Is there a better way?
Is it getting to the annual appraisal time of year again at your firm? If so, research shows that not only is the performance review seen as a huge ‘time stealer’ for the employer, but it can also be a time of high anxiety and negativity for the employee. For many, it’s viewed as a whinge fest, with no added value to the company, or the employee. For most, it’s viewed as a means to an end, with the end being the ’annual pay rise’. Wouldn’t we be better training our managers to deliver informal feedback more regularly – which is surely the very essence of people management – celebrating team accomplishments as they occur, and rewarding individual employee achievements purely on merit? Food for thought…..
Case Notes
- A 2019 decision coming out of the Queensland Industrial Tribunal, found that unachievable deadlines and inadequate support and training contributed to an employee’s psychiatric injury. This case sends a clear message to employers to take employee concerns seriously, and to ensure that adequate processes and systems are put in place when legitimate issues are identified. For more, see The Arts Centre v Workers’ Compensation Regulator & Anor [2019] QIRC 117.
- The decision in Pezzimenti v Rotary International [2019] FCCA 1854 found that an employer had essentially ‘engineered’ a performance improvement plan, with the goal of an early termination for the employee. When the employee complained about his treatment by a supervisor, the employment relationship was terminated shortly after. Despite the legitimate concerns about his performance, the employee lodged a successful adverse action claim and was awarded $205,342.