evaluation comments for critical thinking

55 Effective Performance Review Phrases to Use — and Which Ones to Avoid

Finding the right words can be challenging — especially when it comes to performance reviews . Managers have to strike the delicate balance between acknowledging successes and giving constructive feedback on areas of improvement.

In this guide, you’ll find best practice examples of performance review phrases, broken down by common themes seen in employee performance reviews. Think of this as a series of templates — they’re generic phrases that you can build on to reflect individual employee traits and overall performance by adding in your own specific examples.

Communication

People’s communication and interpersonal skills can vary widely, so it’s important to specifically highlight how an employee’s ability to communicate supports their success in their role — whether by deepening relationships with team members, managing difficult customers, or providing clear direction and constructive feedback to direct reports.

When evaluating employees on communication skills , make sure you consider their ability to promote clarity, specificity, and collaboration.

Positive Feedback Examples for Communication

• Often asks for immediate feedback to clarify and ensure understanding.
• Regularly asks well-prepared or thoughtfully composed questions.
• Quick to ask follow-up questions that pinpoint misunderstanding or a lack of foresight.
• Comfortable saying, “I’m not sure. Can I get back to you?“
• Asks others for their opinions and makes coworkers feel comfortable contributing.
• Collaborates cross-functionally and builds strong working relationships with other internal departments.
• Promotes cooperation, communication, and collaboration by sharing their own knowledge and inviting others to do the same.
• Explicitly communicates expectations, metrics, objectives, and key results to team members and direct reports.

Constructive Feedback Examples for Communication

• Can be verbose, which makes it difficult for them to communicate a clear message.
• Exhibits difficulty breaking down complex issues into manageable parts.
• Is unwilling to commit their staff’s resources to other departments when asked.
• Forgets to include key stakeholders when sharing information with cross-functional teams.
• Is quick to share negative feedback without considering the recipient’s sensitivity.

Teamwork and Collaboration

Teamwork and collaboration skills are essential for a high-performance and employee engagement. Good team relationships not only increase job satisfaction and psychological safety for the individual, but they also make the whole team perform better too, supporting greater knowledge sharing and innovation .

“When an employee makes their coworkers’ work better, they’re bringing value to your company as a whole,” said ‍ Daivat Dholakia , Director of Operations at Force by Mojio , a GPS fleet-tracking app.

Positive Feedback Examples for Teamwork and Collaboration

• Elevates their team’s performance and productivity by [include one to two specific examples].
• Promotes collaboration on teams and encourages participation from individual members.
• Builds effective teams by helping team members play to their strengths.
• Fosters a sense of unity on teams, which encourages individual buy-in and helps the group reach its common goal.
• Insists on mutually respectful dialogue when resolving interpersonal problems or challenges .
• Provides positive affirmation and encouragement to balance constructive criticism.

Constructive Feedback Examples for Teamwork and Collaboration

• Fails to provide emotional encouragement or hands-on support to struggling members of the team.
• Discourages coworkers from volunteering ideas by interrupting others in team meetings.
• Responds aggressively when their authority is challenged.
• Takes individual credit for team success instead of crediting others for their contributions.

Goal Achievement

Evaluating how well employees have set and met their goals is a core part of the performance review process. As much as possible, managers need to tie what employees did to its outcome on the business. Linking the two clarifies to employees how their actions are helping advance the organization’s goals and agenda .

“I like to use phrases that home in on key positive traits of the employee that are benefitting our business, then back them up with specific examples,” said Ravi Parikh , CEO of RoverPass , a SaaS company that helps individuals book campsites. “If I can tie it to a clear outcome, I do.” Parikh offered this phrasing as an example: “Your implementation of chatbots on our websites contributed to a 21% rise in online sales this past year.”

Positive Feedback Examples for Goal Achievement

• Improved communication by [include one to three specific examples].
• Improved our service and/or production of X item or X service by Y%.
• Led X project that resulted in higher-than-expected profits in Y quarter.

Constructive Feedback Examples for Goal Achievement

• Has consistently struggled to achieve OKRs over the last X quarters.
• Often reports a lack of necessary resources to perform their job description adequately.
• Has trouble setting measurable goals that align with company strategic objectives.

Creativity, Problem-Solving, and Critical Thinking

Evaluating your employees’ creativity and problem-solving skills during the performance appraisal process means considering how they generate ideas, approach new challenges, and use their problem-solving ability to complete tasks. 

“[It’s important to] acknowledge an individual who develops creative strategies and seeks creative solutions to challenging obstacles,” said Lori Rassas , SPHR-certified employment attorney and author of It’s About You, Too: How to Manage Employee Resistance to Your Diversity Initiatives and Improve Workplace Culture and Profitability . “You want to be sure to acknowledge those who carefully evaluated the pros and cons of challenging decisions and excelled in seeking solutions.”

Positive Feedback Examples for Creativity, Problem-Solving, and Critical Thinking

• Identifies new approaches to complex problems or obstacles.
• Translates creative ideas into practical application to solve everyday issues.
• Analyzes possible barriers and bottlenecks to reduce delays.
• Resolved long-standing X problem with the creative workaround of Y.
• Understands when to take creative risks and when to stick with more conventional solutions.
• Drives creativity across the team by seeking out different perspectives and embracing experimentation.

Constructive Feedback Examples for Creativity, Problem-Solving, and Critical Thinking

• Struggles to adjust their quality of work in the face of a client’s changing needs.
• Unwilling to explore the creative ideas of peers.
• Struggles to see the patterns in recurring issues.

Flexibility and Adaptability

During times of change — like a merger or acquisition , layoff, or economic instability — adaptability is vital for keeping your employees motivated, engaged, and performing at their best. It’s what helps your people adjust quickly to a new work environment, maintain their work ethic during trying times, or proactively learn new skills to help them overcome new challenges. 

Positive Feedback Examples for Flexibility and Adaptability

• Shows a positive attitude when the team has to pivot quickly.
• Maintains composure when faced with stressful or unexpected situations.
• Quickly adapts to a new action plan when plans change or unexpected issues arise.
• Proactively focuses on professional development to accomplish new tasks or team goals.

Constructive Feedback Examples for Flexibility and Adaptability

• Unwilling or unable to listen to others’ points of view.
• Becomes frustrated and unfocused when faced with unexpected challenges.
• Resists implementing new company policies or programs in their day-to-day work.

Time Management and Dependability

Time management skills and dependability are a key component of a well-oiled, productive team. When evaluating this skill in performance reviews, it’s important to consider how well your employees manage their time in their individual tasks, as well as how this impacts the wider team’s goal accomplishment and employee engagement. 

Positive Feedback Examples for Time Management and Dependability

• Meets deadlines and delivers high-quality work on time.
• Demonstrated excellent task prioritization and project management skills when working on X project with Y team.
• Communicates in a timely manner when extra time is needed to complete a project.

Constructive Feedback Examples for Time Management and Dependability

• Appears to find time management difficult when working on specific tasks, including X and Y.
• Struggles with onsite punctuality when required.
• Struggles to manage time effectively when required to deliver under pressure.

Leadership and Management

Leadership and management isn’t just about evaluating how well your leaders lead. Instead, it’s just as much a chance to see how readily your individual contributors will support and mentor their colleagues, show initiative with decision-making, and take the wheel on team projects or company-wide initiatives. 

Positive Feedback Examples for Leadership and Management

• Demonstrates willingness to lead the onboarding process for new employees to the team.
• Founded and led a company-wide ERG.
• Mentors junior employees to help their professional development in X skill.
• Takes charge when required in group projects.

Constructive Feedback Examples for Leadership and Management

• Struggles with effective decision-making when leading a team project.
• Shows an unwillingness to participate in company mentorship program for junior employees.
• Can appear unsupportive or unhelpful when colleagues need help or advice.

3 Things to Avoid When Writing Performance Reviews

Getting the words right in a performance review means your employees have clear, specific information on what they’ve done well, what they need to improve, and critically, how they can get there. But beyond saying the right things, there are a few key rules of thumb when it comes to what to avoid saying in a performance review.

1. Don’t be vague.

You’d be surprised how often ambiguous wording slips into our written and verbal communication. This is even more true in business settings — we’re at greater risk of speaking or writing in vague terms because using jargon or clichés is so common.

Dholakia said this is why he avoids the term ‘team player,’ for instance: “It’s a meaningless term that doesn’t say anything concrete or specific about how the employee collaborates with others.”

For greater clarity and specificity during performance reviews, avoid business jargon, acronyms, or team-specific cultural references that might confuse a team member. Instead, opt for simple sentences and specific details that clearly point to next steps.

2. Avoid absolutes.

Use words like ‘always’ and ‘never’ sparingly, if at all. It’s rarely accurate that an employee always or never does something. If an employee is often late to work, avoid saying,“You’re always late” or, “You’re never punctual.” Rebecca Southern Mills , HR consultant and founder of Simplecated , said managers should provide more accurate and specific feedback, like, “You’ve been late to work at least twice a week for the last six months.”

3. Skip surprises.

Because managers and their direct reports should have open communication and exchange regular feedback , “nothing in a performance review should ever come as a surprise to a team member,” said Arron Grow, PhD , CEO at management consulting firm AP Grow and author of How to Not Suck As a Manager .

Great managers ensure employees know how they are performing, and whether they are exceeding expectations or not. “If something needs to be said to help a team member improve, have that conversation (or two) long before the performance review,” Grow advised. “Surprises are great for holidays and birthdays, but not for performance reviews.”

Performance Reviews Are Just One Piece of Performance Management

Words matter — and finding the words and phrases to accurately describe employee performance can be tough. But remember, even if you provide the most incisive, accurate, and motivational performance review, doing so in a vacuum absent of other feedback won’t get you far. 

To be effective, performance reviews must exist within the ecosystem of greater performance management , which includes mid-year and annual reviews , but also regular check-ins, like one-on-ones ; affirmations, like sharing everyday praise ; and a consistent culture of feedback .

‍Balancing all of these essential feedback processes requires you to match the specificity and clarity of your feedback with compassion, sensitivity, and empathy so that your employees feel recognized for their successes , understand their opportunities for growth and development , and understand what to do next to perform at their best.

While this might seem like a tall order, Lattice is here to help. If you’re a manager, download our free workbook, Preparing for Performance Reviews as a First-Time Manager . And if you’re an HR leader looking to enable your managers, request a demo to see our continuous feedback features in action.

Related content

How to Combat Bias With Calibrated Performance Review Questions

Why Performance Reviews Matter Now More Than Ever

Mid-Year Reviews: Question Examples and Best Practices

100 Performance Review Example Phrases & Comments for 2024 [Free PDF]

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.

Are performance reviews a chore at your company? Ask your HR team to simplify the process with PerformYard. Learn More

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.

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.

Want to download the Performance Review Examples Phrases Free PDF? Click here.

Example phrases about aptitude.

• "You consistently demonstrate a superdeep 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."

» 6 Examples of Positive Performance Review Phrases

• "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."

We make performance reviews easy for employees and managers. Tell your HR team to ditch the manual process and switch to PerformYard. Learn More

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."

Overall performance summary comments

• Your exceptional ability to work collaboratively with the team has been a key factor in our overall success this year. Your team spirit is commendable and sets a positive tone in the workplace.
• Your outstanding commitment to improving the workplace has been crucial in creating a positive workplace environment this year. 
• Your consistent dedication to delivering exceptional work has made a significant positive impact on our client and internal relationships this year. Your professionalism is a model for others.
• The consistently high quality of your work throughout the year has been exemplary. Your meticulous attention to detail has raised the standard for our team.
• Your stances throughout the year have driven project success and fostered a positive team environment. Your ability to inspire and motivate is a tremendous asset.
• Improving overall communication skills will be crucial for future success. Enhancing clarity and consistency in communication can lead to better teamwork and project outcomes.
• Focusing generally on time management is essential for meeting our team's objectives. Better prioritization and deadline adherence will greatly benefit project timelines and team dynamics.
• Being flexible in day-to-day operations is important for keeping up with the dynamic nature of our work. Overall, more flexibility and responsiveness will aid in maintaining productivity.
• Strengthening technical skills is important for meeting the evolving demands of our projects. Focusing on continual learning and skill development will improve work efficiency and quality.
• Being more open to feedback will be key to your ongoing professional development. Embracing constructive criticism as a growth opportunity can lead to significant performance improvements.

Job knowledge comments

• Your deep understanding of the latest industry trends is commendable. This knowledge has helped us stay ahead of the curve and make informed decisions.
• Your proficiency in specialized skills has been a significant asset to our team. Your expertise has contributed to the quality and efficiency of our projects.
• You have consistently demonstrated a commitment to learning and adapting, which has kept our strategies relevant and effective. 
• Your ability to apply theoretical knowledge to practical situations has been remarkable. This skill has helped in solving complex problems and improving our processes.
• Your resourcefulness in applying your knowledge to diverse situations has been invaluable, and you've shown great skill in using your understanding to benefit multiple aspects of our work.
• Staying more current with industry developments is needed. Updating your knowledge will help in making more informed decisions and keeping our strategies competitive.
• There's room for improvement in certain technical proficiencies. Enhancing these skills will increase your effectiveness and efficiency in your role.
• Adapting to new technologies and methods more quickly will benefit your performance. Keeping pace with technological advancements is crucial in our field.
• Bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and its practical application is an area for growth. 
• Expanding your knowledge beyond your core area will enhance your versatility and contribution to the team. A broader understanding of related fields will be beneficial for your work. 

Development comments

• Your commitment to professional growth has been evident this year. You have actively sought out learning opportunities and applied new skills effectively in your role, contributing significantly to your team's success.
• Your adaptability to organizational changes has been remarkable. You've embraced new challenges and adjusted your working style, which has positively impacted team performance and project outcomes.
• You have proactively enhanced your skill set to meet the evolving needs of your role. This dedication to self-improvement has improved your work quality and efficiency.
• Your ability to set and achieve realistic, yet challenging goals is commendable. We appreciate your focus.
• Your development in leadership and mentoring skills has been outstanding. You've effectively guided team members, contributing to their growth and the overall team's performance.
• You need to engage more in ongoing learning and development. Keeping skills updated and relevant is crucial for meeting the demands of your role."
• Improving adaptability to organizational changes and new processes is necessary. Embracing change more readily will help in maintaining productivity and meeting team objectives.
• Expand your skill set to encompass new areas relevant to our evolving business needs. This action will enhance your ability to contribute effectively to diverse projects.
• Focusing on setting more clear and achievable professional goals will benefit your career development. It's important to align these goals with team objectives and overall company strategy.
• There is an opportunity to further develop your leadership skills. Engaging in leadership training and seeking opportunities to lead projects will enhance your effectiveness in a supervisory role.

Technical expertise comments

• Your advanced technical knowledge in your field has been a significant asset to our team. You have consistently applied this expertise to enhance our project outcomes and efficiency.
• Your ability to implement innovative technical solutions has greatly contributed to our team's success. Your creative approach to problem-solving has set a high standard.
• You have effectively utilized the latest technology to improve our processes. Your proficiency in adapting and applying new tools has been exemplary.
• Your willingness to share your technical skills with colleagues has fostered a learning environment within the team. This has enhanced the overall skill set of the team and improved collaboration.
• Your commitment to continuous technical learning and staying abreast of industry developments is commendable. This proactive approach has kept our team competitive and innovative.
• You need to update your technical knowledge to stay current with industry standards. Engaging in continuous learning will enhance your effectiveness in your role.
• Improve the application of your technical skills to real-world scenarios. Focusing on practical implementation will lead to better project outcomes."
• We need you to adapt more quickly and effectively to new technologies. Staying abreast of technological advancements will improve your work efficiency and the team's performance.
• We would ask to to enhance your ability to communicate technical information in a more accessible way. Clear communication of technical aspects is key to project success.
• Expanding your range of technical skills to include emerging tools and methodologies is recommended. Broadening your technical expertise will increase your versatility and value to the team.

