Year-End Staff Reviews are Necessary and Helpful if Done Correctly

Can you believe it’s December already?

In many churches, December is all about staff performance reviews, Christmas bonus considerations, and determining next year’s budget (and deciding on the cost of living or pay increases for 2022). Of course, some churches start this process much earlier than December. But if you haven’t, and you’re still crunching to get this year’s ‘required’ staff performance reviews finished up, this may be helpful to you.

Let's be honest, performance reviews may your favorite part of the job. But they are important in making sure everyone is on the same page. Alison Green writes:

"This is the one time of the year when you’re both charged with stepping back and reflecting on how things are going and when you’re supposed to deliver a formal message about how you see the person’s performance and the path ahead."

That being said, here are three things that you should NOT say when reviewing a staff member's 2022 performance.

1. Don’t say, “I haven’t had much time to prepare for this.” - Maybe you didn't have much time to prepare, but let's not make the employee feel less valued by announcing that.
   
   
2. Don’t compare the person to other staff members - Compare the employee to their job responsibilities, not other people
   
   
3. Don’t focus on personality over results - Give measurable and specific feedback that can show your staff how they can improve, not just general personality issues

As you enter into 2023, either as a church staff member or a church staff supervisor, we can help you sort out things like performance reviews, salary negotiations, and finding a great new staff person (or new church) for you.  Pop me an email at Todd.Rhoades@ChemistryStaffing.com to start a conversation!