Dive Brief:
- An overwhelming number of employees (84%) said regular check-ins with their managers are important to them, according to a poll of 1,000 workers from Appraisd, a U.K.-based performance management software company. The percentage of employees favoring check-ins was even greater among younger age groups; 90% of Gen Zers said regular face-to-face meetings with their manager are important and 40% described them as very important.
- Workers reported different check-in frequencies with their managers. One-third of respondents meet with their manager once a month; 12% meet every two weeks; another 12% never meet with their managers at all; and 8% meet fewer than every six months. Large organizations were more likely to have regular check-ins than midsize or small companies, and the number of employees that never had check-ins increased to 17% in small companies, Appraisd said.
- According to Appraisd, the annual review is still used in 36% of the respondents' workplaces. Four percent reported that reviews are conducted less than once a year and 8% said that they've never had a review with their current employer.
Dive Insight:
Workers in myriad studies have said that they favor regular meetings with managers to annual performance appraisals. A 2018 OfficeTeam survey found that reviews are becoming shorter but more frequent. For many talent pros, the rationale is simple; by documenting progress throughout the year, employers can piece together a more accurate overview of employees' achievements or shortcomings without relying on memory.
Employment experts that favor regular check-ins have said that more frequent meetings between managers and employees should focus on the supportive and constructive practice of goal setting — rather than looking back on past performance to critique what can't be changed.
"They should feel positive about what they have contributed and what they can continue to contribute," Jodi Chavez, group president professional staffing group at Randstad Professionals, Randstad Life Sciences, previously told HR Dive. "[It's about] what you can do to help foster that growth for them."
Both managers and employees often dread the traditional yearly or semi-annual appraisal, and according to Appraisd, they don't adequately remind workers of the goals they set throughout the year.
"Providing an opportunity just once a year to review objectives and development plans is simply not practical or effective," Appraisd founder Roly Walter commented in a media statement. "It's great to see that a large number of employers have already adopted check-ins, but there are still many businesses that are not putting the needs of their employees first and creating a performance culture based on regular dialogue between managers and employees.”