How to Prevent Bias in Your Performance Evaluation Process and Keep Your Employees Engaged

Summary:

In this episode, the guest discusses the negative consequences of using performance evaluations as a check-the-box exercise. They highlight the issue of bias in evaluations and how it can lead to a lack of representation and employee dissatisfaction. The guest provides practical strategies for making the evaluation process fairer, including setting clear expectations, standardizing evaluation forms, implementing a 360 feedback system, and providing regular training on unconscious bias. They emphasize the importance of viewing evaluations as a disciplined and strategic exercise to build a stronger and fairer organization.

Key Takeaways:

1. Using performance evaluations as a check-the-box exercise can lead to negative consequences and employee dissatisfaction.
2. Bias in evaluations can result in a lack of representation and hinder employee engagement.
3. To make evaluations fairer, establish clear expectations and communicate them to all levels of the organization.
4. Standardize evaluation forms to ensure consistency and comparability across functions.
5. Implement a 360 feedback system to provide a holistic view of performance and guard against bias.
6. Regularly train employees, especially leaders, on how to recognize and address unconscious bias.
7. Regular feedback and one-on-one meetings are more effective than a once-a-year review.
8. Collect demographic data and analyze it to ensure fair evaluations and identify trends.

Timestamp

[0:00:00] Negative consequences of using performance evaluations as check the box exercise

[0:01:28] Establish clear expectations and standardize evaluation forms

[0:02:30] Use 360 feedback system to guard against bias

[0:03:08] Regular training to educate on unconscious bias

[0:05:55] Importance of disciplined, strategic evaluation process

[0:06:20] Building a stronger, fairer organization to become employer of choice