In this guide, we will cover what the functionality entails, why it is important, and how you can implement and use it within your organization. Staff appraisals help you establish a structure for continuous dialogue between managers and employees. They also focus on competency development, work environment, and goals. You will get a solid foundation for driving improvements and increasing engagement in your organization. Our goal is to make the functionality accessible and clear. This guide explains each step in the process, from creating your first staff appraisal to following up on actions and activities. Towards the end, we also explain how you can customize the function to suit your needs, so you get a system that fits your organization.
Basic Understanding
To get started, it's good to have a basic understanding of what a staff appraisal is and why it is important.
Read our article: "What is a Staff Appraisal?"
What is a Staff Appraisal?
Staff appraisals are regular, structured conversations between managers and employees. They aim to ensure that everyone feels seen and heard, and that the organization is continuously moving in the right direction. Depending on the company, they typically involve a mix of:
- Follow-up on previous goals
- Discussion points regarding work tasks
- Planning for the future, such as competency development
- Evaluation of work environment and well-being
- Dialogue about career paths and responsibilities
Staff appraisals can also provide a clear picture of employees' competencies and development needs. They help ensure that the right person has the right tasks and that everyone feels motivated and engaged. Since you are aiming for ISO 9001, 14001, 27001, or 45001, it is also important to regularly ensure that employees have the competencies required to meet the standards' requirements.
Purpose and Goals
By structuring the staff appraisal in AmpliFlow, we aim to help you create order and clarity in the process. Common goals with staff appraisals are:
- Ensure development and well-being.
- Identify competency needs.
- Prevent misunderstandings regarding work tasks.
- Increase clarity around expectations and goals.
- Create a forum for feedback, encouragement, and dialogue.
Staff appraisals should be a continuous effort. The conversations serve as a natural part of the organization's goal management and competency work. They play an important role in following up on how the employee is feeling and how the work environment is functioning.
How Should It Be Done?
Below is a step-by-step description of how to get started with staff appraisals in AmpliFlow. You have already been provided with a basic template and various resources, so much of the work is prepared. You can start by:
- Assign Permissions using AmpliFlow's permissions and roles. Ensure that users who need access to staff appraisals have the correct permission level, such as "User" with the right to view, add, edit, and archive their own evaluations and those for their employees. Both managers and employees can initiate a new staff appraisal.
- Review the Prepared Template and check which fields are already in the staff appraisal template. Do these align with how you want to conduct the appraisals? Do the headings suit your questions? Make sure to customize it so that you achieve the correct structure for the conversation. Add columns as needed or remove those that are not relevant.
- Create Your Own Activities; you are not limited to the example provided. For instance, create a task list for actions that the employee or manager is expected to undertake. Perhaps you need a row for "Training Requests"? Or a column for "Planned Competency Development"? All this can be added via "Add Activity" under "Properties" in the Staff Appraisal function if you have the role "Owner".
- Update the Information Page in AmpliFlow where you describe how you work with staff appraisals, and indicate who is responsible and involved.
- Go Through and Check Off the Control Points (the final step) in the checklist to ensure everything is correctly filled in and updated.
- If you are collaborating with a consultant from AmpliFlow, notify them that the work is ready for review once you are done.
Tips for Successful Implementation
- Communicate the Purpose Clearly: Everyone should know why you conduct staff appraisals and how you will follow up on the results.
- Distribute Responsibilities: If several people are involved in creating and following up on staff appraisals, ensure you have decided who does what.
- Respect the Timeline: Schedule the appraisals and ensure you keep the times. Book meetings well in advance, preferably via AmpliFlow's built-in calendar or your regular calendar system.
- Use the Checklist Function in AmpliFlow: Mark when you have completed a step. This provides a clear overview.
- Value Feedback: Ask employees how they perceive the process. Perhaps you can improve the template or include more questions they find important.
