The end of the year brings many traditions and celebrations such as holiday parties and gift exchanges to employees’ lives. But one tradition that most often is dreaded is the process of an employee performance review. So often, employees sit through or fill out performance reviews worried about what they say and, in some cases, hearing the same questions they’ve heard for years.

This year doesn’t have to be like the past. Here are a few ways you can change up your performance review and your company’s work environment:

• You most likely have goals that you and your team have set for the year, but how often are they being met? Are they even achievable or too broad? This is why it’s important to create goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely, also known as SMART goals.

In your upcoming reviews, work on finding one or two SMART goals with each team member that has to do with his or her job. Start by challenging each employee to bring to your meeting several general goals he or she would like to achieve in 2012, then use that time to make those goals fit the SMART format.

• When you create an open environment where employees can think critically and creatively about what they want to achieve, you likely increase employee buy-in to the organization. Setting specific and challenging goals generates a higher level of performance and ultimately will lead to a more successful team and organization.
• As a leader, it’s up to you to talk with employees about their stress level and find ways to help them better manage everything they need to do. Communication is more than just emails and phone calls about deadlines; it’s the key aspect in whether employees feel motivated to work for your organization. Finding out how your team members feel about their time at work and home is one of the most important ways you can be an effective communicator in the office and lead your organization to success.

As you begin looking at performance reviews and preparing for 2012, remember that this doesn’t have to be a time of paperwork and standardized questions. Communicate early that this year’s reviews will be a little different from years past, and that you expect more from yourself and your team members going into them. The performance review is a great tool to help your employees celebrate their successes and will help your business stay a step ahead going into the new year.

Christy Skojec Taylor is co-owner of Express Employment Professionals in Rocky Mount.