appraisals and reviews

There are many ways in which organisations appraise or review a worker. The structure of the appraisal or review meeting or interview can vary greatly. Some use forms with grades or scales attached, others are less structured and are more of a narrative on the employee's general performance. Whatever the format, as an employee you should

Be as objective as possible when appraising your own performance and gather evidence to support your assessment

Keep a record of the things that went well or perhaps not so well throughout the year (or review period)

Personally review progress towards your objectives throughout the review period

Complete any standard review documentation as fully as possible and ensure the reviewer receives this in good time for them to prepare for the meeting

Know what points you want to discuss and what questions you want to ask

Remember that the ultimate goal of the meeting is to reach a mutual arrangement about past successes, failures and learning points and agree mutually satisfying objectives for the year ahead.