You’ve probably heard the phrase, “There are no stupid questions, only stupid answers.” When it comes to assessing employee performance, that’s not the case. There are a number of employee evaluation questions (360 degree feedback) that might seem like a good idea when you’re formulating the questionnaire, but they don’t give you the answers you need to improve performance and accomplish organizational goals.
Read on to learn some of the most useless questions on employee assessment surveys, and what you should ask instead.
“What Have You Done This Year?”
On the face of it, this employee evaluation question doesn’t seem so stupid. You’re asking the employee to talk about his or her achievements.
However, this is really just a chance for the employee to discuss how great he or she is. It doesn’t give you a full picture of that person’s performance over the course of the year. If you absolutely must ask this question, be sure to follow up with a question about where that person could improve further.
“What’s Your Personality Type?”
Some personalities are better suited for particular positions. Outgoing people make great customer service representatives, for example.
But asking this question during an evaluation doesn’t really give the employer any insight into an employee’s performance. Skip vague questions such as “What’s your personality type?” Instead, ask whether the person is fulfilling his or her duties on time.
“Do You Trust Your Boss or Coworkers?”
This question isn’t the right way to find out that information.
Mark Murphy, a contributor to Forbes, points out that this question is far too vague. What if the respondent says that he or she doesn’t trust his or her boss or coworkers? How do you remedy that problem? Murphy suggests asking more direct questions, such as “Does my boss respond constructively when I share a work problem?” If the employee answers, “no,” you know what the issue is, and you can start fixing it.
Ask the Right Questions with 360 Degree Evaluation Software
You don’t need to struggle to find the right questions for your employee performance reviews. Grapevine Evaluations 360 degree feedback software
enables human resource professionals to choose from a variety of customizable questions, so they receive the information their company needs to succeed and grow.
Grapevine Evaluations are trusted by such companies as Pandora, Macy’s, and Thomson Reuters.