We were speaking to a client the other day. They’d started a new business and taken on a new accountant. The accountant asked them what their business’ turnover and expected turnover were and all our client could do, in their words, “was shrug”. Using the kindest term possible, it’s been a particularly random year, and there’s a forecast of potentially more upheaval, but in just the same way that the accountant asked about turnover, it’s still important for companies to review staff performance.
We can already hear mutterings, “hang on, we’ve been in a lockdown and my team have been working from home”, “um, most of my team have been furloughed”. Yes, both very valid points, but if you still have staff it means that your business has undoubtedly pivoted, changed, adapted, and altered itself to meet the current situation. If this has happened, your team must have done the same, so a mid-year performance review is still very relevant, if not more so.
So, how do you instigate mid-year performance management reviews in 2020?
Review your business plans
We think we can all agree that as the clock struck midnight and we all cracked open the champagne on January 1st, there was no way we could have anticipated that within four months many of our businesses would be shutting our doors and sending our staff home to either furlough or work remotely. As lockdown eases, it’s time for business owners to look back on the last five months. There have obviously been negatives from COVID-19, but there have also been some noticeable positives. Companies have pivoted to ensure they could still operate, new working practices have been introduced, teams have embraced different skill sets, and many businesses have undergone unwitting digital transformations.
None of these would have been in anyone’s business plans so, before reviewing staff performance, review company performance and where you plan to take the business in the future. Doing this means that you can plot goals and relate them back to staff members. Additionally, it also provides the opportunity to focus on where additional training and personnel are needed. After all, it would be a futile exercise to assess performance and set team targets based on pre-Covid business goals.
How did you manage the performance of remote and furloughed workers?
While your employees may not have been on the premises, employers should still have been regularly engaging with them. Despite being furloughed, staff members could still undertake training, which some employers funded. Remote workers would have also have needed regular check ins to ensure that they were on track and completing their tasks to a high standard. This is all information that can be used in their review.
Make sure that you’re being fair and reasonable
It goes without saying that there are going to have to be some allowances for performance. It’s very unlikely that a business would have performed in the same way in 2020 as it did in 2019 so, it’s vital that some leeway is given. It’s worth taking into account that staff members may have been home schooling or may have found themselves in difficult domestic situations. Additionally, some team members may have had a sudden change of working practices or job roles which would have had an impact on performance. A performance review should always be reflective and take in to consideration what needs to happen to move forward.
The key is to make sure that you and your reviewee leave feeling motivated
A good performance review, no matter what the circumstances, should leave everyone feeling motivated for the coming months. You should avoid falling into a potentially negative reviewing trap. There’s a strong chance that anyone who has been working remotely may have reconsidered their career and development ambitions. Maybe they want to step back and spend more time with their family, on the flip side, maybe they don’t. It’s important to listen to their needs and see how they match up with your new business goals.
If you’ve also found yourself shrugging about how to do your mid-year performance reviews, why not invite some experts to help you. Contact Dakota Blue for advice and assistance.