Overcoming a Low Performance Rating
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The odds are high you could receive at least one poor performance review during your career, even if you are a good employee. This is not a time to panic or retaliate against your employer. Staying calm provides you an opportunity to gain valuable feedback from your employer. Consider this an opportunity to shine at your next performance review by improving your performance and meeting or exceeding your manager’s expectations. It may also be a sign that it is time for you to move on.
Analyse Your Performance
The first step to take when you receive a negative performance review is to analyse your performance. Take time to consider your boss’s comments. Rather than get overly upset or storm off, take some time to inspect your manager’s comments. Consider whether your boss pointed out legitimate reasons for rating you poorly. Consider whether your performance has declined, you have a new boss with expectations different from your own, or you are stubborn and unwilling to meet new standards or ways of doing things. Avoid getting emotional while you determine the cause for your poor performance rating. This is a valuable time for you to learn from any mistakes you may have made.
Meet with Management
Schedule a second meeting with your boss or manager to review your performance rating in more detail. Ask your manager for more specific examples or reasons as to why you received a poor review. Find out if there are specific steps you can take to improve your performance. As your supervisor works with you be sure to take notes to show you are eager to improve your performance, and that you take your work seriously.
Action Plan
Determine if the steps your boss outlined are reasonable. Take some time to consider your role in the company and make sure this fits with your long-term goals. Sometimes a poor performance review is a result of your need to move on. Some people use a negative performance review as a motivation to move to a new company with new opportunities. Some will even start a business. More often than not, you will find you can take the information provided by your boss to create an action plan for success. Use this information to determine what steps you need to take to improve your performance on a daily basis.
Log Your Achievements
As you carry out your goals and the steps in your action plan, make a note of your achievements. Meet with your supervisor regularly. This may be weekly, monthly, or semi-monthly. Ensure you are on task and meeting your supervisor’s expectations for performance. Bring your notes of personal accomplishments to your supervisor’s attention. The next time your performance is reviewed, you will be more than prepared to list your accomplishments, and can expect a positive review.
