Are Annual Reviews Worth the Trouble?
An annual review is a formal assessment of employees’ performance over the course of the year.
Performance, for its part, refers to the value of employees’ contributions.
During an annual review, one or more managers assesses this value.
The goal is to identify employees’ strengths and weaknesses, provide feedback conducive to professional development, and help employees set new goals for the year ahead.
Employees then reciprocate – they identify managers’ strengths and weaknesses, provide constructive feedback, and help them set new goals for the year ahead.
What to expect from employees during an annual review
What can you—a manager—expect from employees during an annual review?
First, expect them to be prepared.
Employees will have assessed their own performance, be it formally or informally, prior to your meeting. As a result, you can expect them to have prepared a list of talking points.
They are likely to have prepared a list of questions, too.
Second, expect them to be nervous.
It is not uncommon for employees to experience heightened anxiety when it comes time to conduct annual reviews. After all, this is one of the most important meetings of the year—if not the most important meeting of the year—for a lot of them.
What is my obligation to my employee during an annual review?
You are obliged to listen – really listen.
An annual review is not a lecture. Rather, it is a two-way conversation.
It is not about telling your employee where their strengths and would-be strengths lie; it is about discussing their strengths and weaknesses with them.
Consider the following talking points.
-What enables their strength in communications?
– What is preventing them from improving with regard to teamwork and collaboration?
– What are they hoping to achieve when it comes to collaboration?
How to structure an annual review
An organization’s annual review is specific to their values. As a result, there is no right or wrong way to structure an annual review. Yet, most annual reviews—regardless of industry—assess the following skills:
– Communication
– Teamwork
– Leadership
– Accomplishing goals and meeting key deadlines
– Quality and accuracy of deliverables
These skills are indicative of employees’ performance – the value of their contributions.
Subsequently, an annual review might begin with a discussion about these and other skills.
Having addressed the performance of the employee in question, the next step might be to discuss your own. Consider, for example, your communication skills. What do they say about you as a manager?
The final step is often goal setting.
Consider the following prompts.
– Based on the feedback you received – what are your goals for the year ahead?
– Based on the feedback you provided – what are the employee’s goals?
– How will you go about achieving said goals? What about the employee?
3 ways to mitigate biases during an annual review
First, take the time to reflect on your biases in advance.
What are the different kinds of bias?
Which ones might be relevant in the context of an annual review?
Did you know? You can learn about the different kinds of bias through CEC Subscription Services, which offers a variety of diversity and inclusion training materials – including an E-Course on unconscious bias.
Second, standardize your process.
Be sure to ask employees the same set of questions and evaluate them according to the same metrics. It helps to make a list ahead of time – your biases are more likely to crop up when things are unscripted.
Third, take your time.
Biases are amplified or intensified when we’re stressed or on a time crunch.
Neither you nor your employee should feel rushed in an annual review.
3 things not to do during an annual review
First, do not use the word “always.”
“You are always late.”
Nobody is always late.
The same goes for the word “never.”
“You never take initiative.”
Everybody has taken initiative at some point in some capacity.
Using extremes is demoralizing in that it denies or discredits the work the employee did (or did not) do. Consider, for example, the times they were not late but early.
Second, do not compare one employee to another – this breeds resentment.
“You’re an incredible writer, but Sam is much stronger when it comes to presentations.”
Third, do not speculate about raises or promotions.
“If you get that contract next month, they might even promote you to supervisor.”
Raising hopes regarding a raise or promotion that might not happen often leads to disappointment.
How to give your employer honest feedback
What should I expect from my annual review?
An annual review is a formal assessment of employees’ performance over the course of the year.
Performance, for its part, refers to the value of employees’ contributions.
During a workplace review, one or more managers assess this value.
The goal is to identify employees’ strengths and would-be strengths, provide feedback conducive to professional development, and help employees set new goals for the months ahead.
Employees generally reciprocate – they identify managers’ strengths and weaknesses; provide constructive feedback; and help them set new goals for the coming months.
How to give your leader honest feedback without getting fired
How can you—an employee—provide constructive criticism without upsetting your manager?
First, avoid providing criticism without examples.
Examples point to the fact that you are criticizing their performance – not their personhood. Subsequently, they are less likely to feel defensive.
Second, do not use the word “always.”
“You always provide negative reinforcement.”
Nobody always provides negative reinforcement.
The same might be said of the word “never.”
“You never provide positive reinforcement.”
Everybody has provided positive reinforcement at some point in some capacity.
Third, be sure to focus on the future as opposed to the past.
Talking about your managers’ past is unavoidable. Nonetheless, their attention should be directed toward the future.
For instance, as opposed to saying, “I don’t appreciate your constant sarcasm,” you might say, “Going forward, I would really like it if our communications were more straightforward – no jokes, no sarcasm.”
Should I ask for a raise during my annual review?
Should you ask your manager for a raise during your annual review?
No – not necessarily.
But you absolutely can.
An annual review is a premier opportunity to ask for a raise. However, it is not the only opportunity. You can ask for a raise at any point throughout the year – there is no need to wait until your annual review.
Resources for making your annual review more meaningful
Consider making your annual review more meaningful by voicing any concerns you might have regarding your peers or place of work.
Consider, for example, the following misgivings.
“Michelle always seems to be making racist jokes.”
“The men are called on more often than the women during meetings.”
“Brandon keeps hitting on the new engineer – I can tell it makes her uncomfortable.”
But how does one raise these issues during an annual review?
CEC Subscription Services include several resources on how to have difficult conversations.
Not sure how to talk about microaggressions?
Hesitant to broach the subject of white privilege?
Worried about discussing fatphobia?
Regardless of the subject, CEC Subscription Services has got you covered with a multitude of micro-learning videos, opportunities for one-on-one coaching, and access to an interdisciplinary community of DEI program experts.
If Canadian Equality Subscription Services don’t quite meet your needs, don’t hesitate to reach out to CEC about custom DEI training. In-person, live online, or online on-demand, we offer DEI training that is customized to your work. Evidenced-based and informed by industry best practices, our material is designed for both impact and sustainability.
Contact Canadian Equality Consulting today to get started!