Find effective employee performance reviews with examples that spark discussions and boost engagement. Learn best practices to enhance workplace productivity
Employee performance reviews have become a source of dread for both employees and managers. It involves a lot of effort, paperwork, and time to complete. Managers worry about having difficult conversations, while employees are usually on the defensive.
Is there a way to turn employee performance reviews into something to look forward to?
In this article, we’ll talk about how to turn employee performance reviews into meaningful conversations. We’ll go over types of questions to ask, how to prepare for these sessions (including how to write effective performance reviews), and pitfalls to avoid.
We encourage HR leaders to share this piece with managers who take charge of employee performance reviews.
Employee performance reviews are a tool for colleagues to share feedback. This has evolved over the years to keep up with changes in the workplace and the needs of employees.
Traditional performance evaluations used to be the norm. These involved ratings based solely on a manager’s assessment. These gave such a narrow view, especially when the manager’s own biases influenced the review process.
Reviews used to be done yearly, but that posed another problem. Waiting an entire year to share feedback with employees was not effective. It also caused so much anxiety for employees and their managers.
Because these were so ineffective, organizations like Adobe, GE, and Accenture have abandoned the old ways in favor of the new: regular check-ins.
The suggestions we’ll share in this article work best for regular check-ins. You’re welcome to take these ideas and adapt them based on how often your organization does these reviews.
The most effective employee performance reviews are open and honest dialogues between managers and their direct reports. These sessions are opportunities to celebrate past successes and learn from failures.
Asking good questions is the start of these effective conversations. Here are some approaches to maximize these performance reviews:
Questions that encourage the employee to explain or give context lead to quality conversations. Go for open-ended questions over those that merely require yes or no answers.
For example, instead of asking, “Were you happy with the way that project turned out?” you can say, “Tell me about your role in that project. What did you do well? What areas could you have done better?”
An important tip for managers when asking open-ended questions: be patient and wait for the answer! Many of us try to fill the awkward silences with comments or follow up questions. Resist that urge. Give your direct reports the time and space to reply.
Some examples are:
These are good springboards for a conversation on performance. This especially works well for team members who are timid about celebrating their wins. This is a good opportunity for them to fill you in on all they’ve achieved.
Questions on challenges, meanwhile, can give you a glimpse of training opportunities for your team member. It’s also a good opportunity to listen to your teammate as they open up about these challenges. Ask them how you could have helped; this makes them feel you care. Listen to what they say – there could be some feedback for you there as well.
Encourage employees to talk about their career aspirations. A question like “Where do you see yourself in the next year?” can give you an idea of what they're working towards. This gives you something to think about as well: what can you do to help your employee meet their goals?
A written performance review provides a structured framework for performance discussions between managers and their direct reports. Ideally, managers prepare a draft before the conversation to ensure an organized discussion. The document is finalized after the meeting, incorporating any relevant insights from the discussion.
Here are some guidelines to keep in mind when writing employee performance reviews:
The goal of employee performance reviews is to help team members; the language used should reflect this. Use neutral and encouraging language.
Also, use clear language – avoid sugarcoating. Being clear about what team members need to do will help them the most. As author and researcher Brene Brown says, “clear is kind.”
To avoid the dangers of sharing one-sided views, it’s best to seek input from other colleagues via 360-degree performance feedback. Use that as basis for any kudos or constructive feedback to share with team members.
Some of the guidelines we shared here may or may not work for your organization, depending on what format or template you follow. Some companies have quick check-ins every month; others have a more in-depth process every few months. Just go with what your organization uses.
Many companies use HR tech software to send out feedback requests and store performance reviews securely.
Feedback makes more sense to the employee if they can relate it to a specific situation. When sharing feedback, cite an incident or event that supports it. When seeking input from others, ask them to share evidence or basis for that feedback.
How can managers make the most of their performance review meetings? Here are some tips:
Send the calendar invite to your direct report at least two weeks before the meeting. Contact colleagues and stakeholders to request feedback, giving them ample time to respond.
Go over your own interactions with your teammate; take note of the projects and activities they were involved in. Review any agreements or development areas you discussed at your last meeting. Assess your team member’s progress based on those points.
