In most cases, you will have a job description for the position being evaluated. However, it is important to take it out, review it and update it if necessary, at least once a year. Many roles change over time; people take on new responsibilities and others are reassigned. Only by ensuring that the job description is accurate can you give a fair performance evaluation or annual review. If possible, a few months before the performance evaluations is due, sit down with your employee and review the job description together so everyone is clear on expectations.
Employees cannot improve without feedback. A person will not know if they are doing something wrong or right unless a manager lets them know. Annual reviews happen only once a year, but “performance evaluations” should be frequent. Setting regular one-on-one meetings with team members is a critical part of the performance evaluation process.
When doing performance evaluations it is helpful to have notes that go back to the last annual review. Otherwise, managers may fall into the “halo or horns” trap. Halo or horns refers to a manager focusing on the most recent activities of an employee and using that as the basis for the performance evaluation. For example, did an employee recently save the day? Is that a bright spot in an otherwise abysmal performance? Then the manager may be overly generous, remembering only the past few weeks. Or did another employee blow a deadline last week? The manager could be overly critical, thinking about the recent problem. Performance evaluations or annual reviews need to be based on the entire year, not just the last three or four weeks.
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