Walmsley Wilkinson, a leader in management recruitment, is cautioning employers to be mindful during performance appraisals. This advice follows surveys revealing a staggering 85% of employees would contemplate leaving their job after receiving an appraisal they perceive as unjust.
With the new year often marking a period of setting fresh goals, it also signifies a time for many companies to review past performances through annual employee appraisals.
While for numerous employees this process is affirming and acknowledges their achievements, others face the disappointment of negative feedback and unforeseen revelations.
Taryn Wilkinson, co-founder of Walmsley Wilkinson Executive and Management Recruitment, emphasises: “Performance reviews are important for an individual’s training and development but to be successful they require the skills of a well prepared Manager who has already provided feedback and coaching, consistently throughout the year ie they are constructive about issues and generous with praise.
“Sadly, too many managers see the appraisal meeting as their opportunity to impart negative feedback that then comes as a surprise to the employee.”
Adobe’s study, ‘The Performance Reviews Get a Failing Grade‘, uncovered that 22% of employees have wept following a poor appraisal, while 20% found it necessary to leave a job after a stressful review.
Reflektive, an employee management firm, found that 85% of surveyed workers would consider leaving their employer post an unfair appraisal.
Further, the Adobe survey found that 58% of office workers deem performance reviews stressful, and 68% of Millennial managers doubt their effectiveness.
Employee resignations often spike in January, influenced by New Year resolutions and negative appraisal experiences. A significant factor in this turnover is inadequate management practices, encapsulated by the adage ‘people leave managers, not jobs.’
Taryn added: “These survey results demonstrate that appraisals can sometimes do more harm than good. Businesses need to ensure they have a robust, time effective process that their employees are engaged with, and their appraising managers are well trained at conducting. If an appraisal system is in place, it shouldn’t be an onerous chore for managers or employees.
“Thankfully we have the opportunity to work with many organisations that demonstrate best practice in employee engagement and development. Their managers know how to conduct effective appraisals. However, it’s disheartening when we hear first-hand tales of woe from other individuals.
“What should be a positive 360 degree feedback meeting with manager and employee in which achievements and improvements are discussed with action plans and coaching programmes agreed, can instead be a train crash of a situation which results in businesses losing talent. Annual appraisals should not be the catalyst for employee resignations”.
Walmsley Wilkinson, helmed by Linda Walmsley and Taryn Wilkinson, specialises in executive and management recruitment. They assist a diverse range of organisations, from large corporations to family-owned businesses and the third sector, in securing top leadership talent within the UK and globally.
