Customizable Performance Review Template

Performance review template
Olga Prokopenko

Olga Prokhorenko

HR Consultant for 15+ years, ex-HR Head of The National Bank of Ukraine.

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In this checklist, you'll find:
  • Structure of a 180-degree (employee-manager) review
  • Examples of performance evaluation criteria
  • Common types of reviews with a suggested period of evaluation
  • HR Expert tips to customize your template step-by-step
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Our review template principles

CUSTOMIZATION

Find recommendations on how to adapt this template to your goals, review type and period of evaluation.

SIMPLICITY

The "best" template is easy and understandable, allowing you to evaluate the employees fast and fair and highlight the paths for their improvement.

AUTOMATION

For maximum efficiency, we recommend linking this template performance management software and aligning the assessment with other HR programs.

Performance review tips

DESIGN EVALUATION CRITERIA

1. To evaluate the effectiveness/productivity of the employees and do they achieve results, use goals, tasks, KPIs, and OKRs as criteria:
  • KPIs are best when using a management system for performance indicators at all levels with precise descriptions and measurements.
  • OKR provides a more flexible and "loyal" system for assessing the achievement of results than KPIs but also a system for planning goals and monitoring their achievement.
  • If you do not evaluate performance by indicators, use the assessment of the tasks/goals performance in a simple % degree according to the manager/other respondents to assess the effectiveness.
  • The employee's assessment should be tied to the goals and evaluation of the effectiveness of the units/company.
  • Calculate the progress of goals, KPIs, and OKR at percentages and points.
2. To evaluate employees' behavior and how they achieve results, use competencies (corporate/functional/leadership) and skills (soft/hard/leadership) as criteria:
  • Develop unique competencies for a specific function/position/role that meet the culture (values) of the company, its strategies, and people management policies.
  • Provide clear descriptions for every competency and skill and the possible levels of their demonstrations, according to your targets.
  • Assess the competencies and skills in points, or a specific description/level of competencies/skills.
3. To evaluate employees' compliance with corporate values and culture, add the company's values to the assessment:
  • Name values and add the descriptions of "value" behavior.
  • Evaluate "value behavior "r in points or a pre-defined description/level of behavior.
4. To evaluate the level of expertise and proof of knowledge, add a list of knowledge to the criteria:
  • Create a category for evaluating proficiency level and separate it from the assessment of competencies.
  • Evaluate professional knowledge with questions or testing and assess knowledge in points or percentages.
  • If you need to evaluate employee performance complexly, add the behavior criteria or competencies (how employees act to achieve the result) and productivity (how employees' results could be evaluated – goals, KPI, OKR).
  • Add other criteria to the review, if necessary.
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SELECT THE REVIEW TYPE

This template fits best when the manager evaluates an employee's performance. The performance review template can vary depending on the evaluation methodology:
  • When the manager/supervisor/team lead evaluates the employee.
  • When you include multiple types of reviewers in the evaluation (not only a manager but also colleagues, clients, and subordinates).
  • When you evaluate the group of employees/team.
  • When you evaluate the potential for specific actions in the future
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SET THE EVALUATION TIMEFRAME

Adapt performance review template to your period of evaluation:
  • The monthly/quarterly appraisal is short and includes an overview of achievements and adjustments to activities for the future.
  • The half-year and annual assessment should be an in-depth performance review, so the template needs to be more detailed.
  • The evaluation period relies on the category of employees and their activity: the shorter the operations/process in which the employee is involved, the faster the evaluation period. For C-level positions, the assessment should be annual because their activities are directly related to the company's strategy.

THINK ACTION PLAN EARLY

Reviews take time and effort from all participants, so you need to be sure that you get all the data you need.

This template will provide recommendations for employees’ potential and skills development. You will need to find ways that are agreeable to both parties to improve performance. For example, create a personal development plan or specific upskilling course. It's essential to integrate these plans with deadlines and SMART/OKR goals. Brief the employees of the renewed expectations during subsequent 1-to-1 sessions.Here're some ideas on how to analyze performance reviews and follow up on the action items.

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