The most common uses for the manager summary box
Manager summaries are an integral part of the review process, as they provide essential content for direct reports' performance and professional development. Our top four reasons to use manager summaries are outlined below.
1. Summarize the in-person meeting between a manager and a direct report
Often, direct reports want to be able to provide feedback and thoughts on their review. The summary box allows the manager to bring the review into the meeting, have a discussion with their direct report, and then make notes about what was discussed.
The workflow for adding post-review notes:
- Review cycle closes
- Manager and employee discuss the feedback
- Manager makes notes in the summary during or after the meeting
- Manager shares the summary and all the feedback with their direct report
2. Draft developmental goals between an employee and their manager
After the review, managers and employees often discuss goals for the next quarter/year to get an improved rating/review next time. The summary box allows the manager to write these action items down with the employee. Adding goals in the review packet keeps employees accountable and aligned with their manager on their performance/development.
The workflow for adding post-review goals:
- Review cycle closes
- Manager and employee discuss the feedback and settle on goals
- Manager makes notes in the summary during or after the meeting
- (Optional) manager and employee add goals into Lattice
- Manager shares the summary and all the feedback with their direct report.
3. Summarize peer and upward feedback
Since peer and upward reviews are submitted throughout the cycle, a manager may not have the opportunity to consider that feedback when writing their review. The summary box allows them to read feedback and summarize their perspective to the employee.
Companies might use a framework to help managers synthesize the feedback, e.g. Stop, Start, Continue.
The workflow for summarizing peer and upward feedback:
- Review cycle closes
- Manager reviews feedback
- Manager writes summary
- Manager shares the review packet before or after the in-person meeting
4. Replace the email a manager would send to an employee with their review packet after the cycle ends
The summary can be used as a way for managers to communicate the release of a review packet, replacing the email they would traditionally send.
Example
Hi [employee name], Here is your review packet for our 2018 Quarterly Review Cycle. As your manager, I have read your self and peer feedback - great job! Overall you did a fantastic job. Some points I wanted to surface...etc.