A performance assessment, also known as an employee evaluation, is a formal, written document summarizing an employee’s job performance for the current assessment period and setting goals for the next assessment period. It is meant to promote and enhance ongoing, two-way communication between supervisors and employees to:

• Provide feedback on accomplishments and areas in need of improvement
• Establish mutually understood performance expectations/goals
• Develop a plan for maintaining job performance at a satisfactory level or for improving performance
• Deal with specific performance problems as they occur

Once an appointment has been made between the employee and his manager, the employee should complete a self-assessment form to bring to the meeting. The manager can begin to fill out a performance assessment form for the employee now, but may prefer to complete it after the meeting.

During the meeting, the manager and the employee should discuss the following:

• The employee’s goals and primary responsibilities for the past year
• The employee’s strengths and areas for growth
• The employee’s significant accomplishments from the past year
• Possible ways to improve performance
• Barriers to effective work performance and job satisfaction in the past year
• Employee’s goals and needs for the next review period
• Employee’s long-term career goals and development needs to achieve them
• Employee’s feedback/suggestions for supervisor
• Anything else the employee or supervisor would like to address

Following completion of this checklist, the manager can complete the employee’s performance assessment form, which should include:

• A short performance narrative that provides a qualitative assessment of the employee’s performance
• A progress report on the last assessment period’s goals
• A list of goals for the upcoming assessment period, including a due date
• Employee’s comments and signature

Since performance reviews are often tied in to pay increases, you may want to include a section that denotes whether the employee will be receiving a raise, including the reasons behind the decision.

Engaging employees in a thoughtful performance assessment process can help boost your employee engagement, motivation, and retention rates. It also can help align employee behavior more closely with the company’s mission, creating a better work environment and a stronger organization.