you need to ramp up to get there?

To summarize

In firms that effectively manage performance, staff members will regard reviews as just one of many resources for success.

Strong companies do not use performance reviews as one-way conversations between managers and their subordinates. And you shouldn’t ever feel pressured to perform well during a performance review.

Instead, the greatest firms use their insights to drive change beneficial to the organization, convey the goals and benefits in advance, and integrate performance assessments into bigger

cycles of ongoing recognition and feedback.

Employees who comprehend the value and intent of performance evaluations will be on board, approach them positively, and consider them as chances for professional development.

If you want more HR insights, visit our website, Hezum, today.