What Should I Mention To The Employee When Setting Up A Performance Appraisal Meeting?

It's the manager's responsibility to set up and schedule the performance appraisal or employee review meeting. So, how do you do it? What do you need to discuss with the employee when you arrange and schedule the performance appraisal interview? Here's a short list.

Discuss:

• The purpose, including the benefits to the employee
• How the process will work (focusing on employee input and control).
• Your intent to ensure "no surprises".
• Time, place, and length expected.
• The need to arrange uniterrupted time.
• Any work the employee should do (and you also will do) before the meeting.

Is there one that is more important than the others? Probably. You should be absolutely clear that there will be no surprises for the employee, since anything discussed during the review meeting should have already been discussed when it was relevant. The reason the "no surprises" rule should be well understood is that it helps put employees at ease, and will make them less defensive and fearful.

See Also: Performance Appraisals For Managers Helpcard