A: I found out about the Grapevine scholarship through StudentAwards.com.

A: I was incredibly proud to have received the Grapevine scholarship- it is truly a privilege that I am grateful for. Through writing the blog entry as part of the application, I gained a sincere appreciation for employee evaluations and the role they play in operating a modern business. As I develop my career in business, I will look to employee evaluations for a source of inspiration and communication in the workplace. The scholarship itself contributed to my studies at the Schulich School of Business- I am using it to buy textbooks for this year and next. It is a great privilege that has made a real difference to affording my education.

A: Three traits you’d find in my dream workplace are innovation, empathy, and a strive for excellence. Creating an environment where innovation is encouraged is more difficult than it sounds– it means that employees can take risks and learn from their mistakes. Innovation allows for businesses and their employees to flourish in the long run. Empathy is important because it involves communication and mutual understanding amongst all those in the workplace- respect in this sense fosters job satisfaction and strong teamwork. Finally, a strive for excellence should be present in the workplace. Everyone, from custodian to CEO, should show genuine enthusiasm for performing to the best of their ability– for both personal growth and organizational benefit.

A: My first experience with 360 degree feedback was in high school. While the results only measured a small project, I found the feedback to be invaluable. Hearing what my classmates thought about my performance as a teammate, (instead of just the teacher’s feedback) allowed me to hear how I could improve my skills as a member of the team. I was able to use the advice to improve in future- not only the end product, but my interactions with team members. It also gave me tremendous encouragement when the feedback was positive, because my teammates were expressing gratitude.

A: Fairness is integral to employee evaluations, as it promotes a sense of trust and openness between a leader and his or her team. Employees know whether their leader is telling the truth, and fairness in job evaluations helps employees understand that their leader respects their contributions to the workplace and is genuinely interested in fostering personal growth. Without fairness in employee evaluations, employees will come to treat the office only as a political arena, and lose focus of the company’s vision.

I think that evaluations should measure both quantitative and qualitative attributes of employees. Many companies seem to focus on one over the other, but I think they’re both equally important. Quantitative evaluations should measure performance figures and measurable attributes. Qualitative attributes, like feedback from colleagues and direct-reports, is also important as it reflects the workplace environment and the employee’s contribution to the well being of the workplace.

Additionally, I think that incentives should be closer related to qualitative employee evaluations. performance-based bonuses are highly motivating, but employees who are charismatic and strong team players should also be rewarded. Presenting these incentives at the same time as the evaluations will help employees realize the importance of interpersonal performance.

If I was restricted to just one feedback question after a project, it would be:

This question encourages answers that are specific and realistic. It’s not too open ended, so the results should be practical and genuine. Also, it’s based on past performance (not “…next time” improvements) so results will be more factual rather than a wish-list of ideal character traits.