If your organization is thinking about eliminating your annual performance
evaluation, think again! When performance evaluations are seen as
unproductive, it's usually the result of operator error. The benefits of
performance evaluations far outweigh the frustrations and the solution is not
to throw them out. The solution is to reframe the purpose of evaluations and
refocus your approach.
Here's what will happen if your organization gets rid of the
performance evaluation:
1. Employees get the message that their contribution is not important.
When there is no formal process to document and recognize an employee's
work, it is unlikely the employee will get the acknowledgement he/she
deserves. A written performance evaluation serves as a summary of the
employee's efforts. One way employees interpret their perceived value to the
organization is based on how seriously the manager approaches the feedback
process. The quickest way to say, "you are valued," is to put
thoughtful effort into the annual review.
2. The importance of feedback is de-emphasized.
Organizations that eliminate annual performance evaluations reduce the
opportunity to encourage regular feedback between supervisors and employees.
While many organizations struggle to foster high levels of communication
in the workplace, the annual review provides at least one opportunity for a
focused conversation on performance. Eliminate the annual review and the
incentive to communicate about performance vanishes.
3.
Managers aren't held accountable for coaching and feedback. When an
organization does not have a systematic approach for providing feedback to
employees, managers have no incentive to do so. The best performance management
systems hold managers accountable for providing feedback, maintaining
performance documentation, and carrying out the performance evaluation. Without
a performance evaluation system, it's less likely managers will embrace their
role as performance coaches.
4. The employee's performance record will have huge gaps.
Without regular performance evaluations, both the organization and the employee
lack a record of performance. Accurate and honest performance evaluations
provide a sound defense if the organization is ever challenged on an employment
decision. Likewise, employees benefit from having a written summary of their
performance. The evaluation document provides a history of the employee's
accomplishments and offers proof of the employee's performance to future
managers both inside and outside of the organization. Without performance
evaluations, there is no formal, official record of the employee's work.
Some of the current literature espousing the abolishment of performance
evaluation systems recognizes the need for regular, continuous performance
feedback to employees. However, without an easy-to-use system, feedback
rarely happens. If you are thinking of getting rid of your performance
evaluation system, think again.
Marnie E. Green is Principal Consultant of the
Management Education Group, Inc. Contact Green at phone: 480-705-9394 email:
mgreen@managementeducationgroup.com web site:
http://www.managementeducationgroup.com.
