March: Indian Month of Appraisal or Criticism? Isn’t It Time To Change Employee Performance Review Process In A Win Win Situation?
In India, March is the month almost each employee wait for! This is the month for which an employee had merged his day and night. In a clear sentence, “March is the month when we, in India, have process of annual performance review, which followed by appraisal aka salary increment”. If there is an employee who is saying he doesn’t care about increment, then he is either lying or he is a saint/rich man or he has done his setting to get the best appraisal. J
The appraisal process is sometimes like a match between management and an employee. Each criticizes other. The management criticizes an employee by saying they are raising point of improvement and an employee criticize management for not giving enough increment. This is the time to change this process and make it positive.
Coming back to the focal point of this Blog, the way this whole process is conducted. It is not less than a memory test I’m telling you. An employee has to recall and remind his/her contributions and strengths in the past year. At the same time, the management and supervisors test their memory by recalling each single moment when the employee failed to meet a deadline or the company’s expectations. It seems like a war between the management and the employee where each tries to prove their own points. The management tries its hands on Yorker, full toss, spin and all possible bowling styles to clean bold the employee, who either try his best to not leave the stadium before hitting century or have bowled by the management, and now just listening the heartbreaking commentary going on and waiting for the time when he can get out and lash out or break out. Fuh! I think this is the story in all the companies of all countries. There might be a few exceptions, but there are a very few. However, there are many management people who will strongly deny this, but even you know, the fact.
You might be wondering the purpose of this article. The simple and clear agenda is to convey a clear message on behalf of each person who is employed in a firm and trying to give his best throughout the year and what he gets to listen is devastating comments. Boss! This is less about the monetarily hike and more about the valuation of the efforts an employee puts in for you and growth of the company. This is the message which employee wants to convey to the management. Also, this article wants to convey the dilemma of management of matching the increment expectation and increasing expenses.
We employees spend our most precious time in your company, working for you. Of course, we are not working for free and we have our own selfish reasons, too. We need money the same way you need it. However, along with the money we also want to earn the valuation for the efforts we put in. We spent our years and skills which gives you name, fame and everything one would like to have, and to repay, what we ask for is The Valuation. Last year, you pointed a weak point which I worked upon and now, the criteria changedL. Every time how can you come up with so many bad points of each individual? If I feel this year I have worked at my best and have converted my weak points in the strength, you come with a few more. If there is nothing left, then, the points which make no sense with the performance review cut the increment such as I haven’t read much or haven’t upgraded my skills. I do work here for 9–12 hours, how may I find time to do these? All these usually play around in the mind of employees. K
I’m not saying management is bad or doing wrong things by telling us our weak points. We all need to know these weak areas to improve upon, but there can be a major change in the performance review process to make it a win win situation for both employee and employer.
Each employee has to understand that the increment expectations should be realistic. Of course, you must have excelled in your work, but each company has its set budget which they have to adhere. You might have pointed that the company has earned a lot and not giving you enough. The answer is, company has its own expenses and many other employees to pay off. You might have a point that you performed best, if other team members haven’t performed well, you must get the best increment. Here, you have to understand that the company is a family and each employee is a family member so everything (good and bad) will be divided equally. Of course, if you’re performing well, then you will get better than another.
Each employer must understand that you are disregarding the efforts of your employees. Even the negative point can be conveyed positively. Don’t make this meeting a weak point discussion zone. Tell them their strength more than the weak points. I mean, if there were weak points why do you wait for a whole year and this day to come? Why don’t you tell at the very moment when you find the weak area of an employee? Won’t it contribute to the growth of the company and the employee, both? Why don’t you make a practice of sharing weaknesses throughout the year as and when you find so you can only discuss the progress made. If you have the budget issues talk straight to the employee instead of making the points on his weak parts. You know, sometimes employees get disheartened at a level that they stop improving. They accept the fact that management will not understand the worth. Then, they will either find another company who value him or even worse, stay in your company and become the pain in the neck.
This is the time to change this process. Let’s make it more intellectual and motivating event than the painful criticizing meeting. Your employees are as important as your clients. And dear employees, your company is giving you enough to sharpen your skills. So let’s make this meeting a point to bridge the gap between an employee and management. Let’s change the process for good!
What do you have to say on this?
