End of year rhymes with annual evaluation. Stressful and heavy for some, for others it is an opportunity to talk about ambitions and create relationships. Whether you are a manager or an employee, it is useful… provided you are well prepared.
Published at 8:00 a.m.
No matter which side of the table you end up on, preparation in advance is the basis.
“There are many facets to evaluation,” says Michael O’Leary, senior vice president, Eastern Canada, at Robert Half. It is a mistake for the employer to give a monologue without having information about the employee and without seeking feedback from him. And it’s a mistake for the employee not to do a little research before the meeting. »
Research on the state of the industry, on the average salary for the type of position held, on the current situation of the company is a good basis for the discussion, says the expert.
He adds that the employee’s preparation must also include a list of his good moves. “Instead of being present in a reactive way, you have to be proactive,” says Mr. O’Leary.
Highlight good moves
Professor Joëlle Carpentier, from the department of organization and human resources at the University of Quebec in Montreal, recalls the importance of noting the good things at the start of the year. Since they are further back in time, they tend to be forgotten, she mentions.
“Studies show that the annual evaluation gives rise to a lot of dissatisfaction, both among managers and employees. It is rarely representative of what happened during the year because we often give greater importance to more recent events, but we remember the negative events at the beginning of the year. »
Not recognizing good moves is a mistake to avoid, just like believing that everything will be resolved in one meeting.
We cannot wait for this meeting to give feedback on crucial elements. For example, a performance or attendance problem must be addressed quickly.
Jeannette Boulanger, partner, consulting services and human resources, at Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton
The annual evaluation must be seen as a “step” in an “ongoing” discussion, believes Mme Carpenter. “Otherwise, it becomes heavy,” she explains. We should rather see it as the time when we put things on paper, in a slightly more formal way. »
With complete simplicity
The employer should keep it simple to avoid seeing the evaluation as an administrative mountain, a burden… and wanting to postpone it.
“The meeting can revolve around three points: what is going well, what is not going well, how we are going to improve. Sometimes you have to go back to basics,” says Mme Boulanger.
Do this while having lunch? This is not the best idea, because “there may be ears around,” emphasizes Jeannette Boulanger. And virtually? Yes… well, it depends on the context, she explains.
Biases
The evaluation also serves to establish relationships, to get to know each other, to solidify links. “Evaluation helps to clarify, learn, understand, build,” notes Joëlle Carpentier, from the School of Management Sciences at the University of Quebec in Montreal.
For the employer or manager carrying out the evaluation, becoming aware of their cognitive biases allows them to take a step back. “If something might affect our assessment, we need to know about it,” she says. Will anything color the discussions or influence perception positively or negatively? »
For the employee, the evaluation must be an opportunity to showcase their skills, training, abilities or acquired tools. It’s also the time to talk about your projects, your ideas and your ambitions, notes Mme Carpentier.
“It’s an opportunity to learn and empower yourself as an employee,” she says. The number one trap would be to remain silent! We can influence the discussion. You have to take advantage of it. »
Being defensive, protecting your ego, is also a mistake, she adds.
Retention tool
Jeannette Boulanger is of the same opinion. According to her, the employee must not take for granted that the employer knows everything he did during the year. “I always suggest making a follow-up document during the year where the employee can indicate their successes, emails or positive comments. This will serve to refresh the memory. »
Finally, among the common mistakes to avoid, Michael O’Leary, from the Robert Half firm, explains the importance of follow-ups. “If there is no feedback in the weeks or months that follow, there is no point. We must not forget that evaluation and the resulting follow-ups can be great retention tools. »
