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The Unsung Heroes Need Peer-to-Peer Reviews
The co-worker who is always ready to lend a hand, offer advice and go the extra mile, is very rarely the same person who is going to shout about their efforts from the mountain tops to solicit praise. Discretionary effort is known as one of the strongest signs of true engagement at work, but it has to be fostered in order to continue.
Peer-to-peer reviews give leaders the opportunity to recognize these unsung heroes of the workforce. Very often reviews will be given by one manager, who might not have any real insight, beyond documentation, how much discretionary effort an employee is putting in. Companies with engaged employees outperform those without by 202%. Leaders need the tools to recognize and foster engagement –tools like peer-to-peer reviews.
These reviews work both ways too. The slackers who put on a workaholic front for management are the first to be revealed in a peer-to-peer review. No one wants to work with someone who isn’t pulling his or her weight.
Self-Assessments Promote a Healthy Workforce
Although stress is a very personal issue for all of us, as we each have our own triggers and coping mechanisms, scientists have found a common denominator in workplace stress.
“The severity of job stress depends on the magnitude of the demands that are being made and the individual’s sense of control or decision-making latitude he or she has in dealing with them. Scientific studies based on this model confirm that workers who perceive they are subjected to high demands but have little control, are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease.” - The American Institute of Stress
Until very recently, employees were simply recipients of information in the review process. It was a frustrating, one-way conversation that made no room for the employee’s perspective or input. This lack of empowerment and authority can actually be increasing your workforce stress levels, and many experts link increased or high stress levels with healthcare problems.
Constant Feedback Increases Productivity and Keeps Goals on Track
Let’s say that your company has done away with annual reviews, and they are now reviewing and aligning goals every three months. If your employees are waiting 90 days to get their next round of feedback, you’re probably facing the same problems that annual reviews bring, only on a smaller scale.
Currently, 77% of organizations are still conducting performance reviews only once a year. Reviews don’t have to be such a to-do; they can be made into a shorter, simpler and more continuous process. While reviews should always be documented and follow a defined process, with the right tools, reviews and the information gathered from them, can be a part of everyday work life.
Automation Ensures that it All Happens
Surprised to see automation on the list? You shouldn’t be. Continuous, thoughtful, dynamic and effective reviews take a lot of resources if they aren’t implemented correctly and with the right tools. The right performance management or goal alignment system that can handle these traditional review upgrades is going to look something like this:
- Leaders can see the real-time progression of goals- Management will receive employee recognition alerts
- You can build custom reviews to be taken online
- Automated distribution and online fulfillment of reviews
- Employees should have access to goals based on reviews and feedback
- Employees and leaders should also have access to past reviews and feedback for reference
The point here isn’t to make reviews more of a burden; the point is to optimize and simplify at the same time. Traditional reviews are enough of an ineffective mess; the last thing HR and management need is more chaos in the review and feedback processes.
Need help getting started on the path to better reviews? That’s our bread and butter! Take a demo today and see the difference ClearCompany can make in your organization.
