Motivating Managers to Complete Employee Performance Reviews On Time

It seems that no matter much we acknowledge the importance of employee performance reviews in supporting employee performance, satisfaction and retention, it’s still hard to get some managers to complete them on time, if at all.

I was shocked to see the recent news from Denver that the city was handing out raises to employees even though thousands of them hadn’t even received a review! According to Workforce Management’s blogger, “The lack of a system is costing the city a lot of money in raises that are going to employees who don’t deserve it. Of those Denver city workers who did receive timely evaluations last year, 54 received a rating of “needs improvement”, 3,954 received a “successful” rating and 3,140 received an “exceptional” rating, according to the newspaper. In other words, if you apply those percentages to the 1,500 city workers who didn’t get a review, more than 800 public workers got a raise despite the fact that their performance probably needed improvement.”

So what exactly can we as HR do to help get everyone motivated about the value of completing timely, consistent, credible employee performance reviews?

The first, most obvious answer is to ensure you have a process and tools that help managers write their appraisals efficiently. A process that is simple, and a form that is quick and easy to complete, while giving employees the feedback and direction they need, will go a long way to engaging managers in the whole performance appraisal process. We’re all tight for time these days; why not make things as easy as possible for everyone.

Beyond that, many companies find it helpful to provide managers with sample text they can use in their feedback – sort of a “building block” approach to comments. That way, managers don’t have to spend a lot of time searching for the right words, and your company will get consistency in the feedback given to your employees. You can also do this with coaching and development tips and activities. Many automated talent management applications come equipped with libraries of comments and development tips; the best ones even let you customize the content.

But sometimes, it’s also important to find ways to inject “fun” or rewards in your process. Let’s face it, we could all use a “carrot” now and again. Why not provide a reward for every manager who completes their appraisals on time? This can be a great way to drive cultural change in your organization and communicate the value and priority of your performance appraisal process.

If you’d like some suggestions for rewards, check out our reference article: Motivating Managers to Complete Employee Performance Reviews On Time. It’s got a whole list of ideas for rewards or incentives.

Have you tried any of these? How do you motivate your managers to complete appraisals on time?