They will certainly be familiar to you; those appraisal interviews that every employee and employer faces. But are these interviews still of this day and age? This week, we dive deeper into the developments that are taking place in this area. Are we going to see them again in any form? Or is it time for drastic changes in the business world?
The relationship between performance appraisal and motivation in the workplace
In recent years, a great deal of research has been carried out into the cause-and-effect relationship between an appraisal interview and employee motivation. Unintentionally, the negative aspects of an appraisal interview linger more with the recipient than the positive aspects. As a result, the employee may feel less appreciated, become insecure or lose motivation. The opposite effect of what the employer naturally wants to achieve. To prevent this, different ways of conducting interviews are being tried out, which should deliver better results than the current way of conducting interviews in the workplace.
From evaluation to development
Whereas previously appraisals always focused on the past period, we now see an emerging trend of looking to the future. What would you as an employee like to see differently, where would you like to develop yourself further and what do you need for that? Can the company offer training to help you move forward? In this way, the focus of the conversation is completely shifted and it gets a positive vibe. Something that is, of course, much more motivating for the employee. The employer also gets a clear picture of how the employee envisions his or her future within the company.
Happy me, happy company
It is becoming increasingly clear. An employee who presents himself as a happy employee does a better job. Happiness at work promotes effectiveness in the company and motivates employees to do their utmost and to continue learning and developing. The latter is, of course, what most appraisal interviews are held for. A large proportion of the problems that come up in these kinds of discussions can therefore be solved by, among other things, a pleasant atmosphere on the shop floor. What do employees need and can this be achieved with internal resources or should we call in external help? This is the question many employers will be asking this year. Listening to each other ensures that a large part of the assessment interview is already unnecessary.
One-on-one or in teams?
Most companies do not go forward or backward because of one employee. So the question is whether it is really useful to organise a one-to-one meeting with everyone. Wouldn’t it be better to meet regularly with the entire team to discuss the past period and the coming period? Together, you might find more solutions that are helpful for several people in view of their problems. Moving forward together means a sense of teamwork and appreciation.
How are the assessment interviews organized in your company? Are you the one who would like to see this changed or have you already started working on it? In the coming years, there will be many battles to be fought in this area. We hope for progress!
