Every March, Communiqué PR (CPR) kicks off its annual review process. During this time, each full-time employee conducts a self-evaluation where we review the core areas of our day-to-day roles and responsibilities and assess our performance over the past year. In this review period, we also share peer reviews and set goals that echo our professional development objectives, as well as the tactical skills we want to improve.
Although employees often dread them, review programs are a great opportunity to measure personal growth, learn from past mistakes, and celebrate team achievements accomplished during the year. The evaluation period also reinforces the skills required to professionally deliver and receive constructive feedback – crucial to success in any business setting.
Despite the benefits review programs provide, completing the self-evaluations can be time consuming if not approached properly. Below are three best practices to consider incorporating throughout the year to make the review process a breeze:
- Organized results tracking: Organization is really the first step in every project, but for self-reviews, it is an absolute must. One best practice a few of my colleagues and I have is to keep an email folder where we file feedback (positive and constructive) that we then turn to during the review period. This level of organization makes it easier and more efficient to complete the reviews and also helps showcase quantifiable results that are valuable to upper management.
- 1:1 meetings: Weekly throughout the year we have 1:1 meetings with our direct managers to discuss current workload and track our progress toward the goals we set during the review process. These meetings provide added value in a smaller agency because it is also a time to discuss constructive feedback and make improvements before the review process. With that being said, feedback shared in the review process is never a surprise, thanks to these 1:1 meetings.
- Diligent proofreading: Similar to organization, carefully proofreading work is an important routine to practice throughout the year. However, during the review process (when performance and commitment are being assessed) it’s even more crucial to take the time to comb through reports and correct any careless errors that would project that the report was rushed or unimportant.
After reviews are completed, the priority shifts to setting goals for the year to come. In order to continue seeing career growth, it’s necessary to evolve goals and develop new skills. I recently came across an article in the Harvard Business Review called “4 Habits of People Who Are Always Learning New Skills,” which uncovers four practices that can be instrumental to master and maintain new skills:
1) Focus on emerging skills or skills that align in a trend in your industry
2) Immerse yourself in the skill, making it a synchronous practice
3) Implement practicing the skill immediately
4) Set an end goal or “golden benchmark.”
Do you have best practices that help you track your professional growth and results? Does your company hold annual personal and peer reviews?