Compliance comments

• Your strict adherence to company policies and industry regulations has been exemplary. Your commitment to compliance has helped maintain high standards of integrity and professionalism in our team.
• We appreciate that you have proactively taken measures to ensure compliance in all aspects of your work. This foresight has helped prevent potential issues and has set a positive example for the team."
• Your ability to identify and manage compliance risks effectively has been a key asset. You've consistently demonstrated a deep understanding of the regulatory environment and its impact on our operations.
• Your efforts in training and guiding team members on compliance matters have been invaluable. This has helped in building a culture of compliance and awareness within the team.
• Your commitment to staying updated with the latest company regulations and standards is commendable. This knowledge has been crucial in navigating the complexities of our industry.
• Improving your understanding of our company policies and industry regulations is necessary. Greater awareness and adherence to these guidelines will enhance your work compliance.
• There is a need for more proactive engagement with compliance issues. Anticipating and addressing potential compliance challenges will benefit the team and the company.
• We need you to develop stronger skills in identifying and managing compliance risks is important. A more proactive approach in this area will help mitigate potential issues.
• Enhancing the way you communicate compliance-related information to the team is crucial. Clear and effective communication is key to ensuring that everyone is on the same page.
• Regularly update your knowledge of company regulations and best practices. Keeping abreast of these developments is essential for maintaining the integrity and success of our operations."

Teamwork comments

• Your ability to collaborate effectively with team members has greatly contributed to our team's success. Your willingness to share ideas and resources has enhanced our projects.
• Your engagement in team activities and discussions is always constructive and positive. You consistently contribute valuable insights and support, fostering a collaborative environment.
• Your support for fellow team members, especially in challenging situations, has been outstanding. Your assistance and encouragement have helped others overcome obstacles and succeed
• Your skills in resolving conflicts within the team are commendable. You approach disagreements with a diplomatic and fair mindset, helping to maintain a harmonious and productive team atmosphere.
• Your efforts in building team spirit and a sense of unity are notable. You’ve played a key role in creating an inclusive and motivating team environment.
• There is a need to enhance collaboration with your team members. More active participation and willingness to share ideas will improve team dynamics and project outcomes.
• Increasing your engagement in team activities and discussions is important. Active participation and contribution to team efforts are essential for achieving our collective goals.
• Offering more support and assistance to colleagues can strengthen the team. Working together and helping each other is crucial for our team’s success.
• Improving your conflict management skills within the team is necessary. Addressing disagreements constructively and seeking resolutions can help maintain a positive team environment.
• Contributing more actively to team morale and spirit is recommended. A more involved approach will help foster a supportive and inclusive atmosphere among team members.

Integrity comments

• Your consistent honesty and transparency in communication have fostered a trustful atmosphere in our team. This approach has significantly contributed to building a strong, ethical work environment.
• Your commitment to ethical decision-making, even in challenging situations, has been exemplary. You've consistently demonstrated strong moral principles, which have set a positive example for the team.
• You have shown commendable accountability for your actions. Your willingness to own up to mistakes and learn from them has been a key factor in building integrity within our team.
• Your respect for colleagues and clients, irrespective of the situation, has been noteworthy. This respect has helped in maintaining a professional and ethical work environment.
• You consistently uphold our company's values in your work and interactions. This integrity has not only enhanced your reputation but also positively reflected on our team and company.
• Improving consistency in ethical conduct is needed. Aligning all actions with our company’s ethical standards will enhance trust and credibility in your role.
• There is a need to practice greater transparency in communication. Open and honest exchanges will build stronger trust within the team and with clients.
• Taking greater responsibility and accountability for your actions will improve trust and respect among team members. Acknowledging and learning from mistakes is key to personal growth.
• You should enhance respect in all professional interactions, especially under pressure. Maintaining a respectful demeanor contributes to a positive and ethical work environment.
• We need you to align more closely with the organization's values in your daily work. This alignment is crucial for maintaining the integrity and reputation of our team and company.

Self-appraisal comments 

In addition to responding to continuous feedback readily, a prepared employee needs to examine and evaluate his or her work consistently. Using self-appraisal phrases can be a sure-fire way to show an employer valuable self-analysis practices. 

• This year, I feel that I have successfully adapted to various changes in our projects and workflows. I've embraced new challenges and adjusted my strategies to maintain productivity and meet our team's goals.
• I believe my communication skills have positively impacted our team's dynamics. I have consistently made an effort to keep everyone informed and engaged, ensuring clarity in our project goals and processes.
• I pride myself on my reliability. Throughout the year, I have consistently met deadlines and maintained a high standard of quality in my work, contributing to the team's overall success.
• Working collaboratively with the team has been a key strength of mine. I've actively participated in team meetings, shared ideas, and supported my colleagues, which has helped achieve our collective objectives.
• I have dedicated myself to continuous learning and skill development. This year, I've attended several workshops and training sessions to enhance my expertise, which has been beneficial in my role.
• I recognize that I need to improve my time management skills. Balancing multiple tasks has been challenging, and I've noticed some delays in my project deliveries. I plan to work on better prioritizing my tasks and managing my time.
• I admit that I sometimes find it hard to accept constructive criticism. I realize the importance of being more open to feedback and using it to grow professionally.
• I have observed that I tend to react to problems rather than anticipate them. Going forward, I aim to develop a more proactive approach to identify and solve potential issues before they escalate.
• I am aware that my technical skills need updating to keep pace with the latest industry standards. I plan to focus on enhancing these skills through additional training and practice.
• Although I've taken on some leadership roles, I recognize the need to further develop my leadership skills. I intend to seek opportunities for leadership training and take on more responsibilities to grow in this area.

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."

Employees shouldn't have to spend so much time on performance reviews. Tell your HR team to streamline the process with PerformYard Learn More

Additional Considerations

Performance reviews are an essential component of employee development, employee 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 HR analytics that can provide valuable insights for decision-making. Hence, integrating performance review software into performance review processes can dramatically improve their efficiency and effectiveness, ultimately leading to improved employee performance and organizational success.

6 Examples of Positive Performance Review Phrases

Myth Busting: Is 360 Feedback Outdated?

What Is a Merit Increase and Why Does It Matter?

94 Example Performance Review Phrases and Comments for Skills and Competencies

There are few employees who truly enjoy the idea of annual performance review . The concept of being judged and criticised by those above them can send a shiver down anyone’s spine.

As this can be a nerve-wracking time for employees, continuous learning performance review comments are vital for a comprehensive and positive workplace. The more in-depth, the more good that can come from it and certainly getting your performance review comments and phrases right make a big difference. Here we show you some supervisor comments and recommendations:

What to Include in your Performance Evaluation

• positives and negatives.

Bad performance reviews can lead to low productivity, decreased morale and the chance the employee will leave. This means that it is important to balance the negative comments with some positive  constructive feedback .

Performance reviews are there to identify areas of improvement, but highlighting examples of good work or strengths is key to maintaining a good relationship with your staff. Always keep learning ability performance review phrases.

• Goals and outlooks

As many businesses are very busy, there sometimes isn’t enough time to check in with all of your employees on a personal basis. Although they are getting the work done as a team, you might not be sure how they are progressing individually.

Take the time during a performance review to set out some personal goals with the employee and talk about their role in the wider scheme. This will give them something to strive towards over the course of the year.

• Good constructive feedback

Although you don’t want to fight your staff on every negative aspect of the performance review, you should give them the opportunity to respond to your suggestions.

This may reveal other issues in the business as well as opening the lines of communication with this particular employee. They will certainly respect you more if you give them the chance to provide continuous feedback on their own performance.

• Sample Performance Review Phrases

The saying, “Always choose your words carefully” is applicable not only during inter-personal communication but it holds true in a corporate context as well, especially during sensitive matters like performance reviews.  A performance review needs to be a balanced affair where as a manager or supervisor you are required to state the obvious, and communicate an effective feedback to the employees. The secret is to craft your performance review comments in such a manner to be specific and short and succinct without sounding on the edge.

To develop your ability to learn appraisal comments, heres a comprehensive list of example phrases, comments, and constructive feedback examples as ideas and inspiration for your next performance review , performance self appraisal , 360 peer review , or just offering continuous feedback as part of employee performance and development.

These example performance review phrases can be use when writing comments in a positive or negative feedback context.

• Communication Skills

While covering the communication skills of the employee, you may use the following phrases:

• Effectively communicates his/her point of view and expectations
• Effectively manages communication at all levels (lateral, upward, or downward flow of communication)
• Effectively manages and facilitates meetings and group discussions
• Promotes action/task oriented meetings
• Effectively enforces company values and polices without evoking negative reactions
• Effectively communicates with clients

• Achievements

While writing down the employee’s achievement highlights, you may use the following types of phrases:

• Achieved and exceeded the original set goals of “X” by a margin of “Y%”
• Accomplished optimal levels of performance with great sincerity in areas such as…
• Showcased great team player abilities in executing …..
• Excelled and consistently improved at developing strategies/programs by delivering stellar performance in …..
• Improved his or her overall productivity levels by “X%”
• Showcased proactiveness in various activities both within and outside the project

• Coaching/Training Abilities

While listing down the coaching or training abilities of the employee, you may use the following phrases:

• Offered guidance and support to colleagues/peers by….
• Displayed a genuine interest in listening and addressing the problems shared by employees
• Displayed strong training abilities by using sound training techniques to solve XYZ problems
• Offered to provide continuous training in XYZ domain
• Garnered great support and respect from employees for lending a patient ear to their problems and concerns.
• Created opportunities for employees in areas pertaining to…..

• Interpersonal Skills

While jotting down pointers pertaining to an employee’s interpersonal skills, you may find these sample phrases helpful:

• Builds effective working/professional relationships with…
• Understands the needs of peers and offers a helping hand to…
• Promotes synergy within the team by….
• Follows and abides by the company culture and inspires the same amongst peers
• Builds on understanding and mutual reliance

• Administrative Abilities

While covering the administrative abilities of an employee, you may use a couple of these phrases:

• Developed successful strategies pertaining to administrative tasks such as….which produced amazing results
• Consistently worked towards improvising and examining the effectiveness of XYZ administrative tasks
• Effectively devised better procedures to perform XYZ tasks flawlessly
• Established effective systems for retrieving lost data
• Improved the existing administrative support systems by…
• Effectively maintained and organized documents to avoid duplication

• Innovation Skills

While listing down your inputs regarding an employee’s innovative abilities, you may use the following phrases:

• Tries to innovate even under adverse conditions
• Looks out for innovative solutions
• Contributes towards innovative strategies
• Fosters a spirit of innovation within the team
• Actively participated in innovation events by …..

• Collaboration Skills

Here are a couple of phrases which you can use to describe an employee’s collaborative abilities:

• Encourages team bonding activities
• Brings new ideas and techniques to promote collaboration within the team
• Harbors and builds strong relationships with the team members
• Displays a cooperative and harmonious nature
• Proactively shares expertise with the rest of the team

• Delegation Abilities of Employees at a Senior Level

While writing about the delegation abilities of an employee, you can use the following examples:

• Encourages team members to solve issues at their end
• Encourages and empowers employees to lead by example and provides all the required resources to achieve the same
• Helps team members to gain visibility
• Delegates thoughtfully by matching with an individual’s strengths
• Delegates with precision and clarity

• Attendance

Here are a few sample phrases  to describe an employee’s attendance record :

• Is punctual and consistently on-time to meetings
• Arrives at meetings on time and is always prepared
• Attained perfect attendance over X period
• Schedules time-off according to company policy
• Completes deadlines as promised

• Process Improvement Skills

Here are a couple of phrases which you can use as example while listing down the ability of an employee process improvement skills:

• Displayed consistent overall improvement and growth
• Has an innate ability to think of various types of methods of improvement
• Accomplished amazing results by displaying marked improvement in….
• Can consistently plan on the go towards improvement

• Customer Experience 

Here’s a examples of how to describe Customer Experience competency:

• Works effectively with clients
• Builds strong rapport with clients  he/she interacts with
• Has a pleasant and  friendly tone over the phone
• Consistently drives effective customer experience strategies
• Is empathetic towards customer issues
• Is direct, yet helpful in dealing with customer concerns
• Displays an effective cadence when working with clients on projects. Is effective, not overbearing
• Can handle difficult customers with grace

• Learning Skills

Listed below are some of the examples of how you can jot down the learning ability of an employee during his or her performance review :

• Displays keenness towards learning new methods/techniques/skills
• Is a rapid learner and adapts rapidly as well to changing situations
• Quite open to share his or her learning experience with the peer group
• Encourages and promotes a learning culture in the team

• Creative Abilities

Here are a couple of examples on how you can state the creative abilities of an employee:

• Ability to think out of the box in the most challenging situations
• Ability to think of alternatives such as …..which produced brilliant results
• Constantly strives to experiment to drive results
• Has initiated and executed creative ideas such as……
• Looks out for new approaches and ideas

• Management and Supervisory Skills

Listed below are some of the phrases that you can use to describe the management and supervisory abilities of an employee:

• Consistently provides support to the team
• Promotes one on one communication with the team members to …..
• Provides the team with the required resources to achieve results
• Provides support to the team during times of organizational transitioning
• Provides timely feedback to employees
• Gives credit and recognition to deserving team members
• Always available to lend an ear and support to team members
• Ensures that employees understand their roles and responsibilities clearly

• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills

Here are a couple of phrases which you can use while describing the problem solving abilities of an employee:

• Capable of developing creative solutions
• Look out for creative solutions with a practical approach towards problem solving
• Understands and effectively solves problems instead of focusing on the symptoms
• Posses the ability to propose options in times of need
• Quite resourceful by showing skills to turn problems into opportunities…

• Productivity and Time Management Abilities

While describing an individual’s productivity and time management abilities, you may use the following competency phrases:

• Consistently delivers beyond expectations
• Exceeds the normal standards of output delivery
• Substantially contributes towards the continued growth and operation of the organization
• Is an important pillar of success for the department
• Always meets deadlines consistently
• Displays respect towards the time of others
• Maintains the schedule of meetings

• Potential of an Employee

Here are a couple of examples on how to jot down the potential of an employee:

• Is capable of taking up a higher role with additional responsibilities
• Is capable of being entrusted with bigger assignments and projects
• Can enhance his or her skills further by participating in various classroom or external training programs
• Has the potential to learn new and additional skills for future career advancement

While you can certainly follow the listed competency feedback examples while writing performance review competencies comments or performance appraisals, you must ensure that you support each of your phrases with a relevant and specific example or data rather than assumption.

In the world of HR software, EmployeeConnect continues to be one of the leading industry providers of innovative solutions. We helps Australia business owners and people managers be more efficient, cost-effective and compliant by taking the hassle out of HR and payroll admin. If you spend more than an hour every day on HR administration (like on/off-boarding, performance review, or employee timesheets), then  EmployeeConnect  is here for you.

Byron Conway

Content Coordinator at EmployeeConnect

• Performance Review Phrases

Performance Review Phrases finding the right words

• Privacy Policy and Legal Disclosures
• Core Competency Listing

Performance Review Phrases for Critical Thinking

Posted by Nancy Smart on Friday, January 21, 2011 · Leave a Comment  

Critical thinking is defined as having the ability to:

• Identify/Recognize problems and find workable means for meeting those problems
• Understand the importance of prioritization and order of precedence in problem solving
• Gather and marshal pertinent (relevant) information
• Recognize unstated assumptions and values

Obviously in some employees this is more important than others.  You would want a nurse in the ER to likely have exceptional critical thinking skills but an office clerk maybe not as much.  If you find yourself having to rate performance in this area, here are some phrases that can help.

