Use our employee evaluation form to formally review your employees’ performance.
Updated September 26, 2023
Written by Josh Sainsbury | Reviewed by Brooke Davis
An employee evaluation (performance review) will help you assess employees consistently and fairly. Employee review is a valuable part of a business. It ensures that workers are held to high standards and given the information needed to improve their job.
Many companies conduct performance evaluations annually or twice a year.
The content of an employee evaluation can change to meet your unique needs. An employee performance review template allows you to create a printable form you can use with your business.
An employee evaluation template is a document that assesses an employee’s job performance and provides feedback. It typically includes questions or a set of criteria used to evaluate specific aspects of the employee’s job, such as their technical skills, teamwork, communication, and overall job performance.
The results of the evaluation are used to determine areas of strength and weakness, set performance goals, and provide feedback to the employee on their work.
These documents are a valuable indicator of the success of a company and its management of employees. It gives you the critical information to handle human resources and make informed business decisions.
There are several different methods to evaluate employee performance; some of the most popular include:
You might be interested in employee evaluation using self-assessment questions. Self-awareness is essential; you might be interested in how your employees feel their performances have gone.
You can even use self-assessment questions with employee evaluation comments the manager leaves. Consider including self-assessment questions as a part of the employee evaluation process.
If you want your business to be successful, you need your employees to work together as a strong team. A team assessment could be helpful. That way, you will have an easier time figuring out which team members are working well together and what might have to be adjusted.
This evaluation allows employees to receive confidential, anonymous feedback from everyone they work with. For example, this process might incorporate feedback from their managers, peers, and people who report directly.
Anyone who the employee interacts with daily may contribute to this evaluation.
A peer review process is also essential. This is an evaluation that your employees can use to evaluate their colleagues. In some cases, these evaluations are anonymous, which makes it easier for employees to be honest about how they feel they are getting along with their colleagues.
An introductory performance review is typically done after employee onboarding has been completed. This process makes it easier to determine whether employees fit their hired role well.
This may also allow the employee to evaluate their training.
It is helpful to receive feedback from many people to help employees do their best. A 30-60-90 review combines input from coworkers and managers that will discuss leadership skills, personality, and character.
This process can make it easier for employees to figure out how to contribute positively to their work environment.
In general, there are two separate forms in which employees can receive feedback. Including a mixture of each form on a single template is also possible. These formats include:
The first format is called a scorecard format. It provides an objective rubric that rates employees in specific areas. It may use a scale of 1 to 5 or 1 to 10. Then, the person evaluating the employee will have to rate that particular skill on this scale. Or, the scorecard may include ratings for “exceptional,” “satisfactory,” “unsatisfactory,” or something similar.
The main advantage of a scorecard is that it is easier to fill out, but it may also limit the ability of the evaluator to share all of their thoughts.
The other option is called a narrative format. In this format, the person evaluating the employee must answer several questions targeting specific areas. As the name suggests, the evaluator has a lot of freedom to include whatever they think is essential.
The main advantage of this format is that the evaluator is free to say what they want, but it may also take longer to fill out.
The entire purpose of an employee evaluation is to give the employee actionable tips that they can use to get better at their job and provide better performance for the company.
Some of the essential tips to keep in mind when writing an employee evaluation include the following:
Before writing an employee evaluation, look at that employee’s job description. You must ensure your feedback is directly related to the employee’s job duties. For example, if you provide an evaluation of employee actions that do not relate directly to their job description, the feedback might not be helpful. Make sure the evaluation matches the employee’s job description.
Examine past performance reviews or evaluations to track the employee’s progress. Identify areas where improvements were recommended in previous evaluations and assess whether progress has been made.
Begin the evaluation by acknowledging areas where the employee has excelled and performed well. This helps create a positive and supportive atmosphere.
Compare the employee’s strengths and weaknesses. Be specific about their achievements and areas that need improvement. Use concrete examples and data whenever possible to support your assessment.
Make sure you always provide actionable feedback. At the end of the evaluation, the employee should know how to improve their job. These goals should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) and provide a clear path for development.
You may even want to provide the employee with goals to shoot for between this evaluation and the next one. If you give the employee something to aim for, you may provide them with additional motivation.
Offer constructive feedback on areas where improvement is needed. Be specific and objective, and avoid making it personal. Focus on behaviors and outcomes rather than making judgments about the person.
Encourage a two-way conversation by welcoming the employee’s input and perspective. Ask for their self-assessment and thoughts on their performance. This helps in fostering open communication and understanding.
An employee evaluation form pdf may include many of the following sections.
A standard employment evaluation form template provides necessary information you can edit to fit your particular needs. You can download this free employee performance review template in Word or PDF format.
Several critical legal considerations must be considered when filling out an employee evaluation. They include:
Companies, employees, and managers who keep these points in mind should be able to provide a practical employee evaluation without exposing themselves to legal concerns.
There are many reasons you should utilize performance reviews with your business:
Yes, employee performance evaluation forms make sense for small businesses as they allow you to review employee performance regularly.
Regular evaluations for employees in a business of any size can promote increased employee performance, help make promotion decisions, and bring to light any evidence of negative employee performance.
To prepare employee performance reports, you should:
There are no specific legal issues to consider with employee evaluation forms, but you should not discriminate against any employee in any way and should be consistent with all employees.
The purpose of an employee evaluation is to review employees’ performance and create clear documentation that formally identifies areas the employee could improve.
They can also affect the future of the employee’s career.
Start creating your employee evaluation template here
