How to Make Hierarchy Chart: Best Tools & Templates
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A performance review is a major part of hiring. It helps you as the manager and your employee better understand how to work together—and if the working relationship is, well, working.
Performance reviews often happen at the first 30, 60 and 90-day milestones, then often space out to once each year. A performance review is a great place for employees to make their case for a raise, hear genuine feedback about their work and gather actionable ideas to improve moving forward.
However, a performance review is only as good as the manager conducting it. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to help you.
Let’s dig in.
Here’s a short selection of 8 easy-to-edit performance review templates you can edit, share and download with Visme. View more templates below:
A performance review is a structured and comprehensive assessment of an employee’s job performance. During a performance review, managers or fellow employees give feedback on strengths and weaknesses. Performance reviews offer an opportunity for goal setting and discussions about career development.
Performance reviews typically occur on a regular basis, often annually or semi-annually, although the frequency can vary depending on the organization's policies. These performance evaluations can be conducted using digital documents or printed templates to fill out by hand, among other formats.
Justina Raskauskiene, HR Team Lead at Omnisend, underlines the importance of crafting a review schedule that’s not just functional but also fits like a glove with the company’s culture and pace.
HR Team Lead at Omnisend
A performance review is a meeting between an employee and their manager to discuss how the employee has been performing their main job duties.
It’s such a key part of performance management in organizations of all sizes because it gives the employee insights into how their performance is perceived by upper management—and if there are any areas that need improvement.
However, that’s not the only reason that performance reviews are important and need to be a mandatory part of managing your team. There are five major benefits to conducting performance reviews at regular intervals.
Sometimes employees start to take on more responsibilities and their jobs become very different from what they once were. Performance reviews are a great place to redefine job responsibilities so that managers and employees alike know what to expect.
If you hold quarterly or annual reviews, your employees should have a consistent idea of their overall performance. This ensures that under-performing employees are aware that they are lacking well before any remedial action is taken. It also ensures that high-performing employees are given accolades, perks and raises (or at least given the opportunity to negotiate raises) based on their work.
It’s also worth noting that the feedback you get during performance evaluations plays a big role in the change management process. That’s because it helps pinpoint which employees or teams might need extra support or training to adjust to new processes, systems or goals.
Holding regular performance reviews helps managers understand their employees’ overall career goals. This positions them in a much better spot to help develop their teams’ careers, get them promotions and put them on projects their employees really enjoy and want to work on.
Performance reviews highlight areas where employees may need further training or skill development, which can then be used to shape company succession plans.
Sometimes team members bite off more than they can chew. Holding performance reviews can give you a better idea of if your employees are seemingly under-performing simply because they have too much on their plate. Take this opportunity to adjust job responsibilities if some employees are drowning under the weight of their day-to-day tasks.
Many job positions have tangible goals and objectives to hit. The employee may not always have the birds’ eye view that you as their manager have into the data surrounding these goals. A performance review is the perfect time to cover these numbers, letting employees know which areas may need improvement and which areas they’re exceeding expectations.
Performance reviews have a bad reputation—and frankly, they’ve earned it.
Too often, they’re poorly planned, overly critical or simply a formality that fails to inspire real growth or meaningful development.
A McKinsey survey shows that even CEOs are losing faith in performance reviews—most say the process doesn’t do a good job of identifying top performers. Employees aren’t impressed either, with over half believing their managers don’t get it right.
And it gets worse: A Gallup study found that only one in five employees felt motivated by their company’s performance review practice.
When done right, performance reviews can be a powerful tool to boost morale, sharpen skills and align employees with company goals.
Here’s how to turn the dreaded review into a constructive and motivating conversation. Feel free to go through the entire section, or jump to the section you prefer.
A successful performance review starts long before you sit down for the conversation. It’s about preparation, clarity, and thoughtful reflection.
Here’s how to set the stage for a meaningful discussion:
From the outset, employees need to know exactly how their performance will be evaluated—what matters most and why. This includes ethical standards, job responsibilities and how their role ties into the bigger picture of the company’s strategy.
Business Development Manager, Ascendant Technologies Inc.
It sounds simple, but it’s often overlooked.
New managers may not fully grasp how their team’s goals align with the company’s objectives. Veteran managers can lose sight of shifting priorities or market conditions.
