Performance reviews are essential for the growth and development of every organisation. These assessments help your employees who are looking to grow to know that you recognise and appreciate their efforts. It also enables you to determine if there are knowledge gaps and if your employees are actually the right fit for the job and the company in general.
With the current spike in remote work, it might seem challenging to conduct staff performance reviews successfully. On the bright side, technology keeps advancing. There has been an increase in remote work technologies, which helps create an ongoing feedback ecosystem of continuous conversation between employees, colleagues, managers and employers.
To successfully conduct performance review remotely, you should:
Figure Out Your Purpose
In order to be successful when conducting performance reviews, you need first to figure out why exactly you want to conduct the review. Your purpose should be aligned with strengthening your organisations’ culture and values and ensuring that everyone is on the same page. Once you have figured out your “why”, it will help shape how you choose to conduct this performance review.
Plan Ahead
It will not be appropriate to spring up a performance review on your employees out of the blues. Proper communications are essential for the success of every team. To achieve this, inform your employees about the performance review ahead of time and make the process clear to them. Specify how you plan to conduct the remote performance review (e.g. via Zoom), who should be present, how long this review will last, and an outline of what will be discussed.
Focus on the Future
When conducting remote performance interviews, endeavour to spend about 30% of the time discussing past performances and 70% of the time discussing ways to improve and successfully carry out future projects. This helps your employers actively think of ways to develop themselves and help you take on a mentor’s role. This unique dynamic fosters individual and organisational growth.
Be Compassionate
As much as we love remote work, it is vital to acknowledge that it comes with its own quirks and challenges. With this in mind, you must endeavour to show compassion when conducting a performance review remotely. Be mindful of the varying circumstances that your employees are operating under and understand that no matter how hard you try, you can never fully understand exactly how rough it is for your employees. Showing compassion will endear them to you and motivate them to do better on their own.
Get Feedback
Performance review should not be a one-way lecture. Your team should be able to provide feedback during and/or after the review. You can ask that they give genuine feedback in person or via a one-on-one call so that they feel more relaxed and are able to freely express themselves without worrying about what others might think or feel. You can also make use of online tools to conduct anonymous surveys. This will help get valuable insights.
In summary, remember to be flexible and compassionate when conducting performance reviews remotely. Appreciate your employees for their dedication and hardwork and look out for ways to help them improve themselves. Do not be brash or hard towards employees who performed poorly. Instead, give them a grace period to turn their level of productivity around.
When you apply all the points mentioned above, you will be able to successfully conduct performance review remotely. Click here to read more articles and tips on remote team management.
