Adapt Performance Reviews to the Reality of the Pandemic
Even in the best of times, few managers actually enjoy conducting performance reviews. But during a pandemic, the task is astronomically harder. How do you evaluate employees fairly during such a challenging time? For starters, think about what you want to accomplish. As the crisis trudges on, you can focus on helping your employees build resilience and work through these difficult circumstances. Consider doing away with ratings in favor of a narrative assessment that provides employees with specific and helpful information about what they’ve done well and what they could improve. You also need to acknowledge the vastly different conditions in which your team members are operating. Some may be juggling client calls with entertaining toddlers. Others may be overseeing projects while caring for elderly or sick relatives, or trying to work while struggling with feelings of isolation. You might need to gather different kinds of data while you’re all working remotely. Request self-evaluations and ask your employees’ peers for their feedback. Your approach to performance reviews during this time calls for a little more flexibility, a little more heart, and a little more leniency.
“How to Do Performance Reviews — Remotely,” by Rebecca Knight