Plus, when there’s leadership turnover, employees can often get conflicting messages about what’s expected of them. Without clear guidelines, it’s nearly impossible for employees to hit the mark.
Anant Sood, Co-founder at Worxogo, emphasizes how important it is for managers to not only track outcomes but also behaviors:
“Managers should be able to look at the performance and behavior data of their team quickly and easily to spot behaviors like ‘consistent effort’ and ‘adherence to SOPs’ to evaluate their teams based on effort and not just outcomes.”
Sood also highlights a common mistake managers make: focusing too much on the top and bottom performers, neglecting the middle 60%—the core performers who have the most potential to improve. As HBR authors note, “The real payoff from good coaching lies among the middle 60%—your core performers. For this group, the best-quality coaching can improve performance…”
When covering a large team, consistent feedback may seem like an impossible task. This is where AI tools can be a game-changer, acting as a “performance wingman” to help managers keep track of and support their team’s development.
The worst thing you can do is walk into a performance evaluation with nothing but gut feelings.
Gather all relevant data—metrics, feedback and specific examples that highlight successes or challenges.
Look at the employee’s overall performance over time, not just recent achievements. Have they met or exceeded expectations in key areas? Are there any patterns in their behavior that need addressing?
As Edel Holliday-Quinn, Organizational Psychologist and Founder of the Centre for Leadership Psychology, points out, without this preparation, reviews can become vague or overly subjective—a common frustration for employees.
Mike White, founder and CEO of Secchi, takes it a step further by stressing the of looking at the big picture instead of just focusing on the most recent wins or challenges. He says:
“When you want to knock it out of the park, you need a paper trail of your one-on-ones to include recognition, awards, corrective action, challenges throughout the year, and if it is a time-bound employee, then attendance. Well-documented one-on-one sessions representing the year's highs and lows are the best way to get the data for review. The greatest mistake I see is recency bias - managers keep the last two weeks or the most recent project on a pedestal.”
The goal is to have objective data to support your feedback. Whether it’s quantitative results like sales numbers or qualitative insights from peer feedback, you want to make sure your review is grounded in facts, not just perceptions.
No one likes to be ambushed with a performance review. Schedule the meeting well in advance and give the employee enough time to prepare.
A rushed or unexpected review will lead to a less productive conversation. Send out an agenda or outline explaining what the focus of the meeting will be. This allows the employee to reflect on their performance and come to the meeting with their own thoughts and goals.
Additionally, ensure that the timing works for both parties. If the employee has a packed schedule or if the review is rushed, the quality of the discussion will suffer.
Giving advance notice helps reduce anxiety and creates an environment where both parties are prepared to have a meaningful conversation.
Performance reviews are inherently stressful, so do your best to put employees at ease.
Avoid making the review feel like an interrogation or a formality. Choose a private, neutral space for the meeting, free from distractions.
The goal is to foster an open, honest dialogue—not to make anyone feel like they’re in the hot seat.
When employees feel like they’re in a safe space, they’re more likely to open up and share their thoughts. A relaxed atmosphere helps to reduce any tension and encourages honesty. Remember, this is about growth, not punishment, and the environment should reflect that.
A performance evaluation should be a two-way conversation, not a monologue.
Encourage your employees to come prepared. Let them know you expect them to reflect on their performance and to bring up their own successes, challenges and goals. You want to also prep them to ask questions about their role, company expectations or ways they can improve.
Make it clear that the review isn’t a lecture, but a collaborative discussion about their growth and success. When employees come prepared, it opens up a deeper conversation about their development, motivations and any obstacles they’re facing.
Providing a performance review template for employees or a list of prompts can help them organize their thoughts. For example, ask questions like, “What project are you most proud of this quarter?” or “What support do you need to overcome current challenges?”
Visme offers dozens of performance review templates you can easily customize for each employee. And if you’re looking for a faster way to crank out custom performance review templates for multiple employees, roles and departments, Visme’s AI Document Generator is the ultimate time saver. Just write out a detailed prompt, select your favorite design and let the tool do the heavy lifting.
Performance reviews aren’t just another task to check off your to-do list—they deserve time and focus. These conversations touch on critical issues like pay, responsibilities and career progression, so rushing through them can leave employees feeling undervalued or misunderstood.
