Despite performance appraisals being a two-way conversation to give and receive constructive feedback, not all employees might feel fully heard by their managers during the process.
Beyond having clear goal-setting structures and performance indicators to evaluate employees, performance management systems should also ensure that employees can safely voice concerns about the appraisal to their supervisors or HR without fear of reprisal.
Without a proper channel to highlight such concerns to the company, these can become a source of grievance and fester over time, affecting morale and motivation. This could lead to increased employee turnover, which may negatively impact the organisation’s productivity and performance.
To prevent these grievances from taking root at the workplace, companies are encouraged to put in place a post-appraisal feedback process as part of the performance management system. This feedback process will give managers a chance to clarify or reiterate development points with their employees, and the clarification may also strengthen their working relationship. The feedback should be delivered in a constructive and respectful manner, with a focus on improvement rather than criticism.
As with a grievance handling procedure, the post-appraisal feedback process should be formalised, documented, and communicated to all employees while ensuring staff confidentiality is maintained at all times.
Above all, companies are encouraged to train managers and supervisors to conduct performance appraisals in a fair and objective manner, including how they should handle difficult (and sometimes sensitive) conversations regarding employees’ performance, or how to respond to negative feedback from employees.
Companies that can do these well will not only build trust and maintain harmony, but also create a safe and conducive environment for employees to work and thrive in.
Refer to the Human Capital Implementation Toolkit to learn more about Performance Management.
This article is contributed by TAFEP.
