By Juliet Soh
Key performance indicators (KPIs) and objectives are usually set at the start of each year and it is common practice for companies to conduct a mid-year review between June to August before the year-end review in December.
While year-end reviews aim to give feedback on an employee’s performance for the entire year, and are typically used as justification for promotions and raises, mid-year reviews are a checkpoint for employers to see if employees are meeting targets and if they need additional coaching or assistance to meet their annual goals. Sometimes, KPIs may also be reviewed and realigned based on business changes.
Since the objectives of the mid-year review are different from those of the year-end appraisal, you should prepare for it differently. Here are five tips:
1. Self-evaluate
Review the KPIs that you and your manager have set at the start of the year and see how close you are to meeting them. Ask yourself honestly if you’d be able to reach them by the end of the year. A general guideline: You should be approximately 50% through meeting the goals, unless bigger projects only occur in the second half of the year.
2. Make a record
You should have been taking note of the accomplishments you’ve made since January. Update your manager on your achievements so far, highlighting especially what you’ve done beyond expectations, such as taking on extra responsibilities or volunteering for special projects.
3. Draft a plan
With another half a year to go, make sure you know what you have to do for the remaining six months. Plan your objectives for the rest of the year and share them with your manager. This is especially important if you are barely meeting your KPIs at this point. Show that you’re looking at the bigger picture and taking responsibility for your work.
4. Give feedback and recommendations
Do you need more assistance? Reasonable and well-thought-out feedback can help your manager assess if he/she needs to review your KPIs and if any help can be given to you. Highlight too any patterns (not related to your negative attitude or aptitude) you’ve noticed that have impacted your ability to meet certain goals.
5. Relax
In most cases, your manager is there to help you meet your targets rather than put you down. After all, if you’ve done well, he/she will look good in front of the big boss too. So focus on solving problems and making improvements. Don’t get too upset by negative feedback from your manager; instead, find out how you can improve and share about the challenges you’ve faced.
How do you usually prepare for your performance review? Share with us in the comment box below!
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