Managers need to invest time well before the review to observe behaviors, track progress and gather insights. This ensures the conversation is based on concrete examples rather than vague impressions. It also keeps the discussion focused on the real drivers of success or failure—not just the human tendency to take credit for wins and shift blame for setbacks.
Mike White, the founder of Secchi, has a perspective that really hits home:
“The review is as much for the company as it is for the employee. As a leader, being thoughtful about your audience, direct reports, and coworkers is important. People tie their identity to their work - their IDENTITY! Therefore, take the time to do a good review; I'm not perfect, but be intentional about your development.”
I almost always start the review by addressing the intention of the review and the "elephant in the room." For example, "we all know what happened in Q1, and that is taken into account in this review, the intent of this review is to make you better and us better, if I do not align with your perception, please speak up."
Not all performance issues are created equal, and it’s important to dig into the root causes. Is the challenge a lack of motivation, ability or both? Here’s how to break it down:
Your stars—those with high motivation and exceptional abilities—are your most valuable assets. Think about how to reward their efforts, learn from their behaviors and ensure they stay engaged and committed to your organization.
Not all performance reviews are going to be easy. Some employees may need to hear hard truths about their performance, behavior or fit within the company. Be prepared to deliver feedback that may be difficult to hear, but do so with professionalism and empathy.
Don’t shy away from addressing issues head-on. If performance is lacking, be specific about what needs to change. If you need to discuss possible role changes or even termination, approach the conversation with clarity and respect.
The goal is not to make the employee feel bad, but to help them understand what’s holding them back and what they can do to improve.
A performance review shouldn’t be a formality or an uncomfortable conversation. If done right, it’s an opportunity to give constructive feedback, align expectations and ensure growth.
Here’s how to make sure the performance evaluation process serves its purpose:
It’s crucial to enter the review with a mindset that focuses on growth not punishment. If you’re approaching the conversation with the belief that the employee's performance issues are insurmountable, the review won’t be productive.
Instead, you should be clear that your goal is to help them improve, grow, and succeed. By making your intentions clear and aligning your feedback with the employee's development, you both move from vague expectations to specific, actionable goals.
General feedback doesn’t help anyone. Saying, “You’re doing fine, but there’s room for improvement” is vague and unhelpful. Instead, be specific: “Your presentation lacked critical data on demographics and cost analysis, which made it harder for the client to understand the value.” This gives them clear points to work on.
It’s also essential to use concrete examples to back up your feedback. Describe actual incidents that demonstrate the impact of their actions. For instance, “During the meeting, you interrupted the buyer multiple times, which made them less receptive to your ideas.”
The more concrete and descriptive you are, the less room there is for the employee to dismiss your comments or misinterpret your feedback.
People often don’t realize how their actions affect outcomes, which is where you, as a manager, come in. You need to connect the dots between what they did and how it impacted the team, the company or the client.
For example, don’t just say, “You didn’t engage with the client enough.” Instead, explain, “You interrupted the client several times, which made them less receptive to your ideas.” This helps the employee understand that it’s not just about what they did, but the actual consequences of their actions.
Keep in mind that people won’t change their personality overnight. Focus on behaviors they can control, and avoid making judgments based on your personal preferences. A good review is about helping them change the things that can be improved, not forcing them to become someone they’re not.
A performance review should never be a one-way conversation. Give your employee the chance to respond to your feedback. It’s essential to understand their perspective, as they may have different interpretations of events.
For example, ask, “Does my view of your interactions with colleagues make sense? Is there something I’m missing? Could it be an issue with resources or something else?” This type of open dialogue helps to uncover underlying factors that may be contributing to performance issues.
Additionally, it gives the employee the chance to clarify any misunderstandings and provide context that might have been overlooked.
Before jumping to conclusions, dig deeper into what’s behind the performance issue.
Sometimes, the issue isn’t the employee’s performance, but rather a mismatch between their style and the company’s needs. If you notice a consistent problem with performance, ask yourself: Is it because of their abilities or motivation? Are they not skilled enough, or are they simply not engaged?
This is also an opportunity to reflect on your own management style. Could your actions, expectations or the resources available be contributing to the issue? The goal is to make sure you’re not overlooking your own role in the performance equation.
The review isn’t complete until you discuss the next steps. Both you and the employee should walk away with a clear understanding of how to move forward. This isn’t just about highlighting problems; it’s about identifying solutions and setting clear goals.
