What to Do If an Employee Disagrees With Their Performance Review

Understanding the cause of the disagreement 

A strong employee performance review process can generate various positive results for workers and businesses alike, including stronger relationships based on fair recognition for people's achievements and clear professional development plans.

However, there's also a risk of these events leading to negative outcomes, such as disputes between managers and staff stemming from disagreement over the conclusions of an assessment.

It's important to be prepared for this scenario and to have a plan of action in case an employee takes issue with their latest performance appraisal.

Before addressing the disagreement, it's crucial to understand its root cause. Disagreements may stem from various factors, including differences in perception, unclear performance criteria, biased evaluations, or inadequate communication between managers and employees.

Identifying the underlying reasons behind the disagreement can help employers tailor their approach to resolving the issue effectively.

Communication and transparency

Open communication is key to resolving disagreements. Employers should encourage employees to express their concerns and provide feedback on their performance reviews in a safe and non-judgmental environment.

Additionally, managers should be transparent about the evaluation process, clarifying the criteria used and addressing any misunderstandings promptly. Research suggests that open communication is essential for resolving conflicts and fostering a positive work environment.

An effective performance review typically consists of four components

1. Goal setting: This involves setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for the upcoming review period. These goals should align with the employee's job responsibilities and the organization's strategic objectives.

2. Ongoing feedback: Regular feedback throughout the review period helps employees stay on track and make necessary adjustments to achieve their goals. Managers should provide both positive and constructive feedback on an ongoing basis to ensure that employees have a clear understanding of how they are performing.

3. Performance evaluation: At the end of the review period, managers should evaluate the employee's performance against the goals that were set. This evaluation should be based on objective criteria, such as metrics or data, as well as subjective assessments of the employee's behaviors, skills, and competencies.

4. Development planning: Once the evaluation is complete, the manager and employee should work together to create a development plan that addresses any areas for improvement and identifies opportunities for growth and development. The employee development plan should include specific actions and timelines and should be reviewed and updated regularly to ensure that progress is being made.

Let the employee speak (but don't get sucked into a debate)

It's important that employees feel they're being given a fair opportunity to speak their minds and put forward their side of the story. If you don't give them this chance, they'll feel marginalized or ignored, which will add more friction to the relationship and make it harder to find a resolution.

However, you should also bear in mind that there's little to be gained from constantly going over the same issues and getting into a debate over who's 'right' and who's 'wrong'. 

It's not the manager's job to make the case for a poor performance review to their direct reports, nor is it a good use of anyone's time.

Instead, recognize the employee's concerns, acknowledge that there's disagreement over the conclusions of their appraisal, and focus on how you can move forward and help them make the improvements you're looking for before their next evaluation.

Conduct the evaluation meeting

In the evaluation meeting, it's crucial to navigate discussions with clarity, empathy, and a focus on constructive outcomes. Here are three essential approaches to consider:

1. Acknowledging different perspectives: Begin by acknowledging potential differences in perspectives between yourself and the employee, stemming from their self-assessment. Encourage the employee to share their viewpoint openly while ensuring discussions stay on track without veering into prolonged debates. Allow the employee to express their thoughts while staying focused on the evaluation's objective.

2. Maintaining focus on expectations: While it's valuable to understand the employee's perspective, the primary aim isn't to sway them to your viewpoint. Instead, concentrate on discussing specific areas for growth and clearly outlining expectations for future performance. Offer tangible, actionable steps for improvement. Guide the conversation towards actionable feedback and improvement expectations, steering clear of lengthy debates.

3. Handling resistance effectively: Anticipate potential resistance or defensiveness, and respond with clear, assertive communication. Use phrases that acknowledge differing perspectives while reinforcing expectations and consequences. Ensure any disparities between the employee's self-assessment and the manager's evaluation are addressed, ensuring accurate performance ratings.

Employ a diplomatic yet firm approach to handle resistance and underscore performance expectations.

Offer the option of a written reply

You can go a step further in making sure workers have a platform to express their feelings by giving them the option to submit a written reply to their performance appraisal.

There are a number of reasons why this can be useful, including showing the employee that you take their concerns seriously and you want to have a written record of their input. This is a good way of legitimizing their contributions and including them in the process, without getting caught up in repetitive verbal exchanges.

Furthermore, asking the worker to put their thoughts down on paper can make it easier for you to get to the root cause of their dissatisfaction. When someone is given the time to express themselves in writing, it can lead to greater clarity and detail than you might be able to achieve in a face-to-face conversation.

Revisit the evaluation

In cases where employees strongly disagree with their performance reviews, employers may consider revisiting the evaluation process. This could involve conducting a thorough review of the feedback, reassessing performance metrics, and seeking input from additional sources if necessary.

However, it's essential to approach this process with sensitivity and objectivity to maintain trust and credibility.

Bring in a third party

If you're struggling to move on from a disagreement over a bad performance review, or you're facing accusations of unfair treatment, the next step could be to bring in an impartial third party to review the case, such as a HR professional or mediator, to facilitate constructive dialogue and resolution.

An experienced HR representative, for example, will be able to take an unbiased look at what has transpired so far, in an effort to draw conclusions such as:

• Whether the employee has a legitimate complaint
• If there are any indications of unfair or prejudicial treatment
• If the conclusions in the performance review are supported by evidence and data

A mediator who's looking at the situation with a fresh pair of eyes might be able to suggest new solutions and approaches that haven't been tried yet. They could also be better placed to have a calm and reasonable discussion with the employee about their worries and what might be the best way to move forward and restore trust and collaboration between the employee and the organization.

Be clear and specific with ongoing feedback

One possible cause of disagreement with staff is giving unclear feedback, and not being specific enough when talking to people about what you hope and expect to see from them in the workplace.

When you're attempting to move on from a disputed evaluation, it's crucial to be precise and methodical in the information you provide to the employee.

Explain exactly what they need to do, and how their performance needs to change to achieve better results in their next review. You might also want to go into detail about why you think they're currently falling short of these standards, to ensure there's context and data to support your statements.

Maintain regular communications

Another common reason for an employee to disagree with their performance review is if the nature of the conversation comes as a surprise to them.

If an employee thinks they've been doing a good job, only to discover during an appraisal that their manager believes quite the opposite, they might feel shocked and caught off guard. This will raise the likelihood of them being less than receptive to the outcomes of their evaluation.

This disconnect between employee and manager opinions is likely the result of poor communication and could suggest there are flaws in your approach to delivering employee feedback.

Moving forward, you can reduce the risk of disagreements occurring again with the same person, as well as other members of staff, by staying in regular contact and taking every opportunity to share your observations on how they're performing.

The provision of regular, relevant and constructive feedback is a crucial part of the employee experience, and can help you build strong, lasting relationships with your workforce.

Resolve conflict and build success

In conclusion, performance reviews are an important process for employee development when conducted effectively. However, disagreements may still occur due to various potential factors. The keys to resolving conflicts in a constructive manner are open communication, transparency about expectations and criteria, acknowledging different viewpoints respectfully, and maintaining a solution-focused approach.

With regular feedback and dialogue between reviews, managers can help prevent issues and build strong working relationships with their team members. Overall, the goal should be a fair, helpful and engaging review process that benefits both employees and the organization in the long run.

Further Reading

• How Should HR Teams Be Documenting Employee Performance?
• Your Teams' Productivity is Plummeting: Here's How to Talk About Employee Performance
• Why Your Employees Hate their Performance Appraisals (And 4 Ways to Change This)
• Building a Culture of Open Communication: Overcoming Barriers & Fostering Growth