Why is it that every successful company is eager to do customer satisfaction surveys but employees hate their annual performance evaluation?
Companies want to be evaluated; they welcome the evaluations of their customers, and they make all sorts of changes based on them. Why can't we make my employee performance evaluation more like a customer satisfaction survey? How could we change an inefficient system into one that works? three ways:
First: let me design it. Let me choose the time and the format and the content. If the purpose of this evaluation is to change my behavior, it must be my design; just give me a model. Trust me. I can do it.
Second: make it confidential. Shaming me in front of my peers may seem productive to you, but it makes me defensive and angry and all the more determined not to change.
Third: make it rewarding. The reason companies love customer surveys is the pay-back they receive from their customers. What kind of pay-back do I receive if I change my behavior based on the evaluation? Okay. I get to keep my job. but what else?
Leaders make changes.
This is a big one.