Some positive performance review phrases for Critical Thinking could be:

Terry always thinks through the resolution before recommending a solution

Terry uses adequate reasoning skills when determining the solution to a problem

Terry always appropriately weighs the pros with the cons of a given solution

Terry is able to think quickly about problems and provide accurate solutions

Some negative performance review phrases for Critical Thinking might be:

Terry makes rash decisions when faced with a problem

Terry doesn’t balance the consequences when providing a recommendation

Terry fails to think through all potential outcomes of a proposed solution

Terry is unable to think through a problem completely before providing the solution

Terry doesn’t use a logical method of thinking through issues

If critical thinking is part of your performance appraisal, please think through and decide how to explain the competency as it relates to the role and explain to the employee why critical thinking skills are important.   Again, the employee may not know it is a requirement to the job.

For more Performance Review Phrases, return to the Core Competency Listings

Filed under Performance Appraisal Phrases , Performance Review Phrases · Tagged with Performance Review Phrases

Comments are closed.

Recent Posts

• Performance Management Presentation
• Performance Review Phrases for Productivity
• Performance Review Phrases for Attitude
• Performance Improvement Plan
• Performance Review Feedback
• Performance Review Phrases – Communication
• Performance Review Phrases – Accountability
• Performance Review Phrases – Results oriented
• Team Building Activities for the Workplace
• Performance Review Phrases for Quality

Important Information

• Search for:

© 2024 Performance Review Phrases · Shades of Blue theme by StudioPress · WordPress · Log in

100 Employee Performance Review Comments and Phrases!

by Emre Ok July 3, 2024, 6:36 pm updated August 26, 2024, 3:24 pm 95.8k Views

In this freshly updated list, you will find 100 of the best performance review comments on some of the most relevant performance appraisal topics today.

We know that every leader and reviewer has their own rapport with their employees and the performance review phrases they use will rely heavily on that very relationship.

The performance review comments and phrases in this list are only meant to serve as a structural guide for reviewers as they respond to their employees during performance appraisals. You can also refer to performance review summary examples for additional context and ideas.

While the sample review phrases on this list can simply be used as they are, what we recommend is that you make adjustments using examples from real cases and occurrences from that employee’s performance through the review period.

Before we move on with our list of performance review comments examples, we also wanted to provide you with one of the easiest ways you can respond to performance reviews!

Table of Contents

Can I use AI to write performance review comments? 

Yes, you can! For those reviewers who have too many performance reviews to comment on but still want to respond to them personally effectively, using an AI writing assistant is a solid idea.  

Teamflect’s digital performance review templates come with a built-in AI writing assistant that allows reviewers to enhance their review responses and comments with the help of AI! When responding to a performance review, you have the option: 

• Lengthen 
• Shorten 
• Formalize 
• Spell Check 
• Regenerate 

Your review comments, as well as check for biased language! You can try this feature alongside customizable digital performance review templates right inside Microsoft Teams by clicking the button below. 

Performance Review Phrases About Communication Skills 

While communication skills are a key aspect of employee performance and have a place in performance appraisals, performance review comments or phrases about communication skills have a very thin line to walk. Out of all the supervisor comments examples on this list, review phrases about communication skills have the most risk of making the employee feel like this is a direct attack on their personality. 

While many aspects of employee performance or position-related competencies depend on voluntary decisions and planned actions, how individuals communicate is more natural and reflexive. To help you navigate this area, here are sample performance review phrases about communication skills. 

Positive Performance Review Phrases:  

• “You consistently impress with how you communicate your ideas and feedback so clearly and effectively. You ensuring everyone understands your perspective and that is a huge asset to your team.  
• “You excel at active listening and it helps you address concerns and provide thoughtful responses to your team members.”  
• “You regularly use clear and concise language in your written communications. Messages from you are always easy to understand, leaving no room for misunderstandings.”  
• “Regardless of the situation, you always maintain a positive and approachable demeanor and it hasn’t gone unnoticed! You easily encourage open communication and collaboration among your colleagues.”  
• “You effectively facilitate meetings, ensuring all participants have a chance to contribute and feel heard.”  

Constructive Performance Review Comments:  

• “You could benefit from providing more detailed explanations when sharing complex information to ensure all team members fully grasp the concepts.”  
• “You sometimes dominate conversations, which can make it difficult for others to share their thoughts. Try to balance speaking and listening.”  
• “You might improve your communication by considering the audience’s perspective and tailoring your messages accordingly.”  
• “You tend to rely heavily on email for important communications. Incorporating more face-to-face or virtual meetings could enhance clarity and understanding.”  
• “You could work on managing your tone and body language during stressful situations to avoid misunderstandings and maintain a positive work environment.”  

Examples of Quality of Work Performance Review Phrases  

Performance review comments about quality of work form the backbone of the performance appraisal process. More often than not the quality of an employee’s work is one of the most simple and direct indicators of high or low performance. As is the case with all different performance feedback types, there are some areas to be mindful of. 

Regardless of an individual’s seniority in the organization, whether we are writing performance review comments for managers or direct reports, we need to keep in mind that people have a tendency to fall in love with their work. When that work is criticized without care, it may damage the relationship. Below you will find performance review comment examples on quality of work: 

Positive Phrases:  

• “The work you deliver is consistently at a very high quality. This not only reflects well on your performance and benefits the organization but also sets a high standard for your teammates..”  
• “You pay great attention to detail. We’ve noticed that your work is always crisp, accurate and free from errors.”  
• “This review period, you’ve demonstrated a strong commitment to excellence, regularly going above and beyond to produce outstanding results.”  
• “I can see that you show a deep understanding of your tasks, which is reflected in the high quality of your outputs.”  
• “You take pride in your work, consistently producing thorough and well-researched deliverables.”  

Constructive Phrases:  

• “You could benefit from dedicating more time to reviewing your work to ensure it meets the expected quality standards.”  
• “You sometimes rush through tasks, leading to avoidable errors. While we appreciate your desire to be more productive, slowing down and double-checking your work could enhance its quality.”  
• “You might improve the quality of your work by seeking feedback from peers and incorporating their suggestions.”  
• “You tend to overlook minor details, which can affect the overall quality of your work. Paying closer attention to these details could improve your results.”  
• “You could work on enhancing the thoroughness of your work by ensuring all aspects of a task are fully addressed before considering it complete.”  

Performance Review Comments About Role-Related Competencies 

One of the core goals of a performance review is the development of talent. Employee performance should be evaluated with the intention of helping that employee grow and develop their skills in order to improve that very performance within the upcoming review period.  

In order to achieve that very goal, discussing role-related competencies is a must. While the performance review comments and phrases in this section are on the more general side when it comes to employee competencies, these example phrases can be customized to match the competency framework your organization uses. 

• “Throughout the review period, you’ve demonstrated a high level of expertise in your role, consistently applying your knowledge and skills to achieve excellent results.”  
• “You are proficient in using the tools and technologies required for your job, which enhances your efficiency and productivity.”  
• “You continuously seek to improve your competencies by staying updated with the latest industry trends and best practices.”  
• “You effectively apply your problem-solving skills to overcome challenges and find innovative solutions.”  
• “You exhibit strong analytical abilities, enabling you to make data-driven decisions that benefit the team and organization.”  
• “You could benefit from further developing your technical skills to better meet the demands of your role.”  
• “You might improve your job performance by seeking out additional training or professional development opportunities.”  
• “You sometimes struggle with applying theoretical knowledge to practical situations. Gaining more hands-on experience could help bridge this gap.”  
• “You could work on enhancing your decision-making skills by thoroughly analyzing all available information before taking action.”  
• “You tend to rely on familiar methods and approaches. Exploring new techniques and innovative solutions could improve your job performance.”  

Examples of Initiative Performance Review Phrases  

Taking initiative at work is a great indicator of a high-performing employee. That is why the discussion of taking initiative is always welcome in performance appraisals. Taking initiative not only shows the employee has taken ownership of their role and responsibilities but also how they are willing to take on more work.  

The discussion of initiative in performance reviews can quite easily facilitate conversations of succession planning and career pathing . The initiative performance review phrases below are there to help you kickstart those conversations in self reviews . 

• “You’ve shown a strong tendency to take the initiative to identify and tackle problems before they escalate. This is a sign of your proactive attitude.”  
• “You are always willing to take on additional responsibilities and go above and beyond your regular duties.”  
• “On many different occasions, you’ve proposed new ideas and improvements. This shows your commitment to enhancing our processes and outcomes.”  
• “You take the lead on projects, coordinating efforts and ensuring tasks are completed efficiently and effectively.”  
• “You demonstrate strong self-motivation, regularly seeking out opportunities to contribute to the team’s success.”  

Constructive Review Phrases:  

• “We know you are capable of contributing more. You could be a bit more proactive in identifying areas where you can help without waiting for direction.”  
• “You sometimes hesitate to take on new challenges. Embracing a more proactive mindset could help you grow in your role. We trust your judgement. So should you.”  
• “You have the potential to be more effective by simply taking the initiative to address issues as they arise, as opposed to waiting for them to be assigned.”  
• “You could work on suggesting solutions to problems you identify, rather than just pointing them out.”  
• “You tend to rely on others to drive projects forward. Taking more ownership and initiative could enhance your impact on the team’s success.”  

Performance Appraisal Comments About Problem-Solving 

While each role may have its own set of competencies associated with it, the ability to solve problems as they arise is a competency shared by almost any role in an organization. So it is only natural to have performance evaluation phrases about problem solving.  

Below are 10 supervisor comment examples about an employee’s problem-solving skills. While these review phrases can be used as they are, we strongly recommend you customize them to reflect specific instances where an employee’s problem-solving skills were on display.  

• “It hasn’t gone unnoticed that you demonstrate strong problem-solving skills. You quickly identify the root causes of issues and nd develop effective solutions.”  
• “You approach challenges with a positive attitude, using creative thinking to overcome obstacles and achieve goals.”  
• “You excel at analyzing complex problems and breaking them down into manageable components. On many occasions, you’ve made it easier to find solutions.”  
• “You actively seek out information and resources to address problems, demonstrating resourcefulness and initiative.”  
• “The way you effectively collaborate with team members to brainstorm and implement solutions has enhanced the overall problem-solving process in our organization.”  
• “We believe you are capable of developing a more structured approach to problem-solving, and ensure all potential solutions are thoroughly evaluated.”  
• “There have been instances in which you’ve focused on the symptoms of a problem rather than the underlying cause. Identifying the root issue could lead to more effective solutions.”  
• “You might improve your problem-solving skills by seeking input from colleagues and considering diverse perspectives.”  
• “You have the tendancy to rush through the problem-solving process. This in turn can result in overlooking important details. Slowing down and being more thorough could enhance your effectiveness.”  
• “You could work on becoming more proactive in identifying potential problems before they arise, allowing for preemptive action.”  

Performance Review Comments About Time Management 

Another key area that has gained more and more prominence in performance appraisals is time management. Performance review comments and questions about time management skills have over time evolved to reflect an employee’s ability to maintain a healthy work-life balance. 

Creating a culture where your employees know just how much you value their work-life balance can help immensely with issues such as employee disengagement and feeling burnt out.  

• “You regularly complete tasks ahead of schedule, demonstrating excellent time management skills and reliability.”  
• “We appreciate the way you prioritize your workload. You always ensure that high-priority tasks are completed on time and with high quality.”  
• “You are adept at managing your time during meetings, keeping discussions focused and productive.”  
• “You set an example with your use of productivity tools and techniques to stay organized and manage your time efficiently.”  
• “You balance multiple projects seamlessly, meeting all deadlines without compromising the quality of your work.”  
• “We’ve noticed that you could be setting clearer priorities to ensure that high-impact tasks are completed on time.”  
• “You sometimes take on too many tasks at once, which can lead to missed deadlines. Delegating when appropriate might help manage your workload more effectively.”  
• “We appreciate the amount of work you are taking on. Perhaps you could make your life easier by breaking down larger projects into smaller, more manageable tasks with specific deadlines.”  
• “There have been instances where we noticed that you underestimate the time required for some tasks. Allocating buffer time could help in managing unforeseen delays.”  
• “You could work on minimizing distractions during work hours to enhance your focus and productivity.”  

Leadership Performance Review Comments  

Performance reviews are often meant to be followed up with succession planning . Whether that includes using the 9-box talent grid or mapping out career paths for employees, this process more often than not includes the employee moving on to roles that rely more heavily on their leadership skills. 

For that and many other reasons beyond counting, we put together a list of performance review phrases about leadership. These review comments are centered around recognizing the areas in which an employee’s leadership skills shined as well as discussing some areas of improvement. 

• “You demonstrate exceptional leadership skills, consistently guiding your team towards achieving their goals with clarity and motivation.”  
• “You lead by example, maintaining high standards of integrity and professionalism that inspire others to follow.”  
• “You excel at delegating tasks effectively, ensuring that team members are empowered and tasks are completed efficiently.”  
• “You possess strong decision-making abilities, confidently addressing challenges and making informed choices that benefit the team.”  
• “You foster a positive and inclusive work environment, promoting teamwork and collaboration among all team members.”  
• “Improving your communication with team members can help ensure everyone is aligned and informed about key objectives.”  
• “You still have some room to grow when it comes to providing constructive feedback. Developing this skill could help team members grow and improve their performance.”  
• “You could improve leadership effectiveness by being more open to input and ideas from your team.”  
• “You could work on better managing conflict within the team, addressing issues promptly and fairly to maintain a harmonious work environment.”  
• “You tend to take on too many tasks yourself. Delegating more effectively could help you focus on strategic priorities and develop your team’s skills.”  

Performance Review Comments About Creativity

The last “specific” performance review comment area we want to highlight on this list is perhaps the most versatile of them all. Performance review phrases about creativity and innovation are truly necessary. Whether you are praising an employee’s creativity or simply encouraging them to be more innovative, the discussion of creativity in performance appraisals is gaining more importance every single day. 

• “You bring fresh and innovative ideas to the table. We’ve seen how this helps drive the team’s creative efforts forward.”  
• “You have, throughout the review period, demonstrated a strong ability to think outside the box, finding unique solutions to complex problems.”  
• “You are always willing to experiment with new approaches, and they often lead to successful and innovative outcomes.”  
• “You inspire creativity in others by encouraging a collaborative and open-minded work environment.”  
• “You regularly contribute original and valuable ideas that enhance our projects and processes.”  

Areas of Improvement Phrases:  

• “We appreciate your consistency but we believe you could benefit from taking more risks with your ideas, even if they are unconventional, to foster greater innovation.”  
• “You tend to focus on traditional methods, which can limit creativity. Embracing a more open approach could lead to more innovative solutions.”  
• “We know you have a lot of creative potential. You can improve your creative output by seeking inspiration from a wider range of sources and industries.”  
• “Have you considered working on developing your brainstorming techniques to generate a broader array of creative ideas.”  
• “Your commitment to excellence sometimes results in you overthinking new ideas. This can stifle innovation. Trusting your instincts more could help unleash your creative potential.”

Overall Performance Comments 

We didn’t want to provide you with just very specific appraisal comments. Below we included some overall performance review comments and phrases that can be used in a variety of different performance appraisal scenarios. 

