Performance reviews often cause stress and anxiety in most employees. Even when you know that you have done a great job, such feelings may still exist. This is largely because of your fear of not being evaluated in a fair manner. Given that the entire process can be quite daunting and elaborate, often going into minute details, there’s no denying the anxious moments that may accompany the procedure. However, the best way to overcome this fear is by understanding the process of employee performance review and taking steps to ensure that it goes smoothly.

Here are some tips that will help you make the most of your own performance appraisals:

• Lay the groundwork: Knowing the criteria that is required to be fulfilled during any employee performance review is the key to a less anxious experience. In other words, you should know what is expected of you in terms of your job, commitments, performance etc. Moreover, it is significant to understand the criteria on which you will be evaluated during the performance review. Going through these criteria with your immediate manager and determining the important ones that will make or break your review will help ensure better results.

• Evaluate your own performance: At regular intervals, it is important to evaluate where you stand with regard to your own performance. You should judge yourself based on the criteria that are important for your job and see if you have accomplished them. Creating a portfolio of your accomplishments could also come handy during a performance review.

• Recommendations in writing: Most employees, when they perform well, get applauded on their performances, either in writing or orally. Where the recommendation is in writing, it is important to store such documents for future reference. And where it is given orally, try and get it in writing. Having a list of recommendations and praises for your performance in the past will help you perform better in your review.

• Identify weaknesses and proactively overcome them: Often it is seen that most employees have their own problem areas. Identifying these areas in advance by keeping your mind and ears open to any criticism that might come your way will help improve your performance dramatically before an actual review. It is also important that managers talk to their employees about any dissatisfaction well before the review to give them time to improve.

• Conversation is the key: Conversation is the key to successful performance reviews or appraisals. Managers should ideally allow employees to talk about their work, difficulties being faced, challenges overcome etc. It is always better if you, as an employee, are prepared to discuss your work in detail. Being aware of how you overcame difficult situations in detail will help your employer understand how you truly performed.

• Setting goals for the future: A performance review is effective where the discussion ends with both parties setting goals for the future. While the past is important, future goals and requirements should be laid out with clarity to enable the employee to either improve or continue with the good work.

Using these above tips and factors, it is easy for an employee to enjoy their performance reviews without facing any anxious moments.