The folly of annual job reviews

The idea of annual job reviews makes sense. Employers should want to be attuned to employees' performance for obvious reasons.  But in all the jobs I've had, there has never been a sensible review process.

At one job I had (let's call it Job A), my annual raise was tied to my annual performance review. I think that is fair as can be. However, the company levied a substantial penalty for the first sick day one took. If they are trying to reward perfect attendance, they should spread the word about this policy to all new employees. (Maybe it is in the handbook.) But I know very well that the best employees who bring the most value to a company are going to take some sick days. And they will probably be turned off by the expectation that an ideal employee take no sick days. I do, though, respect my employer at Job A for having a substantive annual review process, tied to compensation, for fairly low-paid and unskilled employees. It sends the message that they take interest in their workers.

At Job B, which was higher paying and involved the welfare and safety of the people I served, there was not a serious annual review process. It was a self-evaluation that was turned into a supervisor. Once or twice the supervisor met with me after, but did not discuss the review with me. Maybe the self-evaluation could have been more valuable if the supervisor expressed interest in it.

Job C is a professional position where my supervisor takes a very real interest in his staff's performance. Annual reviews are upon request of the employee and consist of a simple meeting. This is not a very serious review to me. But because the supervisor takes an interest year round in performance, it might not be needed.

I am trying something new now. I am a dedicated professional who wants to excel in his career. Since no annual review process has helped me much, I am doing my own. I am making a confidential table of my strengths, weaknesses, accomplishments, and failures as I see them. I think I will then go through the table and come up with ideas for addressing my shortcomings and building on the good things. I may then pull a limited number of goals from all that that can guide my professional development. Job B required an annual self-evaluation, but the employer didn't value it. I think the difference with a confidential self-evaluation is that I can be free to be honestly and deeply introspective.