Nearly half of UK employees think their boss lies to them during appraisals of their performance, a new survey has revealed.
Research, conducted by YouGov for Investors in People (IiP), found that 44% of staff think their manager isn’t always honest during appraisals, while 29% think they are a waste of time.
Perhaps more worryingly IiP also found that 23% believe their annual review is a 'tick-box' exercise and 19% accuse their manager of not even thinking about the appraisal until they are in the room. Furthermore, 21% claim they have had an appraisal they felt was unfair.
Simon Jones, acting chief executive at IiP, says business owners are letting down staff by not giving ‘full and frank’ feedback and that reviews should be conducted regularly in order to avoid surprises.
Many firms are now doing this, however the survey also found that 40% of staff were surprised by what they were being told in a review.
Jones said: “Employees are not just after honest, but also regular feedback throughout the year so there aren’t any big surprises when it comes to the annual review.
“Appraisals should always cover both past performance and objectives, but equally important are discussions of future targets and opportunities.
“It’s a great chance for managers to make sure their employees feel challenged and valued for the year ahead, rather than unmotivated and without guidance.”
However, Jones urges bosses to be honest and not avoid painful truths during appraisals.
“Many of these benefits will be lost if managers avoid difficult issues and hold things back, ” he warns.
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