The key to a successful performance review meeting is in the planning. Properly prepared supervisors and well planned performance reviews can be a positive experience.

Gather Feedback about your Direct Reports

There are many ways to gather feedback about your direct reports:

• Observation
• Review end product of the task (interpreting results)
• Surveys (formal and informal)
• Multisource feedback (also known as 360 degree feedback)
  • Their manager
  • Their peers
  • Their customers
  • Their direct reports
  • Themselves
• Self appraisal

Multi-source feedback is a process of obtaining feedback from multiple individuals, a 360º view from those who are directly affected by the way you perform your job, people who work with you or for you, and the people you work for (your manager and/or your customers). The process provides valuable information, but it is more time-consuming than other feedback gathering methods.

Complete the Planning Form

The Performance Appraisal Planning Form (pdf) can help you make sure you have all of your materials and thoughts in order.

Tips

Do

• Use documentation that you’re gathered throughout the review cycle
• Allow plenty of time
• Personally arrange a time to meet with the employee
• Arrange a neutral place to meet, other than your office
• Review the job description to ensure its accuracy
• Ask the employee for input
• Write results that you are prepared to defend and stand behind

Don't

• Rely on your memory
• Set aside one day, for eight one-hour meetings, with eight employees
• Schedule other "more important" meetings immediately after a review meeting
• Take other "more important" phone calls during the meeting
• Make the employee feel like you have something better to do
• Make the employee fill out the form
• Tell the employee to update their own job description

Forms for Gathering Feedback

• General Input Form for Evaluating Employee Performance (pdf)
• Employee Input Form for Evaluating Performance (pdf)