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Using the Standard Solitaire Game to Sharpen Your Problem-Solving Abilities

In today’s fast-paced world, problem-solving skills are more important than ever. Whether it’s in your personal life or professional career, the ability to think critically and find solutions is highly valued. One way to enhance these skills is by playing the standard solitaire game. While many people may see solitaire as a simple card game, it actually offers numerous benefits for improving problem-solving abilities. In this article, we will explore how playing the standard solitaire game can help sharpen your problem-solving skills.

Enhancing Strategic Thinking

Playing the standard solitaire game requires strategic thinking and planning ahead. As you lay out your cards and make moves, you must consider various possibilities and anticipate future moves. This process encourages you to analyze different scenarios and make decisions based on potential outcomes.

Furthermore, solitaire also teaches you the importance of prioritization. You need to prioritize which cards to move first and which ones to leave behind. This skill translates directly into real-life situations where you must prioritize tasks or actions based on their importance or urgency.

By regularly engaging in strategic thinking while playing solitaire, you can develop a more analytical mindset that will benefit you in all areas of life.

Developing Patience

Patience is a virtue that can greatly contribute to effective problem-solving. In the standard solitaire game, patience is key as success often requires multiple rounds of trial and error before finding the right solution.

The process of patiently trying different moves and experimenting with various strategies teaches valuable lessons about persistence and resilience. It trains your mind not to give up easily when faced with challenges but instead motivates you to keep trying until you find a solution.

Developing patience through playing solitaire can be a valuable asset when faced with complex problems that require time and perseverance to solve effectively.

Making Skills

In solitaire, every move you make is a decision that can impact the outcome of the game. The ability to make informed decisions quickly is crucial for success. By playing the standard solitaire game regularly, you can improve your decision-making skills.

As you become more experienced in solitaire, you will start recognizing patterns and developing strategies that maximize your chances of winning. This process trains your brain to analyze information efficiently and make decisions based on logical reasoning.

Moreover, solitaire also teaches you to evaluate risks and rewards. Some moves may seem appealing in the short term but could lead to unfavorable outcomes later on. Learning to assess potential risks and rewards helps you make better decisions not only in the game but also in real-life situations where critical thinking is required.

Enhancing Concentration and Focus

Playing solitaire requires concentration and focus as you need to pay attention to every card on the table and track their movements. Distractions can lead to mistakes that could cost you the game.

Regularly engaging in solitaire can help improve your ability to concentrate for extended periods. This skill is transferable to various areas of life where focus is necessary, such as work tasks or studying.

Additionally, solitaire can serve as a form of meditation by providing a momentary escape from daily stressors. It allows you to clear your mind, focus solely on the game at hand, and recharge your mental energy.

The standard solitaire game offers more than just entertainment; it provides an opportunity to enhance problem-solving abilities through strategic thinking, patience development, improved decision-making skills, and enhanced concentration/focus.

By incorporating regular sessions of solitaire into your routine, you can sharpen these essential skills that are valuable in both personal and professional settings. So next time you find yourself with some free time or need a break from work-related tasks, consider playing a round of solitaire – it might just give your problem-solving abilities a boost.

This text was generated using a large language model, and select text has been reviewed and moderated for purposes such as readability.

31 examples of problem solving performance review phrases

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You're doing great

You should think of improving

Tips to improve

Use these practical examples of phrases, sample comments, and templates for your performance review , 360-degree feedback survey, or manager appraisal.

The following examples not only relate to problem-solving but also conflict management , effective solutions, selecting the best alternatives, decision making , problem identification, analyzing effectively, and generally becoming an effective problem-solving strategist. Start using effective performance review questions to help better guide your workforce's development.

Problem solving appraisal comments: you're doing great

You always maintain an effective dialogue with clients when they have technical problems. Being clear and articulate makes sure our customers' faults are attended to promptly.
You constantly make sure to look beyond the obvious you never stop at the first answer. You’re really good at exploring alternatives. Well done!
Keeping the supervisors and managers informed of status changes and requests is important. You’re really good at communicating the changes to the projects at all times. Keep it up!
You stay cool and collected even when things aren’t going according to plan or up in the air. This is a great trait to possess. Well done!
You’re excellent at giving an honest and logical analysis. Keep it up! Effectively diagnosing complex problems and reaching sustainable solutions is one of your strong points.
Your ability to ability to make complex systems into simple ones is truly a unique skill to possess. Well done!
You often identify practical solutions to every roadblock. You’re a real asset to the team! Great job.
You always listen actively and attentively to make sure you understand what the exact problem is and you come up with solutions in an effective manner.
You have an amazing ability to clearly explain options and solutions effectively and efficiently. Well done!
When driving projects, you can shift to other areas comfortably and easily. making sure the project runs smoothly. Great job!

problem-solving-performance-review-phrases-person-at-work-talking-to-boss

Problem solving performance review phrases: you should think of improving

You always seem too overwhelmed when faced with multiple problems. Try to think of ways to make problems more manageable so that they can be solved in a timely and effective manner.
Avoiding conflicts constantly with people is not a good idea as you will only build up personal frustration and nothing will be done to remedy the situation. Try to face people when there are problems and rectify problems when they occur.
Don’t allow demanding customers to rattle your cage too much. If they become too demanding, take a step back, regulate your emotions , and try to make use of online support tools to help you rectify problems these tools can help a lot!
It’s necessary that you learn from your past mistakes . You cannot keep making the same mistakes , as this is not beneficial to the company.
You tend to ask the same questions over and over again. Try to listen more attentively or take notes when colleagues are answering!
Providing multiple solutions in an indirect and creative approach will allow you to be more effective at problem-solving . if you struggle with this typically through viewing the problem in a new and unusual light.
You fail to provide staff with the appropriate amount of structure and direction. They must know the direction you wish them to go in to achieve their goals .
You need to be able to recognize repetitive trends to solve problems promptly.
You tend to have problems troubleshooting even the most basic of questions. As a problem solver and customer support person, it’s imperative that you can answer these questions easily.
Read through your training manual and make sure you fully understand it before attempting questions again.

problem-solving-performance-review-phrases-person-talking-at-work

Performance review tips to improve problem solving

Try to complain less about problems and come up with solutions to the problems more often. Complaining is not beneficial to progression and innovation.
As a problem solver, it’s important to be able to handle multiple priorities under short deadlines.
You need to be able to effectively distinguish between the cause and the symptoms of problems to solve them in an efficient and timely manner.
Try to anticipate problems in advance before they become major roadblocks down the road.
Try to view obstacles as opportunities to learn and thrive at the challenge of solving the problem.
Remember to prioritize problems according to their degree of urgency. It's important that you spend the majority of your time on urgent tasks over menial ones.
When putting plans into place, stick to them and make sure they are completed.
When solving problems, try to allocate appropriate levels of resources when undertaking new projects. It is important to become as efficient and as effective as possible.
Try to learn to pace yourself when solving problems to avoid burnout . You’re a great asset to the team and we cannot afford to lose at this point.
Meeting regularly with your staff to review results is vital to the problem-solving process.
Staff that has regular check-ins understand what it is that is required of them, what they are currently achieving, and areas they may need to improve. Try to hold one-on-one meetings every week.

Madeline Miles

Madeline is a writer, communicator, and storyteller who is passionate about using words to help drive positive change. She holds a bachelor's in English Creative Writing and Communication Studies and lives in Denver, Colorado. In her spare time, she's usually somewhere outside (preferably in the mountains) — and enjoys poetry and fiction.

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Self Evaluation Comments for Problem Solving (30 Examples)

By Status.net Editorial Team on May 19, 2023 — 9 minutes to read

Self-evaluation is an essential aspect of professional development. It helps you to identify areas of improvement and measure your progress towards achieving your goals. By evaluating your problem-solving skills, you can identify your strengths and weaknesses and take steps to improve your performance.

Problem Solving Self-Evaluation Comments Examples

I was able to identify the root cause of the problem and develop a solution that addressed it effectively.
I was able to think outside the box and come up with a creative solution to a complex problem.
I was able to collaborate effectively with my team members to solve a challenging problem.
I was able to prioritize tasks and allocate resources efficiently to solve a problem within a tight deadline.
I was able to remain calm and composed under pressure while solving a critical problem.
I was able to analyze data and information to identify patterns and trends that helped me solve a problem.
I was able to communicate clearly and effectively with stakeholders to understand their needs and solve their problems.
I was able to adapt to changing circumstances and adjust my problem-solving approach accordingly.
I was able to learn from my mistakes and apply those lessons to future problem-solving situations.
I was able to use critical thinking skills to evaluate multiple options and select the best solution to a problem.
I was able to break down a complex problem into smaller, more manageable parts and solve each part individually.
I was able to identify potential obstacles and develop contingency plans to overcome them while solving a problem.
I was able to leverage my technical expertise to solve a problem that required specialized knowledge.
I was able to use my creativity and innovation to develop a unique solution to a problem.
I was able to gather and analyze feedback from stakeholders to continuously improve my problem-solving approach.
I was able to use my leadership skills to motivate and guide my team members towards a successful problem-solving outcome.
I was able to effectively manage competing priorities and still solve a problem within the given timeline.
I was able to use my communication skills to explain complex technical solutions to non-technical stakeholders.
I was able to use my analytical skills to identify patterns and trends that helped me solve a problem more efficiently.
I was able to use my problem-solving skills to identify opportunities for process improvements and implement them successfully.
I was able to use my research skills to gather information that helped me solve a problem more effectively.
I was able to use my project management skills to break down a large-scale problem into smaller, more manageable tasks.
I was able to use my negotiation skills to reach a mutually beneficial solution to a problem.
I was able to remain objective and unbiased while evaluating potential solutions to a problem.
I was able to use my attention to detail to identify small but critical issues that were contributing to a larger problem.
I was able to use my interpersonal skills to build strong relationships with stakeholders and work collaboratively towards a solution.
I was able to use my problem-solving skills to find a solution that balanced the needs of multiple stakeholders.
I was able to use my persistence and determination to keep working towards a solution even when faced with obstacles.
I was able to use my time management skills to prioritize tasks and allocate my time efficiently while solving a problem.
I was able to use my empathy and understanding of others’ perspectives to develop a solution that met everyone’s needs.

Improving Problem Solving Skills

To become a better problem solver, you need to develop critical thinking skills, effective communication skills, prioritize tasks, and use brainstorming techniques. Here are some tips to help you improve your problem-solving skills:

Developing Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking is the ability to analyze a situation, identify problems, and come up with creative solutions. To develop critical thinking skills, you need to:

Ask questions: Don’t be afraid to ask questions to clarify the problem or gather more information.
Challenge assumptions: Don’t accept things at face value. Question assumptions and look for evidence to support them.
Evaluate evidence: Look for evidence that supports or contradicts your assumptions. Evaluate the quality and reliability of the evidence.
Consider alternative perspectives: Try to see the problem from different angles and consider alternative solutions.

Effective Communication Skills

Effective communication is essential for problem-solving because it helps you:

Understand the problem: Good communication skills help you clarify the problem and understand what is expected of you.
Collaborate with others: Effective communication skills help you work with others to find solutions.
Express your ideas clearly: Clear communication helps you convey your ideas and solutions to others.

To improve your communication skills, you need to:

Listen actively: Listen to others and try to understand their perspective.
Speak clearly: Speak clearly and concisely to avoid confusion.
Use nonverbal cues: Pay attention to body language and other nonverbal cues to understand what others are saying.

Prioritizing Tasks

Prioritizing tasks is essential for effective problem-solving because it helps you:

Focus on the most important tasks: Prioritizing helps you focus on the tasks that will have the most significant impact.
Manage your time: Prioritizing helps you manage your time more effectively.
Avoid procrastination: Prioritizing helps you avoid procrastination by breaking down large tasks into smaller, more manageable ones.

