Worker reviews
Associated PressPublished February 4, 2005
It's still fairly early in the first quarter and many businesses are still be firming plans for the year. Employee reviews can be an important part of that process, helping to guide staffing and job goals for 2005's initiatives.
More than three of every four workers found reviews either very or somewhat valuable, according to a survey of 612 employees by OfficeTeam, a staffing firm based in Menlo Park, Calif. But there are some common pitfalls in this process employers would be wise to avoid, according to the company:
- Saving feedback: A performance review is not the time to spring all your complaints and compliments on an employee. Regular communication to workers about how they're doing is far more useful.
- Being secretive: Nothing in the review should be a surprise for an employee. And discuss ahead of time how each of you should prepare for this meeting, how long it will last and what topics will and should be covered.
- Failing to consult others: If an employee interacts with others in the department or company, ask around. This data can provide insight for a far more comprehensive review.
- Not following through: The goals and ideas developed through the review need to be revisited, not consigned to a personnel file and forgotten.