What it an appraisal?
An appraisal is a one-to-one meeting conducted by a senior member of staff, such as a line manager, with lower ranking employees. The objective of an appraisal is to discuss the employee’s performance over a period of time, set guidelines and talk about any problems that may be apparent. This should be a two way conversation and not purely a box ticking exercise.
Conducting appraisals provides the opportunity for you to get to know the strengths and weaknesses of your staff and any potential problems they may be having, allowing you to work together to find a solution. It will also allow you to give your employees objectives to work towards.
The process
Time: It is vital that you set aside enough time to do the appraisal properly. The employee should be given plenty of prior notice so they have time to prepare any issues they wish to raise during the course of the appraisal.
Frequency: Some businesses conduct appraisals as regularly as every three months; others prefer every six months or even every year. A record must be kept of previous appraisals in the individual’s work folder, with a copy given to the employee at the end of the appraisal.
Location: Ensure the appraisal is carried out in a quiet and comfortable place where you won’t be interrupted or overheard. Try not to carry out the appraisal in too formal an interview style as this is likely to make your employee feel nervous or uncomfortable.
Questions: Don’t just tick boxes. Ask questions that require more than a yes or no answer and encourage feedback. Leave plenty of time at the end of the meeting for the employee to raise their own questions or concerns. Remember this is a two-way process, not just an opportunity to go through ways you feel the employee could be performing better.
Problems: Discuss through problems together and suggest solutions.
Need to know
It is your responsibility to ensure an appraisal system is in place and that your employees are aware of what is expected of them. Your preparation for the appraisal should include familiarising yourself with the employee’s last appraisal and history in your firm. Some businesses’ formal appraisal structures include sourcing feedback from others in the organisation before the meeting – if this suits the circumstances in your firm, leave enough time to collate this and read it closely.
Pros and cons
The advantage of doing staff appraisals is that they can help motivate your workforce, which will boost the productivity of your business. It gives you the chance to give constructive feedback and to praise staff for their good work, which in turn will make them feel valued.
On the downside, if conducted poorly appraisals can cause more damage than good and in serious cases can lead to dispute. Either set out a comprehensive appraisal system or don’t do them at all.
What next
It is vital that any workplace appraisals are conducted fairly and value diversity in order to avoid any dispute. Acas, the advisory board, provides helpful advice for businesses: http://www.acas.org.uk
Top tips
Start each appraisal with a positive comment. Recognising good work will motivate your staff. If you have a negative comment to make try to sandwich it between more positive comments.
Ensure that at the end of any appraisal both you and the employee agree on set objectives that both parties feel are achievable.