My annual performance review made me realize we need to kill performance reviews
The article argues that annual performance reviews are ineffective, anxiety-inducing, and fail to motivate employees. It suggests that companies should replace these infrequent rituals with regular, human-centric feedback loops.
Why it matters
The piece challenges a standard corporate practice, reflecting a growing trend in management theory toward continuous performance management.
Getty Images; Alyssa Powell/BI Is that a bear chasing you, or is it time for your annual performance review ? Your body might not be able to tell the difference — both trigger a fight-or-flight response. While not as immediately dangerous as an ursine attack, almost everyone lives in fear of their annual performance review. A recent Gallup survey found that only two out of 10 employees say their employer manages their performance in a way that actually motivates them to do good work. Even the people running the show know it's a sham: 2% of Fortune 500 chief human resources officers believe their performance management systems inspire improvement. So why, exactly, do we insist on the once-a-year rigmarole? The underlying idea is sound. Feedback is important in the workplace. Nobody wants employees guessing willy-nilly how to do their jobs. But annual performance reviews are an imperfect vehicle.
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