How to Make the Performance Review More Fun

“Fun” is a relative term. Depending on the circumstances and the people involved, the word can apply to a wide variety of human experiences. Stamp collecting and sky diving can both be considered fun, though, admittedly, by completely different types of people. But a performance review at work? Can that ever reach the level of “fun?” 

Well, again, the definition is relative. Can you turn performance reviews into a carnival ride or a trip to Cancun? No. Can you ease some of the tension and turn them into a less-than-excruciating experience for your employees? Yes, definitely. 

Performance Review Tips

Here are a few ways you can take the regular performance reviews for your employees and turn them from a grueling, unpleasant experience into something approaching fun: 

Remove Some of the Anxiety  

The first step to improving the mood during performance reviews is to remove a portion of the anxiety. Realize that the situation is stressful for the employee you’re talking to, and take steps to minimize this tension. Here are a few things you can do to lighten the vibe: 

Have a regular schedule – Reviews should come on predictable schedules. That way, they do not blindside your employees, and everybody has a chance to prepare. 

Keep criteria transparent – It shouldn’t be a mystery how to succeed on your team. Measures used during the evaluations, and the definition of success, should stay clear and consistent. 

Maintain communication between reviews – The results of an evaluation shouldn’t come as a surprise. Don’t treat it like a game show. Talk to your employees between review sessions, giving them constant feedback and ways to improve. 

Make the Process More Pleasant 

Once you alleviate the flop sweats, it’s time to brighten the tone even more. Try to take your reviews from the “didn’t feel like torture” category to something resembling a normal conversation. 

Focus on the positive – Don’t treat a review as an outlet to complain about employees’ shortcomings. You should also use it as a venue to provide encouragement and modes of improvement.  

Keep the tone constructive – How you say things he’s almost as important as what you say. Even if you have to offer a critique of an employee’s performance, you can still frame it in a constructive way. 

Add Actual Fun 

Now it’s time to enter the realm of actual fun, or at least as close as you can get. Of course, most reviews won’t even approach this area. However, there are some things you can do to make the encounter approximate something at least fun-like. 

Ask for feedback on your performance – Giving employees a chance to offer their evaluation of your performance gives them an opportunity to turn the tables. Stay thick–skinned in this scenario, so they get a chance to air their opinion. Meanwhile, you might pick up some pointers you can use to improve your abilities as well. 

Take the employee to lunch afterward – Tie the review with a social outing. It will take the edge off the encounter. At the very least, your employee will get a free lunch out of the deal, and the two of you might have a chance to build a closer working relationship. 

Employee evaluations become more fun when you only have positive feedback to offer. Having a top-flight set of team members makes working with them, and reviewing their output, a joy. An industry-leading staffing firm, like SmartTalent, can provide you the perfect workers to drive your company to the next level. 

Contact SmartTalent today to find out more.