Doing a self-assessment will help them prepare for the meeting. It also makes them equally responsible for points to discuss at the meeting. It should be a two-way conversation, so both of you bring something to the table.
Here are some reasons why self-reviews are valuable.
This will truly make your direct report more engaged in their performance appraisal. A good rule of thumb: talk less, listen more. Be open and ready to receive input from your direct report. Allow them to take charge in their professional development.
This is a joint effort: the employee sets meaningful goals and targets while you help align them with organizational goals. This approach leads to greater buy-in and ownership from the team member.
Having a growth mindset can help diffuse the stress and worry that come with employee performance reviews. And this advice works for both managers and their direct reports.
Seeing this as a tool for growth and learning reframes an employee performance review as a positive experience.
Read this guide for more on the trends and challenges of employee performance reviews.
Employee performance reviews do more than assess past work—they help shape future growth. When structured well, they drive development, engagement, and alignment across the organization.
Here are some ways they contribute to a stronger workplace:
Performance reviews help employees recognize their strengths and weaknesses. It’s a space to discuss areas for improvement and how to address them.
According to a Gallup study, 80 percent of employees who received meaningful feedback are fully engaged. Another source states that employees who are highly engaged are 87 percent less likely to leave.
These two sets of data show the link among feedback, engagement, and retention. Having an effective feedback mechanism via employee performance reviews is a good retention strategy!
Regular employee performance reviews help keep track of individual goals, making sure they feed into the organization’s objectives. These check-ins offer opportunities to recalibrate individual goals in case priorities have changed.
Ensuring that individual goals are aligned with bigger-picture objectives makes employees feel that they’re part of a bigger mission.
Through regular check-ins, employees can flag issues with their team leads quickly. This enables managers to take action before the problem gets out of control.
Through employee performance reviews, managers can also spot skills gaps and address any productivity issues.
Regular feedback encourages employees to keep learning and to keep getting better at what they do. Employee performance reviews that include self-assessments also develop self-reflection, leading to a higher EQ in the workplace.
A good employee performance review – whether in written form or as an in-person session – has these qualities:
It’s a two-way conversation – there's a good flow of communication between team lead and employee
Links personal goals to organizational objectives – identifies how individual targets and goals relate to the bigger picture
Leads to growth actions – clearly outlines the follow-up action required after the meeting, especially if it’s a development goal
Includes good quality, evidence-based feedback – constructive feedback delivered in a non-confrontational way land better with employees, leading to an improvement in performance
Thoughtful, sensitive, took time to prepare – employee performance reviews are important, so they deserve the proper time, effort, and attention
Here’s a great video example of a good employee performance review. You’ll see how the manager gives good feedback by citing specific examples. She also asks open-ended questions, inviting her team member to reflect and share his insights:
Here are some performance review phrases you can use when having these conversations with employees.
No one is perfect, and no manager will get performance reviews right the first time. Or every time. Here’s a list of pitfalls to watch out for:
Failing to set clear objectives with the employee – your team needs to know what they’re working towards. They need to be clear about how they can contribute to the organization’s wider objectives. It’s important to map these out, tapping into your team’s skills and strengths
Not using performance metrics – using data is a good way to measure whether an employee has met their goals. Use the tools at your organization to measure performance, efficiency, and productivity
Not giving feedback regularly – Whenever possible, give real-time feedback – this is how we learn best, with the recent action still fresh in our minds
Avoiding difficult conversations – these interactions call for courage. See it as an opportunity for growth, both for the employee and for yourself
Lack of follow-up action – after every employee performance review, follow through on agreements made. Did you identify a need for training in a specific area? Support your employee to make sure that’s done
By avoiding these common pitfalls, managers can make employee performance reviews more effective and meaningful.
Employee performance reviews are most effective when they foster growth and open dialogue. Shifting from one-sided evaluations to regular, meaningful conversations helps employees feel supported and engaged.
By focusing on clear goals and constructive feedback, organizations can make employee performance reviews a tool for continuous improvement. This approach strengthens teams and drives long-term success.
We hope you found this article on employee performance reviews helpful. Let us know in the comments below
