#RedBranchWeekly: Rock Employee Performance Reviews this Year

Today marks the start of December and if that doesn’t have you a little nervous, then you’re in the minority. For many organizations, this time of year means closing out open enrollment periods and getting ready for another year of goals. Among all the end of the year preparation, many companies schedule employee performance reviews. Oh, the performance review. A necessity to many and loved by few. Management teams have long questioned their use, some even eliminating them from performance management strategies completely.

Though they might be under fire, the importance of delivering feedback cannot be ignored. Our partners at ClearCompany, iRevü, CyberGrants and WCN have created a few useful resources that can get you through a long, arduous review or simply help you negotiate a longtail performance management plan. Whether you hold annual employee reviews or have adopted a new approach, these tips are for you.

ClearCompany: Performance Review Questions to Ask Your Employees

One of the biggest challenges in holding reviews is understanding exactly how to approach feedback. This quick read provides ideas for specific questions managers can ask to gauge alignment, build goals and even solicit feedback. Plus, it links to a best practices library that will help with structuring the meeting and organizing notes/responses. And if you’re considering implementing or adjusting your performance management system, it will help guide you to the factors and features you need most. Read it all here!

iRevü: Turning Negative Employee Feedback into a Positive

Soliciting employee feedback is one of the best ways to keep a pulse on your organization. Unfortunately, when you ask, you usually receive – and it’s not always fun to hear. Turning negative feedback into a positive is challenging but so rewarding. For one, your employees know you care about their opinions, and when they see a resulting change, they feel respected. For another, it simply helps build a better organization. Reading this will help navigate the awkward moments to see real impact. Check it out!

CyberGrants: 5 Unique Ways to Give Thanks to your Employees

No doubt about it, appreciation is one of the most powerful tools managers have at their disposal. Given often and well, and employee engagement and productivity soar. Ignored and the workforce will surely suffer. This is packed full of ideas, big and small, to show your workers just how grateful you are to have their talent. It is built to help leaders reward CSR participation, but many of the elements and ideas are perfect for thanking teams for any accomplishments. See all the ideas here!

WCN: A Revolutionary Tool that Leverages Predictive & Prescriptive Analytics

Great employee performance reviews include more than conversation and goal development. With the right approach to collecting and understanding workforce data, your organization can make better hiring decisions. This resource gives a little background on predictive analytics technology and explains how it can lead to better recruiting and performance management strategies. Read about it here!

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