In the world of law, where excellence isn’t just strived for but expected, the performance review is a cornerstone in measuring progress and delivering feedback. However, traditional annual or semi-annual review systems often fall short in providing the timely and effective feedback required in such high-stakes environments and studies show just 14% of employees find their performance review to inspire improvement. For modern law firms, a shift to continuous reviews may not just be a progressive step but an imperative one.
Challenges with the system
Traditional reviews have long been the status quo in law firms, with their structured processes and formal settings. Yet, they’re not without their flaws and 59% of employees think traditional performance reviews have no impact on their performance. What some may see as standardised approach running on automatic schedules, others might interpret as inflexible structures impeding real-time feedback, fostering an environment where small issues can grow into larger, more insidious problems.
Consider this: in a field where details can be the difference between a win and a loss in court, delayed performance acknowledgment is a luxury law firms can ill-afford. Waiting months for an annual review to address an underperforming associate can mean significant time and resources lost over a mistake that could have been identified and remedied earlier.
Additionally, the anticipation and build-up to infrequent reviews can generate anxiety and tension, which may not be the best environment for open and constructive dialogue. They also risk treating the evaluation of people as a snapshot, neglecting the very dynamic nature of personal and professional growth.
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