Article 6 - Rethinking Performance Reviews, from Annual Appraisals to Continuous Feedback


Remember the last time you endured an annual performance review — a stiff chair, stale coffee and a year’s worth of feedback crammed into an hour of discomfort? This ritual ruled HR for decades, but it increasingly feels like a relic. Today, progressive organizations are abandoning the once-a-year slog for something newer and shinier: continuous feedback. In this sixth installment in our HRM series, we’ll explore the reason annual appraisals are losing their luster, how performance management is being recharged through continuous conversations, and what you need in order to make the jump. Adobe’s pioneering approach paves the path. Are you ready to reframe success? Let’s dive into this performance evolution.

Annual Appraisals Are Past Their Prime

Annual appraisals sound good on paper, a tidy summary of a year’s worth of work. In practice, they’re a rickety bridge. Feedback is received so long after an interaction that it doesn’t fix a broken interaction and leaves employees unaware of critiques from months ago. Biased thinking slips in easily. Managers depend on recent highs or lows to distort a broader view (CIPD, 2025). And then there’s the dent in morale, linking reviews to pay can make a moment of growth a day of judgment, depleting motivation instead of increasing it (lect. slides, 2025). HR is in search of a better way, one that can keep up with the fast-paced workplaces of today.

Continuous Feedback a Different Cadence

Enter continuous feedback, a system that replaces the yearly showdown with regular, real-time discussions. Imagine a manager listening to one of their team member’s epic pitches immediately after a meeting, complimenting the pitch and suggesting a modification. That’s the magic, timely insights that employees can act on now rather than waiting until next quarter. It’s not so much about scoring as it is about growing, and emphasizing the former as the latter (Deloitte, 2015). The result? It increases engagement because workers feel seen and supported, not judged from afar. It is a cadence that suits a world in which change is a given and agility is the master.

Making the Shift Work

What does trading the old script for this new beat look like for HR? It begins with training. Managers need the skills to deliver feedback in ways that are clear, kind, effective, not a laundry list of complaints (lect. slides, 2025). Establishing a cadence helps, too. Weekly check-ins or monthly goal conversations to keep the dialogue out in the open. Apps tracking progress and nudging both sides to connect can lighten the load and make reaching out seem less intimidating (lect. slides, 2025). It’s a transition that takes work, but it pays dividends in a workforce that is agile and incentivized.

Adobe’s Check-in Makeover

With its Check-in system, Adobe threw out the annual review playbook and wrote a new one. 

Here’s how it works

Managers and employees jettison the once-a-year slog for regular, informal conversations about goals, progress, and growth. That translates to no ratings and no surprises, only dialogue to help keep everybody in sync and on the move (lect. slides, 2025). The impact? Engagement skyrocketed, and Adobe’s teams evolved into more agile working units because this is not a theory. Continuously offering feedback is a game changer.

Pretty interesting stuff, right? Let's finish up with some key takeaways

Goodbye to the annual appraisal (it had its day),  hello to continuous feedback (the future is timely, human and growth-oriented). Adobe’s success proves HR can reuse the rulebook for today’s needs. This isn’t a case of ditching feedback,  it’s about making it less dumb. Next, we look at how job design is changing to fit this new vibe—stay tuned! 


References

Sloan, N. (2015). Performance management. Deloitte Insights. https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/focus/human-capital-trends/2015/performance-management-redesign-human-capital-trends-2015.html

CIPD | Performance Management | Factsheets. (2025, January 10). CIPD. http://cipd.org/uk/knowledge/factsheets/performance-factsheet/#two

Adobe. (2024). Adobe Check-in. Adobe.com. https://www.adobe.com/check-in.html

nn. (n.d). People and Organisations: Lecture slides [PowerPoint slides]. Unpublished manuscript, LMU-ESOFT.

Images

https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/conducting-successful-employee-performance-reviews/

Comments

  1. Dilrukshi De Silva5 April 2025 at 02:29

    This article brilliantly highlights the much-needed evolution in performance management, moving from outdated annual reviews to continuous, real-time feedback. It makes a strong case for why timely, supportive conversations foster engagement, agility, and growth, rather than anxiety and disengagement. Adobe’s bold move to scrap ratings shows how modern HR can align performance with progress—not pressure. It’s a compelling read that reimagines feedback as a daily dialogue, not a yearly judgment.
    Why are annual performance reviews considered ineffective in today’s fast-paced work environment?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Akith Subasinghe5 April 2025 at 03:57

      Appreciating your input! I’m glad the shift to continuous feedback clicked. Adobe’s example seals it nicely. Annual reviews lag in today’s fast pace, missing real-time growth. Thanks for supporting this series’ take!

      Delete
  2. Hirishani Raveendran5 April 2025 at 04:20

    Great insight, your article highlighting the limitations of annual appraisals and the advantages of continuous feedback. The transition from a once-a-year review to regular and real-time conversation is an innovative shift that fits with today's fast-paced workplace. By shifting to regular, real-time feedback, employees can act immediately, which leads to growth and motivation.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Akith Subasinghe6 April 2025 at 09:52

      Thank you for your comment. I completely agree. Annual appraisals often miss the mark in today’s dynamic work environments. Real-time feedback encourages agility, accountability, and continuous improvement. It empowers employees to make timely adjustments and fosters stronger manager-employee relationships. This shift not only supports individual growth but also strengthens overall team performance. It’s great to see more organizations embracing this forward-thinking approach to performance management.

      Delete

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