3 Key Questions to ask your employees during their annual performance review
December 3, 2024
December brings mulled wine, Christmas songs on loop, and office debates about the party venue i.e. “ Is there parking?”
But it also marks a critical time for many businesses in Malta: annual performance reviews.
Traditionally, these reviews focus on productivity and KPIs.
But here’s the key: companies that include employee engagement in their reviews see higher talent retention and attraction rates.
Why? Because they show employees they’re more than just a number—and that matters.
After over a decade of helping businesses recruit top talent, I’ve seen firsthand that asking the right questions during reviews can create alignment between your company’s goals and your employees’ ambitions.
When that alignment happens, people feel seen and supported and they stay.
Are you ready to show employees they matter?
Here are 3 key questions to inspire you to make your annual reviews more engaging and human.
1. What is one resource/tool that would make your job easier?
When I speak with professionals looking for a career move, many are frustrated by the lack of resources – and some of them are rather basic requests – like having an accounts software in place.
By understanding what they need to be more productive, you are helping them with their pain point. This ultimately helps to reduce job frustration and improve productivity.
2. What would you like to do more of next year?
Again, a high number of people leave because the most meaningful parts of their role are diminished by poor workload distribution, mundane tasks, management by crisis, etc.
By understanding where they find the most meaning and value in their work, it will help you incorporate more high-value-focused work in their day-to-day duties, ultimately tapping into their expertise and increasing job satisfaction.
3. How do you see your profession evolving, and what support do you need to keep pace?
If you want to engage people long-term, preparing them for the future is key.
For example, many finance professionals ready for more Senior Level roles, are interested in business analytics and they see it as an integral part of their future readiness. This means that access to training for business analytics software will be key to their development
This will help you develop meaningful training & career development plans that are aligned with the employee’s vision, rather than a standard, blanket approach, that does not capture interest, or future readiness.
And since I am a big fan of sustainability, you can recycle these questions and incorporate them as part of your interview process to help you better understand the candidate’s expectations and needs - what makes them tick.
Written by Fran Moisa, Founder & Headhunter - FM Search, a boutique headhunting & talent advisory firm in Malta.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.
But it also marks a critical time for many businesses in Malta: annual performance reviews.
Traditionally, these reviews focus on productivity and KPIs.
But here’s the key: companies that include employee engagement in their reviews see higher talent retention and attraction rates.
Why? Because they show employees they’re more than just a number—and that matters.
After over a decade of helping businesses recruit top talent, I’ve seen firsthand that asking the right questions during reviews can create alignment between your company’s goals and your employees’ ambitions.
When that alignment happens, people feel seen and supported and they stay.
Are you ready to show employees they matter?
Here are 3 key questions to inspire you to make your annual reviews more engaging and human.
1. What is one resource/tool that would make your job easier?
When I speak with professionals looking for a career move, many are frustrated by the lack of resources – and some of them are rather basic requests – like having an accounts software in place.
By understanding what they need to be more productive, you are helping them with their pain point. This ultimately helps to reduce job frustration and improve productivity.
2. What would you like to do more of next year?
Again, a high number of people leave because the most meaningful parts of their role are diminished by poor workload distribution, mundane tasks, management by crisis, etc.
By understanding where they find the most meaning and value in their work, it will help you incorporate more high-value-focused work in their day-to-day duties, ultimately tapping into their expertise and increasing job satisfaction.
3. How do you see your profession evolving, and what support do you need to keep pace?
If you want to engage people long-term, preparing them for the future is key.
For example, many finance professionals ready for more Senior Level roles, are interested in business analytics and they see it as an integral part of their future readiness. This means that access to training for business analytics software will be key to their development
This will help you develop meaningful training & career development plans that are aligned with the employee’s vision, rather than a standard, blanket approach, that does not capture interest, or future readiness.
And since I am a big fan of sustainability, you can recycle these questions and incorporate them as part of your interview process to help you better understand the candidate’s expectations and needs - what makes them tick.
Written by Fran Moisa, Founder & Headhunter - FM Search, a boutique headhunting & talent advisory firm in Malta.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.