Performance reviews are necessary for working women for several reasons. However, they are only useful when the reviews are done properly and the company has a proper system in place.
Some performance reviews at work can get really bad. From a poor performance review rating, you can;
- Lose our job
- Get a pay cut
- Be denied a raise
- Become a victim of bias
- Lower your performance and productivity
Why Performance Reviews can Go Wrong
1. Trigger a Pay Cut
Payment is a very necessary element of performance reviews and appraisals. Many companies attach pay rises to performance.
Therefore you are at risk of getting a pay cut if you get a negative appraisal.The results of the performance review can be used to determine whether you will get a raise or not.
Read: Questions you Should Ask your Manager during Performance Review Meeting
2. Deny a Pay Rise
For most, companies and industries pay rises are tied to the results of a performance review.They use them as a form of cost-cutting or cost-saving measure so the results may mean two things:
- A good performance review may mean you get a pay rise
- A negative performance may mean a pay cut
As such a performance review can go wrong for you and lead to a reduction of your salary.
3. You may Lose your Job
- Results of performance reviews can be used let an employee go
- The reviews are uses as a trail of documentation for firing an employee
In some genuine cases, a true bad performance is justification for firing an employee. In others some managers exploit this aspect to fire employees who are not necessarily bad performers but who they want to fire.
Often they give you a bad performance review, and put you on a Performance Improvement Plan (PPI) before you are fired to protect themselves. It is employer’s way of proving that the reason for the firing was a bad performance and not any other reason.
The reviews are admissible in a court of law in case you decided to sue your employer.
Read: Signs you are About to be Fired
4. A Negative Review Stalls your Career
The purpose of a performance review is to evaluate what worked and what did not during the past year. It is becomes necessary to indicate your current position in your career and the projection.
- A positive review means your career is growing
- A negative reviews shows your career is stalling or dying
It may hence make you unsure of the direction of you career. The feedback may also tend to be less insightful and valuable for improvement on your end.
Read: How to Create a Strong Career Plan
5. Creates Room for Bias & Prejudice
Effective performance reviews should be fair. The systems should be well implemented, and all employees should be treated equally. However, when done incorrectly, it can create:
- Potential prejudice where some employees are favored when manager plays favorites
- Creates potential biases where some employees are unfairly reviewed
A study found that women are 1.4 times more likely than men to receive critical feedback in performance reviews, which can hinder their career progression.
In some case, you may notice that an exemplary performance review is denied no matter what your performance has been.
Probably your manager is using a quota system and only a certain number can get an exemplary rating. These quotas compromise the quality and honesty of the reviews and the feedback that you get.
6. Poor Results Affect Motivation
The results can impact an employee motivation in good or bad way:
- Good performance reviews leaves you feeling good about yourself
- A bad one will leave you demotivated and demoralized
If your performance reviews goes wrong, you will feel that your work has not been noticed, appreciated, and valued. Often it may fail to help you on how you can improve on your work.
The resulting uncertainty makes employees uncomfortable at work, less confident , less productive and unsure of their role in your company vision. Studies show that 57% of employees who receive negative performance reviews report feeling demotivated and disengaged at work.
As a result you become less interested in doing more or seeking opportunities in work.
This is What to Expect your First Performance Review
7. Negative Reviews Affects your Performance & Productivity
When done improperly, the performance reviews may fail to remain objective and hurt rather than improve performance. This happens for several reasons
- In-objective, biased, and dishonest reviews are not helpful
- Focusing on faults/weaknesses and not on the achievements/strengths is unfair
- Some performance evaluation goals, characteristics, and metrics do not deliver additional value to the company
- The goal-driven metric setting is impractical and unrealistic to employees
The results of the above performance reviews may hence fail to link with actual performance of the employee.
In addition, they hurt teamwork and team cohesion, especially when peers are made to evaluate each other. A number of employees feel that peer evaluations can lead to conflict and reduced teamwork, as they may foster competition rather than collaboration.
Read: How to Get a Positive Performance Review
8. The Review Process is Stressful
Preparing for and going through the review meeting is mentally draining. It makes employees anxious which in return affects their performance. Many also feel like a performance review is confrontational and a personal attack to their weaknesses.
Tips on Improving Your Performance Reviews
- Seek/Request Regular Real-time Feedback – Talk to your manager on getting regular feedback. It help you align yourself with the expectations
- Prepare in Advance– Identify your career goals and how they align with your role then conduct a self-assessment. Be open to constructive criticism
- Be Interactive during Review Meeting– take an active role in the conversation, ask questions ,Share your career goals and interests with your manager
- Keep a Performance Journal– record your accomplishments, challenges overcome, skills developed and highlight your major contributions
- Advocate for yourself- Communicate your achievements and express any concerns you may have
