Microsoft Word Performance Review Templates: 10 Great Templates You NEED to See!

Microsoft Word performance review templates are some of the simplest and most commonly used employee evaluation templates out there. That is why we not only put together a list of free word performance review templates for you to download but also updated our list for the second half of 2024 in order to give you the best employee evaluation experience.

Conducting performance reviews regularly at specific intervals can help on organization not only optimize employee performance but also develop talent. Using employee review templates in during those reviews help organizations standardize their performance review process and make sure everyone is getting a fair shake.

While Word review templates still have their limitations, using a pre-formatted performance appraisal template does allow organizations to streamline their performance review process and conduct more effective and efficient employee reviews.

In this list, we will not only provide you with various different free performance review templates for Word such as 90 day review templates or annual review templates, but if you scroll down, we will also show you how you can digitize your performance reviews and automate them in order to make the most out of your reviews!

Add An AI Assistant to Your Performance Review Templates

Before you start downloading our free performance review templates for Word, did you know that you could use digital performance review templates inside Microsoft Teams and have a built-in AI review assistant help you write perfect performance review comments?

The Teamflect App built specifically for Microsoft Teams and Outlook not only comes with a massive library of customizable performance review templates that you can use inside Microsoft Teams but also includes an AI assistant inside those templates that lets you enhance your review responses. The app is free with full functionality for up to 10 users. So you can try it right away by clicking the button below. 

In short, we do believe in the helpful nature of the templates we listed below for you. That being said, we do know that there is a much better way to conduct performance reviews than using word performance review templates. Last week, we tackled Excel performance review templates. So without further ado, here are

10 Word Performance Review Templates

1. Free Word Annual Performance Review Template

The optimal performance review frequency depends on multiple different factors. That being said we recommend you conduct at least two performance reviews every year. While we have a mid-year performance review template below, this one right here is the perfect Word employee evaluation template for annual reviews. With a focus on the employee’s yearly goals, this annual review template for Microsoft Word is ready to be used!

2. Free Self-Appraisal Template for Word

Self-evaluation is one of the most important steps in the employee performance review process. Self-appraisals in performance reviews help the employee reflect on their own performance throughout the review period, fostering growth and development.

That is why this word self-appraisal review template is a great addition to any organization’s performance review practices. It has open-ended review questions that give the employee being reviewed a lot of freedom!

3. Free Mid-Year Review Word Template

As we discussed previously in the first entry, performance appraisals should be conducted at least twice a year. The halfway checkpoint for every employee is the mid-year review.Mid-year employee evaluations help leaders give feedback and evaluate employee performance and make the necessary changes.

That is why we wanted to add a free word performance review template for mid-year reviews.While there are plenty of different occasions to conduct performance appraisals, the first three performance review examples on this list should be the main anchor points of your employee review process.

4. Word Employee Evaluation Form 

With specific performance review templates such as Mid-year review template, annual review template, and self-appraisal template discussed we can move on to more general review templates. The employee evaluation form you are seeing above is a far more general Word performance evaluation template.

It aims to gain insight into an employee’s overall performance. This template accomplishes this through the use of rating questions for quantifiable data and open-ended questions for more nuanced conversations.

5. Free Performance Competency Review Template

Employee competencies play a huge role in performance reviews. That is why this Word performance appraisal template is focused on the competencies expected of each role.

The best way to take advantage of this Word performance review template is to customize it so it reflects your organization’s competency framework. This employee performance evaluation template is comprised of detailed rating questions that will let you evaluate an employee’s core competencies.

6. 90 Day Review Template for Microsoft Word

This particular performance evaluation template follows a simple structure and can be used as a 90-day performance review template. 90-day reviews are an integral part of every employee onboarding process and they ensure that the new hire and their performance aligns with organizational goals. Conducting effective 90-day reviews doesn’t just ensures your new hires feel valued but also saves the organization time and money by eliminating hires that weren’t great fits.

7. Word Performance Review Template for New Hires

This is another Word performance appraisal template that is a perfect fit for onboarding programs. A new hire’s first experiences in your organization can shape the way that new hire feels throughout their employment.

Conducting introductory performance reviews with new hires also helps organizations gauge the effectiveness of the current onboarding practices in your organization and make the necessary adjustments.

8. Goal and OKR Focused Word Performance Appraisal Template

An employee’s goals throughout the review period is one of the most important factors in evaluating that employee’s performance. For that reason, goal-related questions are a must-have for Word performance review template.

The way you use this employee evaluation template in Microsoft Word will depend heavily on which goal-setting methodology. If you’re using KPI’s, OKRs, or any other trend around goal-setting, make sure you’ve done your research before applying your ideas to these Word employee review templates.

9. Free Word Employee performance evaluation template

This Word performance evaluation template follows the SBI