Performance Evaluations Can Be Beneficial

THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW MEETING: It's a fact - most supervisors and employees have negative feelings toward performance appraisals and appraisal interviews. It's often necessary to shift people's thinking from the perception that the interview is a time of judgment to the perspective that supervisors can provide support and direction to employees who want to improve their productivity and be involved in the process. Most employees, after all, wish to work effectively. Few can tolerate the notion of working poorly and ineffectively. The appraisal is an important time when supervisors and employees can come together and talk about how to improve performance.

EVALUATIONS ARE BENEFICIAL IF DONE PROPERLY: The skill/ability to regularly discuss job performance with employees means: 1. finding or making time on a routine basis to talk with all employee. 2. open, honest, and sincere communication with individuals using "I" statements. 3. utilizing motivation techniques to encourage people. 4. coaching, critiquing, and giving critical feedback when necessary.

MOTIVATIONAL PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL INTERVIEWS: One of the key factors to consider in conducting performance appraisal interviews is the importance of focusing on goal-oriented behaviors and in communicating the relationship between the organization and the individual.

GOALS THAT PROVIDE MOTIVATION: 1. Are realistic. They offer challenge and a reasonable chance for accomplishment. Set a goal too low, and it loses appeal. Set it too high, and it requires too much risk for most people. If you set subgoals, you can evaluate the degree of risk and make changes in the goal as work proceeds. 2. Are relevant to the organization. Show how a particular goal benefits the organization. Employees should be able to see how their contributions to the achievement of a goal affects the well-being of the organization. 3. Relate to the employee. Why is this goal important to the employee? He or she knows what the organization will get from accomplishment of the goal. But how will the personal goal of the employee be achieved through accomplishing an organizational goal? The closer the two relate, the greater the employee's commitment and motivation.

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CEO, A.E. Schwartz & Associates, Boston, MA., a comprehensive organization which offers over 40 skills based management training programs. Mr. Schwartz conducts over 150 programs annually for clients in industry, research, technology, government, Fortune 100/500 companies, and nonprofit organizations worldwide. He is often found at conferences as a key note presenter and/or facilitator. His style is fast-paced, participatory, practical, and humorous. He has authored over 65 books and products, and taught/lectured at over a dozen colleges and universities throughout the United States.