Managing People - How to Conduct Motivating Performance Reviews When Business Is Down - Sun and Planets Spirituality AYINRIN

 Managing People  - 

How to Conduct Motivating Performance Reviews When Business Is Down  - Sun and Planets Spirituality AYINRIN

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As the manager, your job is to rally your team members and inspire them for the year ahead. But what if your business isn’t doing well? How can you objectively assess individual performance? And how can you balance realistic expectations for the future while also fostering a sense of leaderly optimism? In this article, the author outlines strategies for how to conduct a motivating performance review when business is down. Preparation is paramount regardless of the state of the economy, but in tougher times, providing accurate and insightful feedback becomes all the more crucial. 

Performance reviews are typically not the highlight of anyone’s to-do list. Throw in a flaky, shaky economy and a couple of rough quarters, and they’re even less appealing. You want your employees to come away motivated and enthusiastic about their work. But when business is slow, they also need a clear understanding of how they contribute to the company’s bottom line.

So, how can you objectively assess individual performance when your organization isn’t doing so hot? What can you do to inspire your team in the absence of typical incentives like raises and promotions? And how can you balance realistic expectations for the future while also fostering a sense of leaderly optimism?

What the Experts Say

Performance evaluations aren’t just tedious professional chores; they’re also stress-inducing conversations that bring together high stakes, intense emotions, and a healthy dose of personal ego all in one conference room (or Zoom, as the case may be). It’s no wonder then that “end-of-year reviews are universally hated” by managers and employees alike, according to Karen Sedatole, a professor at Emory’s Goizueta Business School. “It’s uncomfortable for supervisors to give feedback and corrective advice, and it’s not all that much fun for employees to receive it,” she says. “And when things are bad from a financial standpoint, these tensions are exacerbated.”

The key is to be “very clear up front” about the challenges facing the business and how they’ve affected your employees’ goals and expectations, says Tonushree Mondal, who runs a boutique HR consulting firm. “If you’ve been realistic throughout the year, there shouldn’t be any surprises,” she says. Your aim is not only to review the past year but also to equip your employees for potential challenges in the coming one. Here are some strategies to ensure a constructive discussion.

Prepare.

Conducting a thoughtful performance review requires some groundwork and reflection on your part, according to Mondal. “Too often managers go from meeting to meeting without clear purpose,” she says. “But for these conversations, you need to be prepared with written evidence.”

Outline your employee’s achievements — be it a successful project or an adept handling of a demanding client — and make note of any areas for improvement. Seek input from colleagues who work closely with your employee, too. Preparation is paramount regardless of the state of the economy, but in tougher times, providing accurate and insightful feedback becomes all the more crucial, she says. 

Provide a reality check.

Dwelling on the economy might not feel like a productive (or even particularly pleasant) way to start the conversation, but Sedatole recommends framing the performance review conversation within the broader economic context. “Acknowledge that there are factors that drive performance that are outside the control of the employee and the organization,” she says. Be pragmatic but also supportive. “Say: ‘These are the realities of the environment that we have to weather and we are in this together.’”

Talking about the challenges of the rocky economy also allows you to provide context for changes, for instance, “why the bonus pool is lower this year,” says Mondal. Hopefully, this open communication has been ongoing, and you’ve “recalibrated expectations based on macroeconomic circumstances throughout the year,” she adds.

Help connect dots.

Helping your team members understand how the wider economy affects the company’s performance is a good first step. Next, you need to guide them to see how their specific roles fit into the organization’s long term goals. “You want to make them think like the business,” says Mondal. As the conversation progresses, Sedatole suggests talking about how your employee’s day-to-day tasks and projects contributed to the organization’s financial results. Connecting those dots allows them to more clearly “see how what they did over the past year supported or undermined what the company achieved,” she says. Last year’s performance is in the books, but having this clarity fuels future improvement. It also strengthens your employee’s sense of purpose and commitment, and helps them see how to align their priorities in the coming year with the organization’s objectives, she says.

Think like a coach.

These discussions tend to be straightforward with high-performing employees, but for those not performing at their best, expect some pushback or justifications for their performance. Sedatole says that while you must “avoid making your employees feel penalized or held accountable for things they don’t have any control over,” it’s crucial to address their mistakes.

