How To Write a Performance Review: Full Guide and 6 Tips

Many companies use annual performance reviews to evaluate employee productivity and facilitate continued growth. During performance reviews, supervisors share constructive criticism and help employees identify their top skills and weaknesses.

If you’re a manager writing performance reviews for the first time, or if your experiences with reviews haven’t always been positive, you may not know where to start or how to keep the discussion productive. In this article, you’ll learn how to write an effective and thorough performance review.

You’ll also find several prompts that can help you share information on critical subjects in upcoming employee evaluations.

Importance of writing an effective performance review

During a performance evaluation, you can share constructive feedback with your direct reports to acknowledge their recent wins and help them envision how to grow and improve. Employees may need to learn how to develop in their roles or build on their current competencies, and performance reviews can help clarify where to focus their attention and time.

Performance reviews offer numerous benefits for both employees and organizations. In addition to improving employee performance and helping team members set goals, your performance review process can enhance employee engagement and collaboration. They can also offer some legal protection by documenting fair treatment for employees.

When performance reviews are approached thoughtfully, most employees will receive them well and appreciate the steps their supervisors are taking to help them succeed. They can use the information to design a path for their continued growth.

6 tips for writing an employee performance review

We provide six tips for writing a performance review. Just keep in mind that professional feedback should express compassion and be rooted in credible evidence.

Performance review tips:

1. Prepare in advance
2. Be specific and objective
3. Use examples to illustrate points
4. Focus on behaviors, not personalities
5. Provide actionable feedback
6. Hone in on outcomes

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1. Prepare in advance

Each performance review should be specific to the employee and rooted in their particular goals. Set aside enough time to review the employee’s job description and any recent performance metrics to understand how the employee performs. Review their file for any notes as well as their scores on their last performance review. Make sure to see what performance goals they’ve been pursuing.

Because performance reviews should be written in advance, they aren’t the best time for broad discussions. They can be emotional, and someone getting constructive criticism can easily get defensive and sidetrack the conversation.

At the same time, you want your employees to have a voice and to feel heard.

The way to rectify these two needs is to be sure that performance reviews are only one part of how your management team engages with its staff. Throughout the review period, as issues occur—whether positive or negative—employee feedback should be given confidentially but in real time, and then documented.

These less formal conversations give your employees space to voice their needs and explain their decisions. They also allow you to write a performance review that takes their point of view into consideration, with less risk of an emotional or unprofessional discussion during the actual review.

If you provide constructive feedback during a performance review, don’t wait until the next performance review to have a check-in. Schedule a follow-up meeting with the employee so that you can revisit the concern and hear what steps the employee has taken to improve in this area.

2. Be specific and objective

The best feedback is specific and rooted in measurable standards established before the review. Statements should use action words that leave no doubt in the employee’s mind about what’s expected of them going forward. If the employee and supervisor have a performance management process, most feedback may focus on how the employee is doing in each area.

Feedback should also focus on the individual. Comparing an employee to other team members is unfair and may create unintended consequences such as workplace jealousies. Focus on what an employee can do to improve their overall performance and not on what they can do to be more like someone else.

3. Use examples to illustrate points

Stories and narratives make abstract concepts more relatable. In addition to sharing feedback with employees, use specific examples to show where they’re excelling and where they can grow. All examples should be relevant and connected to the employee’s job performance.  

4. Focus on behaviors, not personalities

Personality critiques have no place in a professional performance review.

Although personality and behavior are sometimes interchangeable, they have very different meanings. Behavior involves specific actions and responses, whereas personality relates to an individual’s inner character and traits.

Some examples of feedback rooted in personality traits or characteristics include:

• “Some of your coworkers complain that you’re arrogant and pushy.”
• “You’re always negative.”
• “You always jump to conclusions!”

Instead of discussing an employee’s personality during a performance review, focus on specific behaviors. Consider how the following statements address particular actions and not personality characteristics:

• “Some of your co-workers feel you’re so excited to share your own ideas that their voices aren’t being heard.”
• “You’re insightful and I believe you’re often trying to help people be prepared by discussing possible negative outcomes. But I want you to be aware of how our words affect the people around us, and that sometimes the people around you need to hear you talk about the positive things, as well.”
• “I like your instinct to focus on results, but I think our team meetings would benefit if you asked more questions before you share your opinion in meetings. It will allow you to learn and see the full picture before you give a diagnosis.”

If you need to address any issues, be sure they relate to the employee’s job performance and not your own perception of the employee. Be sure to give employees an idea of how they can improve their current behaviors if needed.

5. Provide actionable feedback

After sharing feedback on an employee’s job performance, provide clear, actionable steps on how they can grow and improve.

The SMART acronym helps supervisors understand what boxes each goal must check to set clear expectations and encourage progress. SMART goals are:

• Specific. Define the specific tasks the employee will accomplish and the action or step they must take.
• Measurable. Come up with two or three data points representing progress or success toward the goal.
• Achievable. Make sure the employee can realistically accomplish the goal. Consider what tools or resources can ensure competition.
• Relevant. Think about how the individual goal aligns with the broader purpose of the employee’s role or the company’s mission.
• Time-bound. Clarify the time frame for the employee to accomplish the goal. Goals with deadlines are more likely to happen because they’re harder to put off.