Positive Overall Performance Review Phrases:  

• “You have exceeded expectations in your role and demonstrated exceptional performance alongside a strong commitment to our organization’s goals.”  
• “You show remarkable dedication and enthusiasm for your work, consistently delivering high-quality results.”  
• “You are a reliable and valued team member who regularly contributes innovative ideas and solutions.”  
• “You exhibit excellent leadership qualities, effectively managing your responsibilities and inspiring your colleagues.”  
• “You have shown significant growth and development over the past year, continuously improving your skills and performance.”  
• “We’ve noticed that you could be setting clearer goals and priorities to help focus your efforts and improve your overall performance.”  
• “You on occasion struggle with meeting deadlines. Enhancing your time management skills could lead to more consistent results.”  
• “We appreciate your effort but we believe there is still room to grow. You could build upon your overall performance by seeking regular feedback and actively working on areas for development.”  
• “You have a tendency to rely heavily on established methods. Being open to new approaches and ideas could enhance your effectiveness.”  
• “You could work on building stronger relationships with your colleagues to improve teamwork and collaboration.”  

Examples of Self-Appraisal Comments by Employees 

No performance review would be complete without a self-review on behalf of the employee. So here are some examples of self-appraisal comments by employees. If you have a performance appraisal coming up and you are not quite certain how you should phrase the self-review section, these employee self-review examples can surely be of assistance! 

• “I believe I always strive to exceed expectations in my role by delivering high-quality work and meeting deadlines efficiently.”  
• “I take pride in my ability to collaborate effectively with my team, fostering a positive and productive work environment.”  
• “I have demonstrated strong leadership skills by successfully managing projects and guiding my team to achieve our objectives.”  
• “I am committed to continuous improvement, regularly seeking out opportunities for professional development and skill enhancement.”  
• “I have effectively managed my time and resources, balancing multiple tasks and projects to ensure timely and successful completion.”  
• “I recognize that I need to improve my time management skills to better prioritize tasks and meet all deadlines consistently.”  
• “I acknowledge that I could benefit from seeking more feedback from my colleagues and supervisors to identify areas for growth.”  
• “I am working on enhancing my communication skills to ensure that my ideas and feedback are clearly understood by the team.”  
• “I realize that I sometimes hesitate to take on new challenges, and I am committed to being more proactive in seeking out opportunities.”  
• “I understand the importance of delegating tasks more effectively to empower my team and focus on strategic priorities.”  

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:

1. Start with positive feedback: Begin your comments with positive feedback to set a constructive tone and make the employee feel valued.

2. Focus on behavior: Focus on the employee’s behavior, rather than their personality. This helps the feedback feel less personal and more actionable.

3. 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 should I avoid saying 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.”

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

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.

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

Related Posts:

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.

Competency Assessment: How to Conduct Competency Tests?

OKR Tracking: How To Track OKRs In Microsoft Teams?

How it works

Transform your enterprise with the scalable mindsets, skills, & behavior change that drive performance.

Explore how BetterUp connects to your core business systems.

We pair AI with the latest in human-centered coaching to drive powerful, lasting learning and behavior change.

Build leaders that accelerate team performance and engagement.

Unlock performance potential at scale with AI-powered curated growth journeys.

Build resilience, well-being and agility to drive performance across your entire enterprise.

Transform your business, starting with your sales leaders.

Unlock business impact from the top with executive coaching.

Foster a culture of inclusion and belonging.

Accelerate the performance and potential of your agencies and employees.

See how innovative organizations use BetterUp to build a thriving workforce.

Discover how BetterUp measurably impacts key business outcomes for organizations like yours.

Daring Leadership Institute: a groundbreaking partnership that amplifies Brené Brown's empirically based, courage-building curriculum with BetterUp’s human transformation platform.

• What is coaching?

Learn how 1:1 coaching works, who its for, and if it's right for you.

Accelerate your personal and professional growth with the expert guidance of a BetterUp Coach.

Types of Coaching

Navigate career transitions, accelerate your professional growth, and achieve your career goals with expert coaching.

Enhance your communication skills for better personal and professional relationships, with tailored coaching that focuses on your needs.

Find balance, resilience, and well-being in all areas of your life with holistic coaching designed to empower you.

Discover your perfect match : Take our 5-minute assessment and let us pair you with one of our top Coaches tailored just for you.

Find your coach

Research, expert insights, and resources to develop courageous leaders within your organization.

Best practices, research, and tools to fuel individual and business growth.

View on-demand BetterUp events and learn about upcoming live discussions.

The latest insights and ideas for building a high-performing workplace.

• BetterUp Briefing

The online magazine that helps you understand tomorrow's workforce trends, today.

Innovative research featured in peer-reviewed journals, press, and more.

Founded in 2022 to deepen the understanding of the intersection of well-being, purpose, and performance

We're on a mission to help everyone live with clarity, purpose, and passion.

Join us and create impactful change.

Read the buzz about BetterUp.

Meet the leadership that's passionate about empowering your workforce.

For Business

For Individuals

31 examples of problem solving performance review phrases

Jump to section

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: 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.

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.

Understand Yourself Better:

Big 5 Personality Test

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.

25 performance review questions (and how to use them)

How a performance review template improves the feedback process, 10 performance review tips to drastically move the needle, 5 tactics for managing managers effectively — and why it matters, 53 performance review examples to boost growth, agile performance management: how to improve an agile team, 37 innovation and creativity appraisal comments, how to manage poor performance in 5 steps, how stanford executive education embraces vulnerability as a form of resilience, 10 problem-solving strategies to turn challenges on their head, teamwork skills self-appraisal comments: 40 example phrases, your complete guide to self-assessments (with examples), 30 communication feedback examples, 30 customer service review examples to develop your team, 15 tips for your end-of-year reviews, 8 creative solutions to your most challenging problems, stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

3100 E 5th Street, Suite 350 Austin, TX 78702

• Platform Overview
• Integrations
• Powered by AI
• BetterUp Lead™
• BetterUp Manage™
• BetterUp Care®
• Sales Performance
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Case Studies
• Why BetterUp?
• About Coaching
• Find your Coach
• Career Coaching
• Communication Coaching
• Personal Coaching
• News and Press
• Leadership Team
• Become a BetterUp Coach
• BetterUp Labs
• Center for Purpose & Performance
• Leadership Training
• Business Coaching
• Contact Support
• Contact Sales
• Privacy Policy
• Acceptable Use Policy
• Trust & Security
• Cookie Preferences

  Vantage Rewards

A people first rewards and recognition platform to elevate company culture.

  Vantage Pulse

An eNPS-based pulse survey tool that empowers HRs to manage the workforce better.

  Vantage Perks

A corporate discounts platform with a plethora of exclusive deals and offers from global brands.

  Vantage Fit

A gamified corporate wellness platform that keeps the workforce ‘Fit’ and rewards them for it.

  Vantage Gifting

An all-in-one corporate gifting solution to delight your employees on every occasion & make them feel valued.

  AIR e Consultation

AIR e program consultation to design and implement an authentic and impactful rewards and recognition program.

  Vantage Onboarding

Customizable and budget-friendly joining kits to create a sense of belonging and make new hires feel at home

  Integration

Seamless integration with your existing HCM/HRIS platform and chat tools.

  Product Updates

Check out all the new stuff we are adding to our products to constantly improve them for better experience.

   Blog

  Influencers Podcast

  Guides & eBooks

  Webinars

  Industry Reports

  AIR e Framework

 Vantage Rewards

 Vantage Perks

 Vantage Pulse

 Vantage Fit

 Vantage Gifting

An all-in-one corporate gifting solution to delight your employees on every occasion & make them feel valued.

 AIR e Consultation

 Vantage Onboarding

100 Performance Appraisal Comments For Your Next Performance Review

Conducting performance reviews can be tricky, especially for managers. Sometimes there's a vast difference between what they say and what they want to convey. To improve this, it's important that employers must practice the art of delivering constructive performance appraisal comments.

One in five employees isn't confident that their managers will provide regular, constructive feedback .

68% of employees who receive accurate and consistent feedback feel fulfilled in their jobs. (Source- Clutch )

A wholesome appraisal process will consist of both positive and negative appraisal comments. Therefore, understand appraisals as a program where you have to find faults or only praise someone. Instead, conduct feedback that gives employees an overall understanding of where they can improve and excel.

Furthermore, conduct your reviews in a regular and timely fashion.

65 percent of employees say they want more feedback, but nobody is giving it to them.

Regular appraisal and evaluation of an employee’s performance can help them get clarity of their actions. In addition, it will also direct them towards the areas where they need to improve. In short, effective review phrases can improve an employee’s performance and help them progress.

Examples Of Performance Appraisal Comments

So, how should a manager comment on the performance appraisal process ? Here are some sample employee evaluation comments that you can refer to while conducting the next appraisal review.

1) Attendance

Punctuality is one of the strongest virtues an employee can possess. They must arrive on time, take the designated time breaks to ensure efficiency and productivity.

However, you can't ignore that attendance is one of the touchiest topics, and employees don't like to discuss coming late or the reasons for exceeding their lunch breaks. But, if conducted properly, attendance appraisal processes can prove to be very useful.

a. “You always come in on time, follow your schedule and adhere to your designated lunch break time.” b. “She meets all company standards for attendance and punctuality.” c. “You schedule your time off in advance and can be relied upon for completing your tasks on time.” d. “He replies to emails and calls in time.”

NEED FOR IMPROVEMENT

a. “He takes too many personal calls in a day.” b. “You repeatedly exceed your lunch break time that interferes with your work schedule.” c. “You often come late to the office, causing scheduled meetings to start late. It also affects others’ schedules. You need to keep up with your schedule so your coworkers can keep up with theirs too.”

Managers are often confused about how to conduct a performance review, and as if things weren't bad enough, performance reviews are highly inefficient. To help you in this drilling process, here's our detailed analysis on Performance Reviews and How to get them Right !

2) innovation and creativity.

Creativity and the free exchange of ideas can only flow when employees have a healthy work environment . But interpersonal conflicts and strict hierarchical work culture can hinder an employee from expressing freely. As a manager, it is your responsibility to appreciate employees who help foster a creative environment and approach employees who have trouble doing so.

Here are a few employee performance appraisal comments to stir innovation and creativity:

a. “You often find new and innovative solutions to a problem.” b. “She has a knack for thinking outside the box.” c. “His creative skills are an asset to the team.” d. “You have a unique imagination and have come up with some of the most creative ideas we’ve ever seen.”

a. “You tend to avoid projects that require creative thinking.” b. “He likes to take a traditional and risk-averse approach to things over a creative one.” c. “You do not encourage your team to find creative solutions.” d. “You are too afraid of taking risks on a creative solution.” e. “Your approach to problems is often rigid and conventional.”

3) Leadership

Employees in managerial positions are people who are always looking after others, i.e., their team members. They are constantly guiding others to progress and advance. However, they need guidance to reach their goals too. Managers who receive feedback on their strengths are 8.9% more productive. They are more effective and profitable post-intervention.

Here are some critical appraisal comments for leaders and managers.

a. “You effectively manage your team and conduct specific exercises to strengthen the team .” b. “You are fair and treat every employee in your team equally and respectfully.” c. “She provides employees with the resources and training required to fulfill a responsibility.” d. “You hold employees responsible for their performance.” e. “He maintains a culture of transparency and knowledge-sharing across all levels in your department.” f. “You communicate openly with your team.” g. “You acknowledge accomplishments and recognize employees fairly.”

a. “You are biased and favor some employees more than others in your team.” b. “You get frustrated with new hires easily and don’t coach them properly.” c. “He provides no recognition to a team member’s effort and hard work.” d. “You can’t explain the goals and objectives of a task clearly to an employee.” e. “She often creates a communication gap and withholds information from her subordinates.” f. “You fail to delegate tasks effectively and fairly among your team.”

4) Communication Skills

Communication is one of the core functions of dynamic work culture. Clear communication makes employees comfortable with each other, makes sharing and exchanging ideas more frequent. It also bridges the gap between departments and makes everyone more productive. Effective teams can only be built when team members communicate with each other honestly and clearly.

Communication appraisal comments, if delivered correctly, can greatly improve an employee's communication skills.

a. “You are spoken highly of by your peers because of your ability to build good relationships .” b. "Your communication skills are great, and you can make others understand your point clearly." c. “She is precise in giving out directions and effectively communicates what she expects from her team members.” d. “Your willingness to listen to others and understand their point of view is highly appreciated by your peers.” e. “You are adept at communicating difficult messages and decisions skillfully.”

a. “You fail to communicate with your peers effectively, and this is causing a lot of misunderstanding within the team.” b. “Your direct and impersonal approach to handling discussions is ineffective in boosting the morale of those around you.” c. “You need improvement in replying to emails promptly.” d. “You humiliate peers on a regular basis.” e. “He interrupts others in discussions and important meetings.”

Related: The 10 Secrets to Strong Communication Skills in the Workplace

5) Collaboration and Teamwork

Collaboration drives results . When teams work together, they can reach solutions faster. They brainstorm ideas in order to arrive at a decision and generate these ideas together. In order to ensure collaboration, you need a healthy team environment. But not all employees are natural-born team players. But with appraisal comments, you can help employees overcome their personal conflicts and contribute to the team.

a. “You are a great team player. Your team members respect and appreciate you .” b. “You can be relied upon by team members.” c. “He works to be the best for the team and not be the best of the team.” d. “You support others in fulfilling their tasks and are always ready to help others.” e. “You respect others and give everyone equal opportunities to express their opinions.”

a. “You are inconsiderate towards’ others’ opinions and ideas.” b. “She tries to take credit for the work done by her team.” c. “You try to use your seniority to dominate your team members.” d. “He rarely comes up with concrete solutions that will help the team complete the project.” e. “You exceed expectations when working solo, but you seem to have trouble expressing ideas and opinions in a team.”

6) Time Management

In corporates, both big and small, where pressure is insurmountable , employees often have a hard time finishing work in time. They are unable to delegate and prioritize tasks. Time management appraisal comments can enable you to appreciate the ones who are managing effectively. Similarly, it gives you a way to encourage those who aren't being able to manage their time.

a. “You deliver urgent work without compromising on the details.” b. “You always meet your deadlines and make the best use of your time.” c. “She expertly prioritizes work without getting tangled in endless details.” d. “You exceeded our expectations by delivering more than assigned work despite the tight schedule.”

a. “You constantly push deadlines and fail to deliver on time.” b. “You are usually unable to calculate the time required to complete a task and therefore end up missing deadlines.” c. “She lacks a sense of urgency.” d. You have started delivering low-quality work just to finish your work on time."

Thank your teammates at work with our AI-powered R&R tool.

7) customer experience.

Customer focus and customer service is the key to building everlasting relationships with customers. Therefore, employees need to acquire skills that will help foster an enriching customer experience.

To improve customer experience in your organization, you can refer to these performance review comments:

a. “He works well with all types of clients.” b. “Clients usually seek your guidance and expertise.” c. “You are honest and always admit when you don’t have the knowledge about something.” d. “You regularly follow up with existing and new clients to make sure they feel valued and reminded about us.”

a. “She delays her responses to clients without giving them any reason for her delay.” b. “You need to tailor your customer service to suit individual customers’ needs. You ought to provide a diverse customer experience.”

8) Problem Solving

A much-required skill, its importance becomes more prevalent among higher authority employees. 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.”

a. "You are very articulate and explain your ideas and opinions clearly, leaving no room for miscommunication." b. "He gathers all the necessary facts and information before finding a solution to a problem." c. "Your best quality is that when faced with a problem, you listen first, take into account everything and then try to come up with a solution." d. "She always comes up with unique yet practical solutions."

a. "You need to be more assertive and decisive when giving out directions." b. "He is always hurrying in making his decisions without taking into account the full details of the problem." c. "You should collaborate with others more to come up with solutions together."

