How to Effectively Manage a Performance Review

Writing employee performance reviews has been the subject of numerous books, articles, opinion essays, and website content for years. While a very important topic, because of the psychological, legal, and operational issues involved, there is relatively little written on the equally critical subject of how to present an employee review effectively. Whether management is totally pleased with the performance of the employee or has identified serious areas of concern, the proper presentation of the review is critical.

Whether it’s an underperforming executive or a superstar rookie staffer, employees are people, with psyches, egos, goals, personal traits, and environmental upbringing, so this discussion is an important tactical and emotional experience.  

Top five tips to ensure a productive employee review experience.

1. Prior to review dates, give employees blank copies of the actual performance evaluation form or document to be used. Make sure all employees already have a complete job description, so they are aware of the standards against which they will be evaluated. Have employees complete their own performance review before the meeting so both of you will have given the meeting some serious thought.
2. Block out an hour for your meeting (although it may not last this long) and select a location that provides you and the employee a good measure of privacy to discuss the items in the evaluation.
3. At the beginning, restate the goals of the performance review so both of you are on the same page. After both of you agree on the evaluation objectives, have a meaningful discussion. The key word is “discussion.” The employer should not do all the talking. Employee feedback is critically important to having a positive, productive meeting. Experienced reviewers ask open-ended questions (those that cannot be answered “yes” or “no”) so the employee can give thoughtful answers and have positive participation in the meeting.
4. Even if you have noted areas of concern that need improvement, keep the employee at ease, while maintaining your own composure, so your message will be heard without an “us versus them” environment. Should disagreement occur, give the employee the opportunity to state their position, which will also become part of their personnel file. Experienced reviewers often learn valuable information about their employees by giving them the ability to state their own views of performance issues.
5. The most important factor in a successful performance review: Never focus only on areas that need improvement. Much like the psychology of coaching athletes, the “sandwich” method (see explanation below) works best during performance evaluation meetings. Praise for job areas in which the employee is performing well is more effective than dwelling only on those areas which need improvement.

The “sandwich” technique is very effective when discussing performance issues. Here’s how it works. Let’s assume your employee evaluation covers five specific areas. The employee has performed well in three of the areas and needs improvement in the other two. Instead of brushing past the areas worthy of praise and spending the bulk of the meeting on the two areas deemed less than acceptable, try this. Begin the meeting highlighting one of the areas of commendable performance, praising the employee as appropriate.

Then move to the two areas requiring improved performance. Discuss these areas in the detail you feel is required, hopefully obtaining agreement on these issues from your employee. The remainder of the meeting should then be devoted to the other two areas where the employee has performed at or above the expected level. All the important points of the performance review will have been covered in as much detail as needed.

The result of using this method is usually a positive experience for both employer and employee. You began the meeting with praise, then “sandwiched” the negative portion of the discussion in the middle, while finishing with more positive comments. The overall result is usually positive for both parties.

Four benefits of using the "Sandwich" approach

1. You have a successful beginning, middle, and end of this important meeting.
2. You have delivered the necessary criticisms and negative information without making it the “feature” of the meeting, with periods of praise both before and after.
3. You will usually remain comfortable and non-confrontational since the meeting both begins and ends on a high note.
4. The employee, while being properly advised of areas needing improvement, normally has a positive feeling, as they received the appropriate praise for their accomplishments on, not one, but two occasions during the meeting.

Should a situation occur where there are more guns than roses, with an employee becoming testy, remember to give the employee the same ability that you enjoy - to present their opinion, without either party becoming defensive. While this is a delicate situation – since the employer is convinced they are correct and the employee feels they are being unjustly judged – achieving some level of “balance” may be critical to the future performance of the employee. It is necessary to keep this meeting a discussion, not a defensive struggle, because there is then little chance for achieving a middle ground or providing effective motivation for future improvement.

A final note that should be obvious but real world data indicates is not: The issue of “surprise.” There should never be any major surprises unveiled during a performance review. This rule applies to both positive and negative surprises. All employee performance reviews should be based on a “body of work,” not a specific incident of positive or negative activity. Every employee’s contribution to the operations, public impression, increased income, decreased expenses, and overall well-being of the company is the result of consistent, day-to-day performance. Whether performing mundane activities or important areas of operation, employees should be regularly advised of their success in achieving the objectives of their job description. Their performance review should be a statement and re-confirmation of their activities, of which they should already be aware. Whether outstanding or needing improvement, the employee review meeting should be informational, positive, and lead to improved performance by both employee and employer.

For more information on Performance Reviews or to request a complimentary Performance Review consultation please email kylie.perry@kellyservices.com.

Further Reading

How to use 360 degree feedback more effectively

Tips for performance reviews