CROSSING THE ICT BRIDGE

transcript

STAFFING

TRAINERS: Lynne Gibb & Sally Dusting-Laird

Think about your staff are they:

How do you keep your staff happy?

• How do you address issues of unhappy staff?

• What about the stressed staff?

• How important are well written job descriptions and performance appraisals?

PERFORMANCE APPRAISALSBenefits to youWith the correct preparation and a positive mindset, you can make your appraisals productive, stimulating and a boost to your own management self-confidence. Look at the appraisal as an opportunity to:

• Revive flagging motivation • Kick-start projects that may have fallen by the wayside • Reward productive employees with more responsibility • Deal with problems head-on • Set objectives for the future • Assess training needs • Learn more about the group dynamics of your team

Benefits to your staff Believe it or not, many people actually look forward to their performance appraisals (this is one reason it's important to take the occasion seriously).

The performance appraisal is a chance for the employee to:• Gain recognition and reward (although appraisals are most definitely not pay reviews - these should ideally be handled separately) • Look ahead and set objectives that will help their career • Identify support for you to provide • Resolve grievances • Seek reassurance and appreciation

Preparation • In order to make the appraisal session

worthwhile, it's essential to prepare by reviewing past information and writing down some notes. To give you an insight into how your employee might slant the conversation in the meeting itself, it's useful to ask for some initial thoughts via a pre-appraisal form.

CROSSING THE ICT BRIDGEThings you can do to make the appraisal more beneficial include:

• Ask your member of staff to complete the appraisal form in full Explain you will need the form back at least two days prior to the meeting (this gives you time to study it)• Review previous appraisal notes; what were the objectives?• Talk to other colleagues - what do they think? • Review work done - how have they been executed? Could they have been done better? What was done well? • Think about future objectives - how can the appraisee contribute? How can you develop the appraisee?

CROSSING THE ICT BRIDGE• In the appraisal• First and foremost, stick to the appointment. • Show that you take your employee's career seriously and

that the appraisal is important to you too. As a guideline, allow an hour for the appraisal and hold all calls.

• When the appraisal begins, set the agenda. Explain the importance of the appraisal and that the purpose is to focus on the appraisee. A gentle reminder that salary is not on the agenda is not out of place, but be sensitive to individual circumstances.

The discussion should centre around:

• A review of objectives set at the previous appraisal • What objectives were met? Is the appraisee deserving of special praise? • What wasn't met? Why? Was extra help needed? • How do they view themselves as part of the team? • Do they enjoy their job? What don't they enjoy?

cont…..Do they have a clear idea of their job role and the organisation’s role? • Where do she see herself developing over the coming six months/year? How are they going to achieve these aims? • Are there specific targets? • How will performance be measured? • What training needs are required to fulfil these objectives? • What other issues would they like to raise?

CROSSING THE ICT BRIDGEHandling confrontation

• Performance appraisals can sail along happily until the offer is made to 'raise other issues' This may open cans of worms for which you were unprepared, such as personal gripes about other staff, complaints about office ergonomics, and grievances about workload or resources.

• Can colleagues tip you off beforehand? If you in fact you suspect gripes, ensure they are discussed at the appraisal, even if a little coaxing is required to bring them out.

• The chances are, your proactive approach will work in your favour. An employee who is known to be continually complaining about some issue may be taken by surprise and take a less confrontational view.

CROSSING THE ICT BRIDGEPost-appraisal action

• The appraisal isn't over when the meeting ends. Complete any documentation, write up appraisal notes, including any action that needs to be taken, negative points raised and what is being done to correct these, as well as aspects of performance that have been highlighted as having been done well.

• It's usual practice to ask the appraisee to sign a copy of the appraisal notes.

• Your work is still not over! Make the action points actually happen - and be seen to be making them happen.

CROSSING THE ICT BRIDGE

Documents