Eliminating Performance Evaluations? IT'S A BAD IDEA
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A buzz continues around the idea that performance evaluations are an evil endeavor. Books have been written touting the notion that organizations should throw away their performance evaluation systems. So-called "experts" claim that evaluations are not necessary or are even bad for business. What are these people thinking?
If your organization is thinking about eliminating your annual performance evaluation, think again! When performance evaluations are seen as unproductive, it's usually the result of operator error. The benefits of performance evaluations far outweigh the frustrations and the solution is not to throw them out. The solution is to reframe the purpose of evaluations and refocus your approach.
Here's what will happen if your organization gets rid of the performance evaluation:
1. Employees get the message that their contribution is not important. When there is no formal process to document and recognize an employee's work, it is unlikely the employee will get the acknowledgement he/she deserves. A written performance evaluation serves as a summary of the employee's efforts. One way employees interpret their perceived value to the organization is based on how seriously the manager approaches the feedback process. The quickest way to say, "you are valued," is to put thoughtful effort into the annual review.
2. The importance of feedback is de-emphasized. Organizations that eliminate annual performance evaluations reduce the opportunity to encourage regular feedback between supervisors and employees. While many organizations struggle to foster high levels of communication in the workplace, the annual review provides at least one opportunity for a focused conversation on performance. Eliminate the annual review and the incentive to communicate about performance vanishes.
3. Managers aren't held accountable for coaching and feedback. When an organization does not have a systematic approach for providing feedback to employees, managers have no incentive to do so. The best performance management systems hold managers accountable for providing feedback, maintaining performance documentation, and carrying out the performance evaluation. Without a performance evaluation system, it's less likely managers will embrace their role as performance coaches.
4. The employee's performance record will have huge gaps. Without regular performance evaluations, both the organization and the employee lack a record of performance. Accurate and honest performance evaluations provide a sound defense if the organization is ever challenged on an employment decision. Likewise, employees benefit from having a written summary of their performance. The evaluation document provides a history of the employee's accomplishments and offers proof of the employee's performance to future managers both inside and outside of the organization. Without performance evaluations, there is no formal, official record of the employee's work.
Some of the current literature espousing the abolishment of performance evaluation systems recognizes the need for regular, continuous performance feedback to employees. However, without an easy-to-use system, feedback rarely happens. If you are thinking of getting rid of your performance evaluation system, think again.
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Free Webinar:
Using SMAART Performance Goals |
Join me for another free webinar sponsored by CRG emPerform.
Are you and your employees really SMAART? Specific, measurable, and attainable performance goals are the most effective tool managers can use to help employees achieve outcomes that support the organization's goals. Yet, very few managers are able to craft goals that are motivating to employees and are clearly aligned with the organization's objectives.
One of the most frustrating parts of being a manager is seeing employee performance fall short of expectations and not knowing why or how to fix it. Likewise, employees often say that they are unclear of what their manager really expects in terms of performance.
In this webinar I'll outline a painless strategy for creating specific, measurable, and attainable performance goals that will help align employee performance to organizational objectives.
What you will learn:
� Why there is often a gap between manager expectations and employee performance � Tools for writing clear performance goals � Four kinds of performance goals � How the SMAARTest goals are the most motivating � How to effectively involve employees in the goal setting process � How to craft best-practice performance goals that are aligned with organizational goals
Register Now!
Using SMAART Performance Goals to Painlessly Manage Employee Performance
This is a complimentary webinar on Tuesday, August 30th, 2011 at 2PM EDT - 3PM EDT. HR professionals receive HRCI credit for participating.
Thanks to our sponsor CRG emPerform.
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Final Footnotes NEWS & EVENTS FROM MANAGEMENT EDUCATION GROUP, INC.
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Thank you to the AZ State SHRM Council for inviting me to return for the 10th year in a row to speak at their annual conference, Recharging for a Brighter Future. The conference will be held on Wednesday, August 31st through Friday morning, September 2nd. As part of the conference's public sector track on Friday, September 2, I'll be presenting:
The Optimum G-Force: Recreating the
Government Workplace
As always, I'm grateful for your feedback and your support. Drop me a note and let me know what's on your mind.
Sincerely,
Marnie Green, IPMA-CP Principal Consultant
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