Is There Any Best Way to Conduct the Year-End Performance Appraisal Interview?
The year-end appraisal meeting is similar to the other quarterly meetings in that you discuss performance and chart progress toward achieving objectives. But the conclusions at this meeting will determine the employee’s rating for the year, as well as salary increase, bonus, or other financial reward. So it will demand more preparation to prepare you for any objections to your conclusions. There will also be forms to complete.
Both of these responsibilities are made simpler with your documentation in hand. Using the documentation, compare the employee’s performance to the standards or goals set. Use the language of the goals to show a clear relationship between the work done, goals, and ratings given.
Tell Me More
Before your meeting with the employee, review the appraisal form and documentation. Since you and your employees have been meeting throughout the year to discuss performance, they shouldn’t be surprised about the conclusions you reached, right? Not so. An employee may suddenly become aware of the impact on salary of the rating given, or realize that the assessment will become a part of his permanent record and become upset, even refuse to sign the document. Stars whose ratings aren’t as high as expected may even balk.
Faced with disagreement over ratings, you should not compromise to avoid litigation. However, hear the employee out. There may be cause to reassess the performance. If you do decide to revise what you wrote, edit in the employee’s presence to assure him that you have revised the appraisal. If you still feel strongly that your assessment is correct as is, then say so and provide evidence for your case.
That’s usually enough to quiet most employees. If you have regularly met with your employees and provided ongoing feedback, maintained documentation about performance, and used that documentation to prepare logical arguments for your assessments, most staff members will acknowledge the fairness of your assessment by signing the form.