9) Work-Ethics

An employee’s work ethic involves everything from coming in time, working diligently, being honest to respecting everyone in the workplace. By analyzing an employee's ethics and morals assists in preventing the spread of demotivating and inappropriate workplace behavior.

a. "You are respectful and fair towards everyone in the organization." b. "He is regarded as highly credible by those working with him." c. "She is very punctual and understands the value of others’ time. She is never late to a meeting." d. "You have portrayed exemplary behavior in all aspects of work." e. "You abide by the company’s rules and policies."

a. "He sets integrity aside when pursuing his goals." b. "Your behavior towards colleagues isn't appropriate." c. "She is unresponsive to employees’ concerns regarding unfair treatment." d. "You play favorites and are biased in your judgments." e. "He doesn’t take into account other people’s opinions when making important decisions."

10) Productivity

The quality and quantity of work put in by an employee against the expectations set by the employer is the measurement of his/her productivity.

a. "You have displayed a highly consistent level of performance in your work." b. "She is always seeking opportunities to be more productive." c. "Your positive attitude to your work encourages others to perform well too." d. "She is a detail-oriented individual, which reflects positively in her work." e. "He shares his knowledge of industry trends and best practices to achieve enhanced outcomes in his job."

a. "Your work doesn’t comply with the required output standards." b. "You should take up more training and development courses to enhance your skills and knowledge." c. "The quality of your work has been unsatisfactory lately." d. "He needs to focus more on the details and nitty-gritty before handing over a project." e. "Instead of completing the urgent assignments first, she does the easier ones and puts off the urgent ones."

11) Interpersonal Skills

While interpersonal skills come naturally to some people, for others, they can be cultivated with experience and knowledge. Investopedia defines interpersonal skills as "an employee's ability to work well with others while performing their job." These skills can range from communication, basic etiquette to active listening. In other words, it's the qualities and behavior people use while interacting with others.

a. "You communicate your ideas and vision clearly so others can understand it easily and quickly." b. "He appreciates the efforts taken by others to achieve a target and encourages them to be better." c. "Even when disagreeing with others, you do it gracefully and respectfully." d. "You can adapt easily to various situations and different kinds of people." e. "You are equal in your treatment to everyone and communicate with your peers respectfully."

a. "He seems to find it difficult to express his emotions and feelings, which often causes misunderstandings." b. "When given any kind of feedback, you don’t take it in a positive manner." c. "She does not take the time to develop and sustain positive and beneficial relationships." d. "You don’t tend to listen to and take other people’s opinions into consideration." e. "He doesn't contribute effectively in his teams' activities."

This article is written by Shreya Dutta . She is a content writer and marketer at Vantage Circle She is passionate about all things literature and entrepreneurship. To get in touch, reach out to [email protected]

We safeguard your personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy

You might also like

Effective feedback: key elements to keep in mind, how to transform the workplace with an employee leaderboard, powerful affirmations for success at work.

50k+ Downloads by HR professionals across the Globe!

The Ultimate Guide to Employee Rewards and Recognition

5k+ Downloads by HR professionals across the Globe!

500+ Performance Review Phrases for 2023

Performance reviews.

Performance reviews are a regular and significant part of the appraisal process in any organization. Basic reviews that include generic performance evaluation do little to improve performance. Performance reviews should be unique and personalized towards every employee for this process to be truly effective. The company’s and team’s values must be incorporated into the list of competencies by the manager. However, the fact is that the capabilities for which they are appraised are similar to an extent, and these should be encapsulated in the employee evaluation phrases. An effective performance review is a balanced assessment of the strengths and areas of improvement conveyed by performance appraisal phrases. The key to this process is knowing the correct employee performance review phrases and using them effectively during the performance review to communicate your feedback to the individual. 

What is a performance review?

A performance review process is vital for assessing any employee’s performance as it helps them understand where they excel and where they require improvement. For this process to work, it must be aligned with the company’s vision and enable employees to work towards it. The challenge for any manager is to avoid using the exact performance appraisal phrases for more than one individual about the same competency. This may lead to team members assuming that performance reviews are broadly generic, with the same feedback communicated through evaluation phrases to everyone. Hence, it’s important for managers to consider each case differently and use specific and exact phrases for employee evaluation to keep the review process credible. 

How to create a performance review for an employee?

During the performance review, it’s not what you say but how you say it that makes all the difference. Managers need to prepare their feedback carefully and ensure that they don’t use overly harsh appraisal phrases. A structured approach to performance reviews can avoid awkward conversations, mixed messaging, and defensive reactions from employees. Any feedback or review will comprise positive and negative performance appraisal phrases. These elements must be mixed and matched as per the situation. ‘Needs improvement’ performance reviews or negative performance reviews are particularly difficult as it can be difficult to communicate criticism. However, using the relevant poor performance feedback phrase and sandwiching it between two positive statements can soften the blow. This can improve the chances of employees receiving the feedback positively and using it to make improvements.

Striking the right balance

Positive employee review phrases are easy and simple to communicate as everyone likes praise and encouragement about their performance and achievements. It’s important not to get carried away while lauding an employee, and one must temper praise. On the other hand, penning poor performance feedback may also appear simple, as failures are all too apparent and obvious. Yet communicating negative feedback is much more challenging and must be done truthfully but tactfully. It’s a tightrope that managers must walk, and finding the right balance requires choosing their performance evaluation phrases well and using the right tone and manner to communicate them. 

A balanced performance review should ideally include positive and negative performance feedback examples, with the positive part dominating the discussion. Honest discussions that are structured and planned carefully ensure that both the manager and employee are motivated to improve their performances and help the organization grow.

Using the right appraisal phrases in a performance review

Using simple and descriptive phrases can communicate your feedback effectively and accurately. While performance appraisals are largely universal and generic, using the correct employee evaluation phrases can make all the difference. In this article, we have consolidated 500+ positive & negative performance review phrases by skills that could be handy during employee evaluation. These phrases have been categorized and divided based on essential skills that an employee is expected to hone. We aim to provide an effective guide to managers to build well-rounded performance reviews while helping employees self-evaluate. 

Goal-setting

Good performance feedback phrases- examples

• Effectively sets goals and challenges self to become better
• Constantly works to be the best he/she possibly can be
• Sets concrete goals that can be measured
• Focuses on targets to achieve business objectives
• Communicates goals and objectives to colleagues
• Sets clear expectations from team members to achieve goals
• Sets goals that align with the company’s mission
• Proactively shares update and progress on goals
• Designs effective systems to streamline work processes

Poor performance feedback phrases- examples

• Inconsistent in defining goals and objectives
• Struggles to set goals that align with company objectives
• Sets unrealistic performance goals 
• Struggles to meet deadlines 
• Avoids communicating delay 
• Keeps team members in the dark about project status
• Resists delegation of responsibilities and work
• Unwilling to take responsibility for missed goals
• Easily distracted and lacks the focus to achieve performance goals
• Passes the buck for missing deadlines 
• Unable to set goals that match his/her talent or capabilities

Accountability

• Takes ownership for the company’s success 
• Assumes responsibility and contributes as a team member
• Accepts mistakes humbly
• Takes responsibility for meeting deadlines
• Owns his/her share of project management
• Always willing to share the extra workload 
• Offers assistance without needing to be asked
• Volunteers to take on new tasks
• Empathetic to the needs of team members
• Strives to create a positive work environment 
• Shows awareness of the external environment and its impact on the organization 
• Receives and accepts feedback positively

Poor performance feedback phrases – examples

• Reluctant to take ownership of meeting deadlines
• Avoids assuming responsibility for mistakes
• Unable to offer solutions 
• Evades communicating project delays
• Shirks responsibility and shifts blame onto others
• Defensive in the face of constructive criticism
• Doesn’t accept responsibility well
• Makes excuses for failure instead of admitting mistakes
• Looks for opportunities to blame processes and external factors

Attendance & Punctuality

Good performance feedback phrases – examples

• Always on time to work and punctual about attending meetings
• Prompt and on time to begin each workday
• Respects colleagues by arriving on time
• Adheres to schedules and plans 
• Never been a ‘no call, no show’ employee 
• Achieved perfect attendance 
• Motivates others to improve their attendance
• Adheres strictly to the attendance policy 
• Reports on time to fully tackle responsibilities
• Very reliable about being on time for external meetings
• Always calls ahead if he/she is going to be late
• Reaches office looking fresh and positive 
• Starts and ends meetings punctually
• Plans and books vacation time in advance and informs the team about it
• Prepared to put in extra hours to meet deadlines
• Ensures out-of-office auto-replies are activated when on vacation or traveling for work

Poor Performance Review Phrases- Examples

• Unable to meet company standards for attendance
• Failed to meet previous attendance goals 
• Frequently late to work
• Often returns late from vacation 
• Disrespects team members by arriving late to meetings
• Loses track of time when hosting meetings
• Indulges in frequent breaks than permitted
• Exhausts all sick leave days without any supporting documents
• Offers weak excuses for arriving late
• Usually, the first to leave the office before everyone else
• Ignores email meeting invitations
• Goes offline on communication channels while working from home without any information or notice
• Does not follow the company’s attendance policy
• Poor attendance impacts team members and work culture
• Unable to hold others to the organization’s attendance standards

Good Performance Review Phrases- Examples

• Displays a cheerful attitude at work
• Seeks the positive in every situation
• Diffuses team members’ stress during trying times
• Tries to get the better of difficult circumstances 
• Shows enthusiasm toward work
• Motivates team’s other members with a positive attitude
• Shows readiness to get to work
• Displays a smiling disposition
• Attitude reflects enjoyment of his/her job
• Builds a culture of trust and respect
• Handles pressure to meet deadlines well
• Gets upset and flustered easily
• Resists from accepting constructive criticism
• Allows non-work issues to rattle her/him
• Randomly switches from positive to negative attitude
• Lets stress and pressure to get the better of him/her
• Loses cool over minor issues
• His/her negative attitude impacts other team members
• Needs to bring poor attitude under control
• Talks negatively about other team members
• Displays a tendency to trigger problems among his coworkers
• Makes inflammatory comments 
• Uses inappropriate language
• The level of voice can be objectionable
• Always willing to help colleagues
• Makes team members feel comfortable in voicing their opinions and ideas
• Builds a free culture that promotes dialogue
• Delegates work on the basis of the strengths of team members 
• Keeps team engaged and on track
• Appreciates excellence exhibited by team members
• Motivates team members to excel
• Creates a culture of learning and understanding
• Actively listens and responds to what team members say
• Sets a positive example for others to follow
• Takes on additional responsibility for the team
• Constantly looks for ways to help the team
• Shows willingness to take calculated risks
• Encourages team members to embrace challenges 
• Provides constant coaching and guidance to team members
• Displays empathy to colleagues facing personal or professional challenges
• Sets achievable as well as ambitious targets
• Is considered the backbone of his/her team
• Provides conflict at times to prompt colleagues to work harder 
• Aligns the strategy of the organization with day-to-day tasks
• Sets a high benchmark for ethical behavior
• Reluctant to listen to the opinions of team members
• Does not inspire teammates to work hard
• Unable to plan for the future
• Shows bias towards certain colleagues
• Overanalyzes problems that require prompt thinking
• Lacks the ability to assign goals and activities
• Impatient with new team members 
• Fails to offer support to colleagues struggling with a task
• Rarely gives recognition for a job well done
• Displays a condescending attitude while speaking to coworkers 
• Unable to keep confidential information
• Frequently diverts team’s attention with insignificant tasks 
• Makes contrived and unnecessary suggestions 
• Sows seeds of discord between team members
• Appears physically distant from subordinates
• Unavailable to team members for extended periods
• Dominates meetings and suppresses team members’ ideas
• Cultivates an atmosphere of fear and apprehension
• Frequently communicates aggressively through reprimands
• Prioritizes own needs and career goals

Management Style

• Manages team to help them perform their tasks well
• Creates action plans and sets deadlines for each team member
• Displays professional attitude with employees 
• Regularly receives good feedback from team and managers
• Adept at managing difficult employees 
• Assesses abilities of team members and assigns tasks accordingly
• Delegates tasks and responsibilities effectively to appropriate team members 
• Supervises team’s work without micromanaging 
• Displays trust in subordinates
• Gives team members the freedom to make their own decisions 
• Designs strategies that provide opportunities for team members to grow 
• Is considered an advisor, friend, and guide by the team 
• Covers all aspects of a project when assigning tasks
• Accurately foresees the output of the team’s efforts 
• Manages time effectively
• Motivates team to deliver a high level of performance 
• Earns the respect of most or all team members 
• Unable to lead the team to meet targets
• Fails to resolve conflict among team members
• Lacks the foresight to identify problems that can cause conflicts
• Shows difficulty in making quick decisions under pressure
• Displays tardiness about meeting schedules
• Unable to manage difficult employees
• Lacks clarity to set team goals 
• Limits himself/herself to just task management
• Unable to set a broader vision for the team
• Seeks creative ways to solve problems and improve processes 
• Strives to be an idea generator 
• Finds innovative ways to accomplish tasks 
• Contributes new ideas to team project discussions and staff meetings
• Offers constructive suggestions to meet the company’s goals
• Helps evolve improvement ideas in staff meetings 
• Finds new and imaginative ways to overcome challenges
• Always seeking new ways to improve and deliver value
• Considered a champion of new ideas and approaches
• Embraces new opportunities and takes on challenges
• Meets a new challenge with an innovative solution
• Creatively implements the company’s vision 
• Reacts negatively when presented with a new problem or challenge 
• Unable to apply innovative thinking 
• Fails to offer new solutions at project discussions
• Shows resistance to coming up with creative ideas, even when prompted by supervisor 
• Unable to extract innovative ideas from employees to improve the company’s procedures and processes
• Shows recklessness by trying risky ideas 
• Rarely adds additional value to projects beyond basic requirements
• Unable to cope with more pressure or unexpected challenges
• Reluctant to adjust to new or unfamiliar tasks or circumstances

Communication

• Regularly offers constructive feedback
• Shows willingness to entertain other ideas
• Makes sure the team feels heard 
• Keeps all stakeholders updated about projects’ status
• Takes and shares notes regularly
• Asks insightful questions to understand and solve problems 
• Ensures questions are clarified before taking actions 
• Explains tough issues clearly and calmly to the team 
• Doesn’t hesitate to admit, “I don’t know.” 
• Takes time to understand what others are saying
• Effectively summarizes and communicates key business decisions
• Stands out for outstanding communication skills
• Persuades and convinces peers in challenging situations
• Actively hears and understands peers’ objections
• Demonstrates sincere appreciation for opposing viewpoints
• Makes new employees feel welcome
• Is considered a friendly communicator 
• Builds a rapport with every division in the company
• Acts as a calming force when the team is under pressure
• Facilitates conversations with team members that bring out new ideas and solutions
• Able to articulate complex, technical concepts in plain language
• Blames others for problems or setbacks
• Complains of lack of resources to complete tasks
• Fails to alert proper personnel about problems or crises
• Regularly engages in confrontations
• Speaks rudely to staff members regularly
• Has trouble communicating effectively in groups
• Makes coworkers deliver bad news instead of doing it himself/herself
• Intimidates team members when working on challenging projects
• Asks questions that show he/she is not actively listening 
• Easily distracted and doesn’t fully absorb other opinions
• Interrupts colleagues during team meetings and discussions
• Is dismissive of other ideas when opposed
• Rules out an opposing viewpoint
• Avoids tough conversations with team members’ superiors
• Gets defensive if questioned or criticized
• Fails to keep team members updated on important updates and developments
• Avoids follow-up after the task at hand is over
• Hesitates to seek help
• Displays “us” against “them” attitude when it comes to others within the company
• Written communication skills need improvement
• Displays poor email etiquette

