Preparing for the SDD interview - here's what you need to do

What should the conversation focus on?

As a manager, it's your responsibility to manage the conversation. You are the one who can control what the focus is throughout the conversation.

Most companies send a standardized performance review form to the employee to fill out prior to the interview. This form is a great tool to guide the conversation and ensure that the employee has also reflected and considered the different topics. This way, the foundation for the conversation is laid.

Update the performance review form

Is the same form used year after year? Or is it updated every few years? Or is it even customized to the individual employee?

Just as your business evolves over time, so do your employees. Therefore, it's not always appropriate to follow the same form year after year. Part of your preparation as a manager should therefore also include reviewing and updating the form the employee is required to fill out.

If you're a management team preparing the form for the performance appraisal interview together, you should talk about what your common goals are for the appraisals and how they should be based on the company's current strategy and goals.

What is the employee's current situation?

If you are responsible for many employees, it can be difficult to maintain an overview of each individual employee. In this case, it's important that you familiarize yourself with each employee's current situation as part of your preparation. Here, a HR system help you create an overview of the employee's tasks, skills, etc.

When you know the employee's situation, skills and tasks, you will also know how each employee can contribute to achieving the company's overall goals. With this knowledge, you'll also know which skills each employee needs to develop.

To get an even deeper insight into the employee's behavioral style and what motivates them, you can take a closer look at the employee's personal profile using the DISC profile, for example.

Have all agreements from the last performance review been met?

A template for SDD interviews also makes it easier to maintain an overview of the agreements made at the previous interview. It's your job to look back at what was agreed and whether these agreements have been kept. If the agreements were not kept, was there a reason for this? Perhaps the agreements should be included and be part of the new agreements.

HRM-Nordic helps you through the SDD

Our HR system, HRM-Nordic, helps you prepare for the important performance review interview. Our HR system is modular and offers a module for just Performance appraisal interviews. Here you can create your template for the conversation, as well as send out reminders.

Get an overview of individual employees via the employee database, Master data. Through this module, you have the opportunity to compare the employee's skills and the requirements of the position. From this, you can get a quick overview of the employee's development areas - something you can discuss and plan for during the performance review.

If you want to learn more about how HRM-Nordic can help you prepare for and conduct appraisals, please contact us by phone 70263225 or send an email to info@hrsolutions.dk.