Keeping your staff happy and motivated is crucial, but it is often difficult. There is a lot to be said for having regular staff appraisals, as it ensures everyone remains committed to the working process, and you can prevent problems from becoming big. Of course, if an employee is performing well, you should do everything you can to praise them, and ensure they know they are doing well.
It is all too easy to think of staff appraisals as a chance to stop negative aspects, but never forget they represent a good chance to focus on positive aspects too. We provide extensive staff appraisal training services, but here are some tips on how to conduct staff appraisals and motivate staff.
Be prepared before the appraisal
You can’t just turn up at an appraisal and hope it all goes well. You should have a structure in place for all similar posts, so you make sure each team member is being treated along similar lines. However, you should also make sure that you have researched each employee and can point to specific aspects of their work.
If an employee feels they are being treated in an off-hand manner, or the information they receive is general about the post and not specific to them, they’ll not be motivated to work harder. Therefore, the person or team carrying out the appraisal should ensure they have an accurate and detailed record of the employee’s performance, and what the role should entail.
Try to be as positive as possible
If there is nothing positive to say about an employee’s performance, the matter should have been highlighted long before an appraisal. In the workplace, it is easy to overlook good work, because hopefully this will be the norm, or at least what is expected. Therefore, during the working year, negative remarks are more common, which means in an appraisal, it is important to offer as much positive feedback as possible.
When you praise someone, they will feel more relaxed, and this means they are more likely to offer you relevant information too. A good appraisal isn’t just about the employer talking to the employee, it should be a two-way process with information and ideas being shared. If you make the employee feel comfortable, they are far more likely to provide you with insight which can help you achieve more in business.
Invite the employee to self-appraise and analyse
There is every chance the employee will have thoughts on their performance, what they do well and could do more of, and areas where they need support. There may not be a chance for employees to raise these issues in the normal working day, so make sure the employee has the chance to voice these opinions during an appraisal.
Other ideas include:
- Speak of specific moments or incidents
- Create a guideline on what the employee can do after the appraisal
- Offer swift feedback
If you would like to learn more about how to best appraise your staff, or any other form of training, please contact Global Solution Services. We offer an extensive range of training services for candidates and employers alike, and we look forward to assisting you in driving your business forward.