ComplyRightComplyRightComplyRightComplyRight
  • WEBINARS
    • Upcoming
    • On Demand
  • TOPICS
    • I want to learn about:
      • Hiring an Employee
      • Creating Policies
      • Paying Employees
      • Discrimination & Harassment
    • Column 2
      • Employment Law
      • Labor Law Postings
      • Employee Leave
      • Employee Recordkeeping
    • Category 3
      • Independent Contractors
      • Tax Reporting
      • Improving Employee Performance
      • Firing an Employee
    • Seven Reasons Why Employee Performance Reviews Still Matter in a Remote Work World

      Employee Performance Reviews
      Read More
  • SOLUTIONS
    • Employee Management
      • Hiring
      • Time and Attendance
      • Training and Safety
      • Recordkeeping
      • Employee Policies
    • Labor Law Posters
      • Poster Guard® Service
      • ComplyRight Posters
      • Electronic Posters
      • Employee Handouts
      • Partner Solutions
    • Tax Information Reporting
      • DIY Filing Solutions
      • Processing Services
      • Partner Solutions
    • NEW! Secure Document Print and Mail Services
    • Featured Solution

      Poster Guard Compliance Protection
      Learn More
  • ABOUT
    • Who is ComplyRight
      • Mission
      • Core Values
      • Leaders
      • Contact
    • Careers
      • Culture
      • Benefits and Perks
    • Brands
      • HRdirect
      • HRdirect Smart Apps
      • Poster Guard
      • eFile4Biz
    • Join Our Team

      Join Our Team
      Learn More
  • SUBSCRIBE

Seven Reasons Why Employee Performance Reviews Still Matter in a Remote Work World

Employee Performance Reviews
Published on December 21, 2020
  • Performance

In more “normal,” pre-COVID times, your business probably had a process for creating and conducting employee performance reviews. But with more companies allowing remote work now and in the foreseeable future, how should you approach reviews? Do they still serve a purpose and, if so, what’s the best way to handle them?

Although they may not function exactly the same right now, employee performance reviews are still a good idea for businesses for a number of reasons.

The key to success is to use them to set clear, practical expectations based on the current circumstances — and evaluate performance against reasonable goals for each employee’s working conditions, whether onsite or remote.

Key Benefits of Performance Reviews

Here are seven reasons why employee evaluations are still essential, even during this challenging period:

  1. Clarify expectations
  2. Performance reviews provide an opportunity to discuss primary and/or shifting responsibilities, as well as answer questions employees may have about their involvement on a team or in the company as a whole. You can address specific questions or issues that might not get air time otherwise.

  3. Provide direction

    Rather than conducting formal reviews once a year, you can have quarterly or even monthly discussions to provide guidance, feedback and direction. In fact, the more frequent and specific the input, the quicker your employee can respond and implement any changes. This dynamic is especially relevant with an increasingly remote or hybrid workforce, where everyone is adjusting to new dynamics.

  4. Set goals
  5. Effective employee reviews are more forward-looking than backward-facing, which is especially valuable when the previous months have been disrupted by a global pandemic. Involving employees in creating specific long- and short-term goals is also a more proactive, collaborative approach that makes sense for the current times.

  6. Keep rewards fair
  7. In easier conditions when budgets aren’t being cut, annual reviews can help in determining which employees receive promotions or raises based on reaching or exceeding performance goals. Putting expected standards and criteria in writing ensures fairness and consistency with advancement and pay increases.

  8. Motivate employees
  9. Offering positive feedback on a regular basis and recognizing your employees’ hard work (particularly during a difficult stretch of time) can be a great morale booster. Be sure to emphasize the qualities that matter more now than ever, like flexibility, accountability, willingness to learn and a sense of teamwork.

  10. Provide a document trail
  11. On the other hand, if you experience problems with an employee’s performance or behavior, written reviews provide a way to document issues and outline the specific corrective steps needed for continued employment.

  12. Solicit feedback
  13. Performance reviews provide an opportunity to gather feedback from employees about how the company operates, what the supervisor can do to better support the employee and processes that may need improving.

Types of Employee Performance Reviews

When it comes to employee performance reviews, best-practice standards are changing. Rather than a formal, annual undertaking, employee reviews can now occur as timely, ongoing feedback or regularly scheduled meetings. With more frequent touchpoints, you can address concerns immediately, as well as offer helpful insight and support. Beyond performance review frequency, other tools in your performance management toolbox may include:

  • Employee self-evaluations — Consider asking employees to provide a self-assessment of their performance in relation to goals set the previous year. Including this step can make the process feel more balanced and inclusive, since employees can point out efforts and achievements that may be overlooked by a manager or supervisor.

Whatever method you choose for weighing employee performance, be sure to communicate your intentions and explain the procedures to everyone involved.

