Performance review examples.

Three elements of a good performance review.

1. 1
   Evidence. Specific examples from the whole period, not impressions.
2. 2
   Balance. Strengths and development areas, each with a reason.
3. 3
   Direction. Clear next steps, support and goals for the coming period.

Tone in performance review comments.

Write as you would speak to the person: direct, respectful and specific.

How to write a performance review comment.

For the wider review process, see the CIPD factsheet on performance management and the SHRM toolkit on managing employee performance.

A simple structure for every performance review comment.

Write each comment in three parts. First, the observation: what the person did, with a concrete example from the period. Second, the effect: what changed because of it for customers, colleagues or results. Third, the next step: what to keep doing or what to try differently. A comment written this way is fair, specific and easy to act on.

For example: "Led the migration of the billing system two weeks ahead of plan (observation). The finance team closed the quarter without manual workarounds for the first time (effect). Next year, take the lead on the reporting migration and coach a colleague through it (next step)."

70 employee performance review examples by competency.

Results and delivery

Strengths

• Consistently delivers projects on time and to the agreed standard, including when priorities change at short notice.
• Delivered the Q3 migration two weeks early, which let the sales team launch on schedule.
• Sets realistic plans and keeps the people affected updated, so there are few surprises.
• Takes ownership of outcomes, not just tasks.
• Exceeded the quarterly target by focusing on the accounts with the most potential.

Areas to develop

• Several deadlines slipped late in the project; flag risks at the first sign of delay next period.
• Commits to more than can be delivered; agree the top three priorities weekly with your manager.
• Work is often complete but late; break large tasks into weekly milestones.
• Focuses on activity over outcomes; tie each task to the result it serves.
• Needs to escalate blockers sooner rather than waiting until the deadline.

Quality and accuracy

Strengths

• Reports are consistently accurate; readers rarely need to ask follow-up questions.
• Pays close attention to detail without slowing the team down.
• Built a checklist that cut errors in month-end reporting.
• Holds a high standard and helps others meet it.
• Tests work thoroughly before handing it on.

Areas to develop

• Small errors in client documents need a second check before sending.
• Rushes final steps when deadlines are tight; build in review time.
• Documentation is incomplete; colleagues struggle to pick up the work.
• Quality varies between projects; agree a standard checklist.
• Spends too long perfecting low-impact work; match effort to importance.

Communication

Strengths

• Explains complex issues in plain language for non-specialists.
• Keeps the team informed with short, clear updates.
• Listens well and summarizes discussions accurately.
• Handles difficult conversations with clients calmly and honestly.
• Writes concise emails that lead to quick decisions.

Areas to develop

• Stakeholders sometimes learn about changes late; send a short weekly status update.
• Messages are long; lead with the decision needed.
• Interrupts in meetings; let others finish before responding.
• Avoids difficult conversations until problems grow; raise issues earlier.
• Updates are inconsistent across channels; agree one place for status.

Collaboration and teamwork

Strengths

• Regularly helps colleagues unblock their work, especially new joiners.
• Shares knowledge openly and credits others.
• Builds strong working relationships with other teams.
• Resolves disagreements constructively.
• Puts team goals ahead of personal credit.

Areas to develop

• Works in isolation on shared projects; involve colleagues earlier.
• Can be dismissive of ideas from other teams; ask questions before judging.
• Tends to take over tasks rather than coach others.
• Needs to respond to colleagues' requests more promptly.
• Conflict with one colleague is affecting the team; let us agree a way forward.

Initiative and problem solving

Strengths

• Spotted the billing error before customers did and fixed the process behind it.
• Proposes practical improvements rather than only raising problems.
• Learns new tools quickly and teaches others.
• Handles ambiguity well and moves work forward.
• Volunteered to lead the onboarding redesign.

Areas to develop

• Waits for direction on routine decisions; you have the authority to decide.
• Raises problems without a proposed fix; bring one option next time.
• Sticks to familiar approaches; try one new method this quarter.
• Needs to ask for help sooner when stuck.
• Takes on side projects at the expense of core work.

Leadership and people

Strengths

• Gives clear, kind feedback; two team members cite them as the reason they grew this year.
• Delegates well and develops the team.
• Creates a team where people feel safe to raise problems.
• Leads by example on workload and time off.
• Handles underperformance early and fairly.

Areas to develop

• Keeps too much work personally; delegate one recurring task this quarter.
• One-to-ones are often cancelled; hold them every two weeks.
• Feedback is mostly positive; be more specific about what to improve.
• Team workload is uneven; review allocation monthly.
• Needs to explain decisions to the team, not only announce them.

Workload and sustainability

Strengths

• Manages time well and protects focus time for priority work.
• Sets clear boundaries and still delivers.
• Raises capacity concerns early and constructively.
• Takes leave and returns energized.
• Helps the team plan realistic workloads.

Areas to develop

• Has been working long hours for months; let us review workload together and protect recovery time.
• Rarely takes breaks or holidays; plan leave for the next quarter now.
• Says yes to every request; agree what to decline.
• Energy has dropped in recent months; let us talk about what would help.
• Works evenings regularly; agree a stopping time.

Performance review examples for remote employees.

"Keeps the team informed with clear written updates, so nobody waits for answers." "Sets clear availability and sticks to it, which helps the team plan." "Could share progress earlier; colleagues sometimes learn about delays late." Review remote employees on outcomes and collaboration, not on how visible they are online.

Performance review examples for attendance, adaptability and problem-solving.

Performance review examples by rating level.

A comment at every level should describe what happened, explain the effect and name a next step. A low rating without a support plan is a judgment, not a review.

Self performance review examples.

"This year I led the onboarding redesign, which cut time to first project from six weeks to three. I want to get better at sharing risks early; two projects slipped because I raised problems late. Next year I would like to lead a small team, and I would value a mentor who has done that."

A good self-review gives evidence, names a weakness honestly and says what support would help.

More self performance review examples.

"I met three of my four goals; the fourth slipped when two projects overlapped, and I should have raised it earlier." "I am proud of the onboarding guide; new hires use it every week." "Next year I want to lead a project end to end and would value coaching on planning."

Peer review examples.

Performance review examples for managers.

When performance drops, check capacity first.

Falling performance is often a capacity problem, not a motivation problem. thrive research found that people with the least capacity, meaning energy, focus, recovery and resilience, delivered 56% of priority work on time, against 86% for those with the most. Before writing a development area, ask about workload, sleep and recovery. See signs of burnout at work.

Phrases to avoid in a performance review.

Closing comments for a performance review.

"Thank you for a strong year; I look forward to supporting your next project." "We agreed three goals and a monthly check-in; I am confident about the year ahead."

How to communicate a performance review in the meeting.

Start by asking the employee how they see the period, then share your view with examples. Keep the conversation two-way, and separate development from pay where possible so people can talk openly about what to improve. End with an agreed summary in writing. If the review includes difficult news, say it early and clearly, then spend most of the time on what happens next.

How employees can respond to a performance review.

Employees shape the review too. Asking for examples, adding context and agreeing next steps makes the review more useful for both sides. If an employee disagrees with a rating, a short written response that sets out the facts is more effective than an argument in the meeting.