A performance review or performance appraisal is a formal assessment used by managers to evaluate the performance of an employee and identify their strengths and weaknesses. Traditionally, performance reviews were carried out once a year but companies are now opting for regular evaluations, whether they are weekly, monthly, or quarterly.
The performance review is also used to offer feedback and set goals for future performance as well as to recognize high performing employees, encourage growth and development, and communicate expectations.
During a performance review, an employee will have the opportunity to reflect on their performance, understand areas for improvement, and evaluate themselves. Understandably, not all employees find it easy to evaluate themselves and having to look at oneself objectively can make self-evaluation a complicated and stressful affair.
However, performance evaluations can steer an employee in the right direction in terms of their career, which is why LeadHRM services and similar organizations encourage companies to carry out performance reviews.
This is in addition to their other services like recruitment, HR trainings, and management development services. LeadHRM also offers payroll services and executive development services.
This is their guide to evaluating yourself during a performance review.
Don’t Rush It
Instead of waiting until the very last minute to complete your performance evaluation form, start early and go through the questions carefully. While you may not particularly enjoy the process, carefully thinking out your responses will help you steer your career in the right direction.
Job Description
If you have a job description, keep this at hand. If you do not have a job description, it is important that you carefully consider your responsibilities and prepare one. Doing this will help you with the rest of the self-evaluation even if the performance review does not ask for it.
Talk to Your Manager
When performance appraisals are conducted on a regular basis, you may assume they are merely routine and are not made use of. However, a performance review has various uses and it is best that you talk to your manager about the purpose of the performance evaluation.
Prove Your Worth
During times when self-deprecating humor is so popular, you may find it difficult to be objective about your performance and role in the company. You may feel uncomfortable to talk about your strengths and goals but it is important that you prove your worth to your employer.
A few ways to ensure your self-evaluation is authentic is to be accountable, lead with solutions, and be honest about setbacks.
Track Your Progress
After submitting your self-evaluation, you may remember accomplishments and setbacks you forgot to consider in your evaluation. In order to avoid making this mistake again, it is recommended that you keep track of your progress, accomplishments, and setbacks so that you can refer to them during the evaluation. This is especially important if your company does not carry out performance reviews on a regular basis.
Set Goals
Setting goals is an area of focus in HR services as well as management development services. During recruitment, for instance, potential employees may be asked about their goals and what they hope to achieve in their career.
Your performance appraisal is an opportunity for you to think about your future and set goals that will help your career. When setting goals, make sure they are SMART; Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-based. This is something highlighted during HR trainings by LeadHRM and similar HR services and is an important guide.
You can also request tools like education, certification, HR trainings, and mentorship that will help you reach your goals.
Feedback
While a performance appraisal is an opportunity for you to self-evaluate and reflect on your strengths and weaknesses, organizations may also use it as an opportunity to ask for feedback. HR trainings, for instance those that are part of LeadHRM services, look at how employee feedback can be used to improve working environment and increase job satisfaction and retention.
If your performance appraisal asks for feedback, do not hesitate to share your thoughts on the company, managers, and the team you work with.
