After working long and hard for the firm you’re in, you still don’t receive a performance review after a yearly mark. Then it is time for you to take action and ensure that your employer provides you the performance review since they haven’t already. Although it is the job of the employer to create and discuss the performance review with the concerned employee, sometimes obstacles appear. In that case, you can take the initiative to request an overdue performance review yourself.
What Is A Performance Review?
A performance review is, as it states, the review and appraisal of the performance of an employee. It covers aspects like work quality, work attitude, merits, and demerits of an employee. The evaluation is a process that most firms abide by for multiple reasons.
These reviews may take place weekly, monthly, or even yearly. It depends on the employer and the nature of the work as to how much time will be taken into consideration. So you can read about your firm’s take on such reviews or ask your employer about it directly.
Performance reviews are not merely praises, they also come with constructive criticism. The point of the reviews is to evaluate an employee’s performance and tell them the results. They praise the merits and help understand the demerits of their work to each employee. It is the perfect way to develop the employees.
Why Are Performance Reviews Essential?
Performance reviews are essential because they are a report including all the positive and negative points of an employee’s performance. While the positive aspects inspire and motivate the employees, the negative aspects let them know what they must improve upon in the coming year.
These reviews assure employees that someone acknowledges their performance and efforts and leads to higher motivation in employees. Many firms have also found that performance reviews reduce the job search activity in the employees. So performance reviews are not only essential for employees, they are essential for the firms too.
The employers also do not skip the performance reviews for this reason. It helps them motivate their best employees to stick with the firm and not look for other opportunities. So your employer finds the reviews almost as important as you would.
Why Do Performance Reviews Get Delayed?
Delays in performance reviews may happen due to issues on the employer’s side.
- One of the most common reasons for such a delay is that the employer requires a lot of time to create the review. Most delays are related to the review-making process, which may take more time than the employer might have assumed. It is a tedious task that takes people and effort, so it might be the cause of delay in most cases.
- Delays also happen because the employer does not mark the reviews as a priority and ends up working on them at the very last moment. It, combined with the massive amount of work that goes into them, leads to long delays. If you request the report from your side, however, it will help encourage them to put the reviews first.
- Chances are, your employer might be holding off a performance review because of some crucial demerits or negative points. If that is the case, the employer will try to put off the performance review for as long as possible.
So if you do have an overdue performance review from your employer, you should reach out to them to ask about it. Chances are, the employer has delayed the review for one of the above reasons. Further, you can request them to give the performance review to you as soon as they could.
Steps To Follow If You Don’t Acquire a Performance Review
Now that you know how important these reviews are, you must know how to request them if there is a delay. Many employees feel that requesting or inquiring about the performance review isn’t correct. But that is not the case as you ask for a report of your work quality and feedback.
It is essential for you and your firm’s growth. And if you have worked hard, and well then why is it wrong to ask for a reward for it? You must get the review to get your efforts acknowledged and to figure out your mistakes. So if you are requesting a performance review for the first time, here are some steps you can follow:
Draft an Email to Your Employer
If any delay in your performance review takes place, perhaps the best choice would be to contact your employer through email. Draft an email including details like the time of your employment and the time since then. Then mention that the firm was supposed to provide a performance report.
When drafting the mail, make sure to mention that you understand if there are delays but just wanted to check the status of the review. Make sure to tell your employer how essential the performance review is to you and how it would help you understand your work better. By mentioning these points, you can grab the attention of your employer and encourage them.
Talk to your Employer Face-to-Face
Another great way is to talk to your employer face-to-face. You can get an appointment or request a meeting with your employer or the manager in charge of your performance review. Then you can schedule a time ideal for both of you and meet up.
In the meeting, you can ask about the status of the performance review. Similar to an email, you can mention why you require the report and how it will help you understand your mistakes better. You can ask the manager the reason for the delay and about when you could expect to receive it.
Ask For the Reason for the Delay
You should ask for the reason why your review is taking so long. Though mostly, the process keeps happening, it just gets delayed due to some inevitable interference. But there are chances that your employer or manager may have forgotten about the review altogether, in which case you need to step up.
If you ask the manager the reason why there is a delay in the performance review process, there are chances that you will get the genuine reason for the delay. Or the employer might feel that they need to provide the review and start working on it immediately. Either way, it will make the process quicker.
Be Assertive but Polite
The point to remember while asking for such reviews is that you need to assert the need for it, but you should refrain from seeming aggressive. It is your right to receive a proper performance report, so if you reach out to your employer and demand it, it is only right to do so. But what you need to be careful is not to offend anyone.
Be polite while you reach out to your manager and keep calm even if there is a long delay in the review. Just keep reminding them that you require your performance review, and they will be obliged to provide you with it. And be consistent with your efforts. Most of the time, you might face silence. So you have to keep trying until you succeed in obtaining the review.
Do Not Request for a Raise Directly
Asking for a raise directly or without context to the performance report is probably not the best idea. If you demand a performance review instead, you would be open to receiving both positive and negative feedback. Thus, asking for a performance review is the best choice.
After you have discussed your progress and ventures of the period you worked for, you can discuss with your employer about the raise. If you have performed well, it will give you the perfect reason to demand a raise, and your employer will also be more likely to grant a raise.
Conclusion
Performance reviews of employees help the employees become better workers. It lets them understand their strengths and weaknesses and improve upon them. So performance reviews, whether weekly, monthly, or yearly, are essential.
Every employer also understands the need for such reviews and if there is indeed a delay in the reviews, they might have complications. But you as an employee can reach out to your employer first and ask for the same by following the above points.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is a performance review necessary?
No, the performance review of an employee isn’t essential. But it’s better to get it. It helps the firm acknowledge your hard work and reward you accordingly, so it is beneficial.
- Is it rude to ask your boss for your performance review?
Not at all; asking for your performance review is fine if you have worked well and think you deserve it. Even if the employer has a different opinion, they can always communicate that.
- Will I receive a performance review at the end of each year?
You don’t need to always receive a performance review. It depends mostly on your performance throughout the year.
