That dreaded annual review (by Liz Simpers)
Man, do I hate these. You get that email…”It’s time for your annual review!” Or better yet…you just get a meeting request in outlook with the subject line “Annual Review.” And in the email it says something like “Please come prepared with your answers in the attached worksheet discussing your work and measurable goals you have accomplished in the last year.”
The problem with these is the measurement. I worked somewhere where they just compared each employee to each other and that was the 1-10 metric. How unfair is that? There was no consideration for each staff member’s department, role, challenges, history, or goals.
I also worked for an org in which a 7 out of 10 was considered “exceptional.” Therefore, even the best staff members, myself included, would get a 6 or less because a 7 in the eyes of leadership meant that you were exceptional and didn’t have much room for improvement.
Have you ever left an annual review feeling great about your past performance and your future path? At best it might be one or the other. And if you have left feeling great about both, email me because I would love to lift you up to others like Simba in the Lion King.
So what’s the lesson? For you managers conducting these reviews, please look at your company-wide system for metrics. Put yourselves into the shoes of the new hires and look at how motivating your rating scale may be. Put the raises and money opportunities aside and simply question your process in the lens of your staff. Take your time in strategizing your approach with your leadership team. This makes a HUGE difference to morale.
And for those of us receiving these reviews (because even your bosses get these reviews), take it in stride. Learn from the past, and then move forward. If you are anything like me, you tend to revisit those comments way too much. Like, WAY too much. Keep moving and know that your worth is more than whatever is on that annual review.
If this is something you want to hear more about, reach out to me. I am here to help!
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