Performance evaluations are an important part of managing and developing your employees. They provide an opportunity for managers to give feedback, set goals, and identify areas for improvement. However, the traditional annual performance review model is becoming increasingly obsolete. One of the main reasons for this is that the feedback provided in an annual review is often stale, and by the time the employee receives it, the information may no longer be relevant or useful.
Instead of relying on an annual performance review, managers should conduct regular, ongoing check-ins with employees. These check-ins can take many forms, such as weekly or monthly one-on-one meetings, or even shorter check-ins that take place as needed. The key is that they should be regular, consistent, and focused on performance.
There are several benefits to conducting regular check-ins with employees. First, they provide an opportunity for managers to give real-time feedback on performance. This means that employees receive feedback on a regular basis, rather than waiting for an annual review to hear about their performance. This also allows for feedback to be more specific and actionable, rather than general comments that may not be useful.
Second, regular check-ins give employees an opportunity to bring up any issues or concerns that they may have. This can be an important way for employees to voice their thoughts and for managers to get an idea of how the employee is feeling and how the team is working together.
Third, regular check-ins provide an opportunity for managers to set goals and track progress. During the check-in, managers and employees can discuss what the employee is working on, what they have accomplished, and what goals they have for the future. This can be especially useful for tracking progress against specific performance metrics.
Finally, regular check-ins can help to build trust and create a sense of engagement between managers and employees. By having a continuous feedback practice, managers and employees can develop a better understanding of each other and what it takes to achieve success. To assist with regular check-ins, WorkStory automates the process, making it easier to collect feedback continuously and presenting it to managers and employees when it can be most useful.
While annual performance reviews may have been the norm in the past, they are no longer the best way to manage employee performance. Instead, managers should conduct regular, ongoing check-ins with employees to provide feedback, set goals, and track progress. By doing so, managers can help employees feel more engaged, motivated and improve the overall performance of the team.
FAQ
How often should managers hold performance check-ins?
Regularly and consistently — the key is a predictable rhythm focused on performance, not a specific interval.
How are check-ins different from an annual review?
Check-ins deliver feedback while it can still change the outcome. An annual review often covers events too old to act on.
What should a performance check-in cover?
Progress on goals, recent wins and challenges, and one or two concrete next steps — then log it so the review draws on a record, not memory.
