How Do You Fairly Manage Employee Performance During a Crisis Like COVID-19?

Managing employee performance fairly during a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic requires a fundamental shift from traditional methods. Based on our assessment experience, success hinges on adapting review systems for equity, evaluating key behaviors, and delivering feedback that motivates rather than demoralizes.

How Can You Adapt Your Performance Review System for Fairness?

The first step is to acknowledge that the pandemic was a macro challenge with highly individual impacts. Before a review, assess how an employee's role was affected by circumstances beyond their control. A key performance indicator (KPI), a quantifiable metric used to evaluate success against objectives, may have become impossible to achieve due to lockdowns or shifting priorities. Formally grading such a KPI is often not constructive.

For instance, a sales team member grappling with childcare responsibilities cannot be assessed on the same "level playing field" as a colleague without such demands. Failing to factor in these mitigating circumstances can demoralize employees and harm future performance. The goal is to assess what was achievable within their unique context.

Why Should You Focus on Behaviors Instead of Just KPIs?

When goals are unfair to assess, it becomes more meaningful to evaluate how an individual demonstrated critical behaviors. Key areas to explore include:

• Adaptability: How did they adjust their approach when plans changed?
• Teamwork: Did they support colleagues during the transition?
• Communication: How effectively did they maintain contact in a remote setting?

For leaders, it’s vital to assess if they made decisive decisions and upheld their duty of care to staff. The crisis may have revealed new, positive behaviors that should be celebrated. Conversely, it may have highlighted areas for development, providing a valuable opportunity for constructive feedback. These competencies are crucial for success in a post-pandemic world.

How Do You Make Feedback Motivating and Meaningful?

The shift to remote work has been challenging for many. Feedback should serve to motivate. It is usually straightforward to identify areas where an employee excelled, regardless of seniority. For a new hire, simply mastering role basics virtually is an achievement. For a manager, positive feedback from their team on support received is a significant win. The focus should be on recognizing effort and resilience under difficult conditions.

Is It Appropriate to Address Areas for Improvement?

Yes, but with balance and empathy. While circumstances are extenuating, it is still important to discuss where work fell short and the lessons learned. The key is to establish how much personal challenges hampered performance. The crisis may have also shifted an employee's motivations or career ambitions, making this a critical time for a constructive dialogue about the future.

When addressing underperformance, let the employee lead the conversation on solutions to foster accountability and ownership. Collaborate to set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-framed) to facilitate improvement. Importantly, feedback on poor performance should not be a surprise if you have maintained regular one-to-one catch-ups.

Ultimately, to set your team up for success, remember these key points:

• Adapt review criteria to account for individual circumstances.
• Evaluate demonstrated behaviors like adaptability and communication.
• Frame feedback to motivate and recognize achievements, however small.
• Address underperformance constructively by collaborating on SMART goals.