How does performance management support employee growth?
When should performance discussions happen?
What makes feedback effective?
What makes a performance review fair?
Performance management is the process of setting goals, providing feedback, and reviewing employee progress to improve performance and support business objectives.
Performance management supports growth by helping managers and employees set clear goals, hold regular check-ins, and provide constructive feedback. These ongoing conversations build skills, clarify expectations, and keep employees engaged. Like team culture, employee development is a continuing process, not a one-time effort.
Performance discussions should happen regularly, not just during annual reviews. Monthly or quarterly check-ins allow managers to address issues early, give timely feedback, and keep employees aligned with their goals. Combining formal reviews with informal conversations creates a supportive environment for continuous growth and improvement.
Effective feedback is clear, timely, and focused on specific actions to highlight what an employee did well and what can be improved. It should support growth, not just point out mistakes. Balancing praise with constructive suggestions and delivering feedback with care and clarity makes it more impactful and motivating.
A fair performance review evaluates an employee’s progress toward their goals over the entire review period, not just recent work. It uses consistent criteria for all employees while accounting for individual roles and objectives. Fairness also comes from having a structured process, clear expectations, and thorough documentation, similar to how workplace policies ensure accountability and transparency.
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