How to conduct performance reviews for global teams

Performance reviews are a key way to keep in touch with your team members. They provide an excellent opportunity to offer praise and encouragement, acknowledge your team members’ individual contributions, and identify areas in which they may require support or training.

When managing a global team, performance reviews can present a logistical challenge. It can seem difficult to conduct a comprehensive performance review for an employee with whom you do not work face-to-face.

What is a performance review?

A performance review is a one-to-one meeting between a manager and employee, to review the employee’s progress and collaboratively set goals. Performance reviews come with a myriad of benefits for both the employer and worker.

These benefits include:

Trust building

Scheduling regular one-to-one and follow-up meetings with your employees, provides the opportunity for you to build rapport and trust with your direct reports. As a manager, you’re able to welcome your valued team member into a safe space and encourage them to voice any concerns or issues they may be experiencing – and to outline and explore areas in which they may require specialist training or support.

Moreover, performance reviews serve a dual purpose. They act as the official means, for you to individually assess (and perhaps, reward) an employee’s contribution.

Supporting employees and nurturing productivity

In our article Top tips for relieving employee stress, published in April 2024, we noted that, on average, workers who feel happy and supported are 12% more productive. Meanwhile, those who feel seen and heard by their managers are 3.4 times more likely to be engaged in their work, as well as being more likely to remain with the company, thus boosting organisational retention rates and reputation.

Goal setting

Regular performance reviews are an excellent opportunity to focus on goal setting for your employees. Goal setting not only provides focus, allowing employees to feel secure, engaged, and determined, but also allows the manager to track and assess employee progress, strengths, and areas for improvement.

How to conduct performance reviews for your global team

In today’s working world, where flexible working is the norm, more and more leadership teams are navigating remote management. When planning your performance review strategy for your global team, there are several areas to consider.

Regularity

You should conduct performance reviews at regular scheduled intervals. Alongside this, take the time to initiate informal check-ins with your employees on a weekly basis.

This mix of meetings will allow you to build relationships, and continuously assess their performance. The performance review should not contain any surprises for the worker. Rather, it should be an analysis and exploration of areas that you both have previously raised and discussed.

Continuous assessment

A continuous note of your employees’ performance, enables you to come prepared to meetings – with a clear understanding of the employee’s standards of working.

It means that you will have access to examples of exemplary or subpar work, which you can use to illustrate any points you may be making in the meeting; allowing for greater clarity and communication.

Data collection

Set out clear KPIs for yourself and your team. This will mean that your performance review meetings will have a clear shape, tone, and aim. Ensuring that you know exactly what information you are focusing on gathering and communicating in these meetings, is helpful to both manager and employee.

Video conferencing

Conducting the performance review over video - rather than by phone - ensures that you and your employee can connect and feel at ease.

Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or Skype are all examples of video conferencing platforms available. Speaking to the Harvard Business Review, experts note that video is “more personal and humane,” and allows you to see people in their space, understand their context, and read their body language.

Self-evaluation

Encourage the employee to evaluate their own performance. You can do this using a form and grading system or more conversationally in the meeting.

Supporting the employee to consider their own performance, will highlight:

• how they are feeling in their role;
• the areas in which they may need guidance or training; and
• their perspective on your managerial style – what is working and what may need adjustment.

Self-evaluation can help workers to feel involved and take ownership within the performance review. This will increase engagement and dedication from the worker, who feels valued, as they have the opportunity to have their opinions heard and taken into account.

Empathy

A large part of managing a remote team is ensuring that employees feel connected and engaged. When you are not seeing your team face-to-face often, it can be hard to build rapport and really get to know each individual.

This can make providing feedback difficult, as discussing areas for improvement can be sensitive, especially if you do not know the person well enough to read how they receive and take on board feedback.

Ensure that when reviewing your remote employees’ performance, you are empathetic and also be sure to highlight areas in which they have performed well. Positive reinforcement is extremely important when managing global teams.

According to Forbes, 76% of people who experienced empathy from management claimed to be engaged in their work, compared to just 32% who experienced less empathy from their leaders.

Empathy can also create an atmosphere of inclusiveness. 50% of people with empathetic managers described their workplace as inclusive, when only 17% of those with less empathetic managers said the same.

Need help managing your remote teams?

With over 28 years of experience in global employment solutions, Mauve Group is a trailblazer of flexible working – offering Employer of Record services, Global Business Expansion, Consultancy services, and more.

No matter what size your team or where in the world they are, we can support you to support them, and grow your business globally.

Contact our team of experts today, to find out how we can help you to manage your global teams.