Performance Appraisal Examples

Before we get started on these performance appraisal examples, have you read the first article in this series on employee performance review? You might get more from this article by starting there.

As we said in the earlier article an employee job performance review should be the culmination of the regular Performance Feedback and Discussion meetings you have been having with your team member.

Isn't it interesting that in many organizations, time is only made to sit down and talk with team members when there is a crisis. Leaders in high performance organizations are far more proactive than this. They not only say the words "our people are our greatest asset" but they put them into action by making sure that people are regularly interacted with and that they have the communication channels easily available to them for them to discuss those things they need to enhance their performance.

Many of the elements in this sample performance review can be used on a bi-weekly or monthly basis for informal get togethers with the team member.

Performance Appraisal Examples - Performance Review Process

Prior to the Meeting

• Two weeks prior to the formal job performance review and feedback discussion, set a date and time for the discussion and personally hand the Performance Feedback Form to your team member. Ask your team member to pre-plan and think about the areas for discussion and make notes of points they wish to discuss.

  Ask the team member being reviewed to bring three lists to the performance feedback session:

  1. Areas where the team member performs well (the strengths s/he brings to the team);
  2. Areas where the team member has shown recent improvement; and
  3. Areas where the team member feels weak and believes s/he needs support to operate differently in order to get better results.

  4. There is a fourth list, just as vital as the first three. The fourth list is the employee's response to the question: "What can I do differently, as your leader, so you can be more effective in your job?"

  

  It is appropriate to give the team member time to think through these lists, and if you haven't been having regular meetings (and if you haven't been having regular meetings you need to think about how you might improve YOUR performance in this area) you may want to give him/her a couple of weeks to complete the assignment.

• Let the team member know that you will do the same prior to the meeting and you will complete the form together during the meeting.

  One of the most effective phrases for performance appraisal examples comes before the employee performance review!

  Because you as the leader will also fill out the three lists, team members are more likely to bring candid responses to the table. It is critical to announce your intention, that you will also complete these lists. So one of the most effective phrases for performance appraisals is when you share with the team member the purpose of pre-work: "... and I will fill out these three lists also, That is,

  1. areas where you shine and how you contribute to the organization from my perspective;
  2. areas where you have shown recent improvement; and
  3. areas that there is a performance gap for you which we need to cover off."

  The key point here is that your team member will hear you say that there are performance areas you value in their work, and just as importantly, that the s/he can still improve in other aspects of the job.

This latter point is particularly critical from a psychological perspective. It is human nature not to want to bring up our faults; but it is also human nature to prefer to point out our own shortcomings rather than having someone else do it. This process allows the team member to think in terms of both his own performance expectations and assessment and perceived leadership expectations and assessment.

• Schedule one hour of uninterrupted time: the discussion may well take less than an hour, but it is important not to rush the meeting. If you do rush the meeting, you might just be closing the door on open discussion and honest feedback and be seen as difficult to talk to. Allow ample time - don't schedule in an important meeting 20 minutes after the meeting or have a lunch date waiting in the foyer. Your team member needs to feel that you take this incredibly seriously.

  Mobiles, computers, phones should all be switched off and if you are holding the meeting in an office the door closed with a 'do not disturb sign' to discourage people from popping in 'to ask a quick question!'.

  Ideally the team member should be speaking about 80% of the time. The focus of the leader, particularly while the team member his presenting his or her own evaluation of their performance, is to listen without interrupting and use questions to aid clarification (your time comes after the team member to offer up your perspective).

  If you believe you have a lot to cover with one particular person (which will happen if you are guilty of only having performance discussions with people on an annual basis!) you might also want to schedule extra time – advise this to the team member.

Performance Appraisal Examples: During the Meeting

• Set up a comfortable environment to talk: choose a suitable environment which allows free and relaxed conversation, privacy and is free of disturbances. Book a meeting room or arrange to use a free office.

• It is important to keep the meeting on track: discussing performance and covering the areas for discussion outlined in the performance appraisal form you are using. If during the meeting it becomes apparent that another meeting is needed to discuss a particular issue raised in more depth and make plans, eg. re-organisation of work flows, advise this and move on. (It may be, that both of your time would be more productive if the discussion was held separately, for example, with the others impacted by whatever changes you are discussing, rather than repeating the discussion.)

Remember that a Performance Feedback & Development discussion is not designed to replace feedback on "day to day" work issues. Throughout the year you will be addressing issues as promptly as possible when they occur. When a team member arrives for the performance appraisal he or she should come to this meeting absolutely clear about your perception of their performance ... there shouldn't be any surprises and/or bombshells.

A Performance Feedback & Development discussion is not the time to raise contentious issues for the first time - nor are they disciplinary meetings. However, if you've spoken several times about a contentious issue or a pattern of behavior that is causing concern, it won't be a surprise to them if you raise the subject again and use it as an example (but do balance it with other behaviors that the person is getting right).

Want more performance appraisal examples and a sample form to download? Go to the performance appraisal form page?