Commanding Performance Reviews

Consistent feedback helps both employees and supervisors, advises Rich Schappert of Casey’s General Stores.

October 13, 2015

LAS VEGAS – Performance reviews, those annual chores, can be a thrilling end to a winning year if you play by the rules, said Rich Schappert, vice president of information technology for Casey’s General Stores. “It’s a lot like baseball,” he during the NACS Show educational session, “Measuring Your People.”

The best way to measure the success of your personnel is feedback, not unlike stats that are collected on baseball players. “You are comparing players to one another and other teams, even if they have different positions in the game,” he said. “This gives them a landscape to work within.”

Defining key performance indicators (KPIs) for specific roles, translating those KPIs into measurable methods and using them to develop and mentor your staff are essential to take your business to the big leagues. KPIs should include quality and productivity, attendance and dependability, initiative and autonomy, behaviors and relationships.

“Use KPIs to grow your greatest asset: your staff,” Schappert said. The best way to keep up with your KPIs throughout the year is to continually take notes, gain input from others, review the appraisal, set goals and review the job description. “How you go about giving feedback can raise a good employee to a fantastic employee.”

If employees have a consistent method of instant feedback, they can improve and run with it. “Coach and provide guidance,” Schappert said, adding, “Tailor your performance evaluation to the positive and personalize to address the individual.”

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