5 Tips to Help You Improve Your Appraisals Process

Performance appraisals can be a challenge for any business. However, the appraisal process is a great driver of performance and is essential for any business wishing to increase performance, maintain motivation, and retain its staff. The assessment provides an opportunity for a full and frank discussion about the individual’s performance for the previous 12 months, and for both parties to agree on the key performance and development objectives for the year ahead.   Here are a few tips to help you to make these processes more effective in your business:

Prioritise the development of your team members

Each team member’s individual career and development planning requires the same organizational priority as performance management, assessment techniques, training, and compensation. It needs to stand alone as an essential piece of HR practice in its own right.

Career development is about more than just promotions

The view that career development can only be measured in promotional terms has to be put into perspective. The stark reality is that the current challenging business environment will preclude promotion for an ever-increasing number of employees. Businesses and employees need to accept this and redefine the meaning of success at work.

Your team are responsible for their own development

Each employee must take responsibility for their personal growth and development. They need time and encouragement to prepare a regular personal development agenda for discussion. Regular meetings will encourage a continued focus on your team’s development as they will be expected to report on their progress.

Skills development

Growth and development should concentrate on an individual’s personal skills and talents, particularly those skills which individuals want to use more and which are also crucial to job success. Focus primarily on ‘what actions do you feel need to be taken to make your job more satisfying, and to make greater and more effective use of your talents and skills?’

Be flexible

Agile working and flexible hours are already becoming more commonplace. People’s growth and development will require more flexible organizational job structures where new responsibilities, assignments, and projects will provide opportunities for personal growth.