Performance reviews are not meant to be a monologue. It is right to and you are expected to give in your input through asking your manager or boss questions. During this moment you should present your accomplishments and contributions to the company as well as an action plan on how to improve on your weaknesses.
In addition to this, you should ask questions related to your work, future goals, and pay rise among others. The panel may include your manager and two or more stakeholders in your work so it’s good to remain objective with your questions.
Below are the most critical questions you should always ask whether this is your first or subsequent performance review. The questions are categorized into performance, growth, and compensation questions for easier comprehension.
Why Asking Questions during Performance Review is Important
1. Questions Show your Interest in the Review Process
If you do not ask questions during your performance review, you may come across as uninterested. Silence and lack of input from your end indicates indifference to your job and your performance.
Therefore if you are interested in your work and growth career-wise, you should engage during your performance review. Such as a discussion with your manager or employer is very healthy for your growth in your career.
2. Allow your Manager to Integrate your Inputs into Ratings
A performance review is a window of opportunity for you to show your contribution to your company. It is possible that your manager is already aware of your strengths and weaknesses before your review. However, it is also highly likely that they are not aware of ALL your achievements or may have forgotten them.
In either case, it is your chance to remind them about those incidences. This way the contributions will be integrated into the ratings for the performance review. Also such a positive discussion serves to impress your boss during the review.
3. Communicates your Feelings about your Performance
Performance reviews can get moms to be very anxious because of the high charge emotions involved. The truth is your manager may not know about your feelings about your performance.
By you asking questions during your review process, your manager can tell how you are feeling if you are interested in change and if you are genuinely happy about your accomplishments. Make sure that this discussion comes up and you and your manager or boss have covered this.
Because review questions communicates about your feelings towards your performance, portraying positivity is a great way to impress your employer or manager or employer during the annual performance review.
4. A Chance to ask for Support and Resources for Growth
No performance review is perfect and there will always be areas for you to improve on. Learning is key to growth but you need training and resources.
There is no better time to ask for this support than during your performance review. You should have questions on how you need your employer to support you to improve your performance. Such as approach yields positive results and impresses your employer during your performance review.
Read: What to do After a Bad Performance Review
Questions to Ask Manager/Employer during Performance Review
1. Work-Related Questions
This is the core of your performance reviews. It is where your best work and weaknesses will be highlighted. Some questions to ask your manager during your performance review include;
Where do you feel I did well this year? The question during your performance review will give you a feel about what your manager thinks about you. He/she may list your most significant accomplishments. You will know which projects had the most crucial impact on the company.
In which areas do you think I failed? Just like above, you will get a feel of what your manager or employer thinks about your failings. Basically, the answer will include your weaknesses in areas such as productivity, time management, collaboration, attendance, and organizational skills among others. The question triggers a very interesting topic and discussion you must have with your manager or boss during your performance review.
What are the most crucial goals is the company focusing on this coming year? Asking this question impress your employer and communicate to them that you care for your progress and that of your organization.
The answer to this question will give you insight into what the company will focus on for the next year. By default, this is an area that you should also focus on, which will help you ace a good performance review next time.
By knowing what the goals of the company are, you can get your goals to align with these goals in order to have an impact towards these goals.
Do you feel I was a good team player? How can I improve on collaborating with other colleagues? Working in a team is inevitable in the workplace and hence this question is very relevant to your employer. You will always be working with other people and, how well you collaborate and support each other can affect your performance.
You need to come across as a good supportive team player. The answer to this question will let you know if you need to change and in what areas.
Are there any foreseeable challenges or limitations for the company in the future? The answer to these questions is both for goal setting and motivation.
By knowing what the company is currently struggling with, you can set your goals that directly influence and improve this challenge. Your work will also be more noticeable when you help your company with its significant challenges so this would be enough to motivate you.
What metrics and deliverables do you use to rate employees’ performance? In all companies, performance is pegged based on certain metrics or deliverables. The ratings are given according to your performance on certain deliverables such as productivity, time management, collaboration, attendance, and organizational skills.
You should hence ask the manager what metrics they use which will help you draft your improvement action plan. You will know which areas to focus on and spend the most time on. Therefore note this as a critical area of discussion as you ask your manager or employer questions during your performance review.
2. Growth-Related Questions
In this area, you need to learn and show how you are willing to put the effort to improve on your already noted weaknesses. These are crucial questions to ask your boss during your performance review as they illustrate your attitude towards growth.
In which areas do you think I can improve on? According to your manager, there are areas that he/she feels are important for you to focus on.
It may not always be given to you in an obvious way so you need to be upfront and ask the manager or employer during the appraisal. Therefore make it part of the discussion during the review with your manager.
How do you I can improve on x and y? In addition to knowing which areas to improve on, you need to know how to get there. Your manager both as your supervisor at work and reviewer has a better picture of how you should do this.
Don’t be shy of asking this question during your appraisal and ensure that this part of discussion is given a considerable attention with your manager or boss.
How would I have made this year’s performance better? It is a chance to not only learn what your weaknesses are but also the lessons from them. It is one thing to know where you had failed that past year but also the lessons to be learned from them.
Therefore ask your manager this question in order to have your goals well outlined for the coming period. The answer to this question will teach you what you to take away from each of the failings you had that last year.
What additional knowledge and skills do you think I need to improve on my work? Are there technical skills that I should improve on? Growth is all about learning and training and having questions centered on it during your performance review is very impressive.
But it is hard to do this and lose objectivity if you do not know what you should be learning. Your manager or employer knows which knowledge and skills are crucial for you to do your best.
What training and learning opportunities are available for my use? Most companies are willing to set their employees up for success. There are many training and learning opportunities that you may not be aware of but your manager does.
What you can do is ask for more information on what the company offers as support for employees to improve on their performance.
Where can I improve to make your work more efficient and effective? It is not easy managing people and your manager would love to have an easier job. It is a question that might surprise many and one that most managers will answer truthfully and objectively.
By learning the answer and implementing it, you are paving your way to a positive performance review. Feel free to ask these kind of questions to your manager or boss as they portray you positively.
What can I do to pave my way for possible promotion? Promotion is a touchy subject for managers during the performance review but do not shy away. Many stay away but it is a very important thing that you and your boss or manager or employer should discuss .
Be direct in asking if there are growth and development opportunities in the company. If there are, ask how you can be a better candidate and pave your way for the promotion. The answer will help you devise your action plan and areas to focus on.
3. Compensation-Related Questions
Does my rating in my performance review affect my raise? To what extent? You may have some speculations on this but it is always good to confirm.
It is a tricky question most managers dread during the performance reviews and one whose answer will help you make better decisions. You need to know if your annual pay raise will be affected by the results of the current performance review.
Is a bonus pegged to the performance review? How and on what basis is the bonus calculated? When is the bonus payout due? How is the bonus paid out? In what amount? How are they communicated? Some companies offer their employees end-of-year bonuses. If your employer does, you need to know how it is calculated, paid out, and communicated.
It may be calculated on the review, and have a multiplier, it may be paid out in installments and be communicated through email. It is one of the most important things that should come up for discussion during your annual performance review.
Is the bonus taxed? What is the rate? It is a relevant question to ask to ask during your review process, You need to know if the bonus is taxed. If so ask what the rate is. Be sure to discuss this.
Read: When and How to Ask for a Pay Rise