  • Coaching and mentoring — More progressive companies are dropping the notion of structured, rigid performance reviews in favor of more personalized guidance and development. A coaching or mentor-oriented approach provides employees with real-time feedback and reinforcements, based on the specific goals and interests of the employee.

 

  • 360° feedback — A 360° (multi-rater) evaluation captures feedback from everyone an employee interacts with on a regular basis, rather than just a manager or supervisor. Evaluations often draw from criteria such as effectiveness of interactions and communication with others, reliability, follow-through with stated goals, and overall performance.

How to Ease into an Electronic Performance Management Process

With an eye toward maintaining a consistent review process, no matter what the current circumstances, now may be the perfect time to shift to an electronic process. You recognize the shortcomings with a manual, paper-based approach, but you’re not interested in learning a complex HRIS system. Fill-and-Save™ HR Form Libraries are ideal for streamlining common HR tasks, including performance management. Each collection of forms is easy to use, accessible 24/7, 100% compliant and perfect for onsite and offsite employees.

Related Content

  • Performance Managementplay-button
    Improve Morale and Achieve Goals with a Proven Performance Management Process
    September 2021

    Do you dread monitoring and evaluating employee performance? Many managers do. It’s hard to strike a balance between encouraging employees … Read more

    Performance

  • Performance review software
    Six Powerful Ways HR Software Can Make Performance Reviews Less Painful
    December 17, 2019

    The concept of “free time” is an unfamiliar luxury for most small business owners — especially those who favor antiquated … Read more

    Performance

    Discipline

    HR Basics

  • play-button
    Set for Success: Get Maximum Results from Performance Reviews
    August 2019

    Done right, performance reviews can help employees improve and drive your company toward greater success. But if handled poorly, they … Read more

    Performance

    Discipline

  • Steps to Make Your Employee Performance Reviews More Meaningful
    Steps to Make Your Employee Performance Reviews More Meaningful
    February 12, 2019

    You may have heard that annual reviews are losing favor as a way to manage employee performance. But employee performance reviews … Read more

    Performance

    Discipline

    HR Basics

  • 7 Tips for Effective, Year-Round Performance Feedback That Gets Results
    March 20, 2018

    When it comes to managing employee performance, many businesses miss the mark. Here’s why: They put all their focus on … Read more

    Performance

    Discipline

  • 5 Performance Management Scenarios: Navigating Everyday Encounters for Greater Resultsplay-button
    5 Performance Management Scenarios: Navigating Everyday Encounters for Greater Results
    February 2018

    The success of your business relies on getting the best possible performance out of each of your employees. How can … Read more

    Performance

    Discipline

  • 6 Tips for Properly Documenting Employee Behavior and Performance Issues
    6 Tips for Properly Documenting Employee Behavior and Performance Issues
    May 16, 2017

    Lack of solid documentation is the single most common mistake employers make when handling discipline or terminations. What if you … Read more

    Performance

    Policies

Upcoming Webinar

Webinar Name

Date & Time

Presented by:

Learn More
Shop Our Brands 
HRdirect
HRdirect Smart Apps
Poster Guard
Formstax eFile4Biz

At ComplyRight, our mission is to free employers from the burden of tracking and complying with the complex web of federal, state and local employment laws, so they can stay focused on managing and growing their businesses.

©2021 ComplyRight, Inc.

Webinars

  • Upcoming
  • On Demand

Solutions

  • Employee Management
  • Labor Law Posters
  • Tax Information Reporting

About

  • Who is ComplyRight
  • Careers
  • Brands

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Popular Topics

Performance Policies Discrimination and Harassment Employment Law HiringLabor Law PostingsIndependent Contractors

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Subscribe

Follow Us

  • RESOURCES
    • Knowledge Center
      • Tip Sheets
      • E-Guides
      • Podcasts
      • Infographics
      • Videos
    • Webinars
      • Upcoming
      • On Demand Webinars
    • Research and Trends
      • Compliance Survey
      • Trend Surveys
      • Minimum Wage Monitor
    • HR 101 Courses
  • TOPICS
    • Hiring an Employee
    • Creating Policies
    • Paying Employees
    • Discrimination & Harassment
    • Employment Law
    • Labor Law Postings
    • Employee Leave
    • Employee Recordkeeping
    • Independent Contractors
    • Tax Reporting
    • Improving Employee Performance
    • Firing an Employee
  • SOLUTIONS
    • Employee Management
      • Hiring
      • Time and Attendance
      • Training and Safety
      • Recordkeeping
      • Employee Policies
    • Labor Law Posters
      • ComplyRight Posters
      • Poster Guard®
      • Partner Solutions
    • Tax Information Reporting
      • DIY Filling Solutions
      • Processing Services
      • Partner Solutions
  • ABOUT
    • Who is ComplyRight
    • Newsroom
    • Careers
    • Brands
    • Contact Us
  • SUBSCRIBE
ComplyRight