Despite having a formal performance management system in place, companies may, at times, find that employees and managers are not effectively trained to conduct performance reviews. Some common concerns include giving high ratings to avoid difficult conversations and focusing on an employee’s recent mistakes while ignoring months of their solid performance. This can lead to rater bias. Likewise, some employees may even not fully understand how their work is being evaluated.
When managers and employees are effectively trained on performance management, it can lead to a positive experience where employees are valued for their contributions, cultural competence, innovation, and expertise. Managers as mentors can provide their employees with the guidance needed to develop. Employees can be trained on positive approaches to performance management that make difficult performance conversations less intense and more productive by encouraging an interactive appreciative dialogue.
Read this article: How to Evolve From Manager to Mentor and Create a Lasting Impact in Your Organization.
Why should managers and employees be trained on performance management?
What performance management topics can managers and employees be trained on, and why?
What types of rater bias can be addressed with effective training?
What role does mentoring play in performance management?
For Employees: Training ensures they fully understand the evaluation criteria and the process. This clarity reduces anxiety and empowers them to engage in the process constructively, viewing it as an opportunity to be valued for their contributions, innovation, and expertise, rather than simply being judged. It shifts the dynamic toward an interactive appreciative dialogue.
Performance Management Topics for Training
| Audience | Topic | Why the Topic is Important |
| Managers & Employees | Goal Setting (SMART) | Ensures performance objectives are clear, measurable, and aligned with organizational strategy, providing a non-ambiguous basis for evaluation. |
| Managers | Rater Bias Identification and Mitigation | Direct training on specific biases (like Recency or Leniency) helps managers deliver fair and accurate ratings that reflect the entire period, not just recent events. |
| Managers | The Manager-as-Mentor Model | Teaches managers how to shift from a supervisory role to a developmental one, focusing on coaching, career pathing, and providing the guidance needed to develop expertise and competence. |
Sample Answer
Managers and employees should be trained on performance management to ensure the system is applied accurately, fairly, and constructively, fostering development rather than merely evaluation. Without proper training, the formal system often fails due to bias and poor communication.
Why Training is Essential for Performance Management
Managers and employees need performance management training for distinct, yet interconnected, reasons:
For Managers: Training mitigates common pitfalls like rater bias (e.g., giving inflated scores to avoid conflict or focusing only on recent mistakes). It equips managers to become effective mentors who can provide meaningful, developmental guidance instead of just criticism.