You also want the results from the staff appraisal to reach the right stakeholders. For example, HR might want an overview to identify where there is a need for recruitment or training. By keeping the information gathered in AmpliFlow, it becomes easy to give the right people access to the right data.
Explanation of Each Column
In the staff appraisal template in AmpliFlow, there are different columns and fields that you can fill in. Below are examples of the central columns that cannot be removed and how they can be used:
- Who: This column is usually pre-filled with the logged-in user but can be edited if a manager initiates the conversation for one of their employees. "Who" indicates which employee the conversation concerns. It helps you link conversations to the correct person.
- Evaluating Manager: Here, you select the manager or responsible person conducting the evaluation. This person can, for example, be a direct manager, an HR specialist, or someone else leading the process.
- Date of Conversation: Enter the date the conversation takes place. It makes it easier to track how often you conduct the appraisals and when it is time for the next one.
In addition to these, you are free to construct the template in a way that suits your company. Don't worry; we have provided you with a customizable template so you don't have to start from a blank page.
Customize Staff Appraisals for Your Company
Staff appraisals can vary depending on how your organization is structured and what needs you have. In AmpliFlow, you can adjust the template so that the conversation becomes relevant and value-creating.
Activities in Staff Appraisals
To provide extra support for the staff appraisal, you can add "Activities" created in the same way as in a checklist template or deviation form. "Activities" refer to different types of fields and functions that help you capture important information. It can range from a simple text comment to a more complex task list.
Types of Activities
Below are examples of activity types you can add:
- Value (1 line of text): Used when you want a short text field. Perhaps for a specific key figure or to write a summary point, e.g., "Desired training: X."
- Text (Multiple lines of text): A larger text field for more detailed comments. Suitable if you need to describe a situation in more detail.
- Task List: Create a list with subtasks that need to be addressed. It can be useful for breaking down larger goals into smaller, more manageable parts. Each task can be assigned a responsible person and a deadline.
- Date and Time: Used to specify when a particular action or event should occur. For example, you can indicate when the next staff appraisal will be held or when a training is planned.
- Photo: If there is a need to document visual evidence or examples, you can add a photo. It can be useful for documenting work environment conditions or similar.
- Options (Dropdown): Create a list of predefined options. It can be practical when you want employees to choose from predetermined answers, e.g., "Very satisfied," "Satisfied," "Dissatisfied."
- Customers and Suppliers: Choose from the customer and supplier registry in AmpliFlow. If the conversation concerns specific customers or suppliers, you can quickly and easily link these to the conversation.
- Article and Barcodes: If the conversation includes discussions about specific products or inventory, you can link to the article registry or use barcodes to identify items.
- Generate Barcode: Allow the user to create a barcode directly in the conversation, which can be useful for internal tracking or documentation.
- Hyperlink: Add links to external resources or internal systems for further reading and reference.
- User: Link the conversation to specific users in AmpliFlow. For example, you might want a team to rotate frequently in collaboration and track which employees they have collaborated with in the recent period.
- Positions: Link the conversation to specific positions in AmpliFlow. This can, for instance, provide a quick overview of which roles employees wish to collaborate more with.
- Competencies: Choose from the competency registry. Here, you can easily follow which competencies should be developed or which training might be needed.
- Custom List / Customized Lists: If you have your own customized lists or registries, you can choose rows from these to further personalize the conversation. It provides an even more tailored experience and documentation.
Customize According to Company-Specific Requirements
For staff appraisals to fit your company, you can add specific activities that apply to all conversations. It can, for instance, be a mandatory discussion point about sustainability, work environment, or the company's values. With the help of AmpliFlow, you can ensure that each conversation includes the parts that are most important for your organization.
By using the template and tips above, we hope you have a smooth and efficient experience with staff appraisals in AmpliFlow. You can easily follow up on the conversations, document important insights, and drive improvements throughout the organization. Should you have further questions or need additional support, you are always welcome to contact our support.
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Thank you for using AmpliFlow to manage your staff appraisals and for striving to create a better work environment for all employees!‍
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