Can You Suggest Some Principles To Apply To Annual Performance Reviews?

Here are some principles that you can apply to all annual performance reviews and employee evaluation meetings. They will help you get the most out of the employee performance review, and reduce stress and discomfort for both employee and manager.

• Make sure the employee understands the purpose of the meeting and what the information is to be used for.
• Communicate the message that you and the employee are on the same side and you are focused on working with the employee and not doing something to the employee.
• Share with the employee the responsibility of evaluating his or her performance.
• Draw the employee into active discussion. In fact the employee should be doing most of the talking throughout the annual performance review meeting.
• Comply with any requirements set forth by your company (e.g. completing a set of forms provided) while trying to make the review process useful to you and the employee.

The above is based on Chapter 7 of Manager's Guide To Performance Reviews (McGraw-Hill) by Robert Bacal