There are various opinions as to when to conduct performance reviews. Some management systems prefer regularly scheduled reviews, while others prefer conducting them at intervals or when required. Regardless of the scheduling, everyone can agree that they are essential for improving the company ’s overall performance. When it comes to scheduling reviews, how does the focal review process benefit performance appraisal systems? Below is an explanation.
Focal Reviews
Focal reviews also referred to as a common date or scheduled reviews, is the system which encourages the evaluation of all employees at once. Depending on the size of the organization and the complexity of the system, this can occur over the course of a couple months.
While this process may seem complicated at first, it actually offers a number of benefits:
- Less effort and administration from Human Resources – it only takes place over a couple months rather than spanning the course of the year.
- Consistency despite alterations to review criteria– the criteria in this system is established prior to the reviews and won’t be changed midway through, creating an equal ground for everyone involved.
- Impartial evaluations – since everyone is being reviewed over a similar period, management will be able to properly compare and contrast the performance of the employees. This is important in times which call for promotions or other restructurings.
Why This is the Best System
The focal system is often compared to the anniversary system which operates by hosting a review on the anniversary of the employee’s time with the company. While management may prefer the anniversary system, most employees will agree that the focal system benefits them more.
Although the focal system can create issues within a small company’s budget due to wage increases occurring at the same time, switching to the anniversary system creates its own set of issues. For instance, it’s more difficult to plan for wage increases when they span the course of a year. This means that management must plan in advance, otherwise, employees who deserve wage increases will not receive it.
The focal system establishes consistent reviews for the entire company. Employees and management alike are able to review the employees’ performances together to discuss and provide feedback. Consistency is vital for every working environment; this way, employees can rely on the fact that everyone’s performance review will be conducted at the same time every year.
Using Programs to Assist
Performance appraisal systems can be tricky tasks to perform. Especially when there are many employees to review, it can be difficult to provide thorough and fair reviews for everyone. After all, management and HR are human, too. They may have more patience for the process in the beginning, and gradually grow increasingly frustrated as the reviews continue, resulting in more skewed reviews. This can also work the opposite way: when management falls into the rhythm of the reviews and grasps a better understanding of the work later on in the process.
Biases, like the Halo-Horn Effect and the Leniency Bias, are also concerns for employees and their management. This is why consistency is so important. Completing reviews around the same time of the year can contribute to this consistency, but there also needs to be more than this.
This is where 360-degree performance review comes into play. This program offers a standardized review and criteria system which assists in the reviewing process. It is thorough and takes many factors into account, like productivity. There are templates available to use for the process, but unique systems can also be created in order to best suit each company or organization and their needs.
Conclusion
The 360-degree performance review program used in conjunction with the focal system results in a thorough and accurate review process. It’s ideal for streamlining the review process while enabling unbiased and complete ratings. This program is recommended for any company who conducts regular performance reviews, and are looking to enhance job satisfaction by providing employees with better feedback.
