Doing HR Differently: Day 3 of 5 : The Appraisal

If you’ve read some of my other blogs and posts this will come as no surprise that banning the annual appraisal is on the list. This year many Companies have not had the time to do them due to Covid, and has anyone missed them? Not from the people I’m talking to.

As adults in the workplace people want to be treated like that, if they are told it’s their annual appraisal quite often a person may feel like they’re back at school again and being given a “Score”. Many people don’t like the paperwork, or the feeling that it’s an HR box ticking exercise.

However, it doesn’t mean that you can’t replace them with something more up to date.

In this climate, annual objectives are pretty pointless as things may move far quicker than they have done previously.

What I’ve found works better is encouraging managers to have regular, more informal check in conversations with their people. This encourages people to have two way conversations and it feels more natural than a formal bit of form filling. It’s not to say you can’t record what was said as a record of the chat so both parties know what they need to do. But this still allows managers to keep up to date with their team, how they’re feeling, give praise as well as raise any issues, although the most pressing issues shouldn’t wait to a conversation – they should just be tackled there and then.

I’m thinking of buying a bell and ringing it every time I persuade a Company to drop their annual appraisal.

How can Sure Betts HR Help?

I can provide a quick but clear guide to give both employees and managers starting points for discussions that help people have the right types of conversations leading to more motivated people who feel they are being communicated with well.