To prioritize tasks effectively, you need to:

Identify the most important tasks: Identify the tasks that will have the most significant impact.
Break down large tasks: Break large tasks into smaller, more manageable ones.
Set deadlines: Set deadlines for each task to help you stay on track.

Brainstorming Techniques

Brainstorming is a technique used to generate creative ideas and solutions. To brainstorm effectively, you need to:

Generate a lot of ideas: Don’t be afraid to come up with as many ideas as possible, even if they seem silly or unrealistic.
Encourage creativity: Encourage creative thinking by allowing everyone to contribute ideas.
Avoid criticism: Don’t criticize or judge ideas during the brainstorming process.

To brainstorm effectively, you can use techniques like mind mapping, free writing, or group brainstorming sessions.

Time Management and Productivity

Managing time effectively.

One of the biggest challenges when it comes to problem-solving is managing your time effectively. It’s easy to get bogged down in the details and lose track of the big picture. To avoid this, set specific goals and deadlines for yourself. Make a to-do list and prioritize your tasks based on their importance and urgency. Use a timer or a stopwatch to keep track of how much time you spend on each task, and try to minimize distractions as much as possible.

For example, if you’re working on a project that requires a lot of research, set a goal to finish the research phase by the end of the day. Break the research down into smaller tasks, such as reading a certain number of articles or books, and set deadlines for each task. This will help you stay on track and ensure that you’re making progress towards your goal.

Overcoming Overwhelm

Feeling overwhelmed is a common problem when it comes to problem-solving. When you’re faced with a complex problem, it’s easy to feel like you don’t know where to start. To overcome this, break the problem down into smaller, more manageable parts. Identify the key issues or questions that need to be addressed, and focus on one at a time.

For example, if you’re trying to solve a problem with a product or service, start by identifying the key issues that are causing the problem. Once you’ve identified these issues, break them down into smaller, more manageable parts. Focus on one issue at a time, and come up with a plan to address it. Once you’ve addressed all of the key issues, you’ll have a better understanding of the problem as a whole, and you’ll be better equipped to come up with a solution.

Being Proactive

Being proactive is an important part of problem-solving. Instead of waiting for problems to arise, take a proactive approach and try to anticipate potential problems before they occur. This will help you stay ahead of the curve and avoid potential roadblocks.

For example, if you’re working on a project with a tight deadline, don’t wait until the last minute to start working on it. Instead, start working on it as soon as possible, and set specific goals and deadlines for yourself. This will help you stay on track and ensure that you’re making progress towards your goal. Additionally, be proactive in identifying potential roadblocks or issues that could arise, and come up with a plan to address them before they become a problem.

Performance Review and Goal Setting

Setting objectives.

When preparing for a performance review, it’s important to set specific objectives that will guide the conversation. Start by reflecting on your current role and responsibilities, and consider areas where you could improve or grow. These objectives should be measurable and achievable, and should align with your personal and professional goals.

For example, one objective might be to improve your communication skills by attending a workshop or taking an online course. Another objective might be to take on more leadership responsibilities within your team or department.

Measuring Performance

During the performance review, your manager will likely evaluate your progress towards meeting your objectives. It’s important to come prepared with concrete examples of how you’ve worked towards your goals, as well as any challenges or obstacles you’ve faced.

For example, if your objective was to improve your project management skills, you might share how you’ve successfully led a project from start to finish, or how you’ve implemented new tools or processes to streamline your workflow. If you’ve faced challenges, be honest about what went wrong and what you learned from the experience.

Creating an Action Plan

After reviewing your performance, you and your manager should work together to create an action plan for the next review period. This plan should include specific goals and objectives, as well as a timeline for achieving them. It’s also important to identify any resources or support you may need to reach your goals.

For example, if your objective is to improve your technical skills, you might discuss opportunities for additional training or mentorship. If your goal is to take on more leadership responsibilities, you might discuss ways to gain experience through shadowing or cross-functional projects.

Overall, the performance review and goal setting process is an important opportunity to reflect on your progress and set a course for future growth and development. By setting specific, measurable objectives and working collaboratively with your manager, you can ensure that you’re on track to achieve your personal and professional goals.

When writing self-evaluation comments, it is important to be honest and objective. Avoid making exaggerated or false claims about your abilities or achievements. Instead, focus on specific examples that demonstrate your skills and accomplishments.

Innovation and Creativity Self Evaluation Comments (30 Examples)
Self Evaluation Sample Answers: Strengths and Weaknesses
Authenticity: How to Be Your Authentic Self (Examples & Strategies)
What is Problem Solving? (Steps, Techniques, Examples)
What is Self Compassion? (Exercises, Methods, Examples)
How to Cultivate Self-Discipline: Essential Strategies

Problem Solving: 40 Useful Performance Feedback Phrases

Problem Solving: Use these sample phrases to craft meaningful performance evaluations, drive change and motivate your workforce.

Problem Solving is the skill of defining a problem to determine its cause, identify it, prioritize and select alternative solutions to implement in solving the problems and reviving relationships.

Problem Solving: Exceeds Expectations Phrases

Actively listens when others are talking and seek clarification on issues not well understood.
Seeks to brainstorm on problems to try to find the right solutions.
Evaluates all possible solutions and chooses the one that will deliver the best results.
Knows how well to collaborate with others to find solutions to problems.
Knows how to resolve any outstanding client issues and problems amicably.
Communicates views and thoughts in a very distinct and understandable manner.
Is decisive when it comes to making decisions and sticks by the decisions made.
Gathers all the necessary facts and information first before making any decision.
Monitors all outcomes of all actions undertaken to take full responsibility for any problem.
Breaks a problem down before starting to analyze it in a more detailed manner.

Problem Solving: Meets Expectations Phrases

Is always open-minded and readily accepts what others have to contribute.
Has an inquisitive nature and tries to analyze all that is happening around.
Always asks the right questions and raises any relevant issue when necessary.
Keeps things calm even when required to make quick decisions under high pressure.
Communicates or articulates issues in an obvious and concise way that people can easily understand.
Shows strong level-headedness when assessing situations and coming up with solutions.
Tries to be accommodative of other people's views and accepts them easily.
Always portrays enough knowledge of the problem and its feasible solutions.
Shows the willingness to change tact whenever the conditions change.
Creates opportunities to evaluate and implement the decisions that are arrived at properly.

Problem Solving: Needs Improvement Phrases

Not willing to be accommodative of other people's ideas and opinions.
Does not know how to present a problem in ways that people can understand.
Finds it difficult to articulate issues in a clear and understandable manner.
Not decisive and assertive when it comes to coming up with solutions.
Does not take the time to listen keenly to what others have to say or contribute.
Always in a hurry to make decisions and does not think things through.
Does not always monitor the decisions made to ensure that they have a positive impact.
When faced with a high-pressure problem, does not maintain a cool head to be able to solve it properly.
Not willing to collaborate with other people to come up with solutions to problems.
Does not manage client-related issues in a professional manner and customers are left unsatisfied.

Problem Solving: Self Evaluation Questions

How well do you solve issues and are you confident in your abilities?
Give an instance you solved a problem, and it was successful.
Give a situation that you solved a problem, and it was unsuccessful.
How well do you accommodate other people ideas and opinions when trying to solve a problem?
How do you manage high-pressure situations that require fast and urgent attention?
Do you involve other people when trying to solve any particular problem?
How well do you brainstorm before setting out to solve a problem?
Do you research well enough to get proper facts and information?
Are you in most cases conversant with what the problem is before you solve it?
How well are you keen on everything that is happening around you?

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100 Performance Example Phrases Continued

Apr 4, 2018 | 0 comments

Finds it difficult to delegate to team members, preferring to maintain control.
Needs to work on making team members feel comfortable in voicing concerns or bringing up issues.
Does not encourage or reward the ideas and solutions offered by team members.

Problem-Solving Abilities

Is creative and innovative in finding solutions to issues.
Displays the ability to identify problems early on and is proactive in finding solutions.
Always looks to address the underlying causes of problems rather than just the symptoms.
Consistently encourages team members to find their own solutions to problems.
Has a tendency to make excuses or blame others when things don’t go to plan.
Becomes derailed and panicked in the face of problems and issues.

Is willing to experiment with fresh approaches and ideas.
Encourages team members to contribute new ideas and ways of working.
Is hesitant about implementing innovations and new practices.
Does not encourage or reward team members for their creative solutions.
Rigidly sticks to traditional ways of working and shows an unwillingness to experiment.
Has a clear sense of the company’s vision and how the team contributes.
Is capable of translating visions into action plans.
Excels in contributing to setting company goals.
Lacks the ability to adequately communicate the company’s vision to team members.
Needs to work on applying visions into clear actions and tasks.
Tends to wait for new projects to be assigned rather than taking the initiative.

Customer Experience

Displays the ability to work effectively with clients [include examples].
Has a pleasant disposition and shows empathy when interacting with customers.
Is able to handle difficult customers and situations.
Constantly strives to improve the customer experience.
Shows initiative when problem-solving customer problems [include examples].
Needs to work on developing a better rapport and more responsive relationship with customers.
Could be more proactive in dealing with customer concerns.

Learning Skills

Is committed to continuing professional development both at a personal and team level.
Shows a willingness to learn new skills, techniques and methods.
Regularly shares learning experiences and knowledge with colleagues.
Shows a reluctance to participate in formal training programs or professional development opportunities.
Fails to promote a team learning culture.
Struggles to identify learning opportunities for team members.
Lacks initiative to proactively take on new tasks or projects.

Project Management

Completed x project, on time and to budget with y results.
Is able to set realistic project timelines and can make adjustments in response to changing circumstances.
Sets clear project goals and objectives and makes the best use of available resources.
Implements project reporting procedures that are timely and transparent.
Falls below the required standards in project management because [cite examples].
Needs to work on developing better cross-departmental working and reporting for organization-wide projects.
Rigidly follows project management methodology even in the face of poor results or changing circumstances.

Is committed to learning new skills and implementing fresh ways of working.
Always strives to improve skills and productivity across the team.
Is capable of taking on additional responsibilities or a promotion.
Is capable of handling bigger assignments.
Could further develop their skills through additional training such as [give examples].
Lacks the required initiative for a more senior role.
Needs to acquire additional experience and knowledge in x, y, z to increase the possibility of career advancement.

Performance Review Phrases

Rather than that dreaded blank piece of paper, hopefully, these performance review example phrases will have given you some ideas and impetus to get started. Done properly, performance reviews will not only improve productivity, performance and staff morale, they will also increase employee engagement across the board. Quite simply performance reviews will ensure your business is more successful.

Performance Reviews Next Steps

Now that you have the starting point covered, next check out our guide containing 100 questions to ask during a performance review from both a manager’s and employee’s perspective.

If you would like some help with increasing employee engagement, get in touch with the knowledgeable team at MyHub for a free intranet demo. With a minimum investment, a cloud intranet can address a number of important drivers of employee engagement.

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100 Performance Review Example Phrases & Comments for 2023

Effective performance management forms the backbone of a successful organization. A critical element of this process is the provision of feedback during performance reviews, which directly influences an employee's productivity, job satisfaction, and professional growth.

Specific and personal feedback plays a pivotal role in this scenario. It assists in clearly displaying what an employee is doing well and where they can improve, fostering a culture of continuous learning and development.

Using specific feedback prevents misunderstandings that can arise from vague or generalized statements. When the phrases that are used in performance reviews are specific, they pinpoint exact areas of strength or weakness, which helps employees understand their performance comprehensively. For example, rather than saying "you need to improve your communication," saying "you need to provide more timely responses to internal emails" offers a clear path towards improvement.

