HR module
What and why?
MUS is short for Medarbejder Udviklingssamtale: an employee development review. It's a conversation typically held once a year, where manager and employee can talk about tasks, well-being and development, both personal and professional. Here are 5 tips on how to hold a good development review. You can also download the template you'll find below. You can give it to your employee before the review, so you have something to start from.
Download an employee template for the development review:
MUS review template for employees (in Danish)
Invite in good time
As a manager, it's important that you make sure the employee has the time and resources to prepare for the review. That way, you make sure the employee has time to reflect on any wishes they may have, both personal and professional. We've made a form for you that you can give to the employee before the review. That way, you make sure the employee brings something concrete to the review.
Align expectations with the employee
As a manager, it's your job to listen to and acknowledge the employee's wishes, while keeping a realistic goal in view. It's important to note how the employee wants to develop and how the company can support that development, without promising the employee anything you know isn't realistic.
It's important to be clear with the employee about what's possible now, what requires a longer process and what may not be possible at all. That way, you align expectations straight away, so the employee isn't left waiting in vain for something.
Create value
Many people can find the review a little pointless, because nothing that creates value comes out of it. That's why it's important that you and the employee write down specific goals and how you'll achieve those results. You can use the employee template at the top of this blog post to write notes in. You can also bring it out again at the next review to take stock of which goals have been reached and which haven't.
Remember to listen
It's important to let the employee talk during the review. It may sound obvious, but many people tend, without realising it, to interrupt or make a lot of comments. So it's important that you're aware of yourself and make sure you listen to the employee, since it's the employee who is at the centre of the review.
As a rule of thumb, it's a good idea to try to let the employee talk for at least two thirds of the time. That way, you make sure you don't take speaking time away from your employee
Make sure to follow up on the review
Remember to take notes during the review, so you remember everything agreed with the employee. If you hold development reviews with several employees, it's easy to mix up the different employees and the goals agreed. So make sure to take notes at every review you hold. This also makes it easier to get an overview when you hold follow-up meetings. Because yes, you need to hold another meeting with the employee to follow up on the development review.
Unfortunately, many people tend to give the follow-up meeting a low priority. But it's actually hugely important to hold it. At the follow-up meeting, you should follow up on what was agreed at the development review. If there are goals that haven't been met, it's your job to adjust course and support the employee with the resources needed for the employee to achieve the results you agreed.
A good idea can be to call the follow-up meeting 3-6 months after the development review, and to send the invitation as soon as the review is over, so you make sure it isn't forgotten.
Use Zenegy's document module to share documents related to the development review
You can use Zenegy's document module to share documents related to the development review. For example, you can share the template for the review, so the employee can fill it in before the meeting. You can also upload your notes from the review, so the employee can see that they match what was agreed at the review.
