Assessing Your Employees

How are your employees doing? Considering their impact on the success of your business, it's one of the most important questions you can ask.

In this section we’ll uncover the answer to this question from all sides. We’ll evaluate their performance as workers, but we’ll also find out what they really think of their jobs and your company. Then, we’ll develop a plan of action based on the results.

Performance Reviews

Your business is a collection of integrated systems and, as such, your employees don't work in vacuums. Each of your employees impacts your business as a whole. That means everyone in your company has an important job to do, no matter what position they hold.

In order for your business to run as efficiently as possible, it's important to regularly assess the output of each of your employees, in order to find out how you can help them improve. Some people dismiss the idea of employee evaluations as negative and controlling, but it really depends on how and why they are done. Besides, if you can’t identify a problem, how can you fix it? Good employees want regular performance reviews to show them exactly what is expected of them, and how they can improve.

While managers should offer their opinions, it's also a good idea to have employees evaluate their own progress as well as the company’s. This keeps the evaluation a two-way process, helping to avoid an “us versus them” feeling. Think of it as a joint exploration for the betterment of everyone involved.

If at all possible, hand out both self and company evaluation forms to employees in advance of the meeting. That way nothing in the meeting will come as a surprise. Employees are more likely to worry when they don’t know what's going on.

It's also important to keep these meetings private. Employees and managers need to be in an environment that promotes free and honest conversation.

“Don’t let performance appraisals be a one-sided lecture. Give your employee a chance to talk.”

- Margie Markham - Contributing Editor of Meeting News

Performance Review System

This system should identify when your performance reviews will occur, where, who will conduct them and with whom. It should also establish a consistent agenda for each of these meetings.

Design your Employee Evaluation form. Refer to the following example.

Employee Evaluation Form

1. How do you feel about your co-workers?
2. How do you feel about your compensation?
3. How do you feel about your working environment?

Your Performance

Rate yourself from one to ten for the following.

1: Poor 3: Improving 5: Average 7: Good 9: Excellent 10: Beyond the call of duty

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