Ask yourself: What can this employee do to improve? Can you provide additional training or resources to help them develop? Are there projects that could provide more opportunities for learning? Work with them to create an action plan with clear milestones, timelines and performance metrics.
This action plan should be a collaborative effort, where both parties take responsibility for their growth. The employee should have clear goals, and you should have a strategy for providing ongoing support.
Yes, you’ve covered the tough stuff, but the performance evaluation doesn’t have to end on a sour note.
Acknowledge the employee’s hard work, progress and potential. Reiterate that you’re invested in their growth and development.
A simple “I believe you have the potential to achieve great things here, and I’m excited to see how you grow in this role” can go a long way in boosting morale and motivating the employee to continue striving for success.
The performance review doesn’t end when the conversation wraps up. In fact, that’s just the beginning of the process. The real work happens after the review when you take the steps to ensure progress, maintain momentum and stay aligned. Here’s what you need to do:
The review conversation is packed with valuable feedback, goals and next steps, but none of it will matter if you don’t document it clearly. After the review, take the time to write down the key points discussed, including the employee’s strengths, areas for improvement and specific goals moving forward.
Don’t just jot down vague statements like, “Improve communication.” Be specific: “Attend communication training by the end of Q2, apply techniques to client meetings and report back with feedback in the next review.” This documentation serves as a reference point for both you and the employee, ensuring that there’s no ambiguity about what was agreed upon.
A performance review without follow-up is just a conversation. Make sure to follow through on the action items discussed. If you promised to support the employee with training or resources, make sure that happens.
Mike Chappell, Co-founder and CEO of FormsPal, emphasizes the importance of seeing tangible outcomes from performance reviews:
“After two or three performance reviews, you should start seeing measurable results — goals agreed with the employees being met, the team being more motivated. If results are not there, then the review system should be optimized, which can be done both ways: it's either the conversations are too dry and based on a general viewpoint rather than feedback on the actual job, or maybe regular check-ins after the review are not helpful in their nature and more effort should be put into giving advice and directions to the employee, and listening to their concerns.”
This is also your chance to keep the momentum going. Set up regular one-on-one meetings to discuss their development and address any roadblocks they’re facing. If they’re doing well, praise them for the improvements. If they’re falling short, give constructive advice on how they can get back on track.
It’s easy to slip into the trap of only highlighting the good, but that doesn’t help anyone. If the employee is falling short on their goals, be upfront about it. It’s better to address issues early on than to wait until the next review.
If progress is slow, have an honest conversation about why that is. Maybe the goals need to be adjusted, or maybe the employee needs more resources or training. If their performance is slipping, address it right away, and figure out a plan to get things back on track.
At the same time, celebrate the wins. Recognize the small improvements as well as the big ones. Acknowledging progress boosts morale and motivates employees to keep working toward their goals.
Goals are not set in stone. Life happens, and priorities shift. Revisit the goals discussed during the review to see if they’re still relevant or achievable.
If the goals no longer make sense due to changes in the business, team or market, be flexible enough to adjust them. Maybe the training course you recommended is no longer available, or the employee has taken on new responsibilities that shift their focus.
Regularly reviewing and adjusting goals keeps the employee on track and aligned with the company’s objectives. It also shows that you’re committed to their success, not just a checklist of performance items.
Performance evaluation shouldn’t be the only time you talk to your employees about their progress. Maintain an open-door policy and encourage regular communication.
Create an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their challenges, asking for help and discussing their career goals. This builds trust and strengthens the manager-employee relationship, which in turn boosts engagement and productivity.
Be proactive about asking for feedback, too. Check in regularly to see how they’re feeling about their role, the work environment and the support they’re receiving. It’s not just about the employee improving—it’s about the relationship improving as well.
Sometimes, an employee may need more than just feedback—they may need additional support. Whether it’s training, mentoring, or a change in their responsibilities, make sure they have the tools and resources they need to succeed.
If they’re struggling with specific skills, recommend training or find a mentor who can help them develop. If workload or team dynamics are an issue, address it head-on and see how you can alleviate some of the pressure.
This is where your leadership and commitment to the employee’s growth come into play. Make sure they know you’re invested in their success.