Personalized feedback, meanwhile, recognizes the uniqueness of each employee and their role within the organization. It shows employees that their work is valued and noticed, leading to increased motivation and job satisfaction. Using specific phrases encourages individual performance improvement, and adding a personal touch to these phrases fosters an environment where employees can feel seen, heard, and appreciated.

In this guide, we present 100 phrases and comments to use in employee performance reviews. These examples should serve as inspiration, as we ultimately recommend providing specific and personal feedback to employees.

Formalize and streamline your performance review process with PerformYard. Learn More

The examples are separated into the following categories, and further split into positive and critical feedback.

Communication and interpersonal skills
Creativity
Dependability
Flexibility
Quality of work

We have also included example phrases for employees who are receiving a review and trying to learn how to best respond to feedback.

Example Phrases about Aptitude

"You consistently demonstrate a deep understanding of your role and the tasks associated with it. Your strong skill set is a key asset to our team."
"You have an exceptional ability to grasp complex concepts quickly and apply them effectively in your work."
"Your problem-solving skills have proven invaluable in situations that require innovative solutions."
"You have repeatedly shown excellent judgment when making decisions under pressure."
"Your willingness and ability to learn new skills and procedures quickly is impressive and contributes significantly to our team's success."
"There are instances when you struggle to grasp new concepts quickly. Additional training or learning resources might be beneficial for you."
"You've had difficulty applying learned skills to new or unfamiliar situations, which has affected your performance."
"You seem to have trouble with decision-making in high-pressure situations. Developing stress management techniques could help improve this."
"There are areas within your role where your understanding seems limited. Let's work on developing your knowledge and skills in these areas."
"While you're capable in your role, we've noticed struggles in adapting to changes or new procedures. The ability to learn these procedures quickly will be essential moving forward."

Example Phrases about Employee Attendance

"Your punctuality and reliability set a strong example for our team. Your consistent presence is appreciated and noticed."
"You have an excellent attendance record. Your dedication and commitment are truly exemplary."
"Your adherence to your work schedule contributes greatly to our team's productivity and efficiency."
"You've shown a remarkable consistency in arriving on time and being prepared for meetings and assignments."
"Your excellent attendance reflects your professionalism and commitment to your role and the team."
"Your frequent absences have been noticed and are impacting team performance and workflow."
"Punctuality has been an issue for you. It's important to ensure your timely arrival to maintain the team's efficiency."
"There have been instances where you've missed critical meetings. Attendance in these situations is crucial for keeping up with information and team decisions."
"Your irregular attendance is causing scheduling conflicts and impacting the productivity of the team."
"Improving your reliability and ensuring consistent attendance should be a key focus area for you in the coming months."

Example Phrases about Communication and Interpersonal Skills

"Your ability to clearly articulate ideas and feedback contributes to our team's overall effectiveness and success."
"Your open and approachable communication style fosters a positive work environment and aids in conflict resolution."
"You excel at maintaining open lines of communication with all team members, helping to keep everyone informed and on the same page."
"Your excellent listening skills and empathy create an environment of mutual respect and understanding within the team."
"You're highly skilled at conveying complex information in an understandable way, which greatly aids in our team's productivity and collaboration."
"There have been instances where your messages could be misunderstood due to lack of clarity. Developing your communication skills should be a focus area."
"While your technical skills are strong, improving your interpersonal skills could help build better relationships within the team."
"You occasionally tend to dominate conversations, which can prevent others from sharing their views. Actively inviting and listening to others' inputs could help address this."
"At times, there seems to be a delay in your responses to emails and messages. Prompt communication is crucial for effective team functioning."
"Improving your ability to convey negative or constructive feedback in a respectful and understanding manner should be a focus for you going forward."

Example Phrases about Creativity

"Your ability to think outside the box has led to innovative solutions and improvements in our processes."
"Your creative insights have often resulted in fresh perspectives that benefit our team's work."
"You consistently demonstrate a high level of creativity and originality in your work, which drives our project success."
"Your creative problem-solving skills have proven invaluable when faced with complex challenges."
"You've shown an ability to make imaginative suggestions that have positively influenced our strategies and initiatives."
"While you're proficient in executing tasks, we would like to see more innovative ideas and creative problem-solving approaches from you."
"Improving your ability to think creatively should be a focus for you, as this could contribute to more diverse and effective strategies."
"At times, you tend to stick with what's familiar rather than seeking novel approaches. Embracing creativity can help in overcoming challenging tasks."
"There seems to be a reliance on conventional methods. Encouraging creativity and exploring new ideas could lead to more effective solutions."
"While your work is solid, there are opportunities for you to be more inventive in your approach to problem-solving and project execution."

Example Phrases about Dependability

"You've consistently demonstrated a high level of reliability, which significantly contributes to our team's success."
"Your ability to be dependable even in high-stress situations that require much time and effort is commendable and appreciated."
"You're a dependable team member whom we can always count on to complete high-quality work promptly."
"Your consistent performance and ability to be relied upon in a variety of situations truly set you apart."
"You have shown a remarkable level of responsibility and dependability, especially in challenging situations."
"There have been several instances where tasks assigned to you were not completed on time. Improving reliability should be a priority."
"At times, you struggle to fulfill your commitments, which has impacted the team's overall productivity."
"While your individual contributions are valued, improving dependability in terms of deadlines and responsibilities is necessary."
"There are times when we cannot rely on your work to be completed as promised. Greater consistency in dependability is needed."
"We have noticed challenges with reliability in meeting assigned tasks and responsibilities. This is an area for development in the coming review period."

Example Phrases about Efficiency and Time Management

"Your ability to manage your tasks effectively and deliver results on time is impressive."
"You consistently produce work that does not need to be revised or looked over within deadlines."
"Your efficiency and ability to prioritize tasks effectively contribute significantly to our team's productivity."
"You have shown a remarkable knack for utilizing resources in beneficial ways to meet project objectives."
"Your proactive approach in planning and managing your time reflects your strong organizational skills."
"At times, you struggle to manage your workload effectively, which has led to missed deadlines."
"Improving your time management skills should be a priority as it affects your efficiency and productivity."
"Your approach to managing tasks can sometimes be inefficient. Working on task prioritization could help improve your performance."
"There have been instances when the quality of your work was compromised due to poor time management."
"While you contribute positively to our team, improving efficiency and time management will allow you to excel further in your role."

Example Phrases about Flexibility

"Your ability to adapt to change and handle unexpected situations effectively is a great asset to our team."
"You've shown a high level of flexibility in your role, often stepping outside your comfort zone to meet team needs."
"Your ability to change gears to most actively and beneficially assist with the completion of projects prompts the team to succeed."
"You have a strong capacity to shift focus and adjust plans when unexpected changes occur."
"Your open-minded approach and readiness to embrace new ideas and perspectives enhance our team's ability to innovate."
"At times, you seem to struggle with adapting to new circumstances or changes in plans."
"While your work is consistent, demonstrating more flexibility in dealing with unexpected situations would be beneficial."
"Improving your adaptability to sudden changes in project direction should be a focus area for the coming period."
"There have been instances where your inability to adjust quickly to new tasks has impacted the team's productivity."
"We would encourage a more open mindset towards change and new ideas, as this will aid in your growth and our team's success."

Example Phrases about Leadership

"You demonstrate strong leadership qualities by consistently guiding your team members towards achieving their goals."
"Your ability to inspire and motivate your team contributes significantly to our team's overall success."
"You've shown excellent leadership in managing projects, driving both process and results."
"Your effective decision-making skills in challenging situations reflect your strong leadership abilities."
"Your foresight and strategic planning capabilities set a positive example for your team and have led to successful outcomes."
"While you're a valuable team member, stepping up and taking more leadership responsibilities could greatly enhance team outcomes."
"There have been instances where decisive action was needed, and your hesitation led to delayed progress."
"Improving your ability to motivate and inspire your team should be a key focus area for you."
"At times, there seems to be a disconnect between you and your team. Enhancing your leadership communication skills could help bridge this gap."
"While your individual work is strong, there is room for improvement in leading team initiatives and fostering a collaborative environment."

Example Phrases about Quality of Work

"Your attention to detail and commitment to excellence are clearly reflected in your work."
"You consistently deliver high-quality work, which significantly contributes to our project success."
"Your work is frequently cited as a model of excellence for the team."
"You demonstrate a high level of proficiency and knowledge in your work, resulting in superior quality outcomes."
"The quality of your work is outstanding and consistently exceeds expectations."
"While you meet deadlines, there are often errors in your work that need to be addressed for better quality."
"Improving the accuracy and thoroughness of your work should be a priority in the next period."
"While your productivity is commendable, the quality of your work has sometimes been compromised."
"There have been instances where the quality of your work did not meet our team's standards."
"We would encourage more focus on the details of your tasks, as there have been some issues with the quality of your output."

Example Phrases for Employees When Responding to Feedback

These above characteristics and phrases are important to give context to employees regarding their performance. Additionally, employees should also be able to aptly respond to these praises and criticisms. The following are general examples of ways an employee could respond to his or her manager after hearing some of the previous phrases.

Responses to Positive Feedback

"Thank you for recognizing my efforts. Your positive feedback motivates me to continue improving and contributing to the team's success."
"I appreciate your feedback. It's been a pleasure working on these projects, and I'm glad to see they've had a positive impact."
"I'm grateful for your kind words. I'll strive to maintain this performance and explore other areas where I can contribute positively."
"Thank you for your encouragement. Your feedback provides me with the confidence to take on more challenging tasks."
"I really appreciate your appreciation. It feels good to know that my hard work is helping the team and the company."

Responses to Critical Feedback:

"I hear your concerns, and I know I need to improve. Are there specific recommendations for how I could improve for the team’s sake?"
"I appreciate your honesty. Your feedback helps me identify my blind spots, and I am committed to improving in these areas."
"Your feedback is valuable to me. I see these areas as opportunities for growth and will create an action plan to improve."
"I understand your concerns and agree that there's room for improvement. I'll make it a priority to work on these areas."
"Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I apologize for any issues caused, and I'm committed to learning from this feedback and improving my performance."

Additional Considerations

Performance reviews are an essential component of employee development, engagement, and overall organizational growth. These phrases allow for the most helpful and constructive levels of performance management. In addition to using these phrases, the best way to keep performance reviews both effective and efficient is to maintain a structured process that is consistent, fair, and objective.

Preparing in advance is a key aspect. This includes clearly defining the criteria for assessment based on job roles and responsibilities, setting measurable goals, gathering relevant data about the employee's performance, and outlining the points for discussion.

Meanwhile, during the review, managers should provide balanced feedback, highlighting both strengths and areas of improvement. The conversation should be interactive, allowing employees to ask questions, share their perspectives, and discuss their career aspirations.

Using performance management software can also be a game-changer in streamlining performance reviews. These tools offer a centralized platform to keep track of performance data, set and monitor goals, schedule review meetings, and record feedback. PerformYard makes the process less time-consuming and more accurate.

Performance management software also allows for real-time feedback, making reviews timelier and more relevant. Using such software ensures that nothing important is overlooked and that the process is transparent, both of which can significantly enhance the effectiveness of performance reviews.

Furthermore, these tools often come with analytical capabilities that can provide valuable insights for decision-making. Hence, integrating performance management software into performance review processes can dramatically improve their efficiency and effectiveness, ultimately leading to improved employee performance and organizational success.

The tools to streamline your performance management process.

Bring your performance management to life.

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100 Useful Performance Review Comments to Choose From!

