PR Series Part 3: Evaluating the performance review process

The two previous blogs in this series, discussed the various types of performance reviews and how to successfully embed them into a business. This blog, Laura looks at evaluating the performance review process in place to ensure that it remains fit for purpose.

By Laura Rigby

Why review the performance review process?

The performance review process in place may not always be right for the business. What worked for last year may not work this year. Why? Because businesses are ever-evolving. This is because of strategic planning, changes in the company business plan, and general aspects that impact on day to day operations (such as political, economic, sociological, technological, legal, environmental factors – the good ol’ PESTLE analysis, eh.)

How to evaluate the performance review process?

It’s usual to review the organisation during the business planning process. This will include:

• Strengths – An overview of what went well.
• Weaknesses – What didn’t go so well.
• Opportunities – What opportunities you might take advantage of in the coming year.
• Threats – Things that could potentially go wrong.

(You guessed it – a SWOT analysis!) The findings from this process, alongside the outcomes from the PESTLE analysis should be considered when evaluating the performance review process.

It’s also worth gauging employee opinion on how they found the process and to establish whether they have any ideas or suggestions on how to improve its effectiveness.

This enables collaborative feedback, which considered alongside above elements, will give the information required to update the review process, realign the KPIs and set the team up for optimum success.

There are a few methods that we recommend to help you gather employee feedback.

What works for your business will depend on your own culture and values. Some employers prefer that an informal discussion takes place as part of the regular team meeting, whereas others favour sending out an anonymous survey and analysing the results. Either way, or should you choose to use another method to gather feedback, it is important to do something with it. Feedback should be acknowledged, responded to and if needed, used to update the questions within the performance review process.

Some organisations can be guilty of requesting feedback and then doing nothing with the suggestions/comments raised – this can make employees feel that their opinions are worthless and cause them to resist giving feedback in the future.

What happens once changes have been made?

Communicate (even if no changes are required), retrain and launch. This sounds a lot more time consuming than it will be (unless, of course, the process has changed so much it is beyond recognition). A short 30-minute update should be more than enough time to explain what has changed and why (remembering to link back to the feedback received) and how this has changed expectations in terms of delivery.

The full evaluation procedure and re-launch process, if done collaboratively, will reinforce many of the positive impacts outlined within the second blog in this series.

If your business could benefit from a tailored and engaging performance review process, the HR180 Heroes will come to your rescue. Give us a call today on 0113 287 8150.