Performance reviews shouldn’t be a once-a-year event. Make sure to set up the next review cycle and discuss expectations for the upcoming period.
This could be a quarterly check-in, or if the goals are more long-term, schedule the next review six months down the line. Keep the momentum going by maintaining a structured approach to feedback and performance evaluation.
According to Edel Holliday-Quinn, traditional annual reviews have their place but they’re no longer sufficient on their own.
"Organizations benefit most from a hybrid approach: formal reviews annually or biannually, complemented by more frequent informal check-ins. Why? Regular conversations help prevent surprises, ensuring employees always know where they stand. They also allow for real-time course corrections and foster a culture of continuous improvement. Frequent feedback has another advantage: it boosts engagement. Employees who feel their contributions are recognized and their challenges addressed in real-time are more likely to stay motivated."
The goal is to create a continuous feedback loop that helps the employee grow and succeed while also helping you assess how they’re aligning with the company’s goals.
We’ve already included a handful of customizable performance review examples and templates throughout this article, but let’s provide you with 10 more. These examples can be used by nearly any team in any industry. Just replace the initial content with your own, match each template to your brand colors and get ready to share with your team.
Sometimes the first step in your performance review is self-reflection. This lets your employees think about how they’ve been feeling in their role and if their self review matches up with how you as their manager feel about their performance.
With this self performance review template, you can update the stock photo with your employee’s headshot before sending it to them for self-evaluation. Adjust the evaluation items based on the specific feedback you want to hear from your employees.
Leave the “Personal Comments” section blank so your employees can fill it out for themselves. You can then duplicate the document in Visme to send a virtual version to each employee to fill out, or print several copies off and distribute them around the office.
The majority of companies (63%) conduct annual employee performance reviews, giving them a large span of time to evaluate each team member. If you choose to go this route, you’ll need to make sure you’re taking notes throughout the year so you’re able to conduct a thorough and accurate review of the past year.
This template allows you to list out your employee’s strengths as well as cover any areas they may need to improve in. To balance out the review, make sure to offer constructive help on specific ways to improve or even offer some external development opportunities like courses and conferences.
There are many times and places for a SWOT analysis and a performance review is yet another one of them. A SWOT analysis covers a person, team or brand’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
This is a great format for performance reviews because it lets you list out each of these items. You’ll want to include information like:
Reviewing temp employees? This performance review template is the perfect starting point. It even includes guidelines sharing the point threshold employees must meet in order to remain with the company once their temp contract is complete.
The point scale is a unique idea here, alongside the color-coded key. Consider utilizing something like this employee evaluation form for competitive roles in order to choose the best fit for the permanent position.
Team leaders also go through performance reviews. This is especially important if a team member was given a leadership role as a trial and you want to conduct a performance review to see if they met the criteria for a permanent promotion.
This performance dashboard-style template is straightforward, including a large table with evaluation items as the central component. It includes title, description and score columns in an effort to be as descriptive as possible.
Customize this template and adjust each of the evaluation items, the colors, the name and job title, the scale and more to fit your specific needs.
Not many companies actually stick to quarterly performance reviews. However, depending on the nature of your work, you may decide this frequency is the best fit for your organization.
We’ve got several quarterly performance review examples in our library to get your wheels turning. One example is this employee review template, which is really simple and uses a page-wide table to organize each section of the review. It also leaves a lot of room for customization. You can input comments throughout the page or let your employee leave their own comments.
The second most popular performance review frequency is twice a year, which you can easily start doing with this mid-year performance review template. Taking advantage of our percentage dials, this one uses numbers out of 100 to dictate how well the employee has been performing rather than the review scales we mentioned earlier.
If you don’t prefer a dark background, you can easily adjust the colors within this template to create a lighter or even a colorful background. Adjust the evaluation items to match your specific review and use the bulleted lists to add additional feedback on why you rated your employee as you did for each item.
Our simple performance review template has a basic starred review scale, giving 2-5 stars for each evaluation item. It includes five employee skills (though this can always be customized to include more or fewer) and a column for reviewer notes.
A performance review template like this is a great starting point as you get more comfortable with reviews and better understand your needs. Start with this template when conducting your very first review, then customize it or move on to another template as you become more well-versed.
Another great option for your review scale is to use a progress data widget. Again, you can find a number of these options within Visme’s dashboard, making it easy to insert and adjust the progress bar based on your employee’s performance.
