Making Performance Reviews Fairer in a Hybrid Workplace
Assessing performance in a hybrid work environment can be challenging. Still, ensuring fair evaluations are not influenced by when the manager sees an employee face-to-face is essential. Based on research conducted while writing The Whole-Person Workplace, several strategies can help level the playing field and allow employees and managers to perform at their best.
Emphasizing culture and values is crucial in a hybrid work environment. Companies can ensure that all employees understand and follow the importance of the organization, regardless of their location. For example, Zappos evaluates employees’ performance and their promotion of Zappos culture in their daily work. Johnstone Supply also places values at the forefront of its performance evaluation program, assessing employees on whether their behavior aligns with the company’s core values.
Continuous tracking of important metrics is another approach to performance evaluation in a hybrid work environment. Ryan, LLC, a Dallas-based tax services firm, has adopted a Results-Only Work Environment, allowing employees to work from anywhere and anytime. This approach has been successful because of a set of agreed-upon performance metrics that are consistently tracked and accessible at any time on a convenient intranet dashboard. This system clarifies goals and performance, is fair and transparent for all employees, and creates accountability for managers in engaging and retaining employees.
Leveraging technology is a third approach to performance evaluation in a hybrid work environment. General Electric, for example, uses an app-based system that allows employees to share performance milestones with their teams and managers. This approach focuses on continuous improvement and development, promoting frequent feedback and collaboration. The app-based system levels the playing field by ensuring employees, managers, and coworkers can provide feedback and recognition, regardless of where the work is done.
Finally
It is essential to adapt evaluation processes to the changing work environment. We define performance in terms of customer satisfaction, company values, core activities, and project completion. Regular goal-setting and feedback sessions should be incorporated. Performance assessment responsibilities should be shared across the workforce to encourage collaboration and team building.
Creative approaches to performance evaluation are necessary for hybrid work environments to ensure all employees are evaluated and developed according to merit. This can be achieved by emphasizing culture and values, continuously tracking important metrics, leveraging technology, and adapting evaluation processes to the changing work environment.
This article is “Making Performance Reviews Fairer in a Hybrid Workplace.“