Employee performance review.
A complete annual performance review template — outcomes, behaviours, manager assessment, self-assessment, calibration notes, and goals for the year ahead. Designed to produce a decision, not just paperwork.
Performance Review — [Period: e.g. Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026] Employee: [Name] Role: [Title] Reporting to: [Manager] 1. Outcomes during the review period The employee was accountable for [primary outcomes]. The outcomes the team committed to at the start of the period were [list]; of those, [n] were delivered on or above target, [n] were delivered partially, and [n] were not met. The principal contributions were…
What's inside the document.
Reviewer, employee, review period dates, role + level at period start and end.
Headline outcomes the role was accountable for. Plain language: what shipped, what landed, what failed.
How the work was done — collaboration, communication, decision-making, judgement. Tied to your competency framework if you have one.
The employee's view of the same period before the manager assessment is shared. Reduces bias in calibration.
Where the rating lands across the team, any adjustments after calibration, and the rationale.
Three to five goals for the year ahead, tied to team strategy and personal growth.
A complete document set.
- Word document (.docx) — fully editable
- PDF — signature-ready
- Google Docs — one-click copy to your Drive
- 12 months of updates to this document
- Commercial-use licence for internal and client work
Three formats, one document.
- Word document (.docx) — fully editable
- PDF — signature-ready
- Google Docs — one-click copy to your Drive
6 steps from download to use.
- 01Open the template and set the review period dates.
- 02Send the self-assessment portion to the employee first; review after they submit.
- 03Complete the manager assessment using the outcomes-then-behaviours structure.
- 04Calibrate with the rest of the management team before sharing with the employee.
- 05Walk through the review in person; share the final document afterwards.
- 06Set goals for the next period together at the end of the conversation.
The right document at the right moment.
Use this template for an annual or twice-yearly performance review where the goal is a calibrated rating and a clear set of next-period goals. The structure is designed to be defensible — the document a court or HR investigator would read with confidence.
For shorter-cadence check-ins (monthly, quarterly), use the 1:1 meeting template instead. For an employee on a performance plan, use the PIP template, which has a different structure aimed at improvement, not assessment.
Honest answers before you download.
- How long should a performance review be?
- The document is typically 2 to 4 pages once filled in. Longer than that and the panel won't read it; shorter and the rationale isn't defensible. Aim for one paragraph per outcome and one per behaviour theme.
- Should the employee see the manager assessment before the conversation?
- No. Share the self-assessment first, complete your manager assessment, calibrate, then have the conversation in person. Share the final document afterwards. Surprise is worse than process, but a one-way pre-share removes the conversation.
- Do I rate against a numeric scale?
- Use whatever scale your company uses — typically a 3 or 5-point scale tied to a competency framework. The template includes optional rating fields you can remove if you do narrative-only reviews.
Other documents in this neighbourhood.
90-day performance review
First-quarter check-in for new hires — different structure, different bar.
Performance improvement plan
Structured 30/60/90 PIP with measurable success criteria.
Achievement tracker
Year-round tracker so the review writes itself when the period closes.
This employee performance review template is a professionally drafted starting point and is not legal advice. The clauses follow current US and AU practice; adapt the document for your specific jurisdiction and have qualified counsel review any clauses you add before signing or distributing. Full disclaimer.