For remote workers it can be hard to see whether their work is valued in the few weekly calls. Same goes for the employer, who may not fully understand the contribution of the people they manage due to the missing presence.

You can counteract this by increasing the frequency of appraisals and focus on executing more than one review a year. This trend towards a more regular performance review process has already well started before COVID. Implementing a 360-degree appraisal approach can be a great process to implement. It allows you to gather feedback on an individual from several sources. This helps you to make a holistic review about the employee.

Rethink what you base the appraisal on. For this year’s appraisal you may want to rethink the objectives you set pre-covid to account for the new circumstances. Place more focus on employee growth, adaptability, innovation and versatility. Focus on specific projects, tasks or activities that have done well and behaviour that was appreciated. Additionally, suggest where the employee can improve. For setting the objectives for  2021 think of what your company expects of your employees within the new remote work setting. Communicate that clearly to the employee.

Executing effective and successful a remote performance review is almost impossible if no digital processes are implemented. Considering an appraisal software can support you in automating the process. It allows you to not have more, but less work in relation to performance reviews. The right appraisal software helps you to set objectives, check on their progress, allow for 360 degree appraisals but also adjust the objectives if necessary – all remotely. Employees will see where they are at and whether they have reached their goals keeping their motivation high. This makes the remote performance review not a one-way street but an engaged conversation.

The change from working in an office to working remotely is a big change. Employers will not see the employees day-to-day, check-in on them and see where they are at, emotionally as well as work wise. But knowing how to build & lead teams, and having high degree of Emotional Intelligence is more important than ever. Leaders must maintain esteem, empathy and continue to listen and support their employees throughout the year, not only on the day of appraisal. This makes sure that the business objectives are reached from remote and everybody is on the same track.

Make the meeting as personal as possible by video calling the employee. Performance appraisals are always a very tricky meeting to have. On the employee side they cause anxiety, sweaty palms and stress whereas on the employer side you want to get your point across but want to appear approachable and human. A video call won’t give you the context cues, but you can pay attention to the body language and facial expression. This will decrease misunderstandings and false impressions and possible fatal consequences.

We hope that these tips help you in continuing business “as usual” in a more digital and remote working environment. Check out our assessment software to make the process even more simple. This will allow you to manage appraisals in an easy, agile and efficient way.

Contact us, for more information about how software can support you in managing remote performance reviews.