Staff appraisals and how to do them with confidence

A good appraisal can do wonders for staff morale and motivation, while a bad one is likely to be worse than none at all. Perhaps, that’s why some practice managers avoid them altogether. If this sounds like you, read on for simple, clear tips on how to make sure your appraisal meetings are a win-win experience.

Let’s start by defining what a great appraisal is for a veterinary practice. Here’s my definition: “A two-way discussion that is motivational, focused, encourages improved performance and benefits the appraiser, the appraisee and the practice.”

As an appraiser, you get the chance to motivate your veterinary staff, encourage improvement, keep focus, identify and solve development needs, give and get feedback and iron out any problems. The appraisee, meanwhile, will be recognised for his or her efforts, receive guidance and constructive criticism, have his or her training needs considered, have more clarity over his or her goals and be more motivated to help you and the practice succeed. And, of course, with all this in place, the practice will be full of well-motivated, clearly focused veterinary surgeons and nurses who truly work towards the overall goals of the business.

Let’s look, then, at how to make this happen.

Planning and preparing to appraise

Getting this stage right is an important part of the appraisal. Some of the points mentioned here are simple, but, if missed, could have a severe effect on the effectiveness of your appraisals.

Firstly, thoroughly check the personnel history of your appraisees – and be especially careful if you have not been their only line manager during their time with the practice. Secondly, set a mutually convenient time and date. Remember that 2.30pm on Wednesday may be great for your schedule, but will cause stress for the parent on the school run.

Next, find a room that works for an appraisal. Pubs and coffee shops are generally best avoided. Book a private room (people can sometimes become upset at appraisals, especially if they have been storing something up) with decent light and air and ensure no interruptions. Try to resist the “opposite sides of the desk” layout too – a side by side option is less intimidating.

If you are using a preparation document or form, make sure each appraisee has enough time to complete it and you have enough time prior to the appraisal to read it. Also, you’ll need each appraisee’s up-to-date job or role description handy too. Think about the hospitality angle. While a three-course meal may be a step too far, tea and coffee, or at least fresh water, should be par for the course. Try to avoid bulk-booking the whole team for appraisals at the same time – unless you want your team conspiratorially rolling their eyes and whispering “we’re all being done then”.

Avoid saving up your quibbles. An appraisal held in November containing the comment “on February 3 you did X and it was wrong” will only breed mistrust and bad feeling. Deal with what happens, when it happens. Also, an appraisal should not include any nasty shocks or surprises – not from you at least!

Penultimately, get your mindset right before you begin. Make sure you are in an emotionally neutral place and are ready to be objective and fair – especially important if you are about to appraise someone you may not actually like. Finally, avoid cancelling an appraisal unless it’s life or death for a person or animal. I once had an appraisal meeting cancelled and rescheduled five times. By the time it actually happened, I no longer cared.

The appraisal meeting

Once you’ve ticked off the above list with confidence, you’re into the meeting itself. Open by making sure each appraisee is as comfortable and relaxed as possible. Start off each meeting by explaining to the appraisees that the meeting is about them and their performance and is designed to be a two-way communication. Give them a brief outline structure for the appraisal and recap the goal you want to achieve. Encourage them to be open and honest – and be ready for them to be so.

Be prepared to work at the pace and intensity level of each appraisee – your 90 miles per hour questioning will leave the more reflective person feeling unheard, while an overly laborious approach could bore a live wire senseless.

Go through the appraisal form or document the appraisee and you have prepared in advance. Ask open-ended questions wherever relevant and listen really hard to his or her answers. Because human communication is driven by body language (55 per cent) tone (38 per cent) and words (just seven per cent), you will learn more by looking at them and focusing on how they express things than with your head down writing notes.

Prepare some questions in advance. Get into “coaching” mode – that is, be ready to ask thoughtful questions and ensure each appraisee knows that he or she is accountable for his or her own areas of performance. For example:

• What aspects of your job do you most enjoy and why?

