60 Performance Review Examples for Managers
Struggling to write performance reviews? You’re not alone. Giving meaningful feedback isn’t easy, so we’ve compiled a guide with practical examples to give you an idea of what to say.
Don’t worry! We’ve compiled a list of performance review examples to help you provide quality and perfect feedback for your staff.
What is a performance review?
Performance reviews are assessments of employee performance at work. Managers offer constructive feedback, compliment strengths, and discuss areas for improvement for employees.
Why do performance reviews matter?
Performance reviews are opportunities to nurture talent and align people with business objectives. They help employees identify strengths and weaknesses, so employees can grow continuously. They guide employees toward more relevant goals and tasks, so businesses can run more effectively.
4 out of 10 employees become actively disengaged when they receive minimal or no feedback (Clear Company, 2020). If you want to engage your team, you need to conduct performance reviews.
Performance review examples that all managers need
If this is your first time conducting performance assessments, it might be difficult to choose the right words for the reviews. Use the following examples:
1. Phrases to evaluate productivity and quality of work performance
Acknowledge accomplishments with phrases like “proactively completes tasks” or “improves work by X%.” Address areas for improvement tactfully, highlighting opportunities for growth.
Commendation
- Has a positive attitude and proactively completing work
- Works autonomously and creatively, and has the initiative to achieve their goals and overcome challenges
- Proactively collects necessary information and tools to get tasks done on time
- Actively sets criteria to evaluate their work and continuously strives to meet those criteria
- Sets specific, measurable goals
- Actively shares and helps colleagues complete their tasks
Criticism
- Struggles to produce work that meets the required standards of accuracy and completeness
- Shows inconsistency in attention to detail, leading to a decline in overall work quality.
- Struggles to communicate and work with colleagues.
- Struggles to manage time effectively, often missing deadlines and delaying project completion
- Frequently fails to prioritize tasks appropriately
2. Phrases to evaluate attendance and punctuality
Attendance and punctuality are important qualities in maintaining workflow efficiency. Use the below performance review examples to recognize consistency and timeliness, while gently addressing attendance issues and tardiness:
Recognize consistent attendance and punctuality:
- Is always on time
- Consistently follows the work schedule
- Is rarely absent
- Always adheres to company’s attendance policy
- Always completes work on time
Address attendance issues and tardiness:
- Consistently demonstrates poor attendance, frequently arriving late or missing scheduled shifts
- Struggles to adhere to the company’s attendance policy
- Shows a pattern of unexcused absences, negatively affecting team morale and productivity
- Frequently arrives late to work or meetings without valid justification
- Shows a pattern of tardiness that reflects poorly on professionalism and reliability
3. Phrases to evaluate interpersonal skills
Performance review phrases for interpersonal skills should celebrate effective communication and collaboration, while offering guidance on areas like active listening and conflict resolution. Encourage openness to feedback and a willingness to engage with colleagues.
Recognize effective communication and collaboration:
- Is good at both verbal and written communication
- Has a friendly and open attitude
- Articulates ideas and feedback thoughtfully
- Raises good questions, positively contributes, and provides constructive feedback.
- Can convey complex ideas with clarity and precision
- Readily offers assistance and guidance to others
Criticism:
- There’s room for improvement in actively listening to others’ perspectives and fostering more inclusive dialogue.
- Occasionally exhibits reluctance to engage in difficult conversations or address conflicts directly, which may hinder resolution and strain relationships over time.
- Could work on adapting communication style to better suit the preferences and needs of different individuals, promoting stronger rapport and collaboration.
- Could work on delegating tasks more effectively and providing clearer direction to team members
4. Phrases to evaluate teamwork skill
You should highlight employees’ contributions to team success, recognize collaborative mindsets, and address individualism that may hinder team progress.
Highlight contributions to team success
- Has a team spirit and is ready to cooperate with team members to complete work.
- Is good at encouraging other members to do their best at work.
- Regularly makes a significant contribution to the team’s success.
- Regularly shares expertise with colleagues.
- Is flexible in adapting to different team settings.
- Consistently contributes valuable insights and expertise to team projects
Constructive criticism for improving teamwork skills:
- Could improve communication skills by being more proactive in sharing relevant information and updates with team members promptly.
- Could improve in acknowledging and celebrating the contributions of others.
- Struggles at times to address conflicts or disagreements within the team in a constructive manner.
- While generally supportive of team members, there have been instances where more proactive assistance or guidance could have been provided to colleagues facing challenges.
- May benefit from taking a more collaborative approach to decision-making, seeking input from team members before finalizing plans or strategies.
5. Phrases to evaluate creativity
Creativity will help create breakthrough ideas, motivate your business to grow, and bring unexpected results. Your evaluation phrases should compliment innovative thinking and problem-solving abilities while encouraging employees to think outside the box.
Recognize creativity and innovative thinking:
- Always takes a fresh look at all issues.
- Actively seeks out opportunities to innovate and improve existing processes.
- Regularly comes up with creative ideas to solve problems.
- Constantly looks for new ideas and new ways to improve work performance.
Constructive criticism for creativity:
- Shows potential for creativity but may benefit from exploring a wider range of ideas and approaches to problem-solving.
- While capable of creative thinking, struggles at times to adapt ideas to fit specific contexts or requirements.
- Struggles to incorporate constructive criticism into creative projects.
- Struggles at times to adapt ideas to fit specific contexts or requirements.
6. Phrases to evaluate high-tech skills
Computers and modern technology equipment have changed enormously how we work. Being proficient and adapting quickly to new technology has become a must.
Your performance reviews should recognize employees who are good at using technology. They should also encourage employees to develop tech skills and learn new technological advancements.
Recognize high-tech skills and adaptability:
- Has a good knowledge of technology and can apply it effectively.
- Understands difficult technical concepts to explain them to others clearly.
- Quickly learns new software and work tools.
- Solves technical problems with ease.
- Readily assists team members with technical challenges.
Constructive criticism for tech skills:
- Should participate in training courses to improve technical knowledge.
- May benefit from improving analytical skills to identify root causes of technical issues
- Could benefit from actively seeking feedback from peers and supervisors to identify areas for improvement in technical skills and knowledge sharing.
- Struggles with adapting to new software or tools.
- Could benefit from additional training or resources to become proficient in [specific technology], which is essential for fulfilling job requirements.
Use these performance review examples to grow your team
Armed with these performance review examples, you’re ready to do performance reviews with confidence and clarity. Use these phrases in your evaluations to give meaningful and constructive feedback. Think of these reviews as the opportunity to engage with your team, celebrate improvements, and guide them toward continued growth.
Want more performance review examples? We’ve got 340 more phrases like these for you.
