There are many tips that can be used to assist in effective staff evaluation. Tools such as peer evaluations and self-evaluations are popular choices for many businesses. External evaluators may be a feasible option as well. Regardless of the type of evaluation methods used, it is important to discuss both strengths and weaknesses with each staff member to prevent a decrease in morale and productivity.
Self-evaluation is one of many valuable evaluation tools. It is probably a good idea to let the staff members know that all information gathered in self-evaluations will be kept confidential and will not be shared with other employees. The self-evaluation method often can be useful in discovering issues that would be difficult to notice in face-to-face interviews or other evaluation techniques. Encourage staff members to be honest in a self-evaluation. Employees may like to be asked to evaluate themselves, as it may give them a sense that they are important within the sphere of the workplace.
Peer evaluation is another staff evaluation method that can be very effective. Like self-evaluations, make sure to stress to employees that the results will not be shared with other staff members. Evaluations by peers may be useful because employees may know of things about co-workers that are unknown to management. Additionally, confidential grading of staff members by other staff employees can reveal pertinent information about strengths and weaknesses.
Bringing in an external person or company to perform staff evaluations can be very helpful. A good tip here is to do everything possible to make staff members comfortable concerning outsiders reviewing their performances. Some companies choose to hire a secret evaluator who can observe the employees without the staff being aware of his or her presence. With this method, an evaluator can view the staff in its natural state and prevent the staff from purposefully changing behavior. Employees may become bitter, however, when they discover the secret staff evaluation.
Another good staff evaluation tip is to remain consistent. Create set criteria for evaluations so that all staff members of similar rank have equal assessments. Using the same criteria is one way to prevent discrimination charges, and staff members will appreciate the fair treatment. In addition, many employers do not like to use surprise performance reviews, opting instead to performing evaluations after certain intervals.
Keep the staff evaluation positive. The purpose of an evaluation is not only to gather information about performance but to improve performance. Negative evaluations can lead to a decline in morale and subsequently a loss in performance quality. Putting a positive spin on the proceedings can be very useful. When possible, include as many remarks about employee strengths as weaknesses.