This employee evaluation template also comes with a bulleted list under reviewer comments, which can make the section a bit more organized with actionable feedback. Adjust the colors in this template to match your brand and share it online for virtual performance reviews or print it to bring to an in-person meeting.
This unique performance review template takes a different approach to the design of the evaluation items. By using shapes, it builds a more creative table aspect. Easily customize the evaluation items in the first box, then use checkmark icons to grade the employee.
With this template, you can easily adjust colors, background images, company name, comments, evaluation items and more.
Didn’t find what you’re looking for? Discover even more performance review templates below:
When hiring a new employee, you want to start with frequent reviews. Conduct a performance review after the first 30, 60 then 90 days to make sure each new team member has a firm grasp of their role on the team and in the company, as well as their day-to-day job duties.
After that, the frequency is completely up to you. About 63% of companies conduct performance reviews annually, 18% twice a year, 8% quarterly and less than 1% monthly. Find the best frequency for you and your team and stick with it.
In addition, you may choose to hold performance reviews for all team members at the same time of year. Or you might do one-off reviews based on your employees’ start dates, choosing to conduct a performance review at each yearly milestone an employee hits.
There really is no best practice—it depends on what works best for your team and your schedule. Each performance review should take a minimum of 30 minutes to complete in order to give both yourself and your employee enough time to share and digest feedback, as well as ask any questions either of you may have.
But to make sure you’re conducting a thorough, professional, impactful and successful review, you need to include the right information on your document. Include each of the following items to ensure you’ve created a thorough performance review document.
Let’s start with the basics. At the top of your performance review document, include some basic information like:
This section should be included in every performance review document, no matter what role you’re reviewing. It helps keep track of when each review was completed and whose reviews are still remaining.
Create one template and reuse it as many times as you want. Print it with empty cells to fill by hand, or do it digitally using Visme dynamic fields.
Change the terms of the list above without touching the design. Make a set of custom dynamic fields to make the template easy to edit over and over.
Take inspiration from the following template when creating this top area. (Or, simply use the template below as a jumping off point for your own review document.)
Visme makes it easy to create a simple table for inserting information like this. You can adjust background and border colors, customize your fonts and insert the information digitally or print off to do by hand.
The next section you’ll want to include is your review scale or key. There are a couple of different ways to create this.
First, you may choose to have a three-part scale: Needs Improvement, Meets Expectations, Exceeds Expectations. These are really straightforward with little nuance.
Take a look at how this template incorporates this scale by color-coding stars based on the feedback:
Or you may choose to have a rating system of 1-5. This is a bit more nuanced and requires you to lay out exactly what each number means so that your employees get clear feedback and know what they need to improve on.
You can see this in action below:
There’s no right or wrong answer here. Do what makes the most sense for how you want to scale each evaluation item (which we’ll cover next).
One great way to make this scale stand out is to utilize icons—especially color-coded ones. Visme offers a wide range of icon options to choose from when creating your review scale. Browse through the options to see if you want to use stars, smiley faces or even icons related to your industry.
Create a list of all items you need to evaluate with your employee. These will likely change from role to role based on each person’s job responsibilities.
Here’s a sample teacher performance review and the evaluation items a principal or school administrator may need to go over with them:
You’ll want to include an area to add the employee’s scores for each section based on your review scale. You’ll then go over why you scored the employee the way you did throughout the actual review meeting.
One creative idea for your evaluation scores is to use percentages like we see in this template below:
Visme provides users with a large number of percentage dials and data widgets that make visualizing numbers like this easy. Simply pop in your percentages and watch as the dials come to life. You can even share an animated version of your performance review document online.
Create some tangible goals and expectations for the next period. This will give your employee a clear idea of how to move forward and improve their performance for the next review period or keep up the good work.
Here's a goal setting worksheet and template to get you started.
Use the SMART goals framework to make sure these goals are tangible and make sense based on your employee’s past performance.
You can take a page out of the template above and add an extra row to your table for this section. Or you can use shapes inside Visme’s graphics tab to create a separate space for these goals and objectives to live. Use text boxes to type them out digitally or leave yourself enough space to write them out by hand.
You’ll want to leave a section at the bottom of your review document open for reviewer comments. This is where you can be more specific with feedback and what you expect from your employees.
