Get Rid of the Performance Review by Samuel A. Culbert
The author spends a great deal of the first few chapter explaining to you why performance reviews are a bad idea, at least the performance review as it is done today. He provides many examples pointing out the flaws in the process and concludes that a combination of the process, the HR department people wanted to feel more important that than actually are (either because everyone wants to be more powerful or due to the current economic and political conditions, recruiting new local employees is almost non-existent so they have less to do) and human imperfection, both the boss and you are the causes. He insists that changing the current process is not the answer; you need to implement performance previews.
There is an argument that performance previews is just doing performance review the correct way but I believe the author is trying to change a mind set by changing what they are called. If this is true than I believe it is a pity that he did not go further in changing the name (maybe for the sake of a little cuteness of changing one letter creates such a hugely different result). The main theme is honesty and a little consideration on the boss’s part to “life outside the work place” and an understanding from the employee that salary increases and promotions are based on the total package from the company’s view point and no always the one who deserves it.
Another good point raised by the author it the recent trend to use numbers and statistics (like the bell curve) when dealing with employees. It just does not work and is not worth it from an overall point of view. A company may fit in with the rest of the industry but at what cost to employee moral? There is a common sense view that when the company does well, all employees should be rewarded not just the company executives and when times are bad all must tighten their belts, including executives. In the good years some capital must be return to the company to weather the not so good times, not spend on rewards that are given to executives that in three years won’t be with the company.
I can see how some pro-business minded people would consider a lot in this book hogwash. Why should a public trading company worry about anything but the bottom line? If a certain type of employee can cut it in the current business world there is always someone around the corner that can take their place. If one is in it for the short haul then I can see where this is a valid argument but when times are good how does one keep the productive employees that got screwed (from their point of view or their friends did) from bailing on the company? I guess it depends on what you want out of life and what you see as the best plan to get it. If one does his or her best should they be rewarded or is just trying not enough, results are the only criteria upon which one should be judged
