pose an employee has been put to work on a special project and received special incentives in return. Then reminding the employee of the growth opportunity and extra emoluments received, acts as a morale booster,” says Varada Murthy, founder, People First HR Consultants. Separate pay and performance reviews: Discussions about pay raises and performance appraisals are best kept separate. Linking these two issues makes employees defensive. If workers understand that reviews are aimed solely at their professional development, they are more likely to open up about challenges they face and take an interest in solving them.
Iriventi also points out that salary allocations and reviews should be aligned with the organisation’s strategic plan whereas performance reviews are localised and should be handled tactically by empowering the line of command. So, it makes sense not to talk about money when you conduct appraisals. “In the case of high performing and key staff however, organisations may need to conduct mid-term evaluations and compensation revisions simultaneously,” adds Raha.
Effecting Improvements According to Ravi, “Appraisal process changes are best implemented bottom up because change happens seamlessly when the larger population voluntarily
embraces the new guidelines.” So it’s easier to muster up support and build pockets of success in the middle ranks. This approach also sends a clear message about the management being committed to the well-being of employees. Enabling mid-level supervisors to take the lead in introducing methods can do wonders for their selfesteem. “But improvements should be communicated and discussed with line managers prior to implementation,” cautions Murthy. Traditional performance appraisals are infamous for being uncomfortable interviews that must be tolerated for the sake of pay raises. By introducing interactive evaluations, you can generate a lot more interest.