Customer Service

• Works effectively with clients
• Shares strong rapport with those he/she interacts with
• Enjoys people-related aspects of the job
• Projects a friendly tone over the phone
• Gets consistently high marks on customer satisfaction surveys
• Consistently spearheads effective customer relations
• Deals easily with all types of customers
• Shows empathy toward customer issues
• Direct yet helpful in dealing with customer concerns
• Does not let a customer’s negative attitude get him/her down
• Tactfully helps customers overcome objections
• Shows care about the client’s comfort and convenience
• Goes above and beyond his/her job requirements to satisfy the customers
• Follows up with customers in a timely manner
• Makes extra effort to keep customers updated and informed
• Goes the extra mile to make a real difference in customer experience
• Handles difficult customers with grace
• Consistently receives negative comments from customers
• Appears disinterested in solving customers’ problems
• Does not manage customer expectations, especially in tough situations
• Passes challenging issues to others instead of tackling them head-on
• Misses opportunities to educate customers about other products or services
• Uses inappropriate language with colleagues or customers
• Frequently gets frustrated by clients who ask questions
• High average time per call 
• Speaks rudely or sarcastically when dealing with client challenges
• Effective on the phone, but does not handle face-to-face service well
• Shows a lack of enthusiasm for customer service training 

Coaching & Training

• Enthusiastically accepts coaching in various job duties 
• Applies learning from training to improve abilities
• Asks for more training when processes aren’t clear or understood
• Always willing to learn new processes
• Shows eagerness to learn new software and improve efficiency
• Encourages team members to join in the necessary training sessions
• Able to learn concepts quickly and implement them into his/her work
• Actively participates in specialized training sessions
• Does not get defensive when given negative feedback during training
• Shows self-awareness and willingness to improve in areas where he/she is lacking
• Recognizes scope for improvement, both personally and professionally
• Could benefit from seeking more training in various tasks
• Should ask more questions when not sure of expectations
• Reluctant to learn new processes 
• Unable to apply knowledge gained during training sessions to work
• Could improve adaptability to learning new software and procedures
• Seeks coaching only when an area of weakness is highlighted
• Demonstrates a lack of awareness regarding his/her deficiencies 

Adaptability

• Accepts constructive criticism 
• Constantly works towards improving performance
• Comes up with new solutions to common problems
• Shows willingness to change the way he/she works for the betterment of the team
• Takes the initiative to start a new task
• Capable of handling a variety of tasks
• Shows ability to identify new and more efficient methods
• Stays calm under pressure
• Considered a reassuring force within his/her peer group 
• Willing to admit when he/she is wrong
• Quick to adapt to alternate points of view
• Shows willingness to work extra hours in case of crises 
• Handles change well
• Tends to shy away from new activities 
• Does not excel at projects that require a degree of flexibility
• Gets agitated when original plan changes
• Shows a lack of interest in accepting new responsibilities
• Sticks to old methods even if a new approach is better
• Fails to offer new solutions 
• Unable to come up with creative ideas, even when prompted
• Tends to get overwhelmed by challenges 
• Doesn’t innovate when things don’t go according to plan
• Unwilling to admit he/she is wrong
• Does not accept constructive criticism well
• Resistant to trying new techniques or approaches
• Proven team player
• Encourages teammates to work together toward a common goal
• Offers assistance and advice to team members
• Promotes a team-centered workplace
• Sensitive and considerate of coworkers’ feelings
• Shares ideas and techniques with others
• Builds strong relationships within the team
• Always willing to cooperate with coworkers
• Takes on more work to help the team excel
• Seeks new ways to help the team
• Easy to work with, and encourages others to work together as a team 
• Displays loyalty and support for colleagues, even in the face of conflict 
• Supports group decisions even in case of a disagreement
• Fosters a cooperative atmosphere 
• Does not prioritize his/her personal goals over the team 
• Receptive to ideas from peers and willing to adapt his/her behaviors in response
• Always congratulates team members who do well
• Encourages and motivates even the most reluctant team members
• Considered a positive influence on all team members 
• Solves team conflicts in a calm and mature manner
• Collaborates well with colleagues, vendors, and external partners
• Promotes harmony to ensure colleagues work as a team to meet deadlines
• Always offers to help with tasks outside their role
• Needs to improve teamwork skills
• Does not consider the workplace as a team environment
• Prefers to work alone on projects
• Colleagues are hesitant to ask him/her for help
• Does not work well with others during group projects
• Blames others when problems arise 
• Insensitive to team members’ feelings
• It comes across as guarded and secretive
• Does not share well with others
• Considered a divisive element within the team
• Gets impatient with colleagues when they are slow or unable to finish tasks on time 
• Comes late to meetings
• Disrupts workflow for other workers 
• Takes credit for the work of others, even when it is not deserved 
• Does not share information with colleagues unless they ask for it directly
• Leaves early even if the rest of the team is working late
• Only considers own needs and happiness
• Unwilling to share credit with others for team assignments
• Publicly criticizes team members 
• Instigates arguments with others
• Appears too blunt in feedback
• More suitable to individual-focused work than the group-work environment

Commitment & Professionalism

• Displays excellent work ethic 
• Is considered an engaging personality
• Exhibits professional attitude even when under pressure
• Takes on challenges head-on
• Customers prefer to speak to this person 
• Self-motivated and strives to complete all tasks on time
• Strives for excellence in everything he/she does
• Is not engaged in illegal or unethical business practices
• Their energetic and creative attitude impacts team members positively
• Takes setbacks in his/her stride
• Polite and professional in dealing with colleagues as well as customers and vendors
• Cannot separate personal life from work
• Colleagues complain of poor hygiene habits
• Dresses too informally for the office environment
• Shows a lack of enthusiasm to improve performance
• Frequently arrives late at work
• Often attempts to leave the workplace early
• Unwilling to broaden skill sets 
• Disrespectful to leadership behind their backs
• Unwelcoming to new team members
• Fails to keep the workspace tidy
• Gets angry and emotional in stressful situations

Ethics & Integrity

• Highly organized and adept at prioritizing what is important
• Strives to keep commitments
• Truthful and honest in all dealings
• Never betrays the company’s core values and principles
• Demonstrates trustworthiness
• Never abuses any company resources for personal purposes
• Understands legal responsibility towards the company 
• Displays a strong sense of integrity that underscore all his/her dealings and interactions
• Always keeps promises
• Follows ethical business practices and company policies
• Respects confidentiality
• Avoids office gossip
• Takes frequent breaks if not being watched
• Makes excuses to leave work early
• Usually gossips and is untruthful about the company or team members
• Blames coworkers for his/her mistakes
• Speaks rudely to junior/senior team members
• Makes unkind personal remarks
• Untruthful to other members of the team
• Breaks company’s rules
• Allows personal biases to influence important business decisions
• Withholds important information to evade disciplinary action
• Violates company standards related to employee integrity
• Unethical behavior has cost the company customers and money or both

Technical Skills

• Shows a deep and thorough understanding of systems and processes 
• Understands the technical requirements of assignments thoroughly
• Adept at solving complicated technical issues 
• Displays exemplary technical knowhow 
• Resolves technical challenges and records guidelines for future 
• Able to grasp complex technical concepts 
• Goes the extra mile to ensure the technical problems are resolved within the time
• Keeps team members updated by creating documents, flowcharts, layouts, diagrams, charts, code comments, etc.
• Explains elaborate ideas and concepts in easy-to-understand ways
• Extremely reliable when the company is implementing new technology
• Unable to properly communicate with other members of the team about technical issues
• Needs to attend more training sessions 
• Must study harder to improve technical knowledge
• Finds it tough to learn new technology
• Needs to improve technical understanding required for the job
• Unable to translate theoretical knowledge into practical applications
• Provides temporary solutions that can lead to long-term problems
• Spends a considerable amount of time retrieving simple information 
• Lacks knowledge about the latest development tools, programming techniques, and computing equipment 
• Unable to understand and adapt to changing technology and instructions

Problem-solving

• Considers problems as challenges to be overcome
• Brings new ideas to the table when discussing problem-solving 
• Shows the ability to pressure test his/her own ideas calmly 
• Tries to get a buy in from others to adopt his/her solution
• Sets up a system for tracking problems and their solutions 
• Uses a variety of techniques to solve problems
• Willing to try new approaches or suggestions that may come from others 
• Invests extra time and effort to solve problems completely 
• Shows the ability to explain the rationale behind his/her solution to a problem 
• Demonstrates leadership skills when solving group problems
• Evaluates challenges from all angles before deciding on a way forward
• Willing to collaborate with peers to explore solutions to problems
• Resolves customer complaints professionally and promptly
• Makes well-thought-out decisions and sticks to them
• Takes full responsibility for any problems of assigned tasks
• Tackles problems in a creative and analytical way
• Stays calm even when required to resolve a problem under high pressure
• Articulates issues clearly and concisely to team members
• Retains objectivity while assessing situations and suggesting solutions
• Accommodates and listens to other people’s perspectives 
• Capable of independently solving complex problems
• Breaks a problem down to analyze it minutely 
• Collaborates well with others to find solutions to project challenges
• Offers multiple solutions to complex problems
• Makes sound and fact-based judgments
• Looks for different ways to resolve complex issues
• Demonstrates disinterest in pressure-testing ideas with others 
• Does not set up a system for tracking problems and their solutions 
• Fails to take action when a problem is raised 
• Resists explaining the rationale behind his/her solution to a problem 
• Does not optimize use of time when working on difficult problems 
• Does not offer efficient solutions 
• Unable to persuade others to agree to his/her solutions 
• Not receptive to other people’s ideas and opinions
• Unable to articulate problems in ways that others can understand
• Indecisive when it comes to coming up with solutions
• Rushes to make decisions without thinking things through
• Fails to monitor progress to ensure that they deliver the desired outcome
• Does not learn from previous successes or failures
• Gets flustered when facing a tough decision  
• Loses cool with team members when faced with a problem
• Unwilling to collaborate with others to discuss solutions 
• Fails to give team members the proper guidance and direction
• Deals with customer-related issues unprofessionally 
• Chooses complex and convoluted approaches to solving problems
• Often paralyzed and confused when facing tight deadlines 
• Struggles to find solutions for complex problems
• Tends to shy away than face an awkward problem
• Quickly loses focus when facing a difficult situation

Critical Thinking

• Uses sharp ideas and essential thinking ability to solve issues quickly
• Possesses strong reasoning and critical-thinking skills 
• Always thoroughly considers everything before submitting any idea
• Offers workable plans for each problem
• Exhibits sound judgment when evaluating multiple opportunities
• Arrives at reasonable conclusions based on information presented
• Chooses a fact-based approach over sentimental arguments when making decisions
• Balances prompt decision-making, with the ability to analyze every aspect of a problem
• Prioritizes urgent matters over those issues that can wait
• Sets out the best-case and worst-case scenarios to help decision-making
• Makes hasty decisions without considering all facts and information 
• Frequently struck by analysis paralysis when making a decision
• Makes big decisions without approval from concerned parties
• Inconsiderate of others’ opinions and suggestions 
• Fails to consider possible changes in circumstances when making decisions
• Rarely thinks decisions through
• Employs problem-solving techniques that end up complicating matters
• Jumps on the solution before properly analyzing the problem

Time Management

• Efficiently manages time to complete tasks
• Respects the time of colleagues
• Keeps presentations on schedule
• Regularly meets all deadlines
• Works hard to stay organized and on time
• Driven to complete tasks on time
• Reliable when it comes to time management
• Shows dependability to manage time well
• Prioritizes well to save time
• Displays sensitivity to the constraints of colleagues
• Handles multiple assignments and projects well 
• Able to juggle numerous tasks with speed and accuracy 
• Effectively prioritizes work to ensure critical assignments are managed well
• Manages his/her time in a highly effective manner 
• Completes assignments even with extended deadlines 
• Organizes time systematically to achieve goals
• Frequently misses deadlines
• Regularly late from break
• Unable to understand how much time a task will take
• Meetings and presentations tend to overrun the allotted time
• Indulges in small talk that takes up valuable time of others 
• Gives little or no importance to being on time
• Takes no steps to improve time-management techniques
• Is considered unreliable in finishing tasks by the allotted deadline
• Frequently exceeds mandatory due dates
• Does not meet deadlines, even when given ample time 
• Has difficulty balancing multiple assignments and projects 
• Fails to prioritize most critical assignments effectively 
• Allows personal issues to affect work performance
• Does not manage time well

Balanced Reviews Leading to Positive Outcomes

Effective performance reviews are imperative to optimize employee engagement and motivate them to provide their best performance. Any manager’s essential function is to recognize an individual’s efforts while politely but firmly addressing their weaknesses. 

Creating performance reviews is a continuous learning process that requires a fair amount of time and an element of trial and error. For any manager striking a delicate balance between appreciation and criticism can be a challenge. However, with this comprehensive and exhaustive list of employee performance review phrases based on essential skills, we hope your task will be simpler and easier.

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Related Blogs

Performance Reviews ,  Work Culture Mar 18, 2016

Recognition, the most powerful performance enhancer at the workplace, performance reviews may 11, 2016, 4 steps to make performance reviews insanely effective, feedback ,  goal setting ,  performance reviews jun 7, 2016, traditional vs agile performance management.

Stay Updated with latest news at UpRaise

Your email will be safe and secure in our database

Thanks for subscribing! Please check your email for further instructions.

• Belong: Employee Engagement Surveys
• Grow: 360 Feedback & Peer Evaluations
• Customer Stories
• Partnerships
• People Science
• EX Value Calculator
• Masterclasses & Courses
• Reports & Guides
• Events & Webinars
• Strategies & Insights
• HR Impact Community
• Talk to our team

Ten performance review comments examples that managers can use

Performance reviews are a critical component of effective human resource management in the modern workplace. Performance reviews provide an opportunity for managers to assess the performance of their team members, offer feedback, and set goals for the future. The importance of performance reviews cannot be overstated, as they have a direct impact on employee morale and productivity. 

The impact of performance reviews on employee morale and productivity is staggering. According to a recent study, 25% of employees leave organizations due to a lack of recognition. In contrast, employees who feel their voices are heard are 4.6 times more likely to feel empowered to perform their best work. These statistics underscore the critical role that performance reviews play in shaping employee attitudes and behaviors.

Against this backdrop, the purpose of this article is to provide examples of performance review phrases that can help managers to provide feedback that is both constructive and actionable. By offering a sample of employee review comments, this article aims to equip managers with the tools they need to conduct effective team member evaluations that can drive employee engagement and productivity.

Top performance review comments examples

Research shows that the impact of bad performance reviews can be significant, leading to decreased employee morale and productivity. In contrast, good performance reviews can have a positive impact, improving employee performance and retention. Therefore, it is crucial to provide effective performance review comments that are tailored to each employee's unique strengths and weaknesses.

Communication

Effective communication is essential for building strong working relationships, resolving conflicts, and achieving shared goals.

Examples: 

"Your clear and concise communication style has helped to ensure that team members are on the same page and that projects are completed on time."

"Your active listening skills have enabled you to effectively collaborate with colleagues, identify potential issues, and propose viable solutions."

"Your ability to provide constructive feedback respectfully and tactfully has contributed to a positive team dynamic and improved overall performance."

Interpersonal skills

Strong interpersonal skills are critical for developing positive relationships with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders, which can lead to increased collaboration and better outcomes.

"Your friendly and approachable demeanor has helped to foster positive relationships with clients, resulting in increased customer satisfaction and repeat business."

"Your ability to effectively manage conflict has helped to minimize disruptions and maintain a positive team dynamic."

"Your willingness to collaborate with team members and share knowledge and expertise has led to increased productivity and better outcomes."

