Productive Performance Appraisals, Second Edition

Chapter 3. Face-to-Face

Now that we have identified the three major phases of the performance review, along with why you may want to change your method of preparing for and conducting employee performance appraisals, let’s look at how best to handle such an interview when you finally come face-to-face.

A Good Beginning

Because most employees are nervous about what will be said at their performance reviews, you can help make the meeting more pleasant by trying to put the employee at ease right away:

• Harvey: Come in and sit down, Matthew. Please don’t look so nervous. We both know you’re a solid performer and consistent contributor, and there are no major problems to bog us down, so this should be fairly painless!

• Matthew: I sure hope so. . . .

• Harvey: ...