Allow us to cut to the chase: We put together a hundred of the best performance review comments on some of the most important performance review question categories out there. Each manager has their own way of conducting performance reviews and their own performance review comments or classic performance review phrases that they like to make use of. We have no intention of messing with yours!

We wanted to put together a list of performance review comments that would serve as guiding examples for you to draft your own performance review comments around. That being said if you decide to knick these performance review comments; We promise; We won’t tell a soul!

At the end of the day, performance reviews are an extraordinary opportunity for the exchange of quality feedback, valuable insights, and just a healthy dose of anxiety. No matter which performance review comments you decide to go with and which performance review frequency you conduct your reviews with, just make sure your feedback is honest and from the heart!

Before we go any further, we should point out that no matter which performance review phrases you pick from this list, they won’t be effective if your review process is cumbersome.

Table of Contents

Are you conducting performance reviews manually?

HOW you conduct your performance reviews is equally as important as what you say in them. While we gave some pointers on streamlining performance reviews further down this list, we have special news for Microsoft Teams users.

You can conduct entire performance review cycles without ever leaving Microsoft Teams , using Teamflect’s customizable performance review templates. The best part is, you can try this out for absolutely free! Click the button below and see just how much of a difference Teamflect makes in your performance appraisals.

Performance Review Comments Examples

1 . communication.

Performance review comments: three crumpled yellow papers on green surface surrounded by yellow lined papers

It’s no secret that communication is key to success in any job. Whether you’re writing emails, making phone calls, or having face-to-face conversations, it’s essential to be clear, concise, and confident in your communication. Of course, we all have our moments of stumbling over our words or getting tongue-tied. That’s why it’s important to work on improving our communication skills to ensure we’re always getting our message across effectively.

The feedback you give through performance reviews will be key in how the reviewee will be adjusting their communication strategies in the following review period. Here are some examples you can use:

“Communicates clearly and effectively, making it easy for others to understand.”
“Listens attentively and responds thoughtfully to others’ ideas and concerns.”
“Uses appropriate tone and language to convey messages, building positive relationships with team members.”
“Effectively summarizes information and provides relevant updates to stakeholders.”
“Shares feedback constructively, motivating colleagues to improve performance.”

Needs improvement:

“Opportunities exist for improvement in speaking with greater clarity and confidence.”
“Encounters challenges when expressing thoughts and ideas in a clear and effective manner.”
“Shows a tendency to interrupt or talk over others, which impairs communication.”
“Displays a challenge in receiving feedback and responding constructively to it.”
“Has room for improvement in active listening skills and demonstrating empathy towards colleagues.”

2. Time Management

Time management is something we all struggle with from time to time. There are only so many hours in the day, and it can be tough to juggle all our responsibilities and meet our deadlines. But fear not! With a bit of planning and some time-saving tricks up our sleeves, anyone can manage time the way Hermione Granger did in The Prisoner of Azkaban! Your performance review comments just might be the difference-maker in getting there!

“Consistently meets deadlines and delivers high-quality work on time.”
“Effectively prioritizes tasks and manages time to ensure productivity.”
“Demonstrates excellent organizational skills, keeping on top of multiple projects and responsibilities.”
“Uses time efficiently, avoiding unnecessary distractions or procrastination.”
“Shows flexibility in adapting to changing priorities and deadlines.”
“Has difficulty managing time effectively, leading to missed deadlines or rushed work.”
“Struggles to prioritize tasks, sometimes working on less important projects instead of urgent ones.”
“Tends to procrastinate, leading to work being rushed and potentially low quality.”
“Could benefit from better organization and planning skills to improve productivity.”
“May need to work on delegating tasks to others to better manage workload.”

3. Quality of Work

There are many different employee performance metrics to consider during performance appraisals. Employee engagement, attendance, and communicative skills can all be considered great metrics to track. However, when the chips are down, all anyone will care about is the quality of your work. The end result! Here are some performance review phrases on the quality of work.

“Produces consistently high-quality work that meets or exceeds expectations.”
“Pays attention to detail, catching errors or issues before they become problems.”
“Shows pride in work, going above and beyond to ensure excellence.”
“Demonstrates a strong understanding of requirements and produces work that aligns with them.”
“Is committed to continuous improvement, regularly seeking feedback and making adjustments.”
“Has a hard time consistently producing work that meets expectations and may require additional support or revisions.”
“Has challenges in maintaining attention to detail, which can result in errors or oversights.”
“Has a tendency to rush work, resulting in lower quality outcomes.”
“Needs to take greater ownership of their work and ensure it aligns with the required standards.”
“Could benefit from additional training or support to enhance skills and produce higher quality work.”

4. Dependability

Nothing is certain but death and taxes, right? Dependability is an extremely important performance review criterion. It is, however, a bit hard to pinpoint. How does one measure dependability? Is it taking initiative, showing a strong work ethic, or simply taking responsibility? Well, here are some sample performance evaluation phrases that cover all those bases!

“Is a reliable team member, consistently meeting commitments and delivering high-quality work.”
“Takes responsibility for tasks and projects, ensuring they are completed on time and to the required standard.”
“Brings with them a strong work ethic, putting in extra effort when required to meet team goals.”
“Shows initiative in taking on additional responsibilities and supporting team members.”
“Is committed to continuous improvement, actively seeking feedback and making adjustments.”
“Has trouble keeping commitments, occasionally needing more assistance or time extensions.”
“Has difficulty accepting responsibility for jobs or projects, occasionally blaming others for mistakes or delays.”
“Tends to miss deadlines or deliver work that is below the required standard.”
“May need to improve time management and planning skills to better meet expectations.”
“Could benefit from increased accountability and taking ownership of mistakes or challenges.”

5. Initiative

Taking initiative means being proactive, taking ownership of our work, and seeking out new opportunities. It’s what sets us apart and makes us stand out as top performers. Your performance review comments should definitely include performance appraisal phrases about taking initiative. So here are some performance review comments examples centered around initiative!

“Takes initiative to identify and address challenges or opportunities without being prompted.”
“Shows creativity and innovation in identifying new solutions or approaches to tasks and projects.”
“Has the willingness to take on new challenges and responsibilities.”
“Is proactive in identifying and addressing potential issues before they become problems.”
“Seeks out opportunities to improve processes or procedures, contributing to overall team success.”
“Often requires a nudge to take the reins and identify opportunities for improvement.”
“Encounters roadblocks when it comes to brainstorming innovative solutions and thinking outside the box.”
“May benefit from a confidence boost to take on new challenges and responsibilities with enthusiasm.”
“Could leverage growth opportunities by seeking out challenges and embracing new experiences.”
“Needs to take a more proactive approach to identify and tackle potential issues before they escalate.”

6. Teamwork

“Teamwork makes the dream work,” as they say. But let’s be honest, working in a team can be challenging at times. With so many different personalities and working styles, conflicts are bound to arise. However, when we work together effectively, we can achieve great things. In this section, we’ll take a look at some performance review comments related to teamwork and collaboration.

“Is a supportive team member, working collaboratively to achieve team goals.”
“Contributes positively to team dynamics, fostering a positive work environment.”
“Interacts effectively with team members, building strong relationships and fostering a sense of camaraderie.”
“Shows a willingness to help colleagues and offer support when needed.”
“Respects and values diverse perspectives, contributing to an inclusive and welcoming team environment.”
“Faces hurdles in working collaboratively with team members, at times operating in groups or generating discord.”
“Has some room for growth in terms of communication skills to foster stronger connections with colleagues.”
“Shows a tendency to prioritize individual objectives over team goals, which can hinder overall team success.”
“Has potential to grow by demonstrating more empathy and support towards colleagues.”
“Requires development in valuing diverse perspectives and creating an inclusive team environment.”

7. Leadership

Being a leader isn’t just about giving orders and bossing people around. It’s about inspiring and motivating others, setting goals, and guiding your team to success. Of course, it’s not always easy to be a great leader. It takes patience, empathy, and a willingness to learn and grow. So, why don’t we explore some performance review comments that relate to leadership skills?

“Demonstrates strong leadership skills, inspiring and motivating team members towards success.”
“Shows a commitment to developing team members, providing support and opportunities for growth.”
“Leads by example, modeling positive behavior and work ethic for team members to follow.”
“Delageates tasks clearly and effectively to team members, setting clear expectations and goals.”
“Effectively manages conflicts and challenges, finding solutions that benefit the team as a whole.”
“Has a difficult time leading effectively, sometimes causing confusion or conflict among team members.”
“Has issues with communicating expectations or providing clear direction to team members.”
“Needs to improve on supporting and developing team members, leading to a lack of motivation or engagement.”
“Could benefit from developing stronger conflict resolution and problem-solving skills.”
“Needs to work on modeling positive behavior and work ethic for team members to follow.”

8. Adaptability

No matter what line of work you’re in, it doesn’t take a sociologist to see that we are going through one of the most volatile times in human history. It feels like there is a new paradigm shift every single week! That is why adaptability is a great category of performance review comments. As a performance appraisal metric, the adaptability of an employee needs to be measured and given feedback upon! So here are some performance review comments on adaptability!

“Is able to adapt quickly and effectively to changing priorities or circumstances.”
“Shows flexibility in approach, willing to adjust plans or strategies as needed to achieve goals.”
“Demonstrates resilience in the face of challenges, persevering to achieve success.”
“Handles uncertainty and ambiguity with ease, remaining focused and productive.”
“Thrives in a fast-paced environment, showing energy and enthusiasm for new opportunities.”
“Fails to adjust to changing conditions or priorities, resulting in missed opportunities or inefficiencies.”
“Can definitely use some work on being more flexible and open-minded in approach.”
“Can become overwhelmed by uncertainty or ambiguity, leading to decreased productivity.”
“Needs to improve resilience and persistence in the face of challenges or setbacks.”
“Could benefit from developing strategies for managing stress and pressure in a fast-paced environment.”

9. Problem-Solving

When we encounter problems in the workplace, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed or unsure of how to proceed. But being able to think creatively and come up with innovative solutions is an essential skill for any employee. It can save time, increase productivity, and make us all look like superheroes. So, let’s dive into some performance review comments related to problem-solving skills.

“Demonstrates excellent problem-solving skills, able to analyze complex problems and develop effective solutions.”
“Approaches problems systematically and logically, using a variety of resources and tools to find solutions.”
“Is able to identify root causes of problems, rather than just treating symptoms.”
“Collaborates effectively with colleagues to find solutions to difficult problems.”
“Is innovative and creative in finding new solutions to problems.”
“Complex problem-solving can be a challenge, resulting in possible delays or inefficiencies.”
“Usually treats symptoms instead of investigating the underlying causes of problems.”
“Developing a more systematic and logical problem-solving approach could be beneficial.”
“Collaborative skills may need improvement to effectively work with colleagues in problem-solving.”
“Enhancing innovation and creativity in problem-solving is an area that requires attention.”

10. Creativity

Did we save the best for last? Yes, we did! The importance of creativity as a key performance metric is constantly growing. In fact, with the emergence of AI productivity software, true creativity is one skill the robots can’t seem to emulate just yet. So why shouldn’t you have a list of performance review comments focused solely on creativity? Of course, you should!

Displays creativity that is inspiring and has had a significant impact on the success of the project.
Demonstrates an ability to think outside the box and come up with innovative ideas that help the team overcome challenges and achieve goals.
Consistently brings fresh perspectives to the table and takes risks in order to achieve great results.
Applies a creative approach to problem-solving that leads to unique solutions, improving processes and saving time and resources.
Shows enthusiasm for exploring new ideas and experimenting with different approaches, fostering a culture of innovation within the team.
While technically sound, work lacks the creative flair that would make it stand out from the competition.
Provides solutions to problems that are often formulaic and lack originality.
Appears to be stuck in a rut and is not coming up with new ideas or approaches to address challenges.
Resists change and is unwilling to experiment with new ideas, which holds the team back.
Displays creativity that is limited to a particular style or medium, and does not demonstrate the ability to adapt to new situations and come up with fresh ideas.

