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Job reviews are helpful but ongoing feedback is best [Michael Kinsman] If there is a guaranteed way of raising the blood pressure of workers, it’s a simple mention of the performance review.
“I can see why people react that way to
“They (job reviews) should be to help
“It isn’t all on the supervisor,” she says. “By
performance reviews,” says Kim Hans,
employees develop and grow,” he says,
having the individual do a self-evaluation,
Carlsbad, Calif.-based director of operations
urging employers to draw a distinction
it gives focus to a manager, who may have
for Adecco Staffing in the southwestern
between reviews and pay raises. “Salary
to do 10 or 11 reviews each year. Some
United States. “For most people, reviews
reviews should occur separately on an
supervisors are so busy in their jobs, they
tend to appear subjective and intimidating.”
annual basis.”
don’t feel they have time to put into this,
A survey of 2,000 workers by the staffing
Katcher thinks about 50 percent of workers
company found worse. It revealed that
understand the job-review process, a factor
less than half - 49 percent - believe their
that contributes to a growing cynicism about
supervisors take the review process
evaluations.
seriously and only 44 percent think their reviews include constructive feedback.
“This makes it very difficult for supervisors to have meaningful discussions with their
“When I heard that, my initial reaction was, ‘I
employees about job performance,” Katcher
believe it,’” Hans says. “Reviews seem to be
says. “It also makes it very, very difficult for
very stressful for most people.”
organizations to improve the performance of employees.”
Hans says it doesn’t have to be that way. She suggests that workers would be happier if
Some bosses are simply not good at the
they got 52 reviews a year.
review process, while others often don’t give it the attention it should have, says Hans.
Yep, once-a-week reviews.
but if the employee shows an interest in the process, the supervisor will usually pay closer attention.” Simply put, the more effective the review process, the more credibility it will have with workers. Yet, even with the employee taking a more active role, the primary burden rests with the supervisor charged with managing workers and developing their skills for the good of the employer. “You can tell a lot about someone’s management skills by how they do the
“Employees often think it is subjective, but Her logic is simple. If a supervisor and
review and how much they value the process
there are forms out there that guide the
employee sit down for as few as five minutes
by how much they put into it,” she says.
supervisor and make sure that they are
a week, they can avoid some of the angst that
“If the performance review seems like an
objectively evaluating performance,” she
seems built in to annual reviews.
afterthought to the employee, it’s going to be
says.
taken as an afterthought.”
“If the manager says, ‘Let’s look at what you
Adecco requires all new supervisors to
did this week,’ that gives the performance
participate in an eight-hour training session
review a fresh perspective and one that’s
on performance reviews, which includes
less intimidating,” Hans says. “You can catch
various exercises to guide them. In addition,
a little problem before it becomes a big
the staffing company requires all supervisors
problem. It’s less painful for both parties.”
to take an hour-long refresher course on the review process.
Bruce Katcher, a workplace researcher with Discovery Surveys in Sharon, Mass., agrees
Hans says that today’s performance review
ongoing feedback is usually more effective
is a two-way street: All employees should
than sitting down once a year to review job
do their own self-evaluation to shed light on
performance.
their needs and wants as employees.
PAGE
© Copley News Service