Most managers view employee evaluations as a necessary evil. They don’t want to do them and that shows to the employee when their time comes. And, of course, your employees aren’t looking forward to the process any more than you are. But evaluations are important and can help you and your team improve in the future. Here are 5 ways you can prepare for your next round of employee evaluations to make them much more effective.
Prepare Ahead of Time
Just like you wouldn’t want to walk into a conference call or an interview unprepared, you need to prepare ahead of time for an evaluation as well. Your processes should be formalized so that every employee is being reviewed on the same criteria. Spend some time ahead of the meeting to give some thought to what you want to say.
Communicate Clearly
It’s human nature to try to skirt around issues and give information in ways that may remove conflict from the conversation. But that sometimes leads to miscommunication which can lead to more problems in the future. Be very clear about what you want to say, including your expectations for the future. That doesn’t mean you have to confrontational, just forthright.
Accept Feedback
You also need to be prepared to accept feedback from your employees as well. Give them an equal opportunity to share their thoughts and what they would like to see improved or implemented as an employee. This will help you become a better manager and give your employees a better environment for productivity and engagement.
Be Positive
Throughout the process, be sure to focus on the positive as well. Constructive feedback will be essential for your employees to improve, but positivity will also be important. Your employees need to know that they’re valued and that you are glad they work with you. So always include positive feedback for them to understand that their contributions matter.
Follow Up
One part of the process that many supervisors ignore is the follow up. When you provide feedback for your employees and expect them to improve on their work, habits, or behavior, you need to check back with them. Go ahead and formalize the process so they know you will be checking back a few weeks or months after your meeting to see how things are progressing.
Are you looking for quality employees to add to your team? The team at Nextaff Employment Agency in Dallas can help, so call today.