Digitize Your Performance Reviews

Do you know what can be equally important as the performance review comments you use? How you actually conduct those performance reviews? If your team has a terrible time with performance reviews and they hate partaking in them, then your performance review comments won’t have any meaning. The best way to conduct your performance reviews today is to digitize them!

You can read our guide on digitizing your performance reviews right here!

Performance Review Software

A massive part of digitizing your performance reviews is to make use of performance review software . There are many incredible alternatives available to users worldwide and you’re never going to believe it… We made a list of the best of ’em! Just for you. Right here: Top 10 Performance Review Software of 2023 . If you’re old-fashioned, we also have something for you: Excel Performance Review Templates .

Performance review comments : Teamflect performance reviews example with questions in microsoft teams

If you are a Microsoft Teams user, then you don’t need to look any further. Teamflect is the best performance review software for Microsoft Teams. Teamflect’s complete Microsoft Teams integration allows for everything to stay in the flow of work. You can conduct entire performance review cycles, without ever having to leave Teams.

One of the biggest problems with performance management in 2023, surprise surprise, isn’t performance review comments! It is the dreadful practice of juggling multiple software at the same time. Teamflect doesn’t just let you conduct performance reviews inside Microsoft Teams.

It also gives you access to a massive performance review template gallery , filled to the brim with customizable templates and performance review comments galore!

Conducting Performance Appraisals in Microsoft Teams

Integrating your performance appraisals into the best communication and collaboration hub there is always a safe bet. That is something you just can’t achieve through analog performance review methods.

Here is how you can use Teamflect to complete an entire performance review cycle in a matter of clicks!

Step 1: Go into Teamflect’s Reviews Module

Teamflect’s interface is incredibly easy to navigate. In order to start a review cycle, all you have to do is click “New Review” once you’re in the “Reviews” module.

This module is also home to all performance reviews conducted in your organization. It functions both as a central hub and an archive for performance appraisals.

Step 2: Choosing Your Performance Review Template

Teamflect has an extensive library of performance review templates for you to choose from. While they are ready to be used as is, you can always customize them to fit your organization’s needs.

Some of the ways you can customize Teamflect’s review templates include:

Changing question types: Open-ended, Multiple Choice, Likert Scale, Rating, etc.
Integrating goal completion rates.
Integrating 360-degree feedback data.
Including an employee development plan.
Creating a custom evaluation criteria
Adding the 9-Box Talent Grid.

Step 3: Complete The Review

Once you send out your performance review template of choice, all that is left to do is for both parties to fill out their ends of the performance review. That is how easy it is to conduct an entire performance review inside Microsoft Teams with Teamflect.

Automating Review Cycles

Teamflect users have the option to create custom automation scenarios for their performance reviews. While we opted to show you the manual process of conducting performance appraisals with Teamflect, you can also queue all of the steps shown above to a custom automation scenario and let those reviews be automatically sent to reviewees at your desired intervals!

How to write performance review comments?

When you’re writing performance review comments, there are some things you should make sure your performance review comments always are. Three key things to keep in mind as you’re writing your performance review comments are:

Start with positive feedback: Begin your comments with positive feedback to set a constructive tone and make the employee feel valued.
Focus on behavior: Focus on the employee’s behavior, rather than their personality. This helps the feedback feel less personal and more actionable.
Avoid vague language: Avoid using vague language like “good job” or “needs improvement.” Instead, be specific about what the employee did well or what they need to work on.

What Not to Say in Performance Reviews

Performance reviews are a crucial part of employee development and growth within any organization. They provide an opportunity for constructive feedback and goal-setting.

Delivering effective performance appraisal comments can be challenging, and using the wrong words or phrases can have a detrimental impact on your team’s morale and productivity.

So in this particular section, we’ll explore what you shouldn’t say in performance reviews and provide examples to steer clear of these pitfalls.

Negative Language

Avoid using harsh or negative language in your performance appraisal comments. Phrases like “You always” or “You never” can be demotivating and unproductive. Instead, focus on specific behaviors or incidents and provide constructive feedback.

Example: Instead of saying, “You always miss deadlines,” try, “I noticed a few instances where deadlines were not met. Let’s work together to improve your time management skills.”

Comparative Statements

Refrain from making direct comparisons between employees in your performance review examples. Using phrases like “You’re not as good as [colleague]” can create unhealthy competition and resentment among team members. Instead, concentrate on individual strengths and areas for improvement.

Example: Avoid saying, “You’re not as efficient as Sarah,” and opt for, “I believe you can further improve your efficiency by implementing time-saving techniques.”

Vague Feedback

Performance review phrases that lack specificity can be frustrating for employees. Avoid vague comments like, “You need to do better” or “Your work has room for improvement.” Instead, provide clear examples and suggest actionable steps for improvement.

Example: Say, “Your recent project lacked detailed documentation. To improve, please make sure to document all processes thoroughly for future projects.”

Personal Criticisms

Keep your performance appraisal comments focused on work-related matters. Avoid making personal criticisms or judgments about an employee’s character or personality.

Example: Don’t say “You’re too introverted for this role,” and opt for, “To excel in this role, consider taking on more proactive communication and teamwork initiatives.”

Unsubstantiated Claims

Ensure that your performance review examples are based on observable and documented behaviors. Avoid making unsupported claims or accusations.

Example: Instead of stating, “You’re always late,” provide evidence like, “I’ve noticed on three occasions this month that you arrived late to our team meetings.”

Ambiguous Praise

While praise is essential, ambiguous compliments can be ineffective. Avoid phrases like “You’re doing great” without specifying what the employee is excelling at. Instead, be specific and highlight their accomplishments.

Example: Say, “Your recent project presentation was outstanding. Your attention to detail and engaging delivery truly impressed the team.”

How to make supervisor comments and recommendations?

As a supervisor, it is your job to offer supervisor comments and recommendations to your direct reports. While this may seem like a mundane task at first, effective supervisor comments and recommendations can prove to be the most valuable out of all your performance review comments.

1. What is the point of your supervisor comments and recommendations?

Many leaders fall under the false impression that since they are a supervisor, they are under the obligation to offer comments and recommendations. Unless there is a distinct purpose behind your supervisor comments and recommendations, you should abstain from handing them out. Or you will start skirting the dangerous line into the micro-management territory!

2. Do your homework first!

To make sure your comments and recommendations as a supervisor are hitting the mark, you need to do your research and do it well! Some of the best ways to gather that information include:

Pulse Surveys
360-Degree Feedback
Anonymous Feedback
Check-in Meetings

Here is a quick video tutorial on just how you can gather 360-degree feedback inside Microsoft Teams:

3. Focus on solutions instead of problems.

Instead of just pointing out problems, provide recommendations for improvement. Better yet, turn your feedback session into a discussion where you and your direct reports brainstorm on fixing any existing problems together. Supervisor comments and recommendations are opportunities to show your team that you’re in it together.

Written by Emre Ok

Emre is a content writer at Teamflect who aims to share fun and unique insight into the world of performance management.

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150+ Helpful Performance Review Phrases for Managers

In this article, we discuss the do’s and don’ts of performance review phrases. Choose your next comment from this list of 150+ review phrases across 17 work areas

Reviews can be overwhelming for those giving it as well as those receiving it.

As a manager, you need to ensure that the performance review phrases and comments you use create the delicate balance between providing critical feedback covering areas of improvement and ensuring a positive attitude to motivate the employees

To make the entire process effective, we have compiled a list of 150+ performance review phrases and captions that you can use with a list of phrases to avoid and best practices for providing reviews on areas of improvement.

How to use performance review phrases

Before we jump onto the review phrase examples that you could use, let’s discuss how you should use them to ensure maximum efficacy.

Don’t use generic phrases or buzzwords for all performance reviews
Make the reviews personalized for each employee
Add context or quantify the review phrases with information and data points relevant to the employee
Use performance phrases that are context specific
Leverage performance review phrases to identify key behaviors for each segment of performance appraisal

Read: Top 10 performance review tips for managers that actually work

Which performance review phrases should you avoid

While the intent of employee review phrases is to provide appropriate feedback to the employees, there are certain practices and comments that you should avoid. Often, using such phrases will dilute the impact of your conversation. To ensure high levels of effectiveness, you should avoid:

1. Being vague

Steer away from using cliched review phrases which don’t have any substance or communicate impact like ‘Mr. A is an excellent communicator’

This is a generic statement. You should rather use phrases that add value to the statement like ‘Mr. A doesn’t shy away from asking questions in case he has doubts about the conversation.’

2. Comparing two colleagues

You need to ensure that your performance review phrases do not hint on any level of comparison between two employees.

Avoid statements like, ‘Ms. P was able to close 10 deals in 6 months, however, you closed only 6.’

3. Being absolute

On whichever side of the spectrum your performance review falls, ensure that your phrases are not absolute. Put simply, you should stay away from comments that include the terms Always/Never . Even if you want to show incidence of more than one time, use terms like seldom/frequently.

For instance, avoid phrases like, ‘Mr. Q never speaks up during meetings.’

4. Humiliating or downgrading the employees

The intent of using performance review phrases is to ensure that you are able to communicate your feedback in the most meaningful manner

Using statements that humiliate or look down upon the employees defeats the purpose. Ensure that your statements have a constructive tone to them.

It is best to negate statements like, ‘Ms. L is the worst person on the team, she can never get anything right.’

5. Being uncertain

Finally, be very firm and sure of the performance review phrases you use.

Terms like maybe, I am not sure, etc. will downplay the impact because the employee will get a sense of your uncertainty and may not take the feedback very seriously

Avoid using phrases like ‘I think Mr. G has been outperforming his targets for the last 3 months.’

How to provide reviews on areas of improvements

Not all instances where you will use performance review phrases will be completely positive in nature. Rather, there will be multiple instances when you will have to talk about the areas of improvement for your employees if you really want to see them grow. However, delivering reviews on the latter can be overwhelming. Fortunately, the following tips can help you be well prepared for it.

1. Be specific

Don’t throw random generic statements when you want to speak of areas of improvement. It may seem a good way to avoid confrontation, but you will end up not yielding any impact.

For instance, instead of saying, ‘You did not perform well’, use statements like ‘Your performance in the last project was not upto the mark due to several missed deadlines’

2. Be regular

Next, if you are providing review or feedback for areas of improvement, try to make it as soon as possible, once you identify the challenge. The sooner you share the review, the more relevant it will be.

For instance, saying, ‘Mr. X did not meet sales targets in the first quarter’ when you are sitting in the last quarter will not yield much impact.

3. Try to not get personal

Finally, ensure that the performance review phrases you use do not come across as a personal attack on your employees. They should focus on the behavior or attribute you wish to talk about and not the person specifically.

For instance, instead of commentating ‘You are not serious about your work’ use statements like ‘Your performance in the last quarter indicates a lack of taking ownership’

150+ useful performance review phrases

Let’s quickly walk through the top 150+ performance review phrases that you can use for performance management and feedback for your employees. We have categorized them under specific performance aspects to make them easier to comprehend.

1) Quality Of Work Performance Review Phrases

You can use these phrases to describe your assessment of whether or not the quality of work has been as per company standards.

