It’s an annual practice that might cause groans and frustration from everyone at your company, from the big boss on down the line: Performance reviews. It can be hard for employees and managers alike to try and recall all the events, achievements and lessons from the previous year, plus it takes a lot of time to prepare and conduct these reviews for everyone involved. 

But there are big benefits to be reaped from performance reviews. It can help shine a light on those employees who have grown and adapted to a new situation along with highlighting those who have overcome challenges and worked through their struggles to become important members of your team. 

Here are a few reasons to reconsider the importance and benefits of performance reviews. 

• Feedback is vital if you want to retain your employees. No one likes to feel ignored, overlooked or invisible. By providing a performance review and offering feedback, whether complimentary or insight on how to improve, you’re giving your employee the opportunity to learn more about their strengths, the areas in which they can work a little harder to contribute, and to show that you see and acknowledge all they do for the company. Feedback is an important way to help encourage people who might be struggling in their position, as it shows you want them to succeed and are willing to work with them to improve. It’s a valuable support tool that often goes overlooked but performance reviews are a great opportunity to provide that insight. 

• Reviews offer the opportunity to encourage employees. Establishing a routine of performance reviews helps the employee and their manager determine whether and how much growth the employee has made over time. Someone who’s six months on the job will, ideally, have much different standing and abilities than someone who’s been there a year or two. Being able to look back and track a person’s progress is a great way to evaluate whether it’s time to consider a promotion or title change if the person has earned it. It’s also a good way to determine if someone’s falling behind and to work together to correct the course before frustration leads to dismissal or the employee deciding to quit. 

• Conversations lead to improved engagement. Your team is not made up of mind readers. If you want more from your employees, they need to know what you expect and how you will help them get there. Opening the lines of communication with your team about what they’re doing well, how far they’ve come, how expectations are changing and what you want to see from them in the next 12 months helps give people direction and encourages them to grow into their positions. An employee who knows they have expectations to live up to will, if they feel supported and heard in their ideas and concerts, strive to meet or exceed the goals given to them. They’ll also know they can come to their manager for clarification on any expectation given to them and for support if they need a little help making progress. Engaged employees are focused on their job and want to improve, which leads to better productivity and loyalty if they believe their hard work will be rewarded. They won’t need to look elsewhere for opportunities if they know they can advance within the same company. 

• Reviews can help address problems before they grow out of hand. Opening your door to sit down and have individual conversations with your team — whether it’s once a year, once every six months or more often than that — allows you to have feedback from your team as much as you provide it to them. Checking in with your employees gives them the space to talk about their jobs, what they like and don’t like about their current environment or position, and can shed light on conflicts or other stressors that could otherwise create an unstable, unsavory work environment that might grow to involve more employees. Asking for feedback and insight from your employees, and listening closely to what they say, can help foster engagement as well, especially if you take their notes seriously and make changes based on what you hear.

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Reviews don’t have to take place once a year; they can be quarterly or every six months if that better suits your company’s needs. For employees who are on remediation or improvement programs, a more frequent meeting might be beneficial for everyone, as both you and your employee can determine quickly whether things are moving in the right direction or if it’s time to part ways. Ultimately, regular conversations to gauge your employee’s satisfaction with their job, and for them to know whether you’re happy with their work, makes for a stronger, more productive and more enthusiastic team. Everyone wins! 

If you’re looking to add to your team, or if you’d like some advice on how to best conduct reviews, it’s time to give Davis Staffing a call. Our recruiters and staffing experts are happy to share information with you on qualified candidates who can help right away to boost your team’s productivity and morale! We work tirelessly to find top talent that will meet your company’s needs. When you’re ready to learn more, call Davis Staffing to see what we can do for you!