Year-end reviews are never easy—for managers or employees. Managers often stress about preparing them and employees seldom look forward to hearing them. Year-end reviews can be tricky in a normal year, but in 2020, they seem especially daunting.

While you might feel tempted to skip your traditional year-end reviews, author and leadership expert Julie Winkle Giulioni says you should reconsider. After a year of stress, anxiety and disappointments, your employees need to hear from you. They need to know you appreciate what they accomplished—even if they fell short of expectations.

In this issue of Promotional Consultant Today, we share Giulioni’s suggestions on how to bring more empathy to your end-of-year reviews.

1. Recognize each team member as whole person. This year, your entire team was probably pulled in many different directions. They may have cared for a sick family member or figured out how to homeschool kids while continuing to work. That’s why Giulioni says leaders should honor the whole person in year-end reviews. Use the time to connect on a personal level by asking your sales reps questions like “How are you doing – really?” and “How are you feeling about returning to the workplace?” This is the year to tap your humanity, she says.

2. Illuminate the victories. Usual year-end reviews include time to talk about what went well. This year, Giulioni suggests amplifying this portion of the conversation. After facing endless challenges day in and day out, employees need to pause and celebrate their wins. When you are preparing for your year-end reviews, consider getting creative by making a top-20 list or a PowerPoint deck of your sales reps’ top moments from 2020. You could also gather positive comments and stories from colleagues, clients and other stakeholders, she says.

3. Turn the spotlight on your organization. Much of Q1 goal setting became irrelevant before the end of the quarter. Giulioni recommends offering an honest appraisal of how your company responded, fell short and recovered. She notes that demonstrating responsibility and accountability at the organizational and leadership levels sets the tone for greater employee candor. You can take the same approach when you discuss your sales reps’ performance. Be sure to show compassion along with candor. It will go a long way at planning for a productive 2021.

This year’s performance reviews will look different than previous years. It’s difficult to define success in a year like 2020. However, year-end reviews still matter. When you adjust your approach by honoring each employee as a whole person, spotlighting the wins and being transparent about your company’s victories and challenges, you can transform the review process into a meaningful experience.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers

Source: Julie Winkle Giulioni works with organizations worldwide to improve performance through leadership and learning. Named one of Inc. Magazine's top 100 leadership speakers, Giulioni is the co-author of the Amazon and Washington Post bestseller Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go: Career Conversations Organizations Need and Employees Want.