Some specific, actionable, and relevant goals a manager may share during a performance review include:

• Increase the number of sales calls made per week by 5%.
• Complete five cybersecurity training modules before the end of the month.
• Attend an in-person professional development conference or seminar during the next six months.
• Provide positive feedback to team members at least three times per project for the next three months.

For additional help creating actionable goals, consider working with a certified coach or completing an online assessment that reveals potential areas of improvement.

6. Hone in on outcomes

A performance review focuses on a single employee and how effectively they performed their tasks. But this should be put into the broader context of how the outcomes of their work affected their larger team, their department, and even the company as a whole. Showing this big picture can help the employee conceptualize their importance in the larger organization.

Focusing on the outcome of projects rather than the effort any specific task took will also help ensure that your review process is fair. Introverted employees may downplay their efforts, boisterous employees may try to oversell themselves, and defensive employees will give excuses. By focusing on the outcomes of what they achieved, you don’t have to guess at the person’s personality or emotional state.

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Performance review phrases to consider

Remember that the best performance reviews provide affirmation for employees who excel in key areas and share feedback about how employees can improve and develop. Consider using some of the phrases below as you encourage and challenge employees during the review process.

Problem-solving

Strengths

• “Employee displays critical thinking skills by finding creative solutions to complex problems.”
• “Employee incorporates feedback from fellow team members when evaluating solutions.”

Weaknesses

• “Employee struggles to communicate solutions effectively when speaking with other team members.”
• “Employee relies on existing systems and solutions and may experience difficulty when unfamiliar problems arise.”

Communication skills

Strengths

• “Employee has a knack for communicating complex issues clearly and concisely with clients and team members.”
• “Employee is quick to listen, slow to interrupt, and always willing to hear others’ opinions even if they disagree.”

‍Weaknesses

• “Employee often uses insider jargon with clients, making themselves difficult to understand.”
• “Employee withholds negative feedback from teammates due to a fear of difficult conversations.”

Time management

Strengths

• “Employee is consistently able to meet deadlines and communicates with project supervisors about when to expect submissions.”
• “Employee always arrives on time for meetings and communicates in advance about any scheduling conflicts.”

Weaknesses

• “Employee sometimes misses meetings without advanced notice, which can delay progress and create additional work for team members.”
• “Employee struggles to manage multiple high-priority tasks at the same time.”

Leadership skills

Strengths

• “Employee naturally encourages fellow team members to take action to pursue shared goals.”
• “Employee effectively empowers others to grow and develop key skills and talents.”

Weaknesses

• “Employee may display passivity amid conflict and sweep problems under the rug rather than addressing them openly and critically.”
• “Employee can micromanage team members and could benefit from a more collaborative approach.”

Work quality

Strengths

• “Employee regularly submits work that’s polished and free of errors.”
• “Employee often receives high ratings and positive reviews from clients.”

Weaknesses

• “Employee sometimes rushes through their work and overlooks key details.”
• “Employee received more negative client reviews over the past quarter than the previous quarter.”

Teamwork

Strengths

• “Employee has strong working relationships with their co-workers based on mutual trust and respect.”
• “Employee consistently treats team members with care and compassion. They have a positive impact on company culture and morale.”

Weaknesses

• “The employee has some difficulty working with other team members on projects they don’t find personally interesting.”
• “The employee tends to withhold opinions and wisdom, even when sharing would benefit the team or the company.”

Attitude

Strengths

• “Employee approaches new and challenging tasks with enthusiasm and a positive attitude.”
• “Employee appears committed to excellence in their work. The employee’s supervisors trust the employee’s dedication and work ethic.”

Weaknesses

• “Employee may occasionally express a negative attitude that harms team morale and progress.”  

Performance review example prompts

Now that you know what statements and topics you might expect to find in a performance review, you can better understand what wording to include in a review for employees.

Here are some example paragraphs you can use in upcoming reviews. Feel free to adjust these templates based on your particular needs.

Problem-solving

• “Jordan displays critical thinking skills by finding creative solutions to complex problems. Multiple team members report coming to Jordan to help solve difficult issues or develop potential solutions.”
• “Taylor struggles to communicate solutions effectively when speaking to other team members. The resulting confusion has caused delays, over charges, and other issues.”

Work quality

• “Casey regularly submits work that’s polished and free of errors. Revisions are rarely necessary, and Casey responds promptly when changes are requested.”
• “Hunter received more negative client reviews during the second quarter than the first quarter. Customers reported that Hunter seemed annoyed or inconvenienced by their questions.”

Teamwork

• “Dylan has strong relationships with co-workers based on mutual trust and respect. Team members report feeling valued and understood in conversations with Dylan.”
• “Parker tends to withhold opinions and wisdom, even when sharing would benefit the team or company. Parker has a great deal of expertise and is often able to solve issues when they are brought to her, but this is an extra step that could be avoided if she would voice her opinions more in meetings and stand her ground on group projects.”

Want to improve your performance reviews? Upwork can help

Now that you recognize the importance of the performance review process, you may wonder how to position yourself for success. Consider working with a performance appraisal specialist on Upwork who can provide valuable wisdom and insight on structuring and completing your upcoming performance reviews.