Again, this can be done by adding a blank shape matching your document’s colors to the bottom of the sheet. Or you can simply leave some empty space with a title stating the space is reserved for “Reviewer’s Comments” or “Remarks.”
Here’s another great example of what this could look like:
At the very bottom, you as the reviewer and your employee will need to sign, showing that the information has been covered, questions have been answered and both parties feel that the overall review has been completed.
If you’re conducting the performance review virtually, you can type out your names or upload a digital copy of each signature to signal a digital signing of the document. Visme provides file storage for your team’s workspace making it easy to upload as many files as you need.
During the performance review process, supervisors provide helpful feedback to employees. If you’re new to conducting performance reviews, you might not be sure what to write as feedback.
Here are 13 performance review phrases to get you started.
Preparing for a performance review as an employee can feel like standing on the edge of a diving board—exciting, a little nerve-wracking and full of anticipation.
It’s a moment to reflect on your achievements, address challenges and set your sights on future goals.
While the process might stir up some butterflies, it’s also a golden opportunity to advocate for yourself and strengthen your relationship with your manager.
To help you walk into your performance review with confidence and a clear game plan, here are some practical tips to make the most of this important conversation.
Before stepping into your performance review, take a step back and do a thorough self-assessment.
This means looking at your performance from multiple angles—how you see yourself, how your work impacts your team and how others might perceive your contributions.
Justina Raskauskiene, HR Team Lead at Omnisend, suggests digging deeper than the obvious metrics of success:
HR Team Lead at Omnisend.
Start by reflecting on your own performance. What have you nailed? Where could you improve? Be honest with yourself—this isn’t the time to sugarcoat things. Then, reach out to trusted colleagues for their perspectives. Ask questions like, “How do you think I handled that project?” or “What’s one thing I could do better?”
Finally, revisit your job description and past reviews to ensure you’re on track with your manager’s and the company’s expectations. This self performance review not only gives you a clearer picture of where you stand but also shows your manager you’re serious about growth.
Managers appreciate clear, concrete examples of how your work has made an impact.
Start by jotting down your key milestones: projects completed, goals met or challenges you overcame. Then, anchor each accomplishment with evidence. Use metrics, data or specific anecdotes to illustrate your success. For example:
Instead of saying, “I helped improve the team’s workflow,” say, “I introduced a new project management tool that reduced task completion time by 20%.”
Or:
Replace: “I contributed to sales growth” with “I closed five high-value deals that brought in $200,000 in revenue.”
This approach not only demonstrates your value but also makes it easier for your manager to see your contributions in tangible terms.
Plus, having hard evidence at your fingertips shows that you’ve come prepared and take your work seriously.
While it’s tempting to put all the focus on what went right, being honest about areas where you could improve shows a level of maturity and self-awareness that’s hard to ignore.
Think of it as acknowledging your blind spots—everyone has them, but only the most committed to growth address them head-on.
For example, instead of saying, “I didn’t hit all my goals,” own it with something like, “I struggled with managing multiple priorities this quarter, but I’ve started prioritizing tasks more effectively with a new system I’m testing out.”
Being transparent about where you’ve faced challenges isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a sign that you’re invested in improving.
When you approach your performance review with this level of honesty, it opens up the door for a more productive conversation about how you can improve and what support you might need to get there.
Performance reviews aren’t just about reflecting on the past—they’re a chance to set your sights on the future. Think of it like laying out a roadmap for where you want to go next and how to start planning your career.
Setting personal goals shows that you’re proactive, forward-thinking and ready to take on new challenges.
Start by identifying areas you want to grow in. Maybe you want to take on more leadership opportunities or become an expert in a new skill.
Whatever it is, make sure your goals align with your team’s or company’s bigger picture. So, be ready to have a discussion with your boss about how your growth fits into the company’s objective.
For instance, you might say, “I’d like to take on more project management responsibilities, and I see how that could contribute to the team’s current objectives of streamlining workflow and improving efficiency. I’m also planning to complete a certification course in the next six months.”
Be specific about the steps you’ll take to reach these goals and what success will look like. The clearer you are, the easier it is for both you and your manager to track progress.
Don’t just toss your goal-setting sheet into a drawer and forget about it until a couple of weeks before your performance review. Make it a habit to check in with your manager at least quarterly to discuss your progress and recalibrate.
