How to handle Performance Reviews, and why they are Toxic
It’s that time of year again, its December and everyone knows what that means, annual performance reviews. An in depth look at every single one of your accomplishments and short comings from the year prior. A special time for you and your boss to awkwardly stare at each other while one reads a generic listing of numbers that are meant to reflect your entire worth as an employee. The truth is, performance reviews do not track employee performance; in fact, most are based on singular one-dimensional factors that have little to do with your job performance at all. Most supervisors dread this time of year because it means having harsh conversations with members of their staff that nobody wants to hear.
According to a pole from quantumworkplace.com, only 5% of managers and supervisors are satisfied with annual performance reviews and dislike the idea of conducting them. The truth is most people work hard and try to work harder each day and performance reviews are counterproductive to employee growth and performance. Let’s face it, employees want constant feedback on their job performance. By the time December is here most employees aren’t thinking about anything that occurred in April, May or even June. Then all of a sudden everyone is expected to recall the entire previous 12 months down to the last micro-managed detail, it just isn’t realistic. More than 90% of HR representatives find annual performance reviews to be outdated and obsolete in the age of social media. The workforce of today is plagued with enough anxieties, and annual performance reviews don’t have to be one of them. Companies have begun implementing new measures to motivate their employees to stay up on their strengths and weaknesses. Such measures include month-in-review evaluations or monthly meetups as opposed to yearly performance reviews. A quick friendly conversation between a supervisor and their employee can work wonders, while also boosting morale and work ethic.
With rising rent costs and disposable income becoming less than normal, employers also need to evaluate their pay scales. Human beings will strive for greatness, but if they are underpaid and micromanaged…you can expect lackluster results. Production driven environments only work if employees are driven to produce, not micromanaged into oblivion; and compensation should match those production levels. Elephant in the room, KEEP REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS AND UPHOLD THEM! Supervisors have been known to create toxic work environments for some if not all employees and this contributes to lackluster performance across all levels. Leadership and encouragement through learning always takes the prize, and productivity usually follows this trend. Fostering positive daily relationships between supervisors and employees on production goals helps create a perfect balance where work doesn’t feel like work as much. Keeping teams motivated and reminding employees of responsibilities in professional manners will always foster a better annual outcome. Supervisors usually don’t enjoy these reviews any more than their employees do, so remember to keep an open mind before you go in there and maintain professionalism at all times. Keep self-motivating, stay positive and write down accomplishments big or small on a daily basis so you have something to refer back to while undergoing your evaluation. Sometimes it’s not about the year in review, but rather the job itself that needs a review. Evaluate career options and in some cases consider a new position all together, one that suits your abilities and skillsets. Never be afraid to branch out and find the right niche for yourself.
