Insights on Performance Reviews: Week of November 11, 2019
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I’ve been researching the performance review process and talking to customers about what they like and don’t like about the process. Here are the key insights from the week of November 11, 2019:
One executive, Erin, is a founder and general manager of a 50-person consulting firm. She mentioned that she used BambooHR to do performance reviews. She mentioned that BambooHR used the Deloitte methodology for ranking employees. She personally wasn’t a fan of the quantitative rating because she found most clients simply rated her consultants a “5” and said “She’s great!” She felt she had to prod her clients and ask, “If our consultant was a full-time member on your team, what constructive feedback would you give them to improve?” When phrased in that fashion, clients were more introspective and thoughtful. At the end of the day, she found the qualitative, not quantitative, data points most helpful in a performance review.
Zach Adams, a talent management consultant, strongly believes in establishing a monthly process for giving feedback. By making it habitual, it minimizes opportunities for managers to avoid giving their employees feedback.
Kwame Boler, CEO @ neu, is more interested in getting statistics and analysis. That is, how can executives and HR professionals monitor the feedback that managers are providing their employees and allowing managers-of-managers to get involved, if necessary.
On November 9, Matt mentioned that absolutely managers could use a memory aid when it comes to doing performance reviews. He works as a HR professional for a construction company, and he mentioned that they use Workday for performance reviews. On a separate note, he did note that one of the more groundbreaking things that his company has done is to not automatically turn senior individuals into managers. That is, lower-level individuals can be managers too. He mentioned that some experienced people simply don’t have the competency to be a good manager; it requires listening, empathy, coaching and strong communication skills. He said that they are onto the 2nd or 3rd year of this experiment, and while it’s been a shocker to existing and new employees, the HR department and executives have felt the change has been incredibly productive.
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