• What skills do you have that we may not be using?

• What would you do differently looking back over the past six months?

• In the coming six months, which aspects of your role do you believe need most of your attention?

• What support or help do you need to achieve your potential?

There are many more – these are just as an introduction. Never assume the answer you think you are going to hear – even staff you know well can surprise you.

Avoid the temptation to only hear what you want to and don’t swerve the sticky stuff. A lingering scratch ignored at an appraisal could well turn into a festering sore six months later. Also, avoid passing the buck – “everyone thinks…” is not appropriate or fair comment. Remember, also, to separate the person from the behaviour.

“I find you very negative” is much more likely to incite hostility than “you can sometimes behave in a negative manner. An example of this was when…”.

And if you’re going to give negative or critical feedback, do it well. I remember well, aged 21, being appraised by two well-meaning managers who highlighted an area of weakness I had and was aware of. They then smiled benevolently at each other, then at me, sighed and moved on. Unsurprisingly, I was none the wiser on how to improve. Here are five clear steps to follow.

• State the issue or incident raising the need for constructively critical feedback.

• Give clear and factual evidence of the behaviour or actions to which the negative feedback relates and be specific. Remember to criticise the behaviour and not the person, there being an important distinction in how this is received by the appraisee (see above).

• Explain the effect that the behaviour or actions created for any or all of those involved in the issue or incident, so that the recipient can understand the consequences of his or her actions.

• Ask him or her to change by being clear about which behaviours or actions specifically need changing, and what your expectations are. Ask appraisees if they know how to do this and “coach” this from them if possible. If they are unsure, offer them help and support so that they know clearly what they must do and how they must do it so that they will have the tools to make the change.

• Gain commitment from them to make any changes and ask them when they intend to do this. Ensure that they are clear about your commitment to helping them make any change.

It is also key to give positive and praising feedback when deserved. When you do this, be as specific and factual as possible. For example, “that difficult situation with Mrs Baxter, the distressed owner of the dachshund, was handled with such excellent care and sensitivity by you – it’s a perfect example of the standards we want here”. This will be received very differently to a throwaway “you’ve done very well” – always reminiscent of the frail and uninformed Mr Grace in the 1970s sitcom Are You Being Served?

Finally, check for any questions or issues an appraisee wants to raise at the end. Remember to discuss any training needs and explain to the appraisee how these needs will be followed up. Summarise clearly any action points and end the appraisal as positively as possible.

But what if it’s going to be nasty…

Anyone who manages enough people for long enough is likely to be faced with one appraisal where they would rather clean up an incontinent pet than meet the appraisee. In this situation, here’s a checklist that will help you.

• Prepare brilliantly – leave no stone unturned.

• Seek HR/personnel advice if needed and available.

• Rehearse or role play, if needed, with a trusted colleague.

• Coach the appraisee to encourage ownership and accountability.

• Manage any emotional issues calmly and retain your sense of humour when relevant or helpful to do so.

• Stay objective.

• Don’t fear tackling “attitude” issues – they are often crucial.

It is worth noting in addition to the point on HR/personnel advice that this should always be taken up if you are in any doubt. The most difficult employees often have enough knowledge of their legal status and rights to leave an employment lawyer speechless. Make sure you are well prepared, or take someone’s advice who has up-to-date experience in this area.

Final checklist

Let’s recap and look at the top 10 key points in brief.

• Prepare thoroughly.

• Get your mindset right.

• Have and use a structure.

• Match and mirror the appraisee’s pace and intensity level.

• Encourage, and be ready for, openness and honesty.

• Listen brilliantly.

• Give feedback – good and bad – constructively.

• Coach, whenever possible.

• Agree solutions and action points.

• Follow up effectively.

Finally, remember where we started. A great appraisal can be the most positive of things and adds great value to you, the appraisee and the practice. Enjoy!