Leadership ability

Effective leadership can inspire and motivate team members, facilitate decision-making, and drive organizational success.

"Your strong leadership skills have inspired team members to work towards shared goals, resulting in improved performance and better overall outcomes."

"Your ability to delegate tasks and responsibilities effectively has enabled team members to take ownership of their work and contribute to the organization's success."

"Your strategic thinking and decision-making skills have helped to guide the team through challenges and uncertainties, resulting in improved processes and better overall performance."

Problem-solving

The ability to identify and solve problems is essential for overcoming challenges, improving processes, and driving innovation.

"Your ability to identify and analyze problems has led to innovative solutions that have improved processes and resulted in better outcomes for the organization."

"Your willingness to approach challenges with a creative mindset has enabled you to develop unique and effective solutions to complex problems."

"Your ability to collaborate with colleagues and seek feedback has helped to identify potential issues early on and avoid potential roadblocks."

Adaptability

Being adaptable allows employees to remain flexible and responsive to changing circumstances, which is essential in today's rapidly evolving workplace.

"Your willingness to embrace change and adapt to new situations has helped to keep the team agile and responsive to evolving market conditions."

"Your ability to remain calm and focused under pressure has helped to minimize disruptions and keep projects on track."

"Your flexibility and willingness to take on new responsibilities have helped to maximize team performance and contribute to the organization's success."

Employees who take the initiative are proactive and self-motivated, which can lead to increased productivity and better outcomes for the organization.

"Your proactive approach to identifying and pursuing new opportunities has led to increased productivity and improved outcomes for the organization."

"Your self-motivated and results-oriented work ethic has enabled you to take on additional responsibilities and contribute to the team's success."

"Your willingness to go above and beyond your job responsibilities and take on additional projects has led to increased efficiency and better outcomes for the organization."

Work quality

Consistently producing high-quality work is essential for maintaining organizational standards and ensuring customer satisfaction .

"Your attention to detail and commitment to producing high-quality work has contributed to the organization's success and customer satisfaction."

"Your ability to consistently meet or exceed performance standards has led to improved work output and better overall results for the team."

"Your willingness to seek feedback and implement improvements has helped to maintain organizational standards and improve customer satisfaction."

Productivity

Efficiently managing time and resources can lead to increased productivity, improved work output, and better overall performance.

"Your ability to manage your time effectively and prioritize tasks has led to increased productivity and better overall performance."

"Your efficiency in completing tasks and meeting deadlines has contributed to the team's success and improved outcomes for the organization."

"Your willingness to seek out and implement process improvements has led to increased efficiency and better outcomes for the team."

Time management

Effective time management skills can help employees meet deadlines, reduce work-related stress, and improve overall job satisfaction.

"Your efficient use of time and resources has enabled you to meet deadlines and deliver high-quality work while minimizing work-related stress."

"Your proactive approach to time management and task prioritization has contributed to the team's success and improved outcomes for the organization."

Job knowledge

In-depth knowledge of job responsibilities, industry best practices, and relevant regulations is essential for achieving goals, staying competitive, and driving organizational success.

"Your in-depth knowledge of your job responsibilities and industry best practices has enabled you to perform at a high level and contribute to the organization's success."

"Your commitment to staying up-to-date with relevant regulations and changes in the industry has helped to maintain organizational compliance and improve outcomes."

"Your willingness to share your knowledge and expertise with colleagues has contributed to a positive team dynamic and improved overall performance."

A study suggests that employees who receive regular feedback and recognition are more engaged and productive, with a 14.9% lower turnover rate than those who do not receive such feedback.

So it's quite essential to give specific and targeted comments that address each employee's unique strengths and areas for improvement.

Tips for writing influential performance review comments with examples

Writing persuasive performance review comments requires a delicate balance between positive and negative feedback , along with a clear focus on specific behaviors and outcomes. 

Here are some additional tips to consider when crafting feedback that is both constructive and actionable

Balancing positive and negative feedback

It can be tempting to focus on an employee's areas for improvement, but it is crucial to also acknowledge their strengths and accomplishments. This can help to boost morale and motivate employees to continue performing at a high level. 

For example, instead of simply saying: "Your communication skills need improvement", a more balanced approach would be to say, "Your ability to clearly articulate complex ideas is impressive, but there may be opportunities to improve your listening skills in order to fully understand others' perspectives."

Avoiding vague or overly critical comments

Vague comments such as "You need to improve your performance" are not helpful as they do not provide specific areas for improvement. On the other hand, overly critical comments can be demotivating and may not accurately reflect an employee's performance. 

To provide practical feedback, it is important to use specific examples and provide actionable recommendations. 

A more effective comment would be, "There were several errors in the report you submitted, and I recommend taking additional time to proofread before submitting future work."

Providing context for feedback

It is important to provide context for feedback by highlighting specific situations or projects that demonstrate an employee's strengths or areas for improvement. This can help to make feedback more actionable and relevant. 

For example, instead of simply saying, "You need to improve your teamwork skills", a more effective comment would be, "During the XYZ project, your ability to collaborate with team members and communicate effectively was a strength, but there were instances where you could have taken a more proactive approach to seek out feedback and incorporate others' ideas."

Transform your performance review experience with PerformAI

Effective performance reviews are crucial for employee development, productivity, and overall success in the workplace. Poorly conducted reviews can lead to demotivated employees, decreased productivity, and even turnover. 

Therefore, it is important for managers to take the time to provide constructive and personalized feedback to their employees.

PerformAI's allows managers to generate feedback in an instant with the help of AI, ensuring that each employee receives relevant feedback at the right moment. With the ability to edit the feedback generated and receive alerts and notifications, it empowers managers to provide high-quality feedback efficiently and effectively.

What should I write in a performance review comment?

When writing performance review comments, it's important to be specific and provide examples to support your feedback. Focus on the employee's strengths and areas for improvement, and use objective language to avoid sounding overly critical. Be clear and concise in your comments, and offer suggestions for how the employee can continue to grow and develop. Remember to always be respectful and professional in your feedback.

Tags: Performance Reviews , Relationships At Work

Related Articles

Strategies for effective performance management: connection, conversation & coaching.

Topics: Leadership , Performance Management , HR Strategy , Performance Reviews , Managing Organizations , Forecasting

Conducting effective performance reviews

Topics: Performance Reviews , Managing People

Performance feedback methods in the workplace: guide for managers and leaders

Topics: Performance Management , Performance Reviews

Subscribe to Our Blog:

Engagerocket is an employee engagement and performance management platform that helps businesses build engaged teams, empowered managers, and elite organizations. trusted by the top companies in 18 countries and spanning 20 diverse industries—including sephora, toyota, nikon, cgs-cimb, and epson—engagerocket provides continuous listening and real-time analytics to support impactful management action., why engagerocket.

• EngageRocket vs Lattice vs CultureAmp
• EngageRocket vs Qualtrics

Client Portal

• Confidentiality
• Privacy policy
• Terms of service
• GDPR (Data Privacy)

Copyright © 2024   EngageRocket  Pte Ltd. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.

Explore Jobs

• Jobs Near Me
• Remote Jobs
• Full Time Jobs
• Part Time Jobs
• Entry Level Jobs
• Work From Home Jobs

Find Specific Jobs

• $15 Per Hour Jobs
• $20 Per Hour Jobs
• Hiring Immediately Jobs
• High School Jobs
• H1b Visa Jobs

Explore Careers

• Business And Financial
• Architecture And Engineering
• Computer And Mathematical

Explore Professions

• What They Do
• Certifications
• Demographics

Best Companies

• Health Care
• Fortune 500

Explore Companies

• CEO And Executies
• Resume Builder
• Career Advice
• Explore Majors
• Questions And Answers
• Interview Questions

108 Performance Review Phrases (With Examples)

• What Is A Mentor
• Mentor Traits
• Talent Management
• Performance Improvement Plan
• Performance Review Phrases
• Four Functions Of Management
• Difference Between Goals And Objectives
• How To Give Employees Feedback
• What Is An Operational Environment
• Key Success Factors
• How To Not Get Fired
• How To Be More Confident At Work
• One-On-One Meeting
• Performance Management
• Professional Development
• The Peter Principle
• Positive Feedback
• Low Hanging Fruit
• Upskill Your Employees
• Motivation Letter

By clicking Download, you agree to Zippia’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use .

Performance reviews are a great opportunity to give an employee feedback on their poor performance to help them improve or to give them recognition for a job well done. Common performance review skill categories that are reviewed include productivity, work quality, and attendance. The right performance review phrases said in a goes a long way to motivate an employee to continue their good performance or improve on weaknesses.

If you’re a supervisor or manager looking for the right performance review phrases to recognize employees’ good work and address their weaknesses, this article will provide ideas for topics to discuss and examples of phrases you can use in your next performance reviews.

Key Takeaways:

Annual performance reviews are a good opportunity to talk about employees’ strengths, weaknesses, and growth, as well as to discuss training opportunities, goals, and any pay adjustments.

It’s a good idea to discuss employees’ productivity and work quality as well as their soft skills such as cooperation, accountability, and communication.

Give your employees plenty of notice about their performance review and then prepare for it by looking at their job description and KPIs and making a rubric based on those.

Examples of performance review phrases for productivity

Examples of performance review phrases for quality of work, examples of performance review phrases for attendance, examples of performance review phrases for punctuality, examples of performance review phrases for communication, examples of performance review phrases for teamwork and cooperation, examples of performance review phrases for interpersonal abilities, examples of performance review phrases for adaptability, examples of performance review phrases for problem-solving, examples of performance review phrases for achievement, examples of performance review phrases for leadership, examples of performance review phrases for innovation, examples of performance review phrases for attitude, examples of performance review phrases for accountability, what is a performance review, how to prepare for a performance review, performance review faq, final thoughts.

• Sign Up For More Advice and Jobs

Positive productivity performance review phrases

“Always manages their time well and is extremely well-organized.”

“Displays endless drive to improve productivity, profits, and meet business goals.”

“Your excellent work ethic speaks for itself.”

“Consistently contributes measurable value to company goals and projects.”

Negative productivity performance review phrases

“Often resists changes that could lead to an increase in productivity.”

“Distracts coworkers, impacting their productivity.”

“Poor time management often leading to failure to complete assigned work on time.”

“Sets a low bar and does as little as possible to get by.”

Positive quality of work performance review phrases

“Positively contributes to the performance of the team through their high-quality work.”

“Can be relied upon to consistently maintain a high quality of work.”

“I was blown away by the quality of your work.”

“Most employees aren’t as thorough in their work as you.”

Negative quality of work performance review phrases

“Often expects coworkers to complete unfinished tasks.”

“Regularly fails to follow established processes.”

“Delivers work of an inconsistent quality.”

“Rarely attains monthly performance goals.”

Positive attendance performance review phrases

“Begins every day fully prepared and ready to work.”

“Shows respect for the time of others by always coming to work on time.”

“A reliable worker who is always there when you need their help.”

Negative attendance performance review phrases

“Fails to meet company standards for attendance.”

“Often offline on communication channels when working remotely.”

“Regularly take more frequent or longer breaks than permitted.”

“Has not met attendance objectives set at previous performance appraisal.”

Positive punctuality performance review phrases

“Always follows through on their promises and delivers work ahead of time.”

“Consistently meets deadlines and can always be relied upon.”

“You’re among the most reliable workers I’ve ever had.”

“I really respect how you always take your promises seriously.”

Negative punctuality performance review phrases

“Meeting times often start later than scheduled or run over time.”

“Regularly late to work without reason.”

“Needs to work on responding to meeting invitations.”

“I want our team to be known for respecting others, and when you arrive late to meetings, it’s disrespectful.”

Positive communication performance review phrases

“Is mindful of the team and provides any updates when their situation changes.”

“Is able to effectively break down complex ideas and bring everyone on board.”

“Has a way of explaining complicated subjects to anyone.”

“ Thank you for always speaking up during team meetings and providing important updates.”

“You’re always quick to answer and follow up on emails .”

Negative communication performance review phrases

“Actively avoids conversations with managers and supervisors.”

“Struggles to communicate ideas and information with team members.”

“Often fails to provide timely project updates.”

“Has a tough time communicating constructive feedback to others.”

Positive teamwork and cooperation performance review phrases

“Extremely easy to work with and respects all team members.”

“Always puts the team first and adapts to any situation.”

“Improves team atmosphere by resolving conflicts between others.”

“Everyone tells me they really enjoy working with you.”

Negative teamwork and cooperation performance review phrases

“Often sticks to a small team, failing to find help and resources in other departments.”

“Unwilling to help others with tasks when asked.”

“Prefers to work alone, even when a project has multiple stakeholders.”

“You’re very skilled in what you do, but I’ve noticed you haven’t joined any of the new projects our team has taken on. You have a lot to offer, and I’d love to see you stretch yourself and take on some of these new responsibilities and challenges.”

Positive interpersonal abilities performance review phrases

“Has a pleasant personality that contributes to a positive team environment.”

“Maintains positivity and raises team morale during challenge circumstances.”

“Is thoughtful of other team members and is always pleasant to work with.”

“You always know how to cheer everyone up.”

Negative interpersonal abilities performance review phrases

“Does not work well with others on the team.”

“Needs to improve attitude when receiving constructive feedback.”

“Your customer satisfaction reviews are always really high on the phone, but they aren’t as great after you meet with a client in person. Why do you think that is? What training or resources can we get you to help with that?”

“I respect and appreciate your ability to be honest and direct with everyone, but sometimes it comes across as unfriendly or even rude. I’d hate to see that hinder your ability to create strong working relationships, so I’d like you to take this course in office communication to help you get your points across more effectively.”

Positive adaptability performance review phrases

“Is extremely understanding and flexible when unforeseen circumstances arise.”

“Can be counted on to be a team player during less than ideal situations.”

“Is able to quickly find ways to contribute when factors that influence business operations change.”

“I want to thank you for how flexible you’ve been during this difficult period.”

Negative adaptability performance review phrases

“Easily becomes frustrated when unexpected challenges arise.”

“Pushes back against new processes and policies without fully implementing or adhering to them.”

“Resists changes that could lead to higher productivity.”

“You do excellent work, and I think you’d do even better if you didn’t let the pressure get the better of you in stressful situations. You’re a very capable employee, and I hate to see you lose your confidence in those times. How can I help you with that?”

Positive problem-solving performance review phrases

“Demonstrates expertise and critical-thinking skills by cleverly finding solutions to problems.”

“Is always a reliable source of help for employees who need assistance.”

“You’re able to overcome any obstacle that stands in your path.”

“Is there anything you can’t do?”

Negative problem-solving performance review phrases

“Unwilling to work on problems outside of skill set.”

“Fails to contribute to group discussions on how to approach problems.”

“Can be indecisive in producing and implementing new solutions.

“Struggles to see patterns in recurring issues.”

Positive achievement performance review phrases

“Always surprises the entire team with the exceptional quality of their work.”

“Is constantly looked up to by staff members for their exceptional abilities.”

“You’re one of the most uniquely skilled professionals I’ve ever worked with.”

“You never fail to break records that we all thought were unbreakable.”

Negative achievement performance review phrases

“Has consistently struggled to meet KPIs.”

“Struggles to set measurable goals that align with the strategic needs of projects.”

“Does not set personal goals for improvement.”

“Unmotivated by achievement.”

Positive leadership performance review phrases

“Improves the job performance of the entire team by leading by example.”

“It’s extremely commendable how you always bring new employees up to speed.”

“Not only delivers high-quality work, but strengthens the entire culture of the team.”

“Having you on the team makes a massive difference.”

“Calling you anything but a team leader would be selling you short .”

Negative leadership performance review phrases

“Struggles to motivate employees to work hard and on task.”

