Do Performance Reviews Boost Employee Morale?

Over the years, I have worked for companies who promote performance appraisals and those who don’t. I have had to give performance appraisals and have been on the receiving end of them.

I for one like to know where I stand and if I am doing the job that is expected of me. I wish to excel and be a top performer, however, if I don’t know what the expectations or goals are, how do I know if I am meeting the performance standards that are expected of me? If I am not receiving periodic feedback on my performance with goals, standards, and expectations, how can my supervisor fairly rate my performance? Knowing what is expected of me and wanting to go beyond that, increases my satisfaction with my job and my morale within the company.

I finally realized what motivated me would most likely motivate the employees that reported to me. I developed goals and standards for each of my staff members. I presented them to each and discussed to get their buy-in. They knew why they had these goals, what their importance was, and how they fit into the company objectives. They then felt they were contributing to the overall success of the company and that their contribution was important. They wanted to do a good job because they knew what the standards were and what the expectations were. Most people do not want to fail in meeting expectations. I continued to give them feedback throughout the review period so they knew exactly were they stood. The morale in my department was greatly improved and every staff member was appreciative to know where they stood. They excelled and achieved the goals and standards that were set for them.