Mondal suggests adopting the approach of a football coach debriefing with a player after a challenging game played in bad weather. The player might complain about the snow and the slippery field, she says. “And as a coach you need to say, ‘Yes, the conditions were tough. Here are three things you did well during the game, and here are two things you could have done better.’” By acknowledging what they did right under the circumstances, but also where they can improve, you strike a balance between recognition and constructive criticism. And remember: “If a player is not doing well, it’s the coach’s responsibility to deal with it,” she says.

Be transparent when addressing underperformance. 

How you deal with an employee who’s consistently underperformed over the year depends on many factors, including the nature of the job, the employees’ capabilities, their willingness to improve, and your bandwidth to support them and get back on track.

In an uncertain economy, there’s often less patience for underperformers, which is why Sedatole recommends frankness during the performance review. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” when it comes to matters of job security, though whether or not it comes to that is another issue altogether. “You don’t want to unnecessarily alarm people, but transparency is important,” she says.

Performance reviews offer a prime opportunity to address exactly where your employee is falling short of expectations. Offer support and encouragement where merited. “It can feel personal,” says Mondal. “But a mediocre or poor review doesn’t make them a bad person; they’ve just had a bad year.” It’s your job to “help them see it as part of their long term career trajectory.”

Explore non-monetary means of motivation …

During tough times, your role is not only to motivate and inspire your team members, but also to keep them from becoming demoralized about the lack of raises and promotions on the table. It’s disheartening when their year of hard work and accomplishments are overshadowed by the business’s struggles.

“You might be thinking, ‘How do I keep people motivated when they’re not going to get a bonus?’” says Sedatole. Thankfully, research is on your side. “There are lots of ways to make people happy in their roles by improving other aspects of their jobs,” she says. Studies suggest that giving employees autonomy, growth experiences, and meaningful work can be powerful motivational tools. During reviews, Sedatole suggests asking your employees what would increase their job satisfaction. Some might be interested in mentorship opportunities and cross-company projects that offer exposure to new disciplines and colleagues. Others might care most about flexible work hours and locations. 

… and pay special attention to your stars.

Listen carefully to answers from your star employees, says Mondal. “Your high potentials and top performers are especially in need of inspiration,” she says. “They are motivated by a steep learning curve. When they get bored, their curve flattens so you need to get creative and keep it at a steep angle.”

Mondal notes that stretch assignments and new challenges are highly motivating. Explore, too, ways that you can help increase people’s visibility to senior leaders.

As you talk through possibilities, it’s important to emphasize that even if a promotion isn’t imminent, opportunities for advancement will arise once the economy rebounds. “Give them a sense that they play a critical role in helping the organization pull through and when things do turn around, they will personally benefit,” she says. “If they can stick it out and ride the surf, they can become future business leaders and grow within the company.”

End on positive note.

Yes, the economy’s uncertain. True, your competitors are giving you a run for your money. But as the manager, your job is to rally your team members and inspire them for the year ahead, says Sedatole.

Wrap up the review on an optimistic note. Don’t be glib, but emphasize that economic shifts are cyclical. Show gratitude for their hard work and remind them of “their true north star,” whether it’s delivering top-notch services or products to customers or coming up with innovative solutions to problems or creating a supportive work culture. Recognition matters too, adds Sedatole. “Make sure they understand that they are valued,” she says. “Tell them: ‘Your work matters and here’s why.’”

Principles to Remember

Do

• Foster a pragmatic, supportive tone to the conversation by acknowledging challenging economic conditions and the external factors beyond your employee’s control.
• Strengthen your employee’s sense of purpose by helping them understand how their day-to-day tasks impact the company’s overall performance.
• Explore alternative means of motivation by offering autonomy, growth experiences, recognition, meaningful work, and increased flexibility.

Don’t

• Be unprepared. Before the review, reflect on your employee’s performance — the good and the bad — and ask other colleagues for their input.
• Blame your employee for factors beyond their control. Instead, adopt a coaching role that balances recognizing achievements with highlighting areas for improvement.
• End the conversation on a sour note. Show gratitude for their hard work and remind them of why they are valued.

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