Newsletter | Should individual performance evaluation be part of your dental practice?

May 22, 2018by Lisa Philp

A resounding yes!

While providing performance evaluations can sometimes make employees or teams feel anxious, it is an essential part of achieving practice objectives, increasing team engagement and ultimately attaining business goals.

Most of the time, positive and healthy feedback generated from a performance evaluation leads to better individual performance, which leads to better team performance that ultimately leads you to increased overall practice success.

Determining a successful performance evaluation can be challenging at times, so here are some guidelines to help you get started:

Define the Expectations– Performance evaluations start with expectations. Having set roles defined with measurable markers for individuals as well as the team keeps everyone clear and on the same page.

Provide Feedback Regularly – Scheduling regular feedback sessions will help you maintain structure and confidence in the feedback being provided as well as allow the team member to better prepare for an open and honest conversation when the formal performance evaluation is conducted.

Get others involved– Performance Evolutions are a team sport. Peers have the best ability to provide true, relevant and honest feedback. Invite others as well as the team member to provide structured and specific feedback for a true 360 degree view of performance.

Document – Performance evaluations need to be documented appropriately for reference and comparison of the previous year’s results. Documented conversations are made based on facts and not opinions. Use statistics and numbers where possible to track progress.

Discussions – Performance evaluations are best held in private when there is little room for interruption. Be open to discussing the feedback with your team member while also allowing them the opportunity to set their own goals for the next evaluation period.

If you take these performance evaluation tips and practice them, you will develop a significant tool for your management tool box. The performance evaluation can enhance your relationship with team, improve individual and team performance, and enhance employee -manager communication significantly.

 

By: Kris Grover, B.A., CHRP, CHRL

Team and Human Resources Coach

Lisa Philp