The do’s and don’ts of employee performance reviews

Who gets excited about performance review conversations? Rarely anyone. Most employees get worried, and most managers would rather skip them.

Yet, when we asked employees for the type of communication that was most important from their managers, performance feedback topped the list. So how can you conduct a performance conversation that makes your week and improves your relationship with an employee, rather than making you both want to cancel?

This blog presents a basic framework of do’s and don’ts for the best chance of a successful employee review.

1. Meet more than annually

Most people already have a goal to have thoughtful discussions on performance more than once a year, but that goal may be harder to achieve in some cases.

Pick a frequency that means you are getting value from the conversation, but not so infrequently that you forget what you last discussed. A quarterly cadence can work well with more frequent, less formal touch points in between.

• Do: Set a schedule and let the employee know what to expect.
• Don’t: Wait until a quarterly meeting if you spot a more urgent issue – have the conversation in a timely manner so it’s easier for all involved. 

2. Give yourself time to prepare

If your performance conversations are quarterly or less, make sure you are making the most of the meeting. Read through old recognition moments and look back through the calendar to capture key milestones in their performance. Review the company values to consider where they set the standard for others and where they have room to grow. Take time to capture real examples that you are basing your perspective on, rather than sharing an opinion that can be dismissed. At least annually, talk to others that work closely with this person, so you have the whole picture. This will ensure you are confident heading into the meeting and make it a better experience for you both.

Additionally, take the time to learn the employee’s preferred communication style to tailor your conversational approach. You can also leverage tools like DISC profiling or Insights for personality assessments help leaders ensure they communicate with their teams in ways that resonate.

• Do: Take notes throughout the year on the employee’s performance, successes and growth areas.
• Don’t: Wait until review time to think about how your employee has performed, any problems they’ve worked on or successes they’ve achieved.

3. Recognize their impact

When you have coaching to give, or when the employee is consistently great, it can be easy to skip this step, but it will help you both get comfortable in the conversation. Talk about what they do well – and then highlight the impact this has.

“I know we’ve been short-staffed, and I so appreciate how consistently you have been coming in for your shifts. Your reliability means the team can trust you have their back, and it allows the team to focus on the customer rather than panicking about coverage.”

Sharing how an employee’s actions make a difference will make it more likely the positive is heard and you can build the connection you will need, especially if coaching is also necessary.

• Do: Make sure employees understand the difference they make.
• Don’t: Exclude praise for what’s working to focus on what isn’t.

4. Give them time to react

Find ways to build in pauses or ask for their perspective.

• “What questions do you have?” (rather than “Do you have questions?”)
• “Does that match what you’ve experienced?”
• “What have I missed or not included?”
• “What can I do differently to set you up for success?”
• “Would you like time to think and then we can set up another time to reconnect?”

Remember that some employees may be distracted and worried or may need more time to process your comments before they feel prepared to respond, so give them time to think, or – if your feedback was more involved – offer a follow-up time so they can respond.

• Do: Make it a conversation.
• Don’t: Push forward with a goal of “getting it over with.”

5. Learn something about them

Look for opportunities to improve your understanding and relationship with the employee. Ask them which parts of the job they like best (and worst). Ask them what job they’d like to be doing in five years. What they wanted to be when they grew up. This conversation should feel a bit different than regular meetings and challenging yourself to learn about the person will ensure you don’t miss an opportunity to help them plan for promotion (or find another job that will suit them better).

• Do: Go into the meeting with a sense of curiosity.
• Don’t: Assume you already understand who they are and what they want.

6. Take the time to meet

Even if you don’t feel you have a lot of feedback, take time to meet. They may have a question or concern and have been waiting for the perfect time. Getting ahead of concerns can allow them to be more productive and keep them engaged. In fact, if you meet more frequently to provide feedback the pressure on the meeting is reduced and you will likely be more successful.

• Do: Give employees time and space to talk.
• Don’t: Put tasks before conversations with people.

While it can feel like we don’t have time to make a performance review as good as we’d like, putting the time in can help remind you of the difference you make as a manager and allow for real performance improvements over time.

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