Performance Reviews & Self Evaluations

Employers often show employees company figures that demonstrate how workers can improve.

Regardless of the industry you enter, you likely will engage in performance reviews and/or self evaluation. Companies use these strategies periodically -- usually at least once a year -- to figure out what an employee is doing well and could improve. Knowing something about these methodologies is useful in dealing with your employer and in determining the effectiveness of your company.

What Is a Performance Review?

A performance review is an evaluation your employer conducts of your work. Typically, a performance review involves a formal meeting between you and your boss, and your employer brings company statistics to the review table to explain how your work has suffered or improved. Your boss points out instances where you might have approached projects or situations differently and helps you set goals for the future, focusing your attention on your personal career objectives and the mission of the company.

What Is a Self Evaluation?

A self evaluation is similar to a performance review in purpose. However, you conduct the review yourself, looking at your own work as if you were your supervisor. Often, self evaluations are done via surveys that you fill out informally and return to the human relations (HR) department of your company or your direct supervisor. However, self evaluation also can be part of a performance review, with you and your supervisor discussing how you think you did. Self evaluations are important because they often shed light on differences in perspectives within the workplace.

Advantages

Performance reviews and self evaluations provide basic documentation that indicates your progress or decline within a company. Your employer can use this documentation as evidence for pay increases or, if necessary, to let you go. Reviews and evaluations also provide a foundation for discussion and feedback. For instance, if you indicate on your evaluation that you don't feel challenged, you and your boss can talk about new responsibilities and projects you might be able to take on. Reviews and evaluations also let your employers clarify what they expect you to be doing on the job and forecast what is possible for you in the future. This clarity, combined with incentives, can motivate you to do better.

Disadvantages

Performance reviews and self evaluations take time to complete -- that is, they use company resources. There thus always is a cost for completing the assessments, with cost increasing proportionately according to the number of employees. Bosses who are too critical and negative in a performance review could dishearten or frustrate employees. Additionally, performance reviews are not entirely objective; for example, every boss has his own definition for "good" effort. Performance reviews sometimes are stressful because they require a balance between compliments and criticism, have to be completed within strict time periods and are critical to job retention and productivity. Employers worry about the workload the reviews and evaluations create and, to a degree, not offending employees. Employees worry about how critical employers will be and whether they can meet the employers' new expectations.

References

• The Thriving Small Business; Advantages and Disadvantages of Performance Appraisals; April 2010
• Halogen Software: Why Are Employee Self-Evaluations So Important