While more and more often annual interviews are being abandoned, let's face it, it's still very popular in many larger business organizations.
So, what can managers do to ease employees’ pain of annual reviews ?
One of the tools is coaching, loved by some and avoided by others, which former colleague Tomas Misiukonis defines as a way to stimulate the interlocutor's thinking on their issue or concern.
It turns out, if managers sincerely listen and ask thought-provoking questions when communicating with their employees, they are more open to the outcomes of annual review.
In other words, employees are less inclined to crucify their managers for forcing them to think about the past (often no longer relevant) and the future (often unpredictable).
What is the evidence?
A study researched the effects of coaching during annual reviews [1]. The results demonstrate that among the employees:
● 73% had higher trust in the annual performance evaluation
● 70% said they gained valuable insights to improve their performance
● 50% felt more engaged at work
● 50% were generally more positive about the performance evaluation process
The results of the study are really exciting. And what is the reality?
The reality is that coaching simply doesn't work in many organizations and probably never will.
Main reasons:
● One-way communication (top-bottom only)
● Lack of coaching skills and motivation to apply them
Of course, changing the culture of organizations is a complex process that requires the involvement and support of top management. Also, it requires the trust of the employees in coaching itself.
But what we can do as managers is engage in self-development and try coaching ourselves. So, start with yourself.
It might happen that you don't change anything significantly in your organization after learning coaching. However, what you will improve is your relationship with your employees. And they will thank you for it, believe me.
[1] Jacobs, K. (2015, May 14). Coaching and feedback still rare in performance management. HR Magazine. http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/content/news/coaching-and-feedback-still-rare-in-performance-management