5 Most Common Performance Evaluation Methods

It’s smart practice to conduct ongoing performance reviews of your employees so they know what is continually expected of them. It will also give you great insight into what employees are thinking and if anything needs to be changed or looked into further. There are a variety of methods; here are some of the most common:

1. Self Evaluation/Peer Review

With a self-evaluation, the employee can grade themselves on a scale or share anything they feel is going right or what ways they think could be an improvement. Self-evaluations can be done anonymously if superior feels this would be a better option. Either way, self-evaluation can be a great way to open communication between employer and employee. A peer review is another great method used for employees to grade other coworkers in their department or for the department to give them feedback with or without input from their superior. This option can also be done anonymously and also can open up communication and positive feedback amongst team members.

2. Checklist

This method is pretty straightforward: employees must demonstrate behavior listed on the checklist to be considered valuable to the company. The employer will ask yes or no questions about what behavior they need to demonstrate and if added up correctly will show employer if they are an asset them.

3. 360 Feedback

The employee will not only be graded by a superior but by a number of outside sources. Besides work and technical skills, they could be reviewed on their character and leadership skills. In addition to being reviewed by superiors and co-workers, the employee could also be reviewed by others that interact with them in different departments.

4. Objective

An objective evaluation is where the employee is asked to think about what goals or objectives they have for themselves within the company. Where do they see themselves in 6 months? A year? Five years? Working with their employer, both parties can set a goal deadline and outline what it is the employee should accomplish by that time.

5. Rating Scale

Of all the common methods, the rating scale is the most popular method. This method can rate a variety of traits such as work ethic, attendance, character, etc. The employer will grade on a scale from 1 to 5 usually in each area and give employee feedback on each rating they received. It’s important to remember that number ratings should be determined by metrics instead of just personal opinion.

Each method is different and has its pros and cons. Which ones will work best for you is up to you and your team. Maybe one or several will best serve your needs.