Three Feedback Alternatives to Annual Performance Reviews
Candice Balluru (Schaefer), PhD, ABPP, BCC
Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being Consultant | Executive Burnout Coach | Advisor | Keynote Speaker
There is nothing the human mind hates more than uncertainty. A great deal of our stress and anxiety comes from the fact that we cannot predict the future, but it doesn’t mean we don’t spend endless amounts of time worrying about it. When we have no or very little information to help us figure out what is going to happen, our mind will speculate, usually in a negative way, about what will happen. In comes the annual performance review.?
Annual performance reviews are used in many companies as a way to not only offer feedback on employee performance, but also to put employees up for promotion, receive salary raises, and award annual bonuses. For some companies, this is the ONLY time in a year any of these events would happen. (No pressure!!!) And for many, its a process that is happening right now!
When we talk about the peak of performance, many of us think of the flow state, or what some call “being in the zone.” Flow states are created with immediate feedback, and it's one of the reasons it's easy to find in sports: the scoreboard is always on and giving feedback to the players. With annual performance reviews, it's almost as if those players didn’t get to see the score until the end of the game. It's not useful. How do you know if you need to work harder? How do you know if you are winning?
Employees NEED more opportunities for feedback in order to get better. When we know where we stand (i.e. what the score is), our anxiety significantly decreases and our focus can improve. This also can help prevent the need for PIPs (Performance Improvement Plan). An article recently discussed Jack Dorsey's intent to do away with PIPs. PIPs or no PIPs, there NEEDS to be opportunities for employees to receive constant feedback on performance, not just once or twice a year. Here are some opportunities to give your employees more feedback to improve performance.
Sometimes it's really helpful to have a structured agenda for your 1:1s with your direct reports, and within that structure you can include opportunities for regular feedback on performance. These might be once a month, or throughout the course of a project or task that a direct report might be working on. Your role as a manager is to help your direct reports succeed, and they need regular feedback to know they are going in the right direction! This may also mean you regularly revisit your report’s job description and goals set for the year and re calibrate quarterly based on performance and the current project demand. If the goal posts move, then these need to be clear with your reports.
One of the major factors that organizations can help prevent burnout in employees is offering appropriate recognition and appreciation to employees who are genuinely working hard. Recognition and appreciation can be a lot of different things, including spot bonuses, words of appreciation either directly to the team member or in front of a group, or awards that provide morale boosts to a team through symbolism and recognition. These awards do not have to be extravagant by any means! When I was at Facebook, there was a team that simply used items like a Wizard’s hat to recognize a team member’s “magical” contributions that month, and they got to keep the hat for a month on their desk until the next person would be recognized.?Recognition and appreciation can sometimes go a long way, so don't be afraid to try some low hanging fruit!
As I said at the beginning, human beings HATE uncertainty. We want to know what is going to happen, and annual performance reviews are no exception to this. HR Teams can do a lot to educate not just managers about the performance review process, but also all employees about what to expect and what will happen if an employee is not meeting expectations. Furthermore, some companies only have one opportunity the entire year to offer promotions and salary raises, which can seriously limit motivation for your employees to perform. If that window can be expanded or offered throughout the year, it gives employees more opportunity to shine!?
Interested in learning more about ways to offer feedback to your employees? Book a call with Candice! https://calendar.app.google/d3uU9Zrqmms3Zt7m8
ICYMI: Dr. Schaefer talks with Sabrina Ooi of Calm Collective Asia
In case you missed it, a recording of the live chat with Sabrina Ooi, the CEO of Calm Collective Asia, is now available on LinkedIn!
领英推荐
Dr. Schaefer and Sabrina spent an hour breaking down the process of designing a blueprint for an organizational well-being strategy, including thinking about metrics, internal and external program implementation, and thinking about the ecosystem that can be addressed within any organization.?
Love to AnitaB.org and the Future of Women in Tech
AnitaB.org is an amazing non-profit organization that offers leadership development opportunities to women and non-binary people in Tech. On December 12, Dr. Schaefer participated in a mentoring circle with over 50 attendees on how to prevent and address stress and burnout.?
The Workplace Psychologist is excited to continue supporting women and non-binary folks in the technology sector through organizations like AnitaB.org!
December and January Special Offer!
Got some extra budget to spend in the new year? We have a limited amount of available discounted slots for employee workshop bookings through the end of this month only! Only $2500 for a virtual-only 1 hour workshop with me in one of three popular areas:
-Combating Imposter Syndrome
-Burnout: Recovery and Prevention
-Offering Peer Support in the Workplace
Book a call with Candice to learn more and secure your spot for your employee group! No attendee limit! https://lnkd.in/gAyW9ed8
Candice Schaefer, PhD, ABPP great article, I especially like the analogy of a viable scoreboard?? But one thing people might hate more than uncertainty is unfairness. That's why it's vital recognition and promotion is merit-based.