Generally, quality of work is intrinsically linked to high levels of motivation, commitment and productivity

Phrases to indicate performance is acceptable or exceeds expectation

Has an exceptional attention to detail
Consistently follows up and prevents work from falling through cracks
Work is well researched and articulated
Double checks the work before submitting
Maintains a proper plan to ensure nothing is missed

Phrases that indicate need for improvement

More focus is needed to ensure greater accuracy
Has been inconsistent in the quality of work delivered
Needs to put more effort into producing reports that are error free
Doesn’t follow an established process of completion and checking of work

2) Job Knowledge Performance Review Phrases

Every role or job comes with a set of expectations and responsibilities. If an employee is foggy on this understanding, chances are high that he or she will be unable to deliver as per expectations.

Clear job knowledge will help employees set clear expectations of themselves and ensure effective performance

Has been able to translate strategy into results
Is able to address organizational challenges with technical knowledge
Was able to yield 10% higher sales by leveraging new techniques
Keen to upskill in the domain of operation
Understands the changing job requirements and is willing to adapt
Is not able to meet changing market expectations
Has not been willing to take on opportunities to learn new skills required
Unable to provide technical solutions to the problems at hand
Is unsure of the skills required for the job

3) Attention To Detail Performance Review Phrases

Attention to detail is a subset of quality of work and is critical for most roles.

Employees that have high levels of attention to detail are often more proactive and deliver error free work

On the other hand, a lack of the same leads to a high number of inaccuracies.

Displays high levels of patience
Is highly organized and ensures clarification at every stage
Produces work that requires minimal iterations
Maintains a checklist to ensure everything is delivered on time
Undertakes multiple rounds of proofreading before delivery
Delivers unreliable or incomplete output frequently
Tries to focus on multiple projects at once
Tends to overlook requirements in an attempt to complete work on time
Doesn’t spend adequate time on details

4) Dependability Performance Review Phrases

As a performance component, dependability refers to the degree to which you can rely upon your employees to deliver quality work consistently and put in extra effort if the need arises

Displays high level of performance every day
Has shown time and again that he/she can be counted on during uncertain times
Doesn’t shy away from commitment to handle multiple projects
Doesn’t complain if the need arises to put in extra hours at times
Ensures high quality of work consistently
Is seen struggling with keeping up with deadlines
Rarely delivers what is agreed upon
Tends to shift ownership to others
Takes leave of absence without prior intimation regularly

5) Initiative Performance Review Phrases

Initiative is an attribute that is exhibited by only a few employees who take ownership of getting things done without being asked to.

Initiative is generally found among employees that feel a sense of affinity towards the vision and values of the organization and seek to make an impact

Proactively sets goals and OKRs for oneself
Participates in activities that goes beyond KRA
Often tries to engage in areas to deliver more value
Constantly takes ownership of new projects and assignments
Is willing to go out of the way to help others
Requires constant reminders and supervision
Resists taking on new responsibilities and participating in activities
Unwilling to set goals and add value to projects
Barely completes the work allotted to him/her

Read: How often should you conduct performance reviews

6) Teamwork and Collaboration Performance Review Phrases

When you are working in an organization, you seldom work in silos. You often have to collaborate, co-create and collectively work with your team members towards a shared goal. An employee can be a great individual contributor but may not excel in teamwork. However, high levels of teamwork and collaboration lead to greater engagement, commitment and a positive culture.

Was active in seeking inputs from all team members during the last project
Has shown proficiency in delegating tasks and following up
Has been actively participating in all brainstorming sessions
Facilitates unity in the team by promoting open communication
Has built a rapport with everyone in the team
Has a poor record of showing up for team meetings
Does not willingly share ideas or feedback with others in the team
Rarely encourages colleagues and is less than willing to seek feedback
Is unable to delegate work in an effective manner

7) Productivity Performance Review Phrases

Productivity refers to the output an employee is able to deliver, both in terms of quality and quantity. Employees that show high levels of productivity are an asset to the organization. Providing regular performance feedback on productivity can enhance the same by making employees aware about the gaps.

Constantly delivers on or before time
Has been instrumental in meeting targets in the last quarter
Ensures minimal distractions to deliver volumes of high quality work
Focuses on using tools and techniques to work in a smart way
Achieved sales target 5 days ahead of time for the last month
Has been asking for extensions on deadlines
Unable to focus attention on work for a long time, leading to below average delivery
Lacks organizational skills leading to little progress in productivity
Has shown reluctance to work on new projects

8) Attendance Performance Review Phrases

While it is true that employees must be given adequate time off, taking leave of absence very frequently and without prior notice can impact an organization in more than one way.

‍ Attendance is not limited to showing up at work, but also permeates to meetings, sessions and learning initiatives. It is an overt display of commitment and engagement and low levels can be an indication of potential attrition

Consistently shows up for meetings on time
Doesn’t take unnecessary breaks during work hours
Informs about time off well in advance
Ensures things are managed well with Out Of Office (OOO) automatic emails when not available
Doesn’t make others wait for a pre-scheduled meeting
Shows up late or is a no show during workshops
Does not take initiative to respond to meeting invites
Spends excessive time on non-productive things during work hours
Extends meetings unnecessarily

9) Communication Performance Review Phrases

Poor communication among employees can lead to misunderstanding, high stress, poor company morale and much more. On the flip side, streamlined communication results in greater engagement and a better experience. Constant feedback on communication can help prevent instances of miscommunication and clarity at all levels.

Is able to communicate his/her ideas in a concise yet informative manner
Consistently asks questions in case there is any confusion
Ensures the every point he/she makes is relevant and well articulated
Doesn’t shy away from starting a conversation, especially on a difficult topic
Is not afraid of saying “let me get back to you” , when he/she is not sure of the answer
Has been observed using language that is not welcome by others
Is unwilling to listen to others/ take feedback
Avoids meaningful conversations
Is often verbose and written communication is not clear

10) Integrity Performance Review Phrases

Employees with high levels of integrity often align with strong moral values and believe in ethical business practices.

Guiding integrity through performance review statements can help build an attractive and reputable employer brand for the organization

Ensures that commitment is adhered to
Makes an effort to do what is right
Does not take the easy way out
Maintains a high level of discipline, confidentiality and ethics at work
Follows business principles diligently
Indulges in office gossip
Doesn’t give in 100% if left unsupervised
Tries to pin blame on others and makes comments in the process
Is found breaking rules on more than one occasion

11) Leadership Performance Review Phrases

Leadership as a quality is integral for your employees if you seek to build a healthy succession pipeline

Reviews on leadership capabilities can help budding leaders build the right skills, competencies and attitudes to take up new roles and positions without any challenge.

Successfully led the last team project and recorded 15% increase in sales
Provides meaningful feedback to peers and colleagues with clear actions
Deals with people with empathy and compassion
Encourages team members to unlock full potential
Helps others when they are stuck in work
Rarely shows appreciation or acknowledges others
Doesn’t set a positive and authentic example for others
Creates a culture of shifting accountability and fear
Lacks the willingness and skills to delegate work

Read: Top 7 tips to improve leadership effectiveness

12) Problem Solving Performance Review Phrases

Problem solving is one of the most critical skills for the 21st century. Employees no longer have to just undertake repetitive tasks, but have to indulge in critical thinking to address real world challenges.

Creating a culture of problem solving can help you ensure resilience and business continuity even during uncertainty and ambiguity

Proactively suggests new and innovative solutions to problems
Always comes with a few solutions to the management when a challenge arises
Views problems as opportunities
Helped address a customer complaint leading to 10% increase in customer stickiness
Is good at preempting and evaluating challenges
Rarely comes up with ideas or suggestions during brainstorming sessions
Sticks to the processes and practices and shies away from experimentation
Fails to comprehensively understand the problem
Is hesitant to change the conventional flow of processes and work

13) Adaptability Performance Review Phrases

Surrounded by uncertain market conditions, employees need to display high levels of adaptability. Be it picking up new skills, or pivoting priorities as the need arises, adaptability is highly critical today. Consistent feedback on adaptability can help employees gauge the importance of this quality and focus on developing the same.

Is willing to adjust priorities, deadlines based on changed realities
Thinks on the feet and quickly responds to a new challenge
Believes change can lead to better outcomes
Upskilled himself/herself in 3 months to deliver the last project successfully
Makes conscious effort to remain agile
Is reluctant to move out of the comfort zone
Feels overwhelmed when asked to adjust priorities and take on new work
Unable to maintain calm and composure when uncertainty strikes
Rarely attends sessions on change management

14) Flexibility Performance Review Phrases

Close to adaptability lies the quality of flexibility to describe employees who are not rigid and set in their own ways. They are open to new ideas and are willing to accommodate in case the need arises.

Has a positive attitude when there is a need to accommodate or change
Shows proactiveness in case of urgent changes
Is willing to embrace change
Adjusts well with new responsibilities and duties
Is willing to adjust when others request
Doesn’t move away from what he/she believes is right
Is not willing to view things from others’ point of view
Rarely helps others if there will be no impact on him/her
Unwilling to work according to schedules of others

15) Adherence To Policy Performance Review Phrases

While it is important to innovate and think out of the box, a certain level of adherence and compliance to policies and practices is integral for a thriving culture. For instance, certain HR policies, POSH policy, etc. need to be adhered to, to ensure the maintenance of a professional decorum and create a safe workspace for everyone.

Respects and follows all policies set by the company
Ensures that any instance of poor compliance is reported immediately
Is vocal about commitment to policies
Has deep knowledge about the content and intent of each policy
Makes an effort to engage in different committees, initiatives to further the policy impact
Is unaware about the policies that exist in the organization
Doesn’t make an effort to attend workshops/sessions organized on key policies
Doesn’t actively make an effort to adhere to policies
Dismisses colleagues when they quote policies to him/her

16) Achievements Performance Review Phrases

Though not exactly a performance parameter, it is very important to get in line performance review phrases that talk about achievements of the employees. While positive phrases can reinforce the achievements, areas of improvement can help reach the desired levels.

Ended the last quarter with 20% more sales than the previous one
Saved $1 Million for the company by leveraging automation tools
Outperformed other teams by exceeding the target by 15%
Increased customer stickiness by 15% by reducing complaint resolution time to 24 hours
Increased organic traffic on the website by 35% leveraging the right SEO techniques
Missed meeting the target for last month by 5%
Unable to meet deadlines because of lack of organization
Finds it difficult to deliver error free work consistently
Needs to focus on better social media engagement to increase organic traffic

17) Professionalism Performance Review Phrases

Despite the rise of a casual work culture, especially with the advent of remote work , there is a need to maintain a level of professionalism to ensure the right culture. Performance review phrases on professionalism can help employees understand what is desirable and how it ultimately impacts productivity, performance, retention and engagement at large.

Has high levels of integrity and work ethic
Ensure communication in a professional way without using abbreviations, emojis, etc.
Doesn’t get worked up and shows it to others even under pressure
Dresses according to the need of the workplace
Converses in a polite yet convincing manner
Has a hard time keeping personal life away from work
Sometimes talks to colleagues in a manner that is considered offensive
Doesn’t maintain workplace hygiene
Is often dressed in casual clothes which don’t gel well with the nature of the setting

Sudeshna Roy

Hi There! I am Sudeshna. At SuperBeings, I lead our content strategy to bring you the best and latest on everything related to people management

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50+ most useful employee onboarding survey questions.

‘Onboarding: How to get your new employees up to speed in half the time’ - George Bradt, founder and Chairman PrimeGenesis

Did you know that a strong onboarding process improves new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%?

However, only 12% of employees strongly agree their organization does a great job at onboarding new employees.

This clearly states that while employee onboarding has a direct impact on the bottom line, most organizations miss out on how to get it right.

Don’t let that happen to you. To onboard new employees like a pro, keep reading.

What is an onboarding survey?

