Year End Review Tips For Employees and Managers

An end of year review is a good idea to get ahead of the game and think about what you need to cover in your year end performance review. Before we get into the details, let’s take a closer look at what an end-of-year review is and what you should be covering in them.

Follow up

Ensure that after you’ve outlined your professional goals, you set up a follow-up conversation about these achievements you’re working towards.

• Take the initiative and suggest to your manager whether you think that you should follow up next month or next quarter, or during your weekly one-on-one meetings.

Take time to reflect

Reflect on all of the work you’ve done in the past year and make sure you’re prepared to communicate your contributions to the company with your manager

Inquire About How to Get to the Next Level

Ask about how you can move towards the next stage of your career if you feel deserving of it and have worked hard to get to where you are now

• Asking these kinds of questions highlights initiative and desire to do well- something that’s attractive to all employers

Limit feedback to one or two areas at a time

This will avoid overloading employees with feedback and confusing them as they try to remember the list of things they need to improve upon

• Address any previous feedback during your end-of-year review, regardless of how formal or informal the feedback
• Measurable progress, and proof that employees are taking proactive steps to integrate feedback when applicable, is key

Promote a growth mindset

Encourage employees to look for opportunities

• Growth is a fluid learning process that can take you laterally
• Assess the progress that your employees have made and measure the results so that you can consider what kind of new opportunities will provide value

Accomplishments

Start the annual review on a high by bringing up accomplishments you’ve worked so hard to achieve

• If you’re a manager, let your employees know that you notice their accomplishments and are grateful for their hard work
• Don’t walk out of a meeting wishing you remembered specific points to bring up

Day-to-day responsibilities

Discuss how much responsibility you have and whether it’s too much or not enough

• It would be impossible for any manager to know about each task you work at each day, so make sure to paint a clear picture of your responsibilities within the company

Strengths

Discuss specific examples of what you’re doing well so that you can keep up the good work and thoroughly understand what types of skills, behaviors, and qualities are valued by your manager and the rest of the team

• This will motivate you to keep progressing and apply these skills to more aspects of your job

What is an end of year review?

An annual review, also referred to as an annual review or a year end performance review, occurs once a year, where a manager goes over an employee’s overall performance

• Its purpose is to go over achievements, goals, opportunities, and any other ideas you may have for the upcoming year

Find a solution together

Facilitate a two-way conversation where your employee is involved in finding solutions to help them feel like they have a big part to play in their own development

• See your employee’s perspective and approach situations empathetically
• Ask for their feedback

Summary

Be prepared for reviews

• Cover accomplishments, day-to-day responsibilities, areas to develop, strengths and the priorities of the company
• Give positive feedback first
• Set exciting goals and challenges, find solutions together, and use 360-degree feedback to understand the full picture

Be specific

Outline goals, inquiries, recommendations, suggestions, and ideas clearly

Listen actively

Be aware of your manager’s feedback and keep this information in mind as you carry out your daily responsibilities

Priorities for the company

Discuss your individual and company priorities in order to align them with the goals of the company.

• If there are any organizational or structural changes that you should be aware of or that may impact you and the way you do your job, let the manager know.

Areas to develop

Even if you’re not outwardly doing something wrong or poorly, there’s always room to learn and grow

• For the sake of your own personal and professional development, be proactive in asking which areas you can develop more
• Ask about specific skills, like analysis, presentation, communication, and qualities, like attitude, enthusiasm

Give positive feedback first

Start your year-end performance review by going over what your team member did a great job on

• When you give positive feedback, you teach your employees which kinds of behaviors are valued
• You are more likely to see that behavior continue in the future

Set Goals and New Challenges

Annual reviews are the perfect opportunity to set new goals and define new challenges for your team members

• Be clear and specific about expectations and expectations so there’s no chance of miscommunication
• Take a positive approach to goal setting and make them realistic and achievable

Ask for 360 degree feedback

360° feedback helps you understand how people on the team feel about each other’s work.

• It should highlight employees’ strengths while giving them constructive ways to improve upon their weaknesses, without limiting the feedback to just one or two opinions.

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