As an SME there are two ways to consider staff assessments: one,
as an unproductive chore and a strain on already stretched
resources; or, two: as a highly productive way of taking stock,
both of an employee's role and potential and of the way a company
itself wants to develop.
Assessments, then, can be useful for both parties.
There are countless websites and experts out there ready to
offer How To Do Staff Assessment knowledge, but some of the best
advice to keep in mind is actually some of the simplest. Get too
bogged down in the latest jargon-laden, and possibly faddish
approach and the greater the risk that you - and your employee -
will gain little from the process.
Here are some simple elements to put into effect when planning
and carrying out staff assessments.
Language. Think a lot about the language you use. What you say
is crucial. Sounds obvious, perhaps, but being clear is a great
deal harder than is often appreciated. Ask yourself
beforehand, do you really know what it is you mean or want to
say? Because, if you don't, you can be sure the person you're
assessing won't know. Avoid jargon and empty
management-speak. Give concrete examples of what you mean and
explain why you are highlighting those examples.
Understand that however objective you try and make an
assessment, there will always be a degree of subjectivity involved,
whatever template or software you use. It's important to
allow the person assessed to speak and make points, to balance the
proceedings by giving a self-assessment.
Try and encourage honesty by explaining that the assessment is
as much about improvements that can be brought about jointly, as it
is about making judgments. The aim is to use lessons learned to
improve the way forward.
Make sure that you are honest. Don't be personal, but
equally don't pussyfoot around the obvious because it is easier not
to confront it. Instead, try and ensure a positive result by
always following a negative with a suggestion or a discussion about
how improvements can be made, if you think they can
be.
Make sure a person's job title actually reflects what they are
expected to do. And if a title can't really encapsulate this, then
make sure a job description does. If it doesn't, correct this
by agreement. This is vital, because no one can be expected to
perform well if they don't really understand what their role
is. Once the job description is clear, make sure your
assessment is made using this description.
If you are going to grade performance by assigning a score, then
be clear what a score actually means and why you have arrived at
the one you have given.
Despite the popularity of scores, they are not essential. A
written assessment alone can often force both sides to create a
more bespoke assessment and to focus more clearly on what they
think.
Make sure the occasion of the assessment is relaxed and
encouraging, but also that it isn't overly informal. Give the
person proper attention, appropriate privacy, and sufficient time.
Make them feel that your interest is genuine and is designed to
assist their progress.
Think about precisely what the assessment is designed to do.
Then clearly communicate this in simple, unambiguous language. In
general terms, the assessment is likely to be most valuable if it
is designed, in a balanced way, but in no particular order,
to:
- Discuss positive aspects of a person's performance. If
appropriate, do this in relation to a previous assessment.
- Discuss and give feedback on areas that could be improved and
how this might be achieved. Be positive, but don't avoid problems.
Clarity here is especially important - euphemisms are especially
unhelpful to both parties.
- Discuss the person's future role and development and consider
new challenges, if appropriate.
- You may decide this is also a good time to receive feedback on
the company from the employee. Either way, you will want to have
the person's feedback on the assessment in
general.
Don't talk all the time. There are no meaningful rules about how
much of the talking you should do, but a good rule to observe to
make sure you don't go overboard is to ask lots of questions and
listen to the answers.
If you are writing down assessments, allow the employee to write
their response. Both sign off on what you have discussed to ensure
there are no misunderstandings later.