By definition, an onboarding survey is a questionnaire that is administered on new hires to gauge their initial experience and level of satisfaction, in an attempt to understand their engagement and retention potential.

As an HR, you can get multiple insights from an onboarding survey, including:

what employees thought about the organization when they heard about it for the first time
how their impression changed over time
whether or not their experience aligns with their expectations, etc.

It can help you estimate how long the employees are likely to stay and how you can further optimize your onboarding process to make it more aligned with employee expectations.

Why are onboarding surveys important?

An effective onboarding survey can help you reflect on your performance through the onboarding process, which directly impacts KPIs for organizational success, including:

1. Retention

93% of employers believe a good onboarding experience is critical in influencing a new employee’s decision whether to stay with the company. At the same time, 25% of a company’s new hires would leave within a year if the onboarding experience was poor.

20% of new hires are unlikely to recommend an employer to a friend or family member and an onboarding survey can help you identify the reasons for the same. However, new team members who were asked to provide feedback prior to their start date also had a 79% increase in willingness to refer others. Thus, illustrating how onboarding surveys and feedback can impact eNPS.

Read: How to use eNPS for better employee engagement

3. Satisfaction and Engagement

Employees with exceptional onboarding experiences are 2.6x more likely to be extremely satisfied with their workplace and 70% say they have ‘the best possible job ’.

4. Performance

77% of employees who went through a formal onboarding process were able to meet their first performance goals. However, 49% of individuals who failed to reach their first performance milestone had no official onboarding instruction. An onboarding survey can help you determine the effectiveness of your onboarding process.

In addition, your new employees might also have an inclination towards providing feedback as a part of the onboarding survey, which you will lose out if you don’t conduct the same. Research shows that only 26% of new employees recall being asked for feedback on their candidate journey and the hiring process before their start date wherein 91% of new hires are willing to provide this feedback.

Employee onboarding survey: Best practices

Now that you understand the importance of an employee onboarding survey, let’s quickly discuss how to effectively run an onboarding survey.

1. Set the cadence

You must coincide your employee onboarding survey with important milestones for the new employee in the organization. Mostly, these milestones coincide with the end of the first few months. Thus, you should circulate your onboarding survey after 30, 60 and 90 days respectively, with different objectives for each. Furthermore, you can send interim surveys in case you feel the need, for instance, when the employee starts a project, or when the orientation process is over.

“Effective employee onboarding isn’t about swag, stickers, & company value pamphlets on their desk the 1st day. But, how you help them understand their goals & how co values are interwoven in operating are more important.”- Suhail Doshi, founder and chairman of Mixpanel, Inc.

2. Identify critical areas and build questions

Based on the milestones or cadence you have set up, it is important to identify areas you would want to cover with each milestone. For instance:

In the first 30 days, you should focus on themes like:

Orientation process
Initial thoughts
Expectation alignment
Recruitment process
Onboarding experience

In 60 days, you can touch on themes like:

Knowledge transfer
Level of engagement and satisfaction
Induction process

By the end of 90 days, focus should shift towards:

Manager support
Role clarity
Likelihood to stay
Organizational alignment

Once you have decided the themes, you can start building questions, a snapshot of which is covered in the next section or you can download the template now here. The themes can be fluid across milestones, depending on the context for your organization.

3. Roll out the survey for participation

Once the milestone arrives, you should roll out the onboarding survey and drive participation. It is important to explain to your new employees why the onboarding survey is important and how they can fill it up. Give them the requisite time, deadlines and communicate what will be the next steps to encourage them to participate.

4. Follow up

Simply rolling out the survey is not enough. You must reach out to your new employees to remind them to fill the onboarding survey as amidst numerous new things, they might lose track of it. Don’t push too hard, yet send subtle reminders to get genuine responses. For instance: employee survey tools such as SuperBeings integrate with chat tools like Slack, Teams, Gchat to send personalized nudges to fill out the survey in the flow of work at set intervals as well as allows them to participate directly without switching context.

Unlock a wide array of survey questions and employee analytics. See how SuperBeings can help

5. Take action

Once your onboarding survey responses are in, slice and dice them to get insights into what your employees feel and leverage the data points to further refine your onboarding process to facilitate engagement, retention and advocacy from the beginning.

Sample onboarding survey questions for 30-60-90 day review

Taking cue from the section above, here are 50+ onboarding survey questions that you can leverage to gauge the pulse of your new employees as they complete different milestones.

You can also download these questions as a template and use it whenever you need. Click here to download

1. Onboarding survey questions for 30 day review

A) onboarding and orientation process.

How can we change or improve the onboarding process?
What did you like most about the onboarding process?
Was the orientation interactive and engaging?
Did the onboarding process meet your expectations?
Do you feel welcome and proud to be working here?
How would you rate the duration and quality of your onboarding experience?
How would you describe your first day?

b) Decision related questions

What were the top 3 reasons for joining this company?
Do you think those reasons have been met?

c) Technical training and knowledge transfer

Have you received the training that you were promised during your induction?
Did the training meet your expectations and was accurately described during the hiring process?
Is the training relevant to your roles and responsibilities?
Were adequate tools and materials shared during training to facilitate knowledge transfer?

2. Onboarding survey questions for 60 day review

A) engagement related questions.

Would you recommend the company to others in your network?
Do you see yourself working here in 2 years?
Do you feel motivated to come to work in the morning?
Do you feel prepared for your role?

b) Onboarding experience

Did the first 30 days of onboarding go as expected?
What is the one thing you would like to change from your experience so far?

c) Company policies

Are you clear on the different company policies shared with you?
Do you have any concerns about any of the policies that you would like to highlight?
Do you think any policy is missing that you think must be a part of our governance?

d) Questions about team

Have your team members been integral in smooth onboarding?
Have you been able to connect and collaborate with all your team members?
Do you consider your team members to be welcoming and inclusive?
What is the thing you would like to change about how your team works currently?

e) Reflection questions

Have you been able to achieve the goals you set out for your 60 days?
How has your journey been so far?
What has been your biggest accomplishment in 60 days?
What are some achievements you would like to ensure in the next 30 days?

3. Onboarding survey questions for 90 day review

A) role and expectation clarity.

Do you have an understanding of what is expected from you as a part of this role?
Is your role similar to what was communicated to you during the hiring process?
Do you have the necessary resources you need for the role?
Do you have clarity of your goals?
Do you understand how your work will be evaluated?
Does your role meet your career aspirations?
What do you think is the most difficult part about your role?
What excites you most about your current role?
Do you understand the importance of the work you do?

b) Organizational alignment

Do your values align with the organizational values?
Do you believe in the vision and mission of the organization?
Do you believe your ideas are valued?
Do you have clarity on the organization’s future plans and do you align with them?
Do you see yourself as a part of this organization 5 years from now?

c) Manager support

Have your conversations with the managers been effective?
Does your manager support your career aspirations?
Does your manager provide you with the necessary support to perform your role effectively?
Do you receive regular feedback from your manager?
Does your manager include you in key discussions, wherever applicable?

d) Other questions

What are some of the challenges you have faced so far?
Do you feel your onboarding was successful?
How can we help you in improving the overall experience?
Do you feel included and accepted by everyone in the team?
How do you see yourself progressing from here?
Do you have access to all the information you need?

Wrapping up (TL:DR)

By now, it would be very clear to you that an employee onboarding survey can help you in multiple ways to create a high performance culture. It can enable you to augment retention, engagement, satisfaction and advocacy among employees to ensure that there is minimal turnover and you are able to attract high quality talent. Ensure that you roll out an onboarding survey at 30/60/90 days frequency to check onboarding experience, knowledge transfer, manager support, role clarity, etc.

You should focus on other forms of employee feedback on culture, training and development opportunities, level of engagement, manager effectiveness, workplace collaboration, work-life balance, among others.

Finally, you should focus on leveraging technology and automation to add efficiency and effectiveness to your onboarding survey and process.

Research shows, automating onboarding tasks resulted in a 16% increase in retention rates for new hires.

Thus, consider partnering with a survey platform which enables you to:

Use science-backes best practices onboarding survey templates
Track employee milestones automatically and roll out surveys on due date with zero to minimal manual intervention
Integrate surveys with existing chat tools for reminders and sending out survey questions
Use NLP for decoding sentiments behind open comments to understand the reason behind each response
Use other employee engagement surveys to get the whole picture of new hire engagement

How to Give Constructive Feedback? (With Examples)

When it comes to performance management for employees, you would agree that feedback plays an important role. However, only offering positive feedback and appreciating the performance of your employees is not enough. You need to give them an equal amount of constructive feedback which is specific to ensure high levels of performance. If you feel that your employees may not embrace constructive feedback, think again.

Research shows that 92% of people believe that constructive feedback is effective at improving performance.

In this article we will help you understand how you can give constructive feedback and examples you can leverage.

What is constructive feedback?

Constructive feedback is essentially a tool that most forward looking professionals leverage to help others in their team with specific and constructive inputs on areas where one’s performance can be improved. Put simply, if you have an employee who doesn’t pay attention to detail, constructive feedback involves helping them acknowledge that this is a problem area, and more than that, enabling them with the support to overcome the same. It involves not only identifying a performance problem, but also, providing action items and ways to address the same.

Importance of constructive feedback

Now that you have an understanding of what constructive feedback means, let’s quickly look at some of the top reasons why constructive feedback is important. Constructive feedback:

Improves performance : It enables your team members to understand how they can perform better with specific inputs on areas of improvement
Reinforces expectations : It helps your employees clearly gauge what is expected out of them in terms of performance, and sets clear deliverables and measurement parameters to avoid any surprises during performance appraisal
Boosts morale and confidence : It involves also appreciating employees for a job well done and illustrates how they can become a better version of themselves
Facilitates employee stickiness: It ensures that employees see your organization which cares about their professional growth and encourages them to stick around longer, and even act as advocates for others.

Positive feedback vs constructive feedback

When delivering feedback, you must understand the difference between positive and constructive feedback and ensure that you use both of them where they fit the best. Here a quick distinction between positive feedback vs constructive feedback:

Positive feedback focuses on a job well done and highlights where an employee has excelled. Whereas, constructive feedback talks about areas of improvement and action items for desirable outcomes.
While positive feedback seeks to reinforce the positive behavior, constructive feedback focuses more on facts and traits.
Positive feedback is a reflection of the past performance and doesn’t necessarily have a futuristic orientation, however, constructive feedback takes reference from the past to feed better performance in the future.
“Your presentation during the board meeting was crisp and informative” is an example of positive feedback. Whereas, “While your presentation was informative, you can focus more on articulation to ensure that all your research is communicated in a way that everyone is able to understand. Using pointers can help here”, is an example of constructive feedback.

In a nutshell, positive feedback is a reinforcement tool, whereas constructive feedback is a mechanism to facilitate development.

How to give constructive feedback

With an understanding of the fundamentals of constructive feedback, let’s quickly jump to the best practices which can help you deliver constructive feedback in a nuanced and effective manner.

1. Decide when to give the constructive feedback

The first thing you need to focus on is ensuring that the timing of the constructive feedback is ideal. For instance, a busy period when the employee is putting in a lot of effort may not be ideal for giving them feedback about their performance from three months ago. At the same time, ensure that you provide constructive feedback regularly and consistently, to avoid recency or primacy bias. However, don’t offer feedback when you are angry about their performance either.

2. Set the context and build trust

Before you get down to giving the feedback, set the tone. Share with the employee the purpose of the meeting and make them comfortable prior to sharing your reflections. It is important that you build trust so your employees can share their perspective and don’t feel intimidated by what you have to say.

