Instead of those performance appraisals held half yearly or annually, host one to one meetings with your employees. These personal meetings have a far more profound effect on employee morale and productivity than the one off appraisals. Enough has been written on the increasing realization of demerits of conducting periodic appraisals only so I shall not delve into this topic. One to one meetings should either complement or substitute this process. This requires a well thought out purpose and structure, hints for which are as follows:
Structure
As Buffer co-founder Leo points out in his blog post, a structure for a one to one meeting should be designed such that it focuses more on the employee and not the manager. Majority of the time should be spent discussing issues/concerns related to employee and not the organization or the manager. A rough structure can be:
- 5-10 minutes to share and celebrate employee’s Achievements (professionally and personally)
- 25-30 minutes to discuss employee’s current top challenges
- 15 minutes for the team lead (or manager) to share some feedback
- 5-10 minutes to give feedback to the team lead (or manager)
These calls can be held once every 15 days or monthly. Ask the employee to prepare for these agenda items before the meeting. Equally you should prepare well for your feedback and other action items.
The time for celebrating employees achievements is one thing many managers across organizations tend to miss out. Good managers know that one of the biggest motivation (not less than monetary incentives and promotions) for the employee is that his manager is aware and appreciative of his achievements. A few words of genuine praise go a long way in motivating an employee in this dry world.
Other Pointers
Share experiences/best practices that you have learned and would be best suitable for the employee to cover his skill gap. Suggest him suitable mentors within the company. Help him from your heart to overcome his challenges. These gestures go a long way in ensuring a committed and loyal employee who is devoted to organization’s success.
Another thing to be kept in mind is to let the employee free up himself in these calls, create that informal setting through an informal personal chat at the beginning.
Don’t impose your thoughts on him rather empower him. Help him discover or explore your thoughts through suggestions and relevant questions. That way, he will emerge out much more convinced and is more likely to follow your suggestions on a long term basis.
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