"How much is my annual raise?" This is the question on everyone's mind when supervisor and employee meet for the (dreaded) annual review.
Whose review? The employee's, of course. How did the employee perform during the past 12 months, as measured by a supervisor applying the employer's criteria? Productivity, attitude, and attendance all figure into the calculation.
If you are an employee and don't perform as well as you can, perhaps you lack the proper tools or training. Maybe you don't feel appreciated and, as a result, are not as involved as you might be. Your tools, training and the expression of appreciation are the responsibility of the employer, not the employee.
Shouldn't business owners and managers regard the annual review of their own performance and think of their employees as coworkers? We work in the same building, write emails to outsiders and to each other, talk on the telephone, and enjoy lunch in early afternoon. Every one of us is a crew member on the same ship, headed in the same direction.
The ideal procedure for the annual review is:
1. To keep your coworkers up to date regularly on how they are doing throughout the year.
2. When it's time for the annual review, make sure to conduct it within a week or two of the anniversary date.
3. Ask each person being reviewed to evaluate him or herself and to write down their accomplishments of the past year and goals for the coming year.
4. Ask the person reviewed what salary s/he think they deserve--and use their recommendation as a guide.
5. During the review, ask how you or other managers can better assist our coworkers to perform better.
6. If a member of your team has made an outstanding contribution to the company that saves time and money, increases profits and productivity, or improves the working conditions in the office, consider awarding a one-time bonus.
7. If your goal is to retain a team member for another full year, consider paying part of their increased salary as a bonus at their next anniversary date.
8. Be prepared at an annual review to be flexible about hours of work and time away from the office for personal matters.
When you improve as a manager, your coworkers improve at their positions.
In "People Tools for Business", author Alan C. Fox shares advice on such essential business topics as delegation, cash flow and why you should, if at all possible, avoid litigation. While these time-tested "tools" provide shortcuts to help people solve job-related problems, the advice is universal and can be used outside of the workplace to build better relationships and create a more fulfilling life.
Source: Alan Fox: People Tools for Business
For more on employee feedback and the annual performance review, go to:
http://www.coachingtip.com/2014/09/separate-feedback-from-performance-reviews.html
http://www.coachingtip.com/2014/07/why-you-should-learn-to-love-feedback.html