11.

Performance Reviews and Promotions

Performance reviews. We all have a love/hate relationship with them. Just doing one takes so much time, thought, and effort that the idea of doing one for every member of your staff can feel pretty daunting. As a manager you may have handled tons of performance reviews already. Or maybe you haven’t. Either way, performance reviews are an essential part of how virtual employees are often seen, motivated, and evaluated.

This is one of the opportunities you, as a manager, have to invest in each individual employee to let them know how appreciated and valued they are. You get the chance to build your virtual team up by recognizing them for the amazing work they’ve done over the last year (or however long it’s been since the last review), while also having an open and honest conversation about areas that need improvement.

The time you spend focusing on each staff member is a high-mileage activity that can take your organization to the next level. Who doesn’t want to be noticed and praised for the work they’ve accomplished? We’d even dare to suggest that staff are also appreciative of your constructive feedback because everyone wants continued growth.

Your employees should have the opportunity to have their hard work and dedication formally recognized in their personnel file. Now, we bet the question you’re asking yourself is, “Is there anything different about performance measures for a virtual employee?” The short answer is yes. There aren’t a ton of differences, but there are enough that it matters. Make sure you know the details to make your virtual management the best it can be.

Let’s Level Set, Shall We?

We’ve already talked about the importance of the hiring process and making sure you have the most trustworthy and capable people on your team. Once they are on your team, they need a very clear, very specific set of performance measures to work toward. Why? Because people want and need to feel like they are being productive and doing meaningful work—and that is no different in the virtual environment. They want feedback beyond the daily or weekly communication you’re already having.

The Importance of Virtual Performance Measures

In the chapter on hiring and interviews we talked about thinking through the entire process before you begin. This includes whatever performance measures you want to have in place. If you are hiring for an existing virtual role you can simply review the current performance measures, but if it’s for a brand-new role, you will have to think through what these measures look like for that position.

We recommend setting up a merit-based system from the start—one where you know if someone is doing a good job based on the quality of their work, as well as their ability to meet deadlines. This might take a little more up-front effort on your part, but it will provide another layer of evidence when making decisions about promotions. Additionally, set clear guidelines for promotions. Don’t make your employees wonder if or when a promotion will happen. Outline a clear hierarchy to work toward—if you want to see your staff work hard, give them clear goals.

Think about it. When you cannot see your employee on a minute-by-minute basis because they are working around the world or completely different hours from you, performance measures are the absolute best way you have as a manager to determine how your employees are performing. And that in turn is the best way to know that your virtual employee is working out—they know what work they have to do, they know what their deadlines are, and they get things done. This is also a great way to build trust and rapport with your virtual staff; they know that you trust them enough to point them in the right direction and watch them go.

What Makes Reviews Different for Virtual Employees?

Performance reviews, we believe, have changed over the years. They’re no longer just a litany of what an employee did right or wrong or a one-sided monologue that focuses more on the manager and the organization than the employee—or at least they shouldn’t be! Today, performance reviews should spark good, productive conversations between the employer or manager and the employee. And in a virtual employment setting, performance reviews become even more important elements of an employee’s work experience.

Checking in periodically with a performance review that acknowledges goals the employee has met (or even crushed!) and identifies the areas in which more action is needed or new goals that need to be set is crucial for the employee’s development and career path. This type of review also benefits the organization because an employee who feels recognized and appreciated is more likely to go above and beyond for their employer in the future.

The other obvious difference for performance reviews with a virtual employee is the fact that you may not be physically together when it’s time for the review. If it’s possible for you to meet in person (for example, you have budgeted for travel or live close enough to easily get together), that would be great. The next best thing is video conferencing. Doing a performance review over the phone can be acceptable, but only if no other way is possible.

Why use video? Because it’s important for you to be able to see each other’s facial expressions and body language. Video also lets you see and feel empathy and understanding coming from the other person, which will help to make the performance review as effective as possible.

When scheduling the time and location for the performance review, you and your employee should find places that are free from distractions and interruptions because you’ll be discussing private and confidential information. Also, make sure that you give the review the time it deserves, and that neither of you have to rush off in the middle of it to another meeting or call. Remember—this is one of the most important conversations you can have with your staff, so treat it as such. Also, be sure to log on a few minutes early so you can test the tech, make sure the sound and video work, and so forth. Once the review begins, you want to be able to stay on track and focus on the conversation at hand.

Beyond Reviewing Performance

In addition to their daily work, you’re also supervising a variety of additional workplace details and expectations for virtual employees. You can use performance reviews to talk about these things too. Ask how they’re doing with new or existing workplace technologies and tools. How are they doing in their home office? Are they working well with or relating to others in the virtual workplace? There are many topics about the virtual workplace you can cover that are probably not included in the metrics and outline of a traditional performance review.

This is your opportunity to really drill down and offer insights, support, or just an empathetic ear about performance and attributes unique to the virtual workplace. Don’t forget that.

A Few More Thoughts

Don’t host the review from a coffee shop. Meetings like performance reviews are personal, professional, and private in nature. So, make sure you’re in a secure space and that your employee is too. If they work in an environment where a spouse or family member is nearby or could be within earshot? Ask them to move to a more secluded place in their home.

Make note of cultural relevance. In a virtual workplace, culture is key. So don’t lose sight, during performance reviews and promotions, of how employees are or could be struggling to adapt to the culture at your organization. This could include issues such as not feeling comfortable speaking on conference calls, adjusting to different time zones, or even discomfort with “letting people into their home” on video calls. These are often organizational culture issues that need to be learned, not just understood, and can make the difference between an employee who is struggling or truly thriving in the workplace. Your job as a manager is to make them easier or more transparent when you can.

Signing Off

Performance reviews should never be negotiable or only happen “if I get around to them.” They should be done on a consistent basis, whatever that looks like to you. Trust us, employees desire that interaction and look forward to your feedback. Since virtual staff aren’t with you every day, they truly feel valued and are more likely to thrive when you dedicate time with them to set goals, evaluate their contributions, and highlight their accomplishments.