Performance Review Phrases: For The Good and The Bad

When you’re the boss, a lot of the big decisions are up to you. This includes all the good and all the bad. Writing performance reviews definitely includes a little bit of both. You’ll have good employees that deserve excellent reviews – and you’ll have employees that are sub-par. Writing reviews for employees that are top notch won’t be too difficult, but writing constructive and professional reviews for employees that need a little guidance can be challenging. Here we’ll go over both realms and how you can successfully convey your thoughts to your workers without coming across as the “jerk boss”. Using this guide will help save you time and effort as you can match these phrases to your employees with just a copy and paste. Want some tips on increasing productivity and success from your employees? Check out the Develop Superstars course for some insider’s tips on how to develop an all-star team.

The Good

1. Sheryl begins each day revitalized and ready for any of the challenges she may face.
2. Over the past year, John has been a valued member of team by consistently being reliable. John’s commitment to punctuality and attendance has contributed greatly to our team’s overall success. In this course on Employee Discipline, you can learn how to address those awkward situations when your employees aren’t exactly performing up to par.
3. Charles always asks for immediate feedback and takes constructive criticism well. He applies any feedback to his current and future projects to ensure he is performing his work adequately.
4. Jean’s project teams always applaud the way she communicates ideas, requirements and changes; and how she always encourages open communication.
5. Jack instills a sense of confidence in his coworkers and project team by encouraging an atmosphere of openness. Jack’s coworkers often comment on how they feel good about sharing new ideas and thoughts without fear of intimidation.
6. Malcom is adept at maneuvering around any obstacles that are thrown at him while finishing his work on time and with accuracy.
7. Laurie found a creative workaround that improved processes for the team. Her innovative steps resulted in a 25% increase in productivity for the team as a whole.
8. Brian is a compassionate listener and makes each customer know he values their time.
9. Evan always goes above and beyond his job to satisfy his customers. He demonstrates how providing excellent customer service has a lasting effect on customer relationships and customer retention.
10. One of Julia’s strengths is her ability to design reasonable goals and to make sure they are all met on time. (Need help on setting reasonable goals? Here is an online course to help you set peak performance goals.)
11. Jennifer always takes initiative in overcoming obstacles and finding a resolution that meets everyone’s needs.
12. Jackie’s high standards of ethics are shown through all of her work on a daily basis.

The Bad

1. Ryan leads team meeting which often run over the allotted time. In the next year, Ryan should work to improve his time management skills to ensure meetings begin and end as scheduled.
2. Lisa frequently does not show up to work on time and does not adhere to a normal work schedule.
3. John needs to work on his ability to take feedback and criticism from coworkers. Often times John isolates himself and does not take constructive criticism well. Over the next few months, John should try to be open to feedback and apply it to his work to increase accuracy and productivity.
4. Sarah should improve her communication skills with her management team. She frequently withholds information from her team if she feels it could disturb the peace or cause problems for the team.
5. Hank has a tendency to make other people feel intimidated when they propose new ideas or ask for assistance. Hank should work on approaching his coworkers in a more professional and welcoming manner.
6. Mark does not attempt to take creative risks. He creates a stiff environment not conducive to innovation.
7. Larry does not adhere to the sales script that is proven for success. He attempts to re-create the script and not work within company policies that are tested for ultimate success rates.
8. James does not always ensure his customers are satisfied.  He has had prior complaints filed against him from lashing out at customers when they object. Over the next two months, James should work to improve how he interacts with customers and how well he meets their needs.
9. Joe frequently misses targets and does not stay up to date with the objectives expected of him. Learn more about how to motivate your employees in this online course.
10. Frank does not willingly take on additional responsibility or step forward when new tasks or projects arrive. He consistently relies on other people.
11. Joanne rarely shows appreciation to her employees for a job well done.

When all is said and done, these example performance review phrases are going to help you get the message you want across to your employees. Remember to give praise where praise is due and to not be afraid to hand out constructive criticism when necessary. For tips on how to engage your employees (which will increase productivity and success) check out our employee engagement ideas.