The Benefits of Employee Self-Reviews

Standard employee performance reviews open up constructive communication between managers and employees, but sometimes this traditional form of evaluation alone isn't adequate. Employee self-reviews

Performance reviews can be a headache for managers to write. Conventional staff evaluations often pit a manager's sensibilities against an employee's performance in unconstructive ways. Today, more and more companies are turning to alternative ways of evaluating a worker's performance. Self-reviews are one option. In general, though, employee self-reviews are not conducted in order to ensure a raise, promotion, or a coveted bonus. Rather, they are used to help initiate a dialogue, encourage personal growth, and facilitate employee development.

Unlike traditional reviews (which can minimize an employee's sense of control), self-reviews give people the opportunity to correct problems in a nonjudgmental manner. Plus, instead of simply telling employees what they're doing right or wrong, a self-review offers an introspective point of view.