The appraisal season of 2023 has begun. This is the time of the year when Indian companies start their annual appraisal process. Due to inflation and rising interest rates, employees are expecting a decent salary hike to help them cope.
Before the appraisal, employee performance review meetings happen where the managers assess an employee’s work performance, discuss strengths and weaknesses, provide candid feedback, and collaboratively set goals for the quarter and year ahead.
Why performance reviews are important
Performance reviews are a fantastic opportunity to hear from employers about your talents and abilities. Frequent performance assessments are crucial since they can teach you how to develop your abilities and work more efficiently. Performance reviews can help employers by giving them insight into employees' issues and concerns.
A well-run assessment meeting requires preparation from the management and the employee, and it can result in employee engagement and goal alignment, give direction to careers, and ultimately guarantee professional fulfilment.
In sort, it’s important to be prepared. And we have got you covered. Here's a checklist every employee should have before the appraisal meeting.
Make a list of accomplishments
Nandan Devadula, a Senior React JS Developer with HCL Technologies, who recently secured a 344 percent hike in salary after packaging his strengths to his new employer, told CNBC-TV18.com that preparing well in advance is critical to ensuring a successful appraisal review meeting.
“Begin by reflecting on your achievements over the review period and identifying areas where you can improve. When presenting yourself, it is essential to effectively package your strengths and the value you bring to the company. However, it's equally important to showcase your commitment to the team and the company's goals, highlighting how you have contributed to the organisation's success. Make sure to maintain a comprehensive record of instances that illustrate your commitment to personal growth, including certifications, training programmes, and other initiatives aimed at improving your skills,” added Devadula.
Balasubramanian A, Vice-President and Business Head, Teamlease Services, suggests that employees make a list of specific 'firm building' initiatives — where the employee has demonstrated the ability to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to improve the firm's culture, processes, systems, brand image, and so on.
List your setbacks and proposed solutions
Saumitra Chand, Career Expert at Indeed India, highlighted the importance of preparing a list of actionable solutions to mistakes and challenges, as this shows your willingness to learn and improve in the future.
Hence, it’s important to identify the setbacks you encountered and propose solutions to address them in the near future.
“When you propose solutions, think of approaching problems from a first principles basis. This shows that you are proactive and willing to take ownership of your mistakes, and have the ability to think through challenges. Demonstrating such an attitude and ability helps your supervisor to understand how they can support you going forward,” said Hari Krishnan Nair, Co-Founder, Great Learning
Be ready with information on areas of improvement
Nair suggested that before going for the review meeting, employees should identify areas where they have improved since their last review. This could be in terms of skills development, performance, or any other relevant area.
“Showcase the new skills you acquired during the course of time to improve your efficiency. Demonstrate how you have taken the initiative to proactively upskill yourself. Talk about how these newly-acquired skills will enable you to deliver better business outcomes or solve problems. Highlighting your progress shows to your employer that you are serious about your growth and development, and that you are committed to continuously improving your performance,” added Nair.
Seek feedback and show preparedness
Seeking feedback on your work is the most important aspect of a review meeting. Employees can also use the appraisal meeting as an opportunity to define expectations from the company and set goals for the future. It can also be helpful to do some research on the current market value of your job.
Further experts suggested that preparedness for the next 1-3 years inspires confidence just as much as recent performance. As a result, clarity on this point is also required.
Come prepared with questions
Further, Nair said as performance reviews are two-way communications, coming prepared with a set of questions for your supervisor will add value to the review. This could include asking for feedback on specific aspects of your performance, seeking clarification on company goals and objectives, or discussing opportunities for career development.
With these tips in mind, you should be ready for that crucial assessment meeting. By using this checklist, you take full advantage of the chance to speak with your supervisor about your performance, progress, and growth and get your much-deserved raise.
