Episode 102: Performance Reviews in a COVID-19 Year

Welcome to the Workplace, a podcast by Cal Chamber. I'm Erica Frank, Cal Chambers General Counsel and Executive Vice President. And back on the podcast today is Jen Shah of the Shah Law Group. Welcome back, Jen.

Thank you, Erica.

So it is quite funny to think that last year at this time we are recording our holiday podcast with humorous clips from the movie Elf. Unfortunately, this year things are just a little bit different and we've really focused on those issues that are impacting employers and in particular remote work life in the midst of COVID 19. And one of those topics that comes to mind as we approach the end of the year are those year end performance reviews. So let's talk a little bit about them. I guess I'm just going to throw out the first question because this year has been so different for most employers. Should they just ditch the year end performance review altogether and start fresh at 2021?

Well, I think there's a real temptation to do that, to be honest, if for no other reason, because we're just overwhelmed and you know, we've all sort of just had it with this nightmare that we call Covid. And so I think that there is a temptation I want to counsel against doing that for a couple of reasons. Number one, it is really valuable to your employees to give them feedback. And I think sometimes employers forget how much employees appreciate the feedback they receive. So I don't think if you've been doing annual reviews, I don't think this is the year to stop doing them. And even if you have not done annual performance evaluations, I think this is a great year to recognize what people have done, to pivot and shift and, and adapt and multitask times a million with kids at home and all sorts of things going on. So I feel like it's really a great opportunity to let employees know, look, these are the things you did really well this year. I mean, this is unprecedented. We didn't expect it. And then also to recognize, guess what, we got a vaccine. Right? Things are looking up here. We're hoping within the next six months things are going to be lifted a bit. So certainly let's talk about what the expectations are for next year. We can't put everything on hold until Covid is done. So I think it's more of sort of a level setting and it's sort of where are we? Let's check in. Than it is a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 evaluation this year.

You know, I think for a lot of our employers that are listening and employees for that matter, probably breathe a sigh of relief Hearing you say that, because for a lot of performance reviews, it's based on metrics, based on hitting quotas and goals. And many of those quotas and goals may have been unattainable due to the uncontrollable nature that this year took. And so recognizing you may not have hit the goal that we set to sell X amount of widgets, but look what you did with kids at home working from your dining room table. And I like Jen, what you were mentioning about pivoting. So for, for some employers and for a lot of employees for that matter, they were so used to collaborating with colleagues in person and being able to walk down the hallway and chat about a project and all of a sudden it was telephoning. I mean, who picked up the phone? Or perhaps it was zooming. Zooming became a new verb, so to speak, of how we connected. And, and that really is a whole nother element. Many people don't like to be in front of a camera. They don't like to see how zoom portrays them. So I think that that's very, very insightful information and something that employers should really think about when they're evaluating their employees this year.

When I think about this, Erica, I think about how 99% of employees put the pedal to the metal and got it done in the craziest of circumstances. We're always going to have some underperformers, some dim lights, whatever you want to call them. But the bottom line is most people really got it done. And I've talked before about the bias I had against working at home that, you know, I have one long term attorney, Elena, who's always done an amazing job working at home. But it hasn't always worked out when I've done it in other situations. And let me tell you, people really rose to the occasion in our firm and I want to recognize that. So part of it is if you don't do the annual review, you miss that one on one. It's helpful to tell everybody all together, thank you for what you've done and thank you for your commitment to us and to our clients and to our vendors and to our patients, whoever they are. But nothing substitutes for that one on one feedback where your leader is willing to take a half an hour out of their busy schedule, sit down with you and say, this is what went really well. And yes, there are some opportunity areas because there always are. And I want you to tell me what my opportunity areas are. But I want to recognize that I know this wasn't easy for you. Now Some of your listeners.

Have had people who have teleworked this whole time. Nothing changed for them. Okay, well, then evaluate them based on what you evaluated them on last year. I'm not telling you to throw out the evaluations, but what I am saying is what you mentioned earlier, Erica, for those employees where things really did 180 degree turn, it's honestly just not fair to hold them to the same standards and the same metrics. We've got to look at the big picture here.

I think that's really important. And I think also that's one of the reasons why I would figure that a lot of employers would rather just skip it this year because they're trying to struggle with. They don't want to give their employee bad news. They don't want to give them a poor performance review that could impact their ability to perhaps earn more money next year or whatnot. So as we've all been this year, creative and we've done our best and we've all pivoted, the same would be true for how we conduct our performance reviews of our employees.

Well, that's exactly right. And one of the misconceptions, I think, Erica, is that with a positive performance review comes an increase in compensation.

Yes.

And you know, most of us are not going to be giving very significant increases in compensation. You know, we're going to be doing something that's basically recognizing inflation and not much else because we're a small business and we've seen some wild fluctuations this year. So one of the other things that I think some employers get caught up in is thinking, well, I can't afford to give them a raise, so I don't want to give them good feedback if it's not going to come with money. Well, you know what's really interesting, and I've learned it so much this year, it's not all about money. And that feedback that the leader is willing to give is priceless because it shows the employee you're willing to invest in them, you're willing to hear them out, and yes, you're willing to coach them so they can even do better next year. Like, those are all great things that you can do.

But to give that up. I think this is such a ripe opportunity for being able to really enhance that bond that we have with our employees, that we've got to take this opportunity to do it.

And picking up on what you said a few minutes ago on leveling up, and I think what you were talking about, resetting the clock, basically looking to 20, 21 using an opportunity to, all right, let's address 2020, but let's look at 2021. We've had the craziest year, probably the wildest year any of us will ever have, let's hope, knock on wood. So, you know, what can we set for 2021? Where can we look? And I think you had mentioned using it as an opportunity to look to 2021.

Well, I think that's right. And, you know, we all have ideas about how things could go better. I mean, one of the things I do every year at this time is I do all of our staff and attorney evaluations, but I do my own evaluation, and I sit down with our firm administrator and with all the good lawyers, and I get feedback and I decide I what I could be doing better next year. And there are a lot of things that I have identified that I could be doing better. And so from that perspective, it is really almost a gift that we have got a little bit of time. You know, we are not going to be ramping up to traveling like many of us were for a while. So I really want to use this opportunity to get some goals in place for next year that are doable. Even if they're a little bit of a reach, they're doable, and they're also something that can get us enthused. Because part of what's happening, I think, is we have Covid fatigue. I mean, I don't know what the right word is, but some of us are just worn the heck out. And I think that's part of. If we buy into that as employers, we sort of pile on the negativity. We, rather than taking the opportunity to say, hey, guess what? We're going to meet together next week for 30 minutes, and I really want to talk to you. You've done such great things this year, and, you know, there are some goals I want to talk to you about. I want to partner with you. I want to collaborate. The verbs we use are important. How we're going to communicate together. How are we going to get this done together? Those are all really important concepts. And I feel like we have a really unique opportunity to do that right now. And it's a real.

It's tempting, I know, to skip it, but I just want to suggest that there are so many good reasons not to do that.

There definitely are many good reasons. You've summarized, you've summed them all up today, recognizing what employers did throughout the year to continue performing their job at the best of their ability. Given all of the roadblocks and landmines that have been popping up left and right, and just the level of uncertainty that 2020 brought to all of us and their ability to continue. And that's a huge feat in of itself. Well, what a great way to end today's podcast on such an important topic, and one that I hope is helpful to all of you listening today. Jen, thanks again for being with us. It's always a pleasure, Erica.

Thank you so much.

And thank you for joining us on the Workplace. Please comment, share and subscribe to Cal Chambers podcast by visiting calchamber.com.