VANDANA RAMNANI offers tips to cope
Boss: We've given you a two on five.
Your performance has been below par and you need to be put on a performance improvement programme for at least three months.
Employee: But you did not tell me at the beginning of the year what was expected of me. There was absolutely no value-add from your end. I resign.
Aneesh, an IT engineer, reports to two managers. While one of them gave him excellent feedback, the other gave him a below par rating. Unable to balance the expectations of both bosses, he resigned within a month. This could be you. You've one fairly well at work, rought on board half a dozen clients, business worth crores for the company and even done the much-needed mentoring for your colleagues who required your help to finish a task. And, at the end of the year, much to your shock, you find you yourself have been given a below par rating. Isn't that unfair? What do you do? Leave the room like a raging bull or control your anger and tell your boss that you'll see him later?More important, does your company offer a platform where you can air your grievances, have a frank chat with your boss and tell him that you're unhappy with the appraisal? Is there room for redressal?
Of late, more and more companies are waking up to the need of not only “listening“ to disgruntled employees post the appraisal process, they're also training managers and deputing counselors to help employees handle a not-so positive appraisal.
An appraisal is negative when an employee doesn't get the feedback that he expected from his appraiser. It could mean a zero increase in salary or he could be told his performance is not up to the mark. In many cases, it leads to disappointment, anger and shock, a drop in performance and finally resignation. The manager's role is to successfully manage the expectation mismatch by holding regular dialogue, engaging with the employee, giving continuous feedback so that the surprise element is diminished when the `report card' is finally handed out to the employee.
The opportunity Post appraisal, companies do give an opportunity to employees to go back and talk. Most often than not employees are allowed to express their opinion and air their unhappiness. “If some firms feel that their employees are vulnerable, they also provide additional counselling support.
Companies also train managers to help them handle employees and communicate negative feedback to them, especially when they react adversely to an employee performance improvement programme,“ points out Karuna Baskar, head, counselling operations 1to1help. In some cases, companies may also decide to delay an appraisal, especially if the employee is not in the right frame of mind, and is too upset to take it forward, adds Bhaskar.
The opportunity Post appraisal, companies do give an opportunity to employees to go back and talk. Most often than not employees are allowed to express their opinion and air their unhappiness. “If some firms feel that their employees are vulnerable, they also provide additional counselling support.
Companies also train managers to help them handle employees and communicate negative feedback to them, especially when they react adversely to an employee performance improvement programme,“ points out Karuna Baskar, head, counselling operations 1to1help. In some cases, companies may also decide to delay an appraisal, especially if the employee is not in the right frame of mind, and is too upset to take it forward, adds Bhaskar.
At Intelligroup, an NTT data company, a global performance management system allows for this kind of dialogue. An employee's appraisal is done by a manager but reviewed and finally closed by the boss's boss. In such a scenario, should the employee not be happy, an employee can take the matter to the highest level. “If there is an error of judgement, the organisation will look at it on a case to case basis, “says Rohit Dhody , senior director HR.
“Feedback is given to employees throughout the year and so at the end of the year, the employee knows what to expect. Yes, the organisation does allow for a discussion and comes to a resolution,“
says Naresh Jhangiani, SVP business affairs, VenSat Tech Services Pvt Ltd.
At Cbay Systems, the halfyearly appraisal ensures that the manager does a dipstick on how the employee has fared till that point in time. Only 5% appraisals are reviewed in the company, reveals Sanjay Shanmugaum, VP HR, Cbay Systems.
At Intelenet Global Services, discussion is part and parcel of a half-yearly process. The appraisee first does a selfassessment and then meets up with the appraiser. They both have a joint discussion. The appraiser records the discussion, makes inferences and points and gives weightage against each KRO. The joint findings are then taken to the reviewer. The appraiser then comes back to the appraisee with the calibrated, final conclusion. If the appraisee is not happy , he can approach HR, his HOD or a functional HOD or a review committee comprising all three. The latter is the last resort, points out Manuel D'Souza, chief human resource officer.
Training capsules Some companies start training their managers several months before the start of the appraisal process. They are made to undergo mock sessions and groomed to provide developmental instead of negative feedback to employees.
Training capsules Some companies start training their managers several months before the start of the appraisal process. They are made to undergo mock sessions and groomed to provide developmental instead of negative feedback to employees.
According to Dhody , “We ask them to talk of positives first and the areas of development.
If an employee is weak in a particular area, the manager is asked to convey this to along with facts and also ask him what the organisation can do for him. Does he need handholding? How can we turn it into a strength for him? If need be, the employee is put on a performance improvement programme. The idea is to improve a person.“
If an employee is weak in a particular area, the manager is asked to convey this to along with facts and also ask him what the organisation can do for him. Does he need handholding? How can we turn it into a strength for him? If need be, the employee is put on a performance improvement programme. The idea is to improve a person.“
A manager has to successfully manage the expectation mismatch and that can be done by holding regular dialogue, proper engagement with the employee and continuous feedback, says Dhananjay Bansod, chief peoples officer, Deloitte.
Intelenet Global Services has a performance champions policy in place wherein star performers in the company are trained to understand the appraisal system. Appraisal for the company is not a policing tool but a development mechanism by which employees receive inputs for their development. “It is not a fact finding process but a process for employee development. We have an employment development plan, the intent of which is to highlight the areas the employee is lacking and to draw up an action plan to mitigate these gaps over a period of time.
(shine.com)
