ABSTRACT
The end-of-year interview is often an unpleasant experience for managers and employees, yet it remains the main focus of the performance planning and review process in many organisations. A few organisations persist with the practice of preparing written performance reviews which are then placed on the employee’s file. Preparation for the performance review should have begun when the manager and the employee agreed on a performance plan. Employees should also be encouraged to prepare for the performance review discussion. Their preparation should be similar to that undertaken by managers—a review of the performance plan, any changes in responsibilities or priorities, the reasons why targets have been met or not met, and so on. Many organisations introduce employees to the performance planning and review system as soon as they join, making it a feature of the induction program and providing employees with detailed information on how the system works.
