Appraisal interviews – the thumb rules of success
Appraisal interviews are one of the toughest tasks that the human resource manager needs to handle successfully. It is not only tough for the managers, but the candidates, as well as tension, excitement, and fright, often circulate together in their minds. Workforce development is a crucial task that defines the sustainability and profitability of the organization in the long run. The business benefits are many. The prime ones include employee retention, engagement, knowledge preservation, and many more. However, conducting a successful interview for appraisal often turns problematic due to the emotional variations and uncertainties that are filled in it.
Preparation rules for the interview
A successful appraisal interview is not that tough a task if the manager follows the thumb rules for it. Abiding and following these rules makes things easier for the managers as well as the candidates and increases the chances of a well-moderated interview. The rules include:
- Preparation: This is a kind of interview that asks the managers to be well prepared. They must have a well-maintained record of all that the employee has achieved for the organization, their activities, the sections that require improvements, and a list of other noticeable conduct are the basics. Having a maintained record of these elements makes it easier for the manager to carry on with the interview session (Cederblom, 1982).
- Precision and fact-based approach: Emotional turmoil is one of the most common things in cases of appraisal interviews. It is thus necessary for the managers to progress on the basis of facts, and with precision. They must necessarily remember the interview objectives and be focused irrespective of the emotional variations that may come in (Gordon & Stewart, 2009). The removal of the emotional element from the discussion enables the managers to maintain an open flow of communication with the employees.
- Unbiased and neutral approach: Maintaining a neutral and unbiased appearance is hard, especially since the managers are often considered to behave on behalf of the organization. However, it is the responsibility of the HR manager to attend to the issues of the employees and provide neutral solutions as much as possible. It helps to promote trust within the candidates and develop managerial confidence. However, the manager must not go easy if the organization is suffering due to the candidate.
- Feedback forms: It is something that can be used as a cheat sheet for conducting appraisal interviews. The feedback forms from the previous years can provide the managers with a clear idea of how things were done previously. They can not only make their own preparations based on that form but also use it to tally the improvements brought in by the employees in comparison to the last year (Klein, Snell & Wexley, 1987).
Appraisal interviews often determine the retention rate of employees as well as the future success of the organization. One of the skills that the human resource manager must necessarily have is to be able to realize the bigger picture for the company and thus align the steps with the same. Also, the manager must be prepared to handle the emotional breakdowns of the employees during the interview sessions for the best results.
Reference
Cederblom, D. (1982). The performance appraisal interview: A review, implications, and suggestions. Academy of Management Review, 7(2), 219-227.
Gordon, M. E., & Stewart, L. P. (2009). Conversing about performance: Discursive resources for the appraisal interview. Management Communication Quarterly, 22(3), 473-501.
Klein, H. J., Snell, S. A., & Wexley, K. N. (1987). Systems model of the performance appraisal interview process. Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, 26(3), 267-280.