If the thought of conducting performance appraisals for your employees makes you cringe, you’re not alone. After all, if you and your people aren’t on the same page about expectations and performance, your working relationships can be seriously harmed. I handled incorrectly, performance appraisals can turn into nerve-wracking confrontations. But performance appraisals are a vitally important part of any organization, and can lead to increased productivity, higher efficiency, and a more pleasant working environment.

Productive Performance Appraisals is a fast and easy guide for turning the dreaded performance appraisal into a constructive, collaborative effort. The book gives you all the easy-to-use tools you need to conduct an effective review – including sample dialogs, checklists, and forms. You’ll find practical, straightforward advice on:

• Planning and organizing the appraisal session
• Setting short-and-long term goals
• Eliciting the employees’ input
• Handling problems and “sticky” subjects such as promotions and disagreements

In addition, this completely updated edition contains new sections on rating employees, justifying scores, and weaving disciplinary language into the review. The book gives you guidance on developing career plans, keeping consistent records, communicating changes in roles, how reviews are used when determining layoffs, and much more.

When managed properly, the performance appraisal process is an opportunity to create an environment of job satisfaction and motivation among your people, inspire retention, and build a culture that focuses on performance excellence. This indispensable book gives you the tools and advice you need to get the most out of this important part of managing others.

Paul Falcone is a human resources executive and the author of such best-selling titles as 2600 Phrases for Effective Performance Reviews, 101 Sample Write-Ups for Documenting Employee Performance Problems, and 96 Great Interview Questions to Ask Before You Hire. He is a regular contributor to HR Magazine and an instructor at the UCLA Extension School of Business and Management. He lives in Valencia, California.

Randi Sachs is a freelance business writer. She lives in Merrick, New York.