1. BSBWOR301 Organise personal work priorities and development

2. Ensure feedback on performance is sought from others
If you wish to get a complete assessment of your current performance, it is essential that you obtain feedback from relevant individuals
There are several sources for obtaining such feedback. For instance:
Your boss or supervisor
People you work with (colleagues)
People who have trained or assessed you
External people that you have direct contact with (customers, suppliers)

3. Informal feedback from supervisor
Informal discussions about performance can help employees
Also, such discussions give employees the opportunity to talk about issues and problems that have arisen and allow them to obtain feedback from their manager or supervisor
It is important to be proactive and not reactive…..
Reactive is where discussion takes place only when problems arise.
Proactive is when the individual “checks in” on a regular basis to identify potential problems before they occur

4. Good quality performance feedback is:
Constructive – it explains how to improve, not just what is wrong.
Future looking – it does on focus on past mistakes, but provides a clear path for a better way to improve in the future
Explanatory – shows the why, not just the what or how
Reflective – it encourages self-evaluation
Timely – it is given while it is still relevant
Two way – there is sufficient follow up and opportunities are provided to ask questions

5. Good quality performance feedback is (continued):
Provides praise when it is necessary – Good work is praised, to encourage it to be repeated
Humbling– feedback has to provided in a way that the receiver of the feedback is happy to accept it
Accurate – It is correct and not biased
All these qualities need to be exhibited when feedback is provided and received in relation to performance

6. Examples of Feedback
Refer to Section 2.2 of the textbook for “Examples of Feedback”
Two different examples are provided – what impact did each of these have on you?
These examples illustrate the power of feedback.
Some employees may not have the capability to have a proper and meaningful conversation with their manager during the feedback process.
This is where the self assessment survey (that was illustrated in the text book) could be useful in extracting information on performance

7. Suggestions to follow when giving the survey to employees
Pick the correct time – wait until they are free and able to focus on your task
Explain why you want the feedback – i.e. that you require it to improve the performance
Ask for accurate feedback – this is important, so as not to waste everyone’s time and also because you wish to improve
Remind them to be honest and frank – once again, this will ensure that time is not wasted and that improvement can be achieved
Review responses privately – but follow up if clarification is required
Seek regular feedback – it will continue to improve your development

8. The importance of feedback
Feedback is important both to the organisation and to the individual
Please refer to the table in section 2.2 for detailed information on this issue.
Refer to the Activity – Think of the last time you wanted to give someone feedback on their performance or behaviour. How did you do this? Was the communication using all the quality points provided in the table in section 2.2?
Source:

9. Performance Reviews
We now need to move from informal to more formal feedback. This is usually done in a performance review.
These reviews can be conducted every 6 months or annually and occur when both manager and employee sit down together to discuss performance over the previous period.
These reviews are documented and the results are placed in the employees personnel file
Advantages and limitation of Performance Reviews
Please refer to the table in section 2.2 of the text book

10. Steps required to conduct an effective performance review
As with informal feedback, it is important that both parties take responsibility for quality interaction. The following will assist:
Ensure that the information on the employee is accurate and up to date
Provide timely notice so that both parties can prepare
Provide any documentation in advance
Confirm the time and place of the meeting in advance
Ensure that the employee has done a self evaluation and sent it in prior to the interview
Book a meeting room for privacy

11. Steps required to conduct an effective performance review (continued…)
Review feedback from previous meetings
Use constructive feedback - either positive or negative
Set new targets in line with business needs and objectives
Collaborate on strategies to achieve these new targets
Document the discussion
Ensure there is genuine agreement between the employee in relation to the targets that are to be achieved – ensure the employees engagement and commitment
Set the time for the next meeting
Both parties need to sign off on the new objectives and targets

12. Key skills in conducting a review – from the perspective of the manager
Listening
Body language
Persuasion
Negotiation
Documentation
Communication
How to have difficult conversations
How to deliver bad news
How to be organised
Importance of being level headed

13. What could go wrong in implementing performance reviews?
Low skills on the part of the manager
Low priority by manager – lack of engagement
Low priority by employee – lack of engagement
Unrealistic or non-meaningful objectives
Not enough informal feedback during the year
Changes in management – performance reviews are forgotten

14. Other stake holders…..
In addition to the manager and employee, there are several other important stakeholders – thes are
Colleagues
Trainers/Assessors
Customers/suppliers
Refer to se ction 2.2 of the text book for more details on each of the above