Reverse appraisals are making a comeback. Once viewed with scepticism, today a staggering 96 per cent of Aussies say such appraisals could make a real difference in their organisation.
According to a poll of 6,698 Australians by recruiting experts Hays, 70 per cent said reverse appraisals would make a positive difference in their organisation and that change would occur based on their feedback. A further 26 per cent said their feedback would be considered but change would be slow.
The final four per cent feel reverse appraisals would make no difference and their feedback wouldn’t be taken seriously.
“In a reverse appraisal employees are given the opportunity to evaluate their managers and the organisation they work for,” says Nick Deligiannis, Managing Director of Hays in Australia & New Zealand. “’Upward’ feedback can identify areas for improvement that will help employees be more productive and give them the tools to do their job better. They can be very insightful provided an organisation is prepared to take the feedback on board.
“For managers, the business benefits of becoming an employer of choice have helped elevate the importance of reverse appraisals. Employers of choice – and those who want to be – recognise that reverse appraisals matter and are an important tool in giving employees a voice. They know that nobody is perfect and even the best manager can improve.
“Provided the feedback is taken seriously reverse appraisals also show staff that their views are trusted and respected, which has a powerful positive impact on employee engagement,” he said.
If you are asked to take part in a reverse appraisal, Hays has the following advice:
Understand the purpose – If your employer hasn’t provided an outline of what they are looking for and how the information will be used, ask. Reverse appraisals are usually anonymous, but they can also be conducted via one-on-one interviews, in a group setting, or through a third party.
Give examples – Support your feedback with real-life examples. For instance, you may want to praise your boss's ability to act well under pressure so use a recent example that demonstrates how she or he did this. The same applies when suggesting areas of improvement. For example, you may want to point out that communication needs to be improved and your case will be made stronger with a recent example of how employees could have achieved a stronger result if they were better informed.
Be honest, but diplomatic – It’s important to be honest as well as tactful. Avoid using the appraisal as a chance to vent frustrations about your manager. Try to be constructive, respectful and generous in your responses. What you say and how you say it is important.
Hays, the world’s leading recruiting experts in qualified, professional and skilled people.
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For further information please contact Lucy Sharp, Regional Head of Marketing at Hays, on +61 2 8226 9885 or
[email protected]