Employee productivity and performance are subject to company evaluation, even in a remote work culture. Performance appraisal of an employee is an integral part of a thriving performance management process in a company. It allows the HR or the manager in charge to observe the employee’s progression in performance over a period of time. This helps the steady growth of a company and gives the employees a fair chance to reflect on their strengths and weaknesses. Responsible organizations value the work of remote employees and they give constructive feedback to them.
The performance appraisal method is used in a company to build a healthy relationship between employers and employees. Improved communication leads to higher productivity and teamwork in remote work environments.
2 Common Types of Performance Appraisal for Remote Employees:
Coaching and Development Model: This is a popular model, mostly embraced by modern enterprises to develop the skills of their remote employees. They organize employee development programs to upskill their employees to the professional level. The employees are evaluated later to fit the company’s needs, which eventually contributes to the overall company’s success.
Competitive Evaluation Model: This is the conventional evaluation method, where a remote employee is judged on various parameters like performance, skills, and achievements. Despite the geographic location of the employees, they are assessed on their overall productivity in a virtual workplace. However, the accuracy of this review method is questionable, as employees with low progress can quickly be laid off.
6 Key Strategies and Tips for Conducting Performance Appraisal for Remote Employees:
- Make Use of the Self or Peer Evaluation Software: There are several performance review software designed for remote workers, better known as performance management software. This software helps employers to immaculately evaluate a virtual worker’s performance in a full-time role. The managers of the company can review the employee’s accomplishments of goals and their involvement in work from close quarters.
- Set an Easy Tone for Remote Employees: Effective performance reviews require a comfortable atmosphere. They need to set the right tone from the very beginning for smooth communication between both parties. To make the evaluation less awkward for remote employees, it is best to break the ice first, then discuss their strengths and future goals. In the next stage, talk about their weaknesses and ways to overcome their shortcomings.
- Allocate Enough Time for a Genuine Conversation: It is vital to set aside 30 minutes or an hour for a one-to-one conversation about the performance review. Give the employee some time to settle down and a few breaks in between the discussions. Keep them engaged, talk about the corporate goals, personal objectives, and help them in their career development. Sometimes there can be technical glitches, so make sure you keep some buffer time to avoid this situation on either end.
- Introduce them to the Company’s Vision and Mission: While reviewing the worker, the manager needs to keep them attuned to the corporate vision and mission. This will help them to stay connected with the company’s aspirations and value system. It will further encourage the employee to be more productive at work and develop their skills to remain focused on achieving the final company goals. Good corporate culture creates a sense of belonging among their employees, which leads to the company's growth. A successful employee review channelizes the employee’s talents towards attaining greater personal and professional goals.
- Pay Attention to Time Differences and Language Barriers: One of the biggest challenges for conducting a perfect performance review on a global team is the different time zones. Ensure setting the meeting at a time best suited for both parties involved. Ultimately, you want all your remote employees to attend the review despite the time difference. The team needs to keep their remote workers informed about the meeting much in advance and remain flexible with other's time zones. A remote team can have employees speaking diverse languages, so set the meeting between people speaking the same language.
- Keep the Camera on during the Performance Appraisal: Never keep the camera off during a formal interaction with the virtual employees. It is vital to share your feedback during the review with the employees and make the interaction a professional one. The remote employee should feel a part of the entire process and feel comfortable reverting back. Both parties can see each other and connect better.
A company with a global team must foster a cooperative environment for its remote employees. They need to arrange professional review meetings regularly to promote employee development. Detailed insight into the employee’s performance will help them to understand their goals and contribute more towards the company’s ROI.?
