This document provides an overview of 17 different performance review templates that can be used to evaluate employees. Each template is briefly described, noting its pros and cons. The templates include options that are one page, essay-based, use self-assessment, numeric scales, descriptive scales, narratives, peer reviews, 360 reviews, statement agreements, performance agreements, job responsibilities reviews, potential assessments, reviews for manual jobs, paired reviews, mid-year reviews, GOOD reviews, and group evaluations. The goal of the different templates is to encourage reflection, coaching, setting clear next steps, and discussion during the performance review process.

1. 17 Performance Review
Templates to Motivate
Employees

2. After reflecting on
the past, you and
your employee need
to look toward the
future.
Managers need to
act as coaches, not
judges. You’re on
the same team,
after all.
Reflection is the
standard for most
performance
reviews. Take the
time to look back on
behaviors and
accomplishments.
If you want your
performance review
to really stick with
employees, it must
be a two-way
conversation, with
both sides
contributing.
Must haves for a superhuman
performance review:
Reflection Coaching Clear Next StepsDiscussion

3. Start saving the world (or employee
performance, at least) with these
17 performance review templates:

4. One-Page Performance Review
This quick, straightforward performance review
template has the added bonus of a defined rating
scale.
It leaves very little room for additional information
and doesn’t encourage discussing the results with
the employee.
PRO:
CON:
1.
Intended to be a fair and balanced assessment of an employee’s performance, this
template is a simple, one-page review.

5. Essay Performance Review
This essay evaluation allows for additional context
and detail. It also has sections for both the
employee and the manager to complete.
It will take longer to complete than a scored
evaluation.
PRO:
CON:
2.
In this review, the manager prepares a written statement about the employee
that evaluates the employee’s job performance and courses of actions to
improve

6. Self-Assessment
3.
Use a self-assessment to instill reflective habits in employees. Make sure
additional peers and managers are consulted, too, for the most accurate view of
performance.
Encourages employee involvement,
reflection, and responsibility.
A self-assessment has potential for
dishonest, bias responses.
PRO:
CON:

7. Numeric Scale Review
4.
Allows for quick completion and easy
comparison of peers.
A numeric scale doesn’t allow for “grey”
areas or relevant context.
PRO:
CON:
A numeric scale uses numbers to represent employee performance.

8. Descriptive Scale Review
This is essentially the same as a numeric scale performance review, except it
doesn’t use numbers. Some organizations may prefer the descriptive scale
format.
5.
This template is more descriptive than a
typical numeric scale review, so answers are
more meaningful and precise.
Occasionally, the descriptions will be so in-
depth that they may not be relevant to a
specific employee.
PRO:
CON:

9. Narrative Review
6.
A narrative performance review does not
have much structure, so it allows for
deeper conversation.
PRO:
CON:
This can make it difficult to compare
multiple employees.
Allows a manager and an employee to tell a story together regarding
performance.

10. Peer Review
7.
It’s a great idea to include peers in the
performance review process – after all, they
spend so much time working with the employee.
This peer review template is easy to use.
PRO:
CON:
This template lacks a space for peer comments.
A process by which peers are reviewed by another in the same field/area of work.

11. 360 Performance Review
8.
A 360 degree review is a great addition to any
performance strategy: the entirety of an employee’s
actions are visible, not just what the manager
witnesses.
The scale in this particular template may be difficult for
some employees to accurately judge.
PRO:
CON:
Employee performance review by which peers, subordinates, co-workers, and
managers anonymously rate the employee

12. Statement-Agreement Review
A statement agreement performance review is similar to a scaled review, but
employees are rated on more complex concepts (not just general behaviors).
9.
These templates contain the elements of objectivity
that result in correct presentation of employee
performance during a certain time period.
PRO:
CON:
Does not provide in-depth information of the
employee performance during a certain time
period.

13. Performance Agreement Plan
10.
Use this performance agreement template before a
performance cycle to align expectations, then bring it
back to see how well those expectations were
executed.
This particular template is fairly general.
PRO:
CON:
Defines accountability for specific personal and organizational goals.The overall
goal is to come to an agreement that supports your organization’s strategy and
the employee’s personal goals.

14. Job Responsibilities Review
The foundation of a job responsibilities review is employee goals and job
description.
11.
This template makes it easy for employees to know
what they will be evaluated on. It also allows for
managers to leave comments on their ratings.
Because this template strives for objectivity, it is rigid,
meaning it does not offer much differentiation
between employees.
PRO:
CON:

15. Assessment of Potential
12.
This type of performance review solicits comments from the
employee and several managers.
Templates like this can often reek of favoritism.
PRO:
CON:
Use an assessment of performance potential when you’re trying to identify high
potential employees or those who warrant promotions.

16. Performance Review for Manual Work
Those who do manual labor have slightly different performance criteria than
those who work in an office.This performance review template includes room
for employees’ and managers’ comments.
13.
Includes great action-planning questions.
There is less structure to this template as it
allows for so many comments.
PRO:
CON:

17. Paired Performance Reviews
In a paired performance review, both managers and employees fill out mirrored
reviews, then meet to discuss the answers.
14.
Most paired performance reviews offer a variety of question
types, including scaled, essay, and progress questions.
Potential for disagreement or disparity between manager’s
answers and the employee’s.
PRO:
CON:

18. Mid-Year Performance Review
15.
This template for a mid-year performance check is a
great way to encourage manager-employee
discussion.
There’s not much room to record and organize the
discussion.
PRO:
CON:
Conducting helpful and productive mid year review discussions is a fundamental
way in which managers can support a culture of on-going feedback and
recognition, not to mention achieving better results

19. GOOD Performance Review
16.
This template encourages conversation, reflection,
and future planning.
It doesn’t include metrics by which to measure
and/or compare employees (not that we encourage
that, anyway).
PRO:
CON:
This is Quantum Workplace’s favorite template: It includes discussion of Goals,
Obstacles, Opportunities, and Decisions.

20. Group Evaluation
17.
Use this group performance review template if you’re looking to evaluate
performance for a team or department:You calculate individual scores, then
average them together to find an overall score.
Invites discussion and fosters differing opinions.
Extremely high or low performing individuals could
skew the results.
PRO:
CON:

21. While improving the performance review is a great place to start, go
a step further and consider eliminating the annual performance
review all together by downloading our ebook:
10 steps for ditching the annual review