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Ten stupid things managers can do to mess up a Performance Appraisal!

Performance appraisals can be quite agonising because managers do really stupid things, ending up destroying something that is really so important to everyone.

One size does NOT fit all. Why do people keep botching up appraisals? Mostly, due to pressure to follow a process. Make them mean something or don’t do them at all!

Stupid Thing #1: Spending more time on the appraisal process than on performance planning, or even ongoing performance communication.

Performance appraisal is the end of a process that goes on all the time – a process that is based on good communication between manager and employee. So, more time should be spent preventing performance problems than evaluating them at the end of the year. When managers do good things during the year, the appraisal is easy to do and comfortable, because there won’t be any surprises.

Stupid Thing #2: Comparing employees with each other.

Want to create bad feelings, damage morale, get staff to compete so badly they will not work as a team? Then rank staff or compare staff. A guaranteed technique. Not only can a manager create friction amongst staff, but the manager can become a great target for that hostility too. Quite a bonus!

Stupid Thing #3: Forgetting appraisal is about improvement, not blame.

We do appraisals to improve performance, not find a donkey to pin a tail on or blame. Managers who forget this end up developing staff who don’t trust them, or even despise them. That’s because the blaming process is pointless, and doesn’t help anyone. If there is to be a point to performance appraisal it should be getting manager and employee working together to have everyone perform better.

Stupid Thing #4: Thinking a rating form is an objective, impartial tool.

Many companies use rating forms to evaluate employees. They do that because it’s faster than doing it right. The problem comes when managers believe that those ratings are in some way “real”, but subjective, often vague judgements are bound to be personal and inaccurate. By the way, if you have two people rate the same employee, the chances of them agreeing are very small. THAT’S subjective. Say it to yourself over and over. Ratings are subjective. Rating forms are subjective. Rating forms are not behavioural.

Stupid Thing #5: Stopping performance appraisals when a person’s salary is no longer tied to the appraisal process.

Lots of managers do this. They conduct appraisals as long as they have to justify or withhold a pay increase. When staff hit their salary ceiling, or pay is not connected to appraisal and performance, managers don’t bother. Performance appraisal is for improving performance. It isn’t just about pay (although some think it is ONLY about pay). If nothing else, everyone needs feedback on their jobs, whether there is money involved or not.

Stupid Thing #6: Believing they are in a position to accurately assess staff.

Managers delude themselves into believing they can assess staff performance, even if they hardly ever see their staff actually doing their jobs, or the results of their jobs. Not possible. Most managers aren’t in a position to monitor staff consistently enough to be able to assess well. And besides, what manager wants to do that or has the time? And, what employee wants their manager perched, watching their every move? That’s why the appraisal is a partnership between employee and manager.

Stupid Thing #7: Cancelling or postponing appraisal meetings.

Happens a whole lot. I guess because nobody likes to do them, so managers will postpone them at the drop of a hat. Why is this bad? It says to employees that the process is unimportant or phony. If managers aren’t willing to commit to the process, then they shouldn’t do it at all. Employees are too smart not to notice the low priority placed on appraisals.

Stupid Thing #8: Measuring or appraising the trivial.

Fact of life: The easiest things to measure or evaluate are the least important things with respect to doing a job. Managers are quick to define customer service as “answering the phone within three rings”, or some such thing. That’s easy to measure if you want to. What’s NOT easy to measure is the overall quality of service that will attract and keep customers. Measuring overall customer service is hard, so many managers don’t do it and simply stick to monitoring or measuring the trivial.

Stupid Thing #9: Surprising employees during appraisal.

Want to really waste your time and create bad performance? This is a guaranteed technique. Don’t talk to staff during the year. When they mess up, don’t deal with it at the time but SAVE it all up. Then, at the appraisal meeting, bring out everything saved in the bank and dump it in the employee’s lap. That’ll show ’em who’s boss!

Stupid Thing #10: Thinking all employees and all jobs should be assessed in exactly the same way using the same procedures.

Do all employees need the same things to improve their performance? Of course not. Some need specific feedback. Some don’t. Some need more communication than others. And of course jobs are all different. Do you think we can evaluate the CEO of a huge conglomerate using the same approach we use for the person who cleans the factory floor? Of course not. So, why insist on evaluating the receptionist using the same tools and criteria as for the civil engineers in the office? Durrhhhh??!!!!

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