Can Self-Reporting of Performance Be Helpful?

Spoiler alert: Yes it can!

Some forms of self-reporting, as part of employee assessment snd review, ask those employees to report on how well they have performed.

One would assume that most employees would consider their performance to be good – or at least ‘acceptable’.

In fact, employees are generally quite honest -and quite perceptive, in self-reporting their performance.  This is useful it gives not just an indication of self-value but a benchmark against which an employer evaluation can be compared.   

If both (employee and employer) evaluations suggest sub-standard performance, it is much easier to agree a forward development path with the employee.

If the employee is happy with his/her performance but the employer is not, a discussion is necessary to see if the employee is fully aware of the requirements/standards for the work.

If the employee is unhappy with their own performance, but the employer is not, this should be investigated.  It might mean the employee is unhappy with some other aspect of the work/employment or is more generally disengaged.

If both agree performance is good, there is no problem – but a friendly chat might serve as a welcome reward to increase employee well-being.

So self-reporting of performance provide the means by which an employee/employer gap in perception of performance can be identified and used to drive improvement.