DISCUSSION

The why and how to do an employee review

Written by Bob Phibbs
Through a special arrangement, presented here for discussion is a summary of a current article from the Retail Doctor blog. Employee reviews are one of the most neglected tools a retailer can use to alter their fate. Some retailers might scoff whether it's worth the investment, with turnover rates over 200 percent for some. But if reviews are done regularly with some teeth, you'd have a better crew to start with. Research has also shown that employees lift their performance in response to any increase in attention paid to them. So it is important to stay engaged with your employees, monitoring their progress and finding as many ways as possible for your best to shine. How to do the evaluation:

  • Complete your review the day or night prior.
  • Tell the employee this review is just part of managing your business.
  • Don't do it in on a bench in a mall where both of you could easily be distracted. Go over your review in private or somewhere away from other employees' ears, like a coffeehouse or restaurant.
  • I usually ask the employee each of the questions and ask how they'd score themselves — then concur or tell them why not.
  • It is important you cite specific behaviors of theirs that support your rating. Don't just say, "You always have to be told what to do" but add one recent example.
The review should be seen as a review of your management skills as well as their employee skills. New hires should undergo one after 30 days; 90 days after that, and then once every six months. Your employee reviews make sure you notice the things that make an employee a great employee. It allows you to give feedback on your concerns, hear theirs and, sometimes yes, to reward them with a raise or deliver a reprimand. Think of an employee review as a chance to get together around a set of questions. You don't want to set up the expectation that they will get a raise each time or that something bad is about to happen. A review is just part of your process to better your retail sales.

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