“Indecisive about allocating responsibilities.”

“Sets unclear goals and objectives, making it hard to measure results in a meaningful way.”

“Workers often complain about a lack of recognition for a job well done.”

Positive innovation performance review phrases

“You always bring a unique perspective that nobody else had thought of.”

“It’s admirable how you’re able to view the same situation in a completely new light.”

“Wow, nobody knew it was even possible to do it in a better way until you showed us.”

“You come up with amazing ideas.”

Negative innovation performance review phrases

“Uninterested in trying novel solutions or integrating the creative ideas of others.”

“Has a difficult time formulating new ideas when normal processes fail.”

“Resists implementing new processes that have been proven as more effective.”

Positive attitude performance review phrases

“Everyone appreciates your upbeat attitude.”

“Even when things are tough, you continue to maintain a positive mindset.”

“You’re always quick to offer a healthy perspective.”

Negative attitude performance review phrases

“Inconsistent working relationship with some team members.”

“Often defiant when assigned tasks, openly questioning the wisdom of supervisors.”

“Becomes easily upset when unexpected challenges come up.”

“Noticeably unexcited about company goals, bringing down the enthusiasm of other members of the team.”

Positive accountability performance review phrases

“Shows honesty and strong character by accepting accountability when appropriate.”

“Strives to constantly improve on their work and is never satisfied with less-than-perfect results.”

“Your honesty and prioritization of the team ahead of all else are inspiring.”

Negative accountability performance review phrases

“Often blames others for mistakes.”

“Regularly fails to follow up with clients.”

“Needs to improve the ability to learn from errors.”

Performance reviews are evaluations where supervisors appraise an employee’s performance at work.

The main topics that are commonly discussed during the appraisal process are:

Strengths and weaknesses. Employees are made aware of the areas in which they excel or underperform. This is an opportunity to define performance expectations clearly.

Employee progress. If a particular weakness was identified in a previous performance review, supervisors should comment on whether the employee has taken the necessary actions to fix it.

Training opportunities. Managers may suggest career development resources or certification programs that fit the employee’s situation.

Future goals. Employees and supervisors will often agree to an improvement plan to address weaknesses . Whether the employee met these goals and objectives can be assessed during the next performance appraisal.

Pay adjustments. Performance reviews are also an opportunity to give employees promotions or raises .

Performance evaluations are conducted on a regular basis that’s determined by the organization or team. These periods are typically six months apart but can also be quarterly, monthly, or even more frequent.

Update job descriptions. Employees appreciate clarity in the way their role is defined, and from an organizational standpoint, delineating roles clearly is an important element of planning. You can even have employees help with this process to make sure the written word matches the actual job.

Determine the purpose of the role. With the above point in mind, it’s also crucial to understand why the position exists in the first place. Is the reason you created the role still the primary function or has the need for that responsibility passed?

Recalibrate your KPIs . Again, most employees appreciate concrete goals. But those goals and the ability to replicate them infinitely are not static. Maybe a goal of 100 cold calls a week no longer makes sense when you’ve already reached out to most of the local businesses you could serve, for example.

Identify skill gaps. Sometimes, skill gaps can creep on you and your business. With how fast technology changes in today’s world, you need to constantly reevaluate the skill sets of your employees and lend a hand when they need it.

Make a rubric. Or familiarize yourself with the one provided by your company. It’s good to have a plan for what topics you want to cover and in what order. It might also make sense to change the order of events for certain employees.

Inform employees in advance. It’s best to give at least a week’s notice before performance reviews, but more or less time could make sense depending on the nature and size of your organization. You want to give everyone a chance to consider what they want to discuss at the meeting and prepare responses to questions they know will come up.

What should I say in a performance review?

You should say both positive observations and constructive criticisms to your employee in a performance review. It’s important to let employees know the good things you’ve seen them doing in addition to calling out their weak points, and don’t forget to provide resources and support on how to improve those weak points.

How do you write an impactful performance review phrase?

You write an impactful performance review phrase by being specific and using quantifiers. Saying that an employee is “always positive even in the most stressful situations” is far more impactful than just saying, “they have a good attitude.”

What should I say in my boss review?

You should say positive things in your boss review. Even if you have some negative things to say, they’ll go over far better if you include honest, positive feedback as well.

Are performance reviews important?

Yes, performance reviews can be important because it’s a way to give both the company and employees important feedback. Without feedback, whether positive or negative, managers and employees are not able to improve their skills. Without feedback, someone may be unaware of their poor performance and not be able to change it. It’s also a great opportunity for employers to highlight and give recognition to a job well done.

Effective performance reviews are critical for maximizing employee engagement. Simply recognizing a subordinate’s efforts and delicately addressing their weaknesses can significantly improve the value they bring to your business.

In addition to the example performance review phrases we’ve given you, think of other ways you can sincerely show appreciation to your employees. They’ll be sure to return that appreciation and continue their positive behavior.

MyHR – Why Performance Reviews are Important

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating / 5. Vote count:

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

Related posts

What Is Professional Development?

10 Ways To Break Out Of Your Comfort Zone

Talent Management: What Is It? (With Examples)

How To Network After Work (With Examples)

• Career Advice >
• Get Promoted >

Critical thinking: Performance Review Phrases Examples

Critical thinking: sample phrases to write a performance appraisal feedback.

37 Analytical Skills Self Evaluation Comments Examples

By Status.net Editorial Team on June 3, 2023 — 8 minutes to read

Self-evaluation of analytical skills can help us identify our strengths and weaknesses in this area, and develop strategies for improving our analytical abilities.

To evaluate your analytical skills, start by considering the types of tasks or projects you have worked on in the past that required analysis. Reflect on how you approached these tasks, what methods you used to collect and analyze data, and how you communicated your findings. Consider the outcomes of your analysis, and whether your conclusions were accurate and supported by evidence.

Next, consider your ability to think critically and creatively. Analytical skills require both the ability to analyze data and information, as well as the ability to think outside the box and find new solutions to problems. Evaluate your ability to identify patterns, make connections between seemingly unrelated information, and generate new ideas.

Also consider your communication skills. Analytical skills are only valuable if you can effectively communicate your findings and conclusions to others. Evaluate your ability to present complex information in a clear and concise manner, and to explain your thought process and reasoning.

Questions to Ask Yourself to Evaluate Analytical Skills

• What are my strengths and weaknesses when it comes to analyzing complex data and information?
• How do I approach tasks that require analysis? Do I have a structured approach or do I tend to jump in without a clear plan?
• Am I able to identify patterns and connections between seemingly unrelated information?
• Do I consider multiple perspectives and potential outcomes when analyzing data?
• How do I communicate my findings and conclusions to others? Am I able to present complex information in a clear and concise manner?
• Do I have the ability to think critically and creatively? Can I generate new ideas and solutions to problems?
• How do I handle uncertainty and ambiguity when analyzing data?
• Do I have the necessary technical skills and tools to effectively analyze data?
• How do I ensure that my conclusions are supported by evidence and data?
• Am I open to feedback and willing to learn new analytical skills and techniques?

Examples of Analytical Skills Self-Evaluation Comments

Examples of positive comments.

• I am skilled at analyzing complex data and information to arrive at logical conclusions.
• I have a structured approach to analyzing data, which allows me to effectively manage large amounts of information.
• I am able to identify patterns and connections between seemingly unrelated information, which helps me to draw accurate conclusions.
• I am skilled at considering multiple perspectives and potential outcomes when analyzing data.
• I am able to present complex information in a clear and concise manner, which helps others to understand my findings and conclusions.
• I am able to think critically and creatively, which allows me to generate new ideas and solutions to problems.
• I am comfortable handling uncertainty and ambiguity when analyzing data, and am able to make informed decisions based on incomplete information.
• I have strong technical skills and am able to effectively use tools and software to analyze data.
• I am able to ensure that my conclusions are supported by evidence and data, which helps to build trust in my findings.
• I am open to feedback and am willing to learn new analytical skills and techniques to improve my abilities.
• I am able to quickly identify key trends and insights in data, which allows me to make informed decisions.
• I am skilled at synthesizing information from multiple sources to arrive at a comprehensive understanding of a problem or situation.
• I am able to effectively communicate the results of my analysis to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• I am able to identify potential biases and assumptions in my analysis, which helps me to avoid errors in my conclusions.
• I am able to use data visualization tools to effectively communicate complex information.
• I am able to identify gaps in data and information, and take steps to fill those gaps in order to arrive at more accurate conclusions.
• I am able to effectively manage large amounts of data and information, and am able to quickly identify key insights.
• I am able to identify potential risks and opportunities based on my analysis, which helps to inform strategic decision-making.
• I am able to effectively use data to identify trends and patterns, and to make predictions about future outcomes based on those trends and patterns.
• I am able to effectively prioritize information and focus on the most important factors when analyzing data.
• I am able to identify trends and patterns that may not be immediately obvious to others.
• I am able to use statistical analysis to draw accurate conclusions from data.
• I am able to work collaboratively with others to analyze data and arrive at shared conclusions.
• I am able to effectively communicate the limitations of my analysis, and to acknowledge areas where further research may be necessary.
• I am able to identify potential sources of bias in data and information, and take steps to mitigate those biases in my analysis.
• I am able to effectively manage my time and resources when analyzing data, and am able to prioritize tasks to meet deadlines.
• I am able to effectively use data to inform decision-making, and am able to communicate the rationale behind my decisions.
• I am able to identify potential outliers in data, and take steps to investigate those outliers to ensure the accuracy of my analysis.
• I am able to effectively use both quantitative and qualitative data to arrive at a comprehensive understanding of a problem or situation.
• I am able to identify potential gaps in my knowledge or understanding of a problem, and take steps to fill those gaps in order to arrive at more accurate conclusions.

Examples of comments that indicate need for improvement

• I tend to jump into analyzing data without a clear plan.
• I struggle with identifying patterns and connections between seemingly unrelated information.
• I sometimes struggle to consider multiple perspectives and potential outcomes when analyzing data.
• I have difficulty presenting complex information in a clear and concise manner.
• I sometimes struggle to think critically and creatively.
• I find it challenging to handle uncertainty and ambiguity when analyzing data, which can lead to indecisiveness.
• I lack some technical skills and tools necessary to effectively analyze data.

Example Paragraph (Positive)

“I am pleased with my analytical skills and believe that they are a strength that I bring to my work. I am skilled at identifying patterns and connections between seemingly unrelated information, which allows me to draw accurate conclusions from data. I am able to think critically and creatively, which allows me to generate new ideas and solutions to problems. I am also able to effectively communicate my findings to others, which helps to build trust in my conclusions. While there are always areas for improvement, I believe that my analytical skills are a valuable asset to my work and I am committed to continuing to develop them. Overall, I am proud of my analytical abilities and believe that they contribute to my success as a problem solver and decision maker.”

Example Paragraph (Areas of Improvement)

“Overall, I believe that my analytical skills are strong, particularly when it comes to identifying key trends and insights in data. However, I recognize that there are areas where I could improve. One area is my ability to handle ambiguity and uncertainty when analyzing data. To address this, I plan to practice using decision-making frameworks and risk analysis techniques to help me make more informed decisions in uncertain situations. Another area for improvement is my ability to present complex information in a clear and concise manner. To address this, I plan to work on developing my communication skills by practicing presenting information to both technical and non-technical audiences. Finally, I would like to improve my technical skills in order to better analyze data. To achieve this, I plan to take courses and attend workshops on statistical analysis and data visualization tools. I am committed to improving my analytical skills and believe that these actionable steps will help me achieve my goals.”

Tips for Effective Analytical Skills Self-Evaluation

• Be honest with yourself: It’s important to be honest about your strengths and weaknesses when evaluating your analytical skills. This will help you identify areas where you need to improve and develop strategies to enhance your abilities.
• Use specific examples: When evaluating your analytical skills, use specific examples from your work or personal life to illustrate your strengths and weaknesses. This will help you identify areas where you excel and areas where you need to improve.
• Focus on actionable steps: When identifying areas for improvement, focus on actionable steps that you can take to enhance your analytical skills. This may involve seeking out additional training or education, practicing critical thinking exercises, or working on improving your communication skills.
• Consider feedback from others: It can be helpful to seek feedback from colleagues or supervisors when evaluating your analytical skills. This can provide valuable insights into areas where you may need to improve.
• Celebrate your strengths: Don’t forget to celebrate your strengths when evaluating your analytical skills. Recognizing your strengths can help build confidence and motivation to continue to develop your skills.
• Set goals: Set specific goals for improving your analytical skills and develop a plan for achieving those goals. This will help you stay focused and motivated as you work to enhance your abilities.
• Reflect regularly: Regularly reflect on your progress and evaluate whether your strategies for improving your analytical skills are effective. Adjust your approach as needed to ensure that you are making progress towards your goals.

With dedication and effort, anyone can improve their analytical skills and become a more effective problem solver and decision maker.

• 42 Communication Skills Self Evaluation Comments Examples
• 26 Interpersonal Skills Self Evaluation Comments Examples
• 40 Competency Self-Evaluation Comments Examples
• 42 Adaptability Self Evaluation Comments Examples
• 30 Examples of Teamwork Self Evaluation Comments
• 31 Professionalism Self Evaluation Comments Examples

Critical thinking definition

Critical thinking, as described by Oxford Languages, is the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgement.

Active and skillful approach, evaluation, assessment, synthesis, and/or evaluation of information obtained from, or made by, observation, knowledge, reflection, acumen or conversation, as a guide to belief and action, requires the critical thinking process, which is why it's often used in education and academics.

Some even may view it as a backbone of modern thought.

However, it's a skill, and skills must be trained and encouraged to be used at its full potential.

People turn up to various approaches in improving their critical thinking, like:

• Developing technical and problem-solving skills
• Engaging in more active listening
• Actively questioning their assumptions and beliefs
• Seeking out more diversity of thought
• Opening up their curiosity in an intellectual way etc.

Is critical thinking useful in writing?

Critical thinking can help in planning your paper and making it more concise, but it's not obvious at first. We carefully pinpointed some the questions you should ask yourself when boosting critical thinking in writing:

• What information should be included?
• Which information resources should the author look to?
• What degree of technical knowledge should the report assume its audience has?
• What is the most effective way to show information?
• How should the report be organized?
• How should it be designed?
• What tone and level of language difficulty should the document have?

Usage of critical thinking comes down not only to the outline of your paper, it also begs the question: How can we use critical thinking solving problems in our writing's topic?

Let's say, you have a Powerpoint on how critical thinking can reduce poverty in the United States. You'll primarily have to define critical thinking for the viewers, as well as use a lot of critical thinking questions and synonyms to get them to be familiar with your methods and start the thinking process behind it.

Are there any services that can help me use more critical thinking?

We understand that it's difficult to learn how to use critical thinking more effectively in just one article, but our service is here to help.

We are a team specializing in writing essays and other assignments for college students and all other types of customers who need a helping hand in its making. We cover a great range of topics, offer perfect quality work, always deliver on time and aim to leave our customers completely satisfied with what they ordered.

The ordering process is fully online, and it goes as follows:

• Select the topic and the deadline of your essay.
• Provide us with any details, requirements, statements that should be emphasized or particular parts of the essay writing process you struggle with.
• Leave the email address, where your completed order will be sent to.
• Select your prefered payment type, sit back and relax!

With lots of experience on the market, professionally degreed essay writers , online 24/7 customer support and incredibly low prices, you won't find a service offering a better deal than ours.

Smart Resources for Managers!

An exciting range of articles from authors specialized in human resources, headhunting, employee retention, and business management.

Hiring Section

Human Resources Section

Management Section

Employee Appraisal Samples