Jane Sunley, the chief executive of learnpurple, a UK consultancy focused on employee engagement. Satish Kumar / The National
Jane Sunley, the chief executive of learnpurple, a UK consultancy focused on employee engagement. Satish Kumar / The National

Appraisals without anguish



It is that time of year when many companies gear up for annual employee appraisals.

Yet the mere mention of a performance review leaves many workers shuddering at the thought of what they might hear, especially in this uncertain economic climate.

One issue is that many do not believe they are evaluated fairly in appraisals. In the US, a majority of employees - 51 per cent - said performance reviews were not an accurate barometer for their work, according to survey results published in April by Globoforce, a company that is co-headquartered in the US and Ireland and offers employee recognition software programmes.

So-called 360-degree feedback is one of the many talent-appraisal tools that have been receiving more attention lately, and advocates argue that it can be more effective for capturing exactly how well an employee performs.

The process involves having people all around a particular employee report on that person's strengths and weaknesses. The feedback can come from subordinates or supervisors, as well as suppliers and customers. The point is to have more than just an employee's manager offering tips for improvement - or lavishing praise.

But even advocates of the 360-degree feedback approach acknowledge it will not always work without the right corporate environment.

"While it's a very good tool, and useful, there are loads of provisions," warns Jane Sunley, the chief executive of learnpurple, a UK consultancy focused on employee engagement that opened a branch in the UAE this year.

"There are loads of people who sell 360 solutions and perhaps don't make sure it's managed through properly, and it freaks out people completely," she says.

One of the reasons 360-degree feedback does not work in every company in the Emirates, experts say, stems from a culture of clearly defined relationships between managers and subordinates in many organisations. This could make the review process hard to handle in cases where a manager might be critiqued by subordinates.

"It can sometimes cause tension and conflict, because people may feel they are being investigated a little too much," says Lynne Zarbhanelian, the managing director of learnpurple UAE.

Creating a work environment where reviews are based on trust, by ensuring they remain confidential, is paramount, Ms Sunley says. She also recommends having a well-trained manager to present the feedback to the employee.

Even then, the process is often more expensive than other appraisal tools because of how time-consuming it might be to gather feedback from all the right people.

"When you're doing 360 degrees, it does take a lot longer," says Ms Zarbhanelian. "It can take a few days solid of your time."

Rather than conducting only a single, annual review, companies might increase their odds at boosting employee performance by providing feedback more regularly, some experts suggest.

Only a quarter of workers who responded to Globoforce's survey this year said they received a performance review more than once every 12 months.

"An ongoing, 365-day performance management solution that accurately measures employees' year-round performance not only drives engagement, it uncovers the true leaders and influencers across the organisation," Eric Mosley, the chief executive of Globoforce, said in April when the survey results were published.

Skewed figures

In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458. 

Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia

Various Artists 
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
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Brief scoreline:

Manchester United 0

Manchester City 2

Bernardo Silva 54', Sane 66'

Test

Director: S Sashikanth

Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan

Star rating: 2/5

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Quick pearls of wisdom

Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”

Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.” 

Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Rebel%20Moon%20-%20Part%20One%3A%20A%20Child%20of%20Fire
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The smuggler

Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple. 
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.

Khouli conviction

Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.

For sale

A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.

- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico

- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000

- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950