By Bob Levoy

Conducting performance reviews is often as stressful for chiropractors and office managers as it is for employees. Avoiding reviews, however, creates even more stress and is not a solution. A lack of feedback — good or constructive — does not improve productivity or job performance.

If you are new to giving performance reviews, you’ll want to avoid some of the hard lessons that managers often go through. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

• Don’t delay a new-hire review. New employees should be evaluated shortly after they’re hired, typically after three months. If you spot a problem, it’s least painful and least expensive, for you and for them to discover it early.

The new hire is a “go” or “no go.” Don’t waste time trying to rehabilitate someone who’s a poor fit.

• Don’t discuss money in performance reviews. The issue on the table is the work, not the pay. Tell your employees before, during and after performance reviews that you will be conducting compensation reviews later but the issue today is improving performance.

• Stay focused on the present and future. The goal of the performance review should be improved performance in the future. Don’t make the common mistake of putting undue focus on past performance.

• Act on ‘burnout.’ “Sometimes, by interviewing employees, a doctor can discover the potential burnout or boredom that results from doing the same thing over and over,” says author/consultant Cathy Jameson.

“Often, you can defuse burnout by changing the job responsibility or switching people around. This switch may be temporary or you may discover that an employee blossoms in the new role and you may encourage her or him to stay in the new position. Switching roles, exchanging responsibilities or adding responsibilities, can uncover tremendous potential within team members.”

• Give employee’s a chance. “Performance reviews,” says consultant Jeffrey J. Denning, can help buttress your defense in the event you are sued by an employee (or more likely, a former employee). On the other hand, the absence of an evaluation or adequate review can sometimes be used against you with devastating results.

“Juries tend to come down hard on employers who don’t appear to have given an employee a chance to improve. And the employee with no bad reviews who suddenly finds herself fired, is justified in being shocked – and you may be equally shocked when she sues foe wrongful termination.”

Reality check: Employees’ on-the-job performance and productivity tend to improve when they know what’s expected and they receive periodic feedback about their work.

Bob Levoy is a seminar speaker and writer. He can be reached at 516-626-1353.