These check-ins are a golden opportunity to seek clarity about your role, expectations and how you can better align with the company’s goals.
Ask questions like, “What skills do you think I should focus on developing?” or “How can I better support the team’s current objectives?” This shows initiative, a growth mindset and a genuine interest in making sure you're moving in the right direction.
Pay close attention to their feedback, take notes and be ready to adjust your goals or approach if needed. It’s all about staying aligned with both your personal growth and the company’s big-picture goals.
These ongoing conversations help ensure you're not just setting goals in a vacuum but actively working toward them with your manager’s support. It’s a partnership that can keep you on track and help you evolve in your role.
Feedback is a key ingredient in growth. It’s not something to dread but rather an opportunity to fine-tune your skills and become even better at what you do. Approach it with an open mind and a readiness to learn. After all, the goal isn’t just to hear what you’re doing well, but to understand where you can improve.
If you sense criticism coming your way, don’t panic. Think ahead about how you can show you’re actively working on those areas.
For example, if your manager mentions that you’ve been slow to adapt to new processes, come prepared to discuss the steps you’ve taken to learn and improve. This shows initiative and a proactive mindset.
When feedback catches you off guard, keep your emotions in check. Whether the comments are expected or unexpected, staying calm and composed builds trust.
A defensive or emotional response doesn’t help anyone—it just derails the conversation. Instead, listen carefully, ask for specifics if needed and be ready to adjust based on the feedback.
The performance review isn’t over when the meeting wraps up. In fact, the real work begins after that conversation. Following up is a sign that you’re serious about your growth and committed to making progress.
After the review, take a moment to recap the key points—especially the goals and areas for improvement. Write them down and share them with your manager. This keeps everyone on the same page and gives you a concrete reference to track your progress. For example, you might say, “Thanks for the feedback today. I’ve outlined the key goals we discussed and am eager to start working on them.”
Don’t wait for your next review before checking in. Use your quarterly check-ins to revisit those goals, ask for feedback, and make adjustments if needed. By following up, you show that you're not just going through the motions but actively working to improve and reach your goals.
Do you still have performance review questions? This FAQ section will be of help.
Q. How Do You Write a Good Performance Review?
Writing good performance reviews takes some practice and the knowledge of how to conduct reviews fairly across the board.
Here are some tips to help you write better performance reviews:
Q. What Is a Good Example of Positive Feedback?
Good positive feedback always starts with a personalized statement and an action verb. Feedback can be given in the second or third person as follows:
“You take on responsibilities with grace and do high-quality work.”
or
“John takes on responsibilities with grace and does high-quality work.”
For feedback to be positive, it has to express a positive quality of the employee. The opposite would be negative feedback.
Q. What’s a Self Evaluation Performance Review?
A self-evaluation performance review is one where an employee reviews their own work. Typically, self-eval reviews are part of a comprehensive performance review process that includes a variety of employee reviews. Using a combination of review styles, you can achieve a 360 approach.
To create a self-evaluation performance review, add a survey or Jotform into the canvas using one of the survey integrations. Then, keep track of when an employee has opened their review using the Visme analytics feature. See where they opened it from and how much time they spent on it.
Q. What Is an Example of a Performance Review?
Here’s an example of a performance review. This is a template for reviewing the performance of a customer service representative. It has several areas of discussion including both positive and constructive feedback.
Q. How Do You Write an Overall Performance Summary?
To write an overall performance summary, you must first conduct a performance review process. This process includes a number of performance assessments that evaluate an employee’s work across all their responsibilities.
The summary is the culmination of all assessments and includes an overview of all reviews and a condensed explanation of the results. The performance review templates in this guide can also be used as performance summaries as long as all the assessments are done beforehand. You can also use a dashboard design with data visualizations and widgets to give an overview of an employee’s 360 reviews.
If you need help summarizing lots of content from a number of reviews, ask the Visme AI writer for help. Prompt the AI text generator to summarize all your review content into a concise and cohesive outline or list. Then format it into the summary document and you’re done.
Start conducting consistent and professional performance reviews with your team. Start with a performance review template or start yours from scratch with our professional document creator.
Having a standardized performance review template that you reuse for each meeting keeps the process organized and professional. Let Visme help—get started today.
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