As a manager, you want your team to be performing as well as possible. A high-performing team will be better engaged and will deliver better results. And that’s important to your own performance.
So when it comes to preparing your team’s performance reviews, make sure you put the proper time into the process. Your  goal in a performance review is to share your evaluation of an employee’s work performance over a specific period. It’s mainly a discussion of the employee’s achievements, areas for improvement, goals, and overall contributions to the team or organization. During the review, you’ll provide feedback, set future expectations, and discuss career development strategies.
Because it’s sometimes challenging to discuss some of these topics, you need to take the time to properly prepare performance reviews, as you want to ensure that the process is fair, accurate, and constructive. Additionally, proper preparation will allow you to gather all relevant information, such as past performance data, feedback from colleagues, and specific examples of the employee’s work, to ensure that you make the most out of these reviews and that your subordinates walk away feeling heard, understood, and ready to continue to learn and grow. Additionally, a well-prepared review will foster trust between you and your employee, showcasing your commitment to their development and your investment in their success.Â
Thorough preparation also allows you to approach the review as a two-way conversation rather than a top-down evaluation. Understanding how to prepare a performance review can help create an open and supportive environment where you and your employee can discuss achievements, challenges, and future goals. Ultimately, your goal is to align the employee’s contributions with the organization’s objectives, driving engagement, productivity, and professional growth.
To prepare a performance review:
- Start by gathering all the necessary data and documentation that describe the employee’s performance. These include their job description, goals and objectives, records of past performance reviews, and any notes you’ve made during the assessment period (and hopefully you have made those notes). As you do this, take note of specific examples that will help you clarify the points related to the subordinate’s work performance, achievements, challenges, as well as any other feedback you’ve provided throughout the period up to the review. If applicable, it’s also important to gather input from other team members or departments to make sure that your impressions and feedback align with others’ experiences. In some organizations, this is accomplished through a formal 360 review process. In others, it is done more informally and left to the initiative of the manager.
- Now that you’ve gathered all the documentation and input necessary to evaluate the employee, begin the assessment process. This step requires you to examine the report’s performance against the goals you both set during the previous performance review (or on their starting day as per the job description and the role’s responsibilities). Determine if the employee has met, exceeded, or fallen short of expectations. Consider both quantitative metrics, such as sales number or project completion rates, and qualitative aspects, such as leadership skills or teamwork, depending on what’s relevant to the specific employee.
- As you assess the report’s performance against the organization’s, the team’s, and their own goals, take the time to identify their strengths and areas for improvement to focus on during the coming work period. Ensure you highlight the employee’s strengths by focusing on how they’ve contributed to the team’s success. You can reference their starting point and call out their growth. Then, identify the areas where the employee can improve. As you do so, write down specific examples that you can rely on to explain your perspectives, and also draft the constructive feedback you’ll share with them to help them learn, grow, and improve.
- Up to this point, you’ve been preparing for your side of the conversation. However, an effective performance review that leads to growth and success requires two-way communication. To prepare for this, encourage your reports to prepare for the review by having them reflect on their performance before they attend the meeting. In some companies, employees will be expected to complete a formal self-assessment as part of the review process. On your end, you need to plan for time to listen to their thoughts, worries, concerns, or problems, as well as those aspects that they are proud of or happy about. You also need to be ready to listen to their perspectives on given matters, particularly challenges they might have faced, so that you can adjust your suggestions for improvement. As you plan for this, make sure you prepare by framing your review as a collaborative discussion rather than a one-sided evaluation process. Let your reports know both beforehand and during the review that you want to hear their thoughts and gather their input.
- The next step is to set goals. Depending on how the conversation goes, these might shift slightly. Your goal is to collaborate with your report to set realistic and challenging goals for the next review period. However, it would be best if you were prepared with your own suggestions, especially in cases when the employee is shy, introverted, or unlikely to set realistic goals. Remember, goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
- With these goals in mind, start drafting development plans. During the meeting, you’ll discuss professional development opportunities, such as training or mentoring, that can help the employee grow in their role. So, as you prepare the performance review, gather the information you’ll need to share with your employees to make the training or mentoring process easier and more accessible for them. That is, come with concrete recommendations or suggestions.
- As you set up the meeting, remember to bring with you a laptop or notebook to document what is discussed in the review. It’s always a good idea to keep a record by writing down a detailed conversation summary that includes the employee’s views on their performance, the feedback you provided, and the agreed-upon goals for the next review. Ensure the documentation is clear, objective, and free from bias. You can create a template using a spreadsheet or a similar format to make sure you cover and take note of everything you want to discuss during the review. This spreadsheet or document will also help share the review highlights with the employee. Make sure that it includes space for them to provide input or comments.
- Finally, ensure you plan on setting up a process for follow-ups. Aside from ending the review by scheduling regular check-ins to monitor progress, you should also set the date for the next performance discussion. This ensures that you provide ongoing feedback and support to help the employee succeed until the time of their next formal performance review.
Carefully preparing and conducting a performance review allows you to foster a positive and productive dialogue that will benefit both the employee and the organization. If you take the time to assess your reports’ performance thoughtfully, you’ll demonstrate a commitment to their growth and development as well as to the success of the company. You’ll also build trust by helping employees to realize that their contributions are recognized and their challenges are addressed. As a result, the review will be much more constructive, and both parties will converse openly about successes, areas for improvement, future aspirations, and job satisfaction. Preparation also enables you to align the employee’s goals with the organization’s broader objectives, ensuring that you help meet the individual’s and company’s needs. Ultimately, this careful approach to performance reviews will strengthen the employee-manager relationship and contribute to the organization’s overall success by enhancing employee engagement, motivation, and productivity.
