Stop with the performance reviews

Traditional performance reviews do more harm than good.

Do you think it is a good idea for parents to meet with each of their children regularly and rate them in all areas of their performance as children?

Maybe it would look something like this:

Getting along with siblings – satisfactory
Keeping room clean – needs improvement
Interpersonal skills – above average
Adaptable to changing family dynamics – needs improvement
School marks – satisfactory
Following established family procedures – needs improvement
Results in extra-curricular activities – exceptional
KPI of reducing screen time by 10% over last quarter – on target
SMART goal of fighting with your sister less than once per week – not met

Following the performance management philosophies of some workplaces, after each child was so reviewed, allowance would be adjusted accordingly and goals for future allowance increases would be tied to improvement in key areas. And, of course, since there is a limited total budget for allowance, you would have to show greater improvement than your siblings in order to actually get an increase.

Do you think that this could lead to unhealthy rivalry between siblings? How about jealousy, discontent, a lack of teamwork, or even to sandbagging mom and dad and hiding the real problems while you do your best to pad your personal performance?

We wouldn’t do this in our home; we shouldn’t do it in our workplace.

Great leaders meet one-on-one with their staff regularly and coach rather than do performance reviews. This past blog explains the philosophy and links to other resources on how to do it right:

The secret power of one-on-ones

Search “why performance reviews don’t work” in Google and you will find articles from Inc., Forbes, the Society for Human Resource Management, and many others that explain why the age-old performance review does not work and never did.

Let’s stop wasting time and let’s stop discouraging people by doing these reviews.

Enjoyed this week’s blog?
Subscribe to the IBEX Payroll Leadership Blog for great tips and insight right in your inbox! We publish new leadership and employee engagement content every week !!

IBEX Payroll extends our profound respect and immeasurable gratitude to all the ancestors and keepers of the land on whose traditional territories our work takes place. We acknowledge that we are on Treaty 1 territory, the traditional gathering place of the Anishinaabe, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota and Dene people and the traditional homeland of the Métis people. This land is sacred, historical, and significant.

Every time we acknowledge this truth, we have an invitation and an opportunity to reflect on the wrongs of the past, what we do in the present, and what we can do to continually honour the people whose lands and water we benefit from today.

This statement only acts as a first step in honouring the land we reside on and its peoples, and must be paired with education, understanding and informed action.