3. Share your reflections

Once the context and tone is set, start sharing your reflections. Your focus should be on sharing what you have observed about their performance. However, ensure that you also share how the same is likely to impact their career growth as well as organizational success. For instance, if you are providing constructive feedback about missing deadlines, you can use the impact of losing clients for the organization and a casual attitude marker for the employee.

4. Give specific examples

When sharing reflections, use specific examples of when you noticed a particular behavior. For instance, in the above example, you can share instances of when the employee missed his/her deadlines . Ensure that you use examples which illustrate a pattern, rather than a one off incident, which is very uncommon. Furthermore, always use concrete examples and not interpretation of what you hear or see.

5. Balance positive and negative

With constructive feedback, your focus should be on helping the employee improve their performance and work on their areas of development.

However, simply pointing out their weaknesses or negatives in their performance will not help . You need to also talk about some of the positive aspects of their performance and how those qualities can help them absorb and implement their constructive feedback.

6. Be empathetic

Emotional intelligence is extremely important when delivering constructive feedback. You cannot be apathetic towards your employee when delivering the same. Put yourself in their shoes to choose your phrases carefully. We will share some examples in the next section. Also, use your EQ to read the situation when you are delivering the feedback. If you see that the employee is getting uncomfortable, take a pause and comfort them first. Read their gestures and body language to ensure that the employee is not feeling attacked.

7. Don’t make it personal

Like it or not, constructive feedback involves pointing out one’s weaknesses and areas of improvement. However, you should refrain from equating the performance of the employee with his/her personality or whole self. For instance, if someone misses deadlines, encourage them to be more organized or prioritize important work, than labeling them as a procrastinator.

8. Encourage response from the other side

While you are delivering the constructive feedback, you have to make sure it is a dialogue.

The idea is to give the other person enough room to share their side of the story.

Try to understand whether or not they agree with your feedback and how they perceive the same. They may share the lack of support or resources, which have resulted in a weak performance. Be open to some reverse feedback as well. Again, your EQ must be at play here. If your employee has an outburst, or reacts negatively, you need to stay composed and calm them down.

9. Discuss potential solutions

Once you and your employee are aligned on the areas of improvement, the most important part of constructive feedback is to provide adequate solutions to address the performance challenges. Don’t give abstract or vague solutions like be punctual if the employee misses deadlines. Rather, give very specific and action oriented solutions which are directed towards a particular outcome. The idea is to collectively understand the cause of the weak area of performance and use concrete solutions to remedy the same.

10. Create a time bound action plan

Now that you have shared some potential solutions, you must revise the top action items with your employee to avoid any confusion. At the same time, you should focus on creating a time bound plan with key milestones to ensure that development is taking place. Summarize what was discussed and how you will proceed from there. Best is to set up a date to review the progress to ensure constructive feedback is paid heed to.

Read our article on Start Stop Continue Feedback to give action oriented feedback

20 Constructive feedback examples

Here are top 20 constructive feedback examples that you can use during your next conversation. To make your constructive feedback more effective, we have also illustrated examples of what you should steer away from.

1. Communication skills

Example of how to give constructive feedback.

I would really like to know how you have progressed on the tasks assigned to you last month. It would be ideal if you could share a progress update on what has been achieved with a small summary of challenges/ support needed at the end of every week to ensure everyone is on the same page.

Example of how not to give constructive feedback

You have not kept your team updated about your work, this is highly unprofessional.

2. Attention to detail

I was going through the work you submitted last week and I can see you have put in a lot of effort. However, I could see that there were some small errors and inaccuracies in the report across multiple sections. I believe that if you proofread your work thoroughly before turning it in, it will reduce the number of iterations and improve your quality of work.

You seem completely distracted as you have been submitting flawed and below average work, this will not be tolerated.

3. Time management

I understand that you are working on multiple projects, however, you need to ensure that the most important projects are not overlooked and their timelines are not missed. Therefore, I would suggest you create a list of tasks you are working on and check with the respective reporting managers on the priority and set clear expectations to ensure that no deadlines are missed.

You have missed your deadline again, it seems like you are not serious about you work.

4. Goal achievement

I see that you have been able to achieve only a part of the goals that you set out for this year. Maybe you were trying to spread yourself too thin. I would suggest you reduce the number of projects you are working on and ensure that the goals you set you are able to achieve. Furthermore, you must be vocal about the support or resources you need to achieve your goals.

Are you even serious about your work, your level of goal achievement indicates otherwise.

5. Absenteeism

I see that you have been taking some time off lately, without any prior intimation. Let’s try to understand if there is a particular reason for the same. We can work on your schedule to make it more flexible.

You have been missing all meetings lately, this tardiness is not appreciated.

6. Problem solving

I see that you are excellent at execution of ideas. However, I believe that you need to focus more on coming up with solutions on your own. I would suggest participating more in the brainstorming sessions and coming up with solutions. Try to think on your own, before you reach out to others with the problem.

You lack any problem solving capabilities, and will be stuck to execution for the rest of your career.

Wrapping up

Constructive feedback is integral to organizational success. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Always use facts and examples to deliver constructive feedback
Don’t forget to differentiate between positive and constructive feedback
Make sure you have practical tips or suggestions
Leverage specific constructive feedback examples for specific performance problems, instead of being vague

50 top 360 degree feedback question examples

150 performance review phrases

How to Use Performance Management Cycle for High Performance Teams

While performance management has been a key priority for organizations, for a long time, year end reviews were considered to be the most effective way to facilitate the same. However, recently organizations are observing a shift towards continuous performance management with an introduction of the performance management cycle. This article will focus on different aspects of the performance management cycle and how it enables unlocking the potential of high performance teams.

What is a performance management cycle?

Before going into the diverse aspects, you should first understand what a performance management cycle essentially is. If you have an idea of what continuous performance management is, you’re already a step ahead in the understanding. Performance management cycle primarily is a way or a model in which you evaluate or focus on the performance of your employees throughout the year. The idea is to break down the different elements of employee performance into different stages and focus on them consistently. It starts with setting goals and ends with rewards for a job well done, which leads to setting of new goals and the performance management cycle resets.

Understanding 4 stages of the performance management cycle

While you may want to divide your performance management cycle into any number of stages, mostly there are four stages.

The first stage, at the very beginning of the performance management cycle, focuses on creating a plan for the performance ahead. The idea is to have a clear understanding on what your employee must achieve and how you will eventually review and evaluate them. During the planning stage, you and your team member, collectively should:

Set SMART goals of OKRs based on the performance expectations
Have clear KPIs or metrics which you will use for performance appraisal
Clarify how individual goals or OKRs contribute to organizational vision

Thus, the planning stage of the performance management cycle sets the tone for the year ahead and ensures there is clarity at all levels.

Once the goals have been set in the planning stage, you enter the monitoring stage of the performance management cycle. This stage essentially focuses on ensuring that things are moving as planned. The idea is to ascertain that your team members are more or less on track for specific milestones outlined as a part of goal setting. Additionally, this stage will help you address any performance challenges that you may observe, sooner than later. Monitoring stage includes:

Regular one-on-one meetings to review performance so far
Providing feedback to your team members on what you think has been going well and what needs to improve
Relooking at goals in case they are behind or ahead of schedule in terms of achievement
Understanding the kind of extra support or resources your team members might need to improve their performance
Having candid conversations with your employees on wellbeing, professional development objectives, and other factors which may impact performance, morale and engagement

The monitoring stage essentially focuses on tracking the performance of your employees against the set goals to provide constructive feedback and help them perform better.

The third stage of the performance management cycle comes into existence towards the end. It involves reviewing the performance and providing ratings based on the established KPIs and metrics. While this is the formal review process, if you have been constantly monitoring the performance of your employees, this will essentially be a consolidation of all the reviews and feedback shared overtime. While delivering performance reviews, ensure that you:

Shed any performance review biases that might come your way, including primacy effect, recency bias, halo/horns effect, etc.
Give your employees concrete examples and facts to support your review, rather than being vague and ambiguous
Should try to get 360 degree feedback and review for your team members
Answer some of the following questions to create an informed review:
Did the employee achieve the goals set out?
What were the key enablers in their achievement?
Did you observe growth in the employee during the performance management cycle?
Did the employee share any concerns, and were they addressed?

Since you have been connecting regularly with your employees, the reviews will not come as a surprise to them, but will help you monitor the trends of their performance and guide the next stage for the employee’s professional growth.

Finally, the rewarding stage in the performance management cycle acts as a culmination to one cycle and sets stage for the commencement of the next. The objective is to take into account their performance over the performance management cycle and create a culture of rewards and recognition to celebrate and appreciate high performance. Some of the quick ways to reward your employees include, giving them:

Healthy increments and promotions
Public appreciation through social media, company intranet
Bonuses and other incentives
Rewards like vouchers, gifts, etc.

This stage is important to make your employees feel valued and motivate them to keep the performance going. It will also push average performers to step up their efforts and enable you to create a high performance culture.

Why is a performance management cycle important?

Now that you understand the various stages of a performance management cycle, let’s quickly look at why the performance management cycle is important for your organization. It will help you:

Clearly define goals and expectations from your employees to drive directed performance.
Keep your employees engaged. When you constantly connect with your employees for 1-o-1 meetings and consistently take interest in their performance improvement, they are likely to feel engaged, satisfied and motivated.
Address performance challenges preemptively and provide your employees with corrective actions, resources and support to bridge performance issues.
Retain talent as employees who feel that their performance is being valued and receive regular feedback tend to stay longer at an organization.

Top 4 ways in which performance management cycle leads to high performance

In addition to the above mentioned benefits, a performance management cycle can help you build a high performance culture in a number of ways. Some of the top aspects include:

Clarifies KPIs and metrics

What constitutes high performance can be abstract. For some, closing 5 deals can be high performance, for others, it might be closing 15. Planning stage in the performance management lifecycle will help your employees understand what constitutes high performance and thus, proceed towards it.

Boosts recognition

A key part of the performance management cycle is the rewards and recognition . When employees feel their performance is being valued and recognized, they tend to double up their efforts, leading to a high performance team.

Facilitates communication and feedback

Monitoring and tracking followed by 1-o-1 conversations can help you communicate with your employees regularly. Not only will you track their performance, but will also listen to their concerns or challenges and offer them feedback. Such conversations and feedback have a positive impact on performance, leading to a high performance culture.

Ensures appropriate training

One of the foundations of high performance is enabling your team members to undergo the right training. Performance management cycle can help you understand which training is important for your employees at which performance stage, realizing high quality results.

Top tips for managers for effective performance management cycle

As a manager, there are several ways in which you can unlock the true potential of a performance management cycle. You are one of the key stakeholders who plays an important role in every stage of the cycle. Here are a few tips that can help you augment the effectiveness of the performance management cycle:

Invite employee participation and make the OKR setting process collaborative and action oriented
Provide constructive feedback to your employees, instead of being too sweet or too negative
Help your employees access the right resources and training they need to meet their goals
Give your employees a safe space to share their concerns and challenges
Don’t micromanage your employees in the name of monitoring
Be open about relooking at the goals in case of a misalignment as you move along the performance management cycle

Benefits of using a performance management tool

A performance management tool can significantly help you streamline your performance management cycle by offering the following benefits.

Performance snapshots

Get automated performance snapshots of your employee’s performance over the 9 box grid to track performance trends over time and provide reviews without recency bias.

1:1 conversations

Leverage guided templates with AI based suggestions for your 1:1 conversations with employees during the monitoring stage based on performance over time. Receive suggested talking points for goal-centered conversations.

Compare performance

Look at historic feedback to see improvement in performance and compare performance over time. You can also compare performance of peers over specific parameters.

How to create a high performance culture using OKRs

7 steps to effective performance management system

12 common performance review biases to avoid

Ready to get started? Speak to our team today

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