The best pay review decisions in the world can be totally derailed by your communication.  A badly timed email, messages that should be delivered personally and letters that go astray, can all affect the perception of your pay review.   Chose the right method and ensure that you are consistent.  Make sure you communicate the purpose and criteria when planning pay reviews and the outcomes when giving the results:

In-person meeting: Always the preferred option, and if you have a small team, schedule a meeting with each employee to discuss the pay review in person. This allows for a more personal and interactive experience, and it gives the employee an opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback.  It is also particularly important if the message is not particularly positive.  Be aware though that the messages given may not always be consistent.

Email: This method is useful if the employee is not available for an in-person meeting or if you need to document the review for future reference.  this is a good way to ensure that the message is consistent.  Be wary of sending emails as an alternative to difficult discussions.  That only annoys the people involved and makes you look uncaring. 

Letter: This method is useful if you have a large group of people or if you need to document the review for future reference and if you want to provide a more formal communication.  Again this gives a consistent message but can be seen as avoidance tactics or impersonal.

Phone call: This method is useful if the employee is not available for an in-person meeting and if you want to provide a more personal touch than an email or letter.

Video call: This method is also useful if the employee is not available for an in-person meeting and if you want to provide a more personal touch than an email or letter. Remember though that some people still find this approach uncomfortable.

Overall, the key to effective communication is to be transparent, clear, and consistent. Choose the method that works best for you and your employee, and which will  help avoid any confusion or disappointment.

Commit to making communication a fundamental part of your review.  If possible, delegate communications to line managers and give them as much support as you can to make sure that they give consistent messages and adopt a positive approach.

Look out for my next posts on the key stages in the pay review itself, and advice to managers who need to have difficult conversations.