Over the last year, employee wellbeing has been a priority for many companies. Different industries have faced different challenges, with their workforce. Some have had to furlough employees and then welcome them back after a long time off. Others who have been working solidly throughout may be at more risk of being exposed to COVID-19. Many have had work environments change to a remote. All these situations have been a big change in the way we work.
Appraisals surprisingly can be a great tool to ensure your employee’s wellbeing, if carried out correctly. They can be used to give the employee time to reflect on what has been happening and their situation. It will also give the employer insight into their employee’s situation; it is the connection that might be missing in these uncertain but busy times.
There are many methods for appraisals. In this post, we will look at the benefits of a 360-degree appraisal. 360-degree feedback is a performance appraisal method that gathers feedback on an individual from several sources. The idea of the process is that it gives managers and individuals a better overview of skills and performance. Also, the working relationships of the employee. Rather than relying on the single point of view of the line manager. You can find out more about the method in our previous post. In this post, we will look at the benefits of this method, especially in today’s working climate.
Increase Employee Wellbeing
Employees can feel isolated and alone during these times. Remote workers may feel disconnected and not part of a team. Even if you are working on-site, there are so many COVID-19 policies and things to remember it can seem daunting. A 360-degree review can be used to connect your employees. Feedback from different sources will remind workers that they are part of a team and people are still noticing and appreciating their work. It is also a chance for employees to air any concerns they are having in their work environment.
Discover Well-Rounded Strengths and Weakness
It is a great method to get a well-rounded view of the employee’s strengths and weaknesses, rather than relying on one single point of view.
Enhance Employee Development
By identifying strengths, it allows for the creation of a tailored development and training plan. An employee may exhibit strength in an area and when given additional development will excel. Developing strengths is important for an employee’s career growth and the company’s effectiveness.
Reconnects Employee with Company
One of the vital behaviors in a relationship is reciprocity – this will shape a team positively. Appraisal feedback is often just one point of view (maybe a direct supervisor or manager) or altogether missing. Fundamentally, 360-degree feedback engages just more than one point of view towards the employee. This will make the employee feel apart of the company and can give a positive feeling of being important to the company as a whole. It gives managers the opportunity to show their appreciation, which they may not have found time to do before. Employees can air their views, which in normal everyday circumstances they might not feel they are able to do. An appraisal gives the focus on the employee, allowing them to feel that time is for them. The method can reignite and reconnect employees to your company.
It is time to rethink appraisals. This process was once many felt were a time to not give a pay rise, to pick on fault, or completely pointless. However, if they are carried out well, they can be invaluable in ensuring your employee wellbeing and development. They can be a way to really connect your employee to the company, through setting personal goals that directly help the company.
This post was written by Novative. They are an exhibitor on the HRTech247 Payroll, Time & Attendance floor in the Technology Hall here.
