Status: LIVE

Performance Review Protocol

• It should be in +6mo and +12mo intervals. Based off when the team member joined (not the calendar year).

• The superior must come prepared with notes that include the following. Adhere to this template to ensure that we have continuity across team members.

  • Feedback

    • Things done above and beyond the call of duty

    • Things done well, as expected of the job. "good job" comments

    • Things that can be improved. But aren't a problem. This is constructive mentoring.

    • Things that are a problem and need to be improved.

  • Promotion/demotion details including: role changes, salary, title, key dates and conditions.

• All points need to be discussed with the report. .

• Give the report opportunity to speak. Do they have career goals? Are there things getting in the way of their performance?

• The superior must record meeting notes that cover all discussion topics. Not only action points.

• Both parties can end up with action points.

• There should be no sidenotes that the superior has, but the report hasn't.

• Superior must send complete notes to report afterwards. Report must return a signed copy.

• Unlike 1::1s, performance reviews are not confidential. They are shared with the Management team.

• Give a heads up. Anticipating a performance review can be stressful. As the superior, give an indication of whether it's all-great, mostly-great, or not-that-good, so that your report can prepare emotionally.

• In cases of roles with dual-superiors (Engineer, PM, QA), you are jointly responsible so work as a team to prepare and give the performance review.

• If there is a promotion/demotion involved, get it ratified before the performance review so that you can present a holistic picture.

• Performance reviews shouldn't feel like a dominance ritual. It's really about helping develop people's abilities (accelerating career progressions), and keeping our skill/compenatation matrix fair as people's abilities and roles change.

• Be very cautious of the Peter Principle when it comes to people who have been promoted into a role that they are not effective at and/or have failed to grow into. This is tough, but in such cases, try to find alternative roles.