Effective Performance Review Phrases

Employee performance reviews, self-evaluations, and 360 reviews are important opportunities for team members to reflect on their performance and receive feedback from others. But it can be difficult to know exactly how to phrase your feedback to be constructive and effective.

In this post, we will provide five types of performance review feedback examples to inspire you when summarizing a fellow team member's performance.

Performance Overview

The first type of feedback is to start with a general overview of the employee's performance. This provides context for the rest of the feedback and sets the tone for the review.

Consider using the following phrases:

• "Overall, [Employee Name] has demonstrated [strong/exceptional/consistent/etc.] performance in [key areas of responsibility]."
• "During the past year/review period, [Employee Name] has made significant contributions to [project/team/company] by [achievements/initiatives/etc.]."

Strengths and Areas of Improvement

The second type is to offer specific feedback on the employee's strengths and areas for improvement. This is an opportunity to highlight what the employee does well and what they can work on to further improve their performance.

Consider building off of the following phrases:

• "One of [Employee Name]'s greatest strengths is [skill/trait/strength], which has helped [impact/result]."
• "While [Employee Name] excels in [skill/area], there is room for improvement in [area for improvement]."

Specific Examples of Contributions

The third type is to provide concrete examples of the employee's contributions. This helps to make the feedback more meaningful and memorable.

Here are a couple of examples for inspiration:

• "[Employee Name] played a crucial role in [project/initiative], where [achievement/result]."
• "In [project/situation], [Employee Name] showed exceptional [skill/trait], which had a positive impact on [outcome]."

Opportunities for Growth

Another type of feedback you can use is to suggest areas for growth and development. This can help the employee to focus on their professional development and contribute even more to the team and company.

This is an important area to cover. As the HBR article "What Good Feedback Really Looks Like" adds, "When you focus only on strengths, you lull people into believing there are no areas in which they need to improve."

• "Moving forward, [Employee Name] may consider expanding their skill set in [area of growth]."
• "To continue their development, it would be beneficial for [Employee Name] to take on [new responsibilities/challenges]."

Overall Assessment

Finally, you could always put together an overall assessment of the employee's performance. This provides a summation review and reinforces the overall message.

• "In conclusion, [Employee Name] has made a valuable contribution to [team/project/company] and has shown [growth/progress/potential/etc.]."
• "I have great confidence in [Employee Name]'s ability to continue [achieving goals/growing/contributing/etc.]."

In addition to these themes, here are some tips for giving constructive and effective feedback:

• Use specific and measurable language: Avoid vague or subjective comments and instead focus on specific achievements, skills, or behaviors.
• Avoid personal attacks: Stick to the facts and avoid making negative comments that are personal or emotional.
• Maintain a positive and solution-focused approach: Focus on the employee's strengths and opportunities for growth in conjunction with identifying their weaknesses.
• Offer actionable suggestions: Where possible, provide practical suggestions for how the employee can improve or continue to build on their strengths.
• Be open and honest: Be straightforward and direct in your feedback, but also be respectful and considerate of the employee's feelings.

Your Contribution to the Team

Offering feedback to your colleagues during performance reviews is an essential step in fostering a supportive and growth-oriented work environment. By incorporating these five aspects of feedback or even these feedback structures, you'll be well on your way to delivering impactful, constructive feedback that empowers your team members to reach new heights.

So, embrace the power of your review, and help to shape the future success of your team and company.