Self assessment of performance its Importance and advantages and application

But this task is necessary and HR has a fundamental role in conducting this process. Performance self-assessment is a tool widely used by companies to diagnose the behavioral profile of professionals and can be applied in different periods.

Importance and advantages of self-assessment

The performance self-assessment is able to collect relevant information about the employee, capable of guiding their career and taking them to another professional level. Through it, the individual knows better their behavioral profile , identifying their strengths and the competencies that need to be developed.

With this, the employee feels valued and challenged to evolve , resulting in positive points for his career and for productivity in the company. But self-assessment does not only benefit the professional and his/her career. The organization also has advantages.

Among them, the opportunity to make more assertive decisions in talent management, for example, bonuses and awards for performance, promotions for employees who stand out in the evaluations and even internal relocation between teams.

Another interesting advantage for the company is the possibility of identifying technical or knowledge gaps among employees who underwent the self-assessment. Based on this, People Management can facilitate the development of professionals with training, qualifications and courses.

Therefore, as you can see, self-assessment is an important instrument to point out how the employee is performing or to trigger an alert for points that need attention. In summary, the advantages of performance self-assessment are: 

• allow employees to recognize and understand where they need to improve in order to develop more and better;
• provide concrete and accurate results to HR and managers so they can make assertive decisions;
• provide information to the company on the profile of each employee, their professional characteristics and the results achieved.

How to apply

Self-assessment is linked to self-knowledge . But it is impossible to dissociate one from the other. Therefore, for the self-assessment to be successful, it is essential that the individual proposes to undergo a sincere reflection on his/her professional, behavioral and technical conduct.

In practice, self-assessment includes the application of questionnaires formulated by the HR department, containing questions about difficulties in the work routine, opportunities, challenges, objectives, among other aspects.

Another tool widely used in companies to apply self-assessment is the SWOT analysis , which makes it possible to assess strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in the corporate environment.

Finally, keep in mind that self-assessment requires courage and a good deal of sincerity . Thus, it is important to answer the questions without fear, understanding that this is an important exercise for personal and professional growth.

Question tips to use in self-assessment

Getting in touch with our inner self is not always a comfortable exercise. Also, it is sometimes easier to point out faults and weaknesses in others than in ourselves.

In this context, another aspect to be considered is the fear of exposure, as it is natural for the employee to think about the consequences of pointing out their difficulties to the leaders.

Below, we list some questions that can guide the construction of the performance self-assessment questionnaires .

1-Is your conduct in line with the company’s values?

The employee must reflect if the tasks he performs are in accordance with the organizational culture .

2-Are you punctual?

Question the professional’s punctuality with working hours and the deadlines for project deliveries.

3-Do you contribute positively to team interactions?

How is the employee’s relationship with managers and colleagues? Check if collaborative work is a reality in the company.

4-Do you react positively to changes?

Investigate the employee’s adaptability . Are organizational changes absorbed by him or is there some resistance?

5-Do you recognize the tasks delivered by the team and/or colleagues?

Find out if the evaluated professional usually encourages his colleagues and if he recognizes the team’s efforts.

6-Are you responsible for your activities?

Encourage self-reflection on employee commitment . How are the deliveries? Are deadlines being met or are there delays? When he exceeds expectations, it’s a good sign.

7-What should you stop doing in the next 3 months?

The intent of this question is to get you thinking about failures that need to be avoided and patterns that need to be revised.

8-What should you start doing in the next 3 months?

Inquire about the individual’s professional goals . Where does he want to go? What you have done to achieve your wishes and improve your performance in the company.

9-Are you looking for new ways to achieve high quality delivery?

In this question, open space for reflection on professional behavior . Does the employee constantly challenge himself? What tools has he been using to grow and positively impact the company and his career?

This list of questions is just a suggestion. Each organization can — and should — develop questionnaires with their own questions and according to what they want to collect.

What to do from Self-Assessment

After applying the performance self-assessment, the employee’s responses are analyzed by him, together with the manager.

The result of this survey allows managers and employees to create an individual development plan (PDI), with the objective of achieving more satisfactory results for the company.

After all, the PDI exists to help the employee when developing points that need to be strengthened to achieve excellence in their role.