How to Write Performance Evaluation Reviews

Although many supervisors see the performance evaluation as yet another piece of paper they must complete, the review actually serves many critical purposes within the organization and has benefits for both the employee and his supervisor. A well-written evaluation provides the employee with a framework for career development and outlines the path to promotion. Goals and expectations allow the employee to understand what is expected of him, but in the event that disciplinary action is needed, also serve as documented evidence that the employee was appropriately informed of company expectations.

Instructions

1. Review your supervisor's file for documentation on the employee's performance throughout the rating period. Look at the evaluation from the prior year and determine if the employee met all the goals set for her. Note any significant achievements and any areas for improvement. Consider if the employee won any commendations or awards, or if she was issued any disciplinary action--a written warning, for example--during the rating period.

2. Discuss the employee's performance over the rating period. Identify the projects the employee was assigned and whether he completed the tasks on time and within budget. Focus on the actual results achieved--not the potential for achievement--and identify projects that are currently in process. Review the areas in which the employee excelled and any areas where development, training or further action is required.

3. Discuss the employee's work habits. Comment on the employee's attendance, punctuality and work group relations. For example, if the employee is seen as a resource by coworkers and helps others with questions, mention this in the evaluation. Likewise, if the employee has displayed good customer service skills, indicate her ability to remain cheerful, helpful and friendly, even when dealing with with irate customers.

4. Maintain a factual and objective tone throughout the evaluation. Avoid subjective judgments and emotive language. Instead of writing "Employee is lazy and can never be bothered to arrive on time," state, "Employee arrived late to work on 40 of the 230 working days during the rating period."

5. Establish SMART--specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely--goals for the next rating period. Review the goals in conjunction with the employee and, if possible, incorporate his areas of interest and career aspirations in some of the goals.

Tips & Warnings

• Include comments from other coworkers in the evaluation. These can be collected as part of a formal 360-degree feedback initiative, or you can simply save emails and correspondence about the employee during the review period and then excerpt the comments into the review.

• Comply with legal requirements such as the Family Medical Leave Act and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. For example, don't include medical specifics in the employee's performance evaluation.

• Avoid the halo or horns effect, when you give the employee a higher or lower overall rating than is really warranted, based on an isolated good or bad incident.

• Don't over-inflate performance. Rate the employee appropriately and prepared to justify your reasons with supporting documentation, if needed.

References

• Wright State University: The Narrative Performance Appraisal
• Drexel University: Performance Evaluation Tips
• U.S. Office of Personnel Management: A Supervisor's Checklist for Preparing for Employee Performance Reviews
• University of California, Berkeley; Setting SMART Goals is Key to Performance Management; Wendy Edelstein; February 2006