You arrive at your office early on Monday morning. You have a splitting headache, your palms are sweating, and your have knots in your stomach. No, you’re not coming down with the flu….you must conduct your annual employee performance reviews today.

Many managers agonize over this important activity needlessly. Most people want to succeed in their jobs, but they need a clear understanding of their job duties and performance expectations. When this conversation happens only once or twice a year, the results are often counterproductive. Performance feedback should occur daily if employees are to meet your performance criteria, and help your organization succeed. It is important that this feedback includes both positive and negative comments. A brief note in an employee file, or the use of a daily or weekly performance log is very helpful when preparing the annual review. This documentation helps refresh your memory of situations that have occurred since the last review, and substantially reduces the chance of an unproductive review. You may want to conduct “informal” five to ten minute quarterly sessions in order to review progress. The annual review is most volatile when there are surprises that the employee did not expect.

This may seem like extra effort on your part, but it will relieve the flu symptoms at the annual review, and will give your employees a better chance at success.