In the last few weeks we have really enjoyed bringing different voices to the Roudpeg blog.   Today, Heather R. Huhman is a career expert and founder & president of Come Recommended shares her perspective on annual performance reviews.

With the growing number of young professionals you’ll be hiring into your organization, it’s time to take a look at one of the methods of feedback managers typically use to evaluate employees: the annual review.

Some organizations have a formal process with annual performance reviews and keep them on file with HR. Others don’t have an official review process at all. I’ve worked at both types of places. I can honestly say I can go either way with the process—but I also feel that relying on just one official review per year is inadequate.

With any process, you’ll have to look at the pros and cons and decide for yourself:

Pros

  • You’re providing ideas for improvement and new goals for the next year
  • You’re at least giving feedback once per year

Cons

  • Might be looked at by the manager as “procedural” – not much thought put into it
  • Could just consist of a piece of paper with no conversation about how to improve
  • Hard to pick out each mistake or accomplishment months later

Now that your organization will be hiring on more young professionals, or Millennials, my suggestion is to review as you go instead of waiting for the whole year to go by without feedback. These Gen Y members are just starting their careers and will be constantly learning while working for you. You’ll make it an easier process if you provide feedback for their projects and assignments.

Plus, Generation Y has grown up receiving constant—if not instant—feedback, so they will appreciate your help and guidance for them to become more skilled at their jobs. How does your organization review employees? Is it a formal process, or more informal? I’d love to hear your comments!

heatherhuhman stairsAuthor:

Heather R. Huhman is a career expert and founder & president of Come Recommended, a career and workplace education and consulting firm specializing in young professionals. She is also the author of #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle (2010), national entry-level careers columnist for Examiner.com and blogs about career advice at HeatherHuhman.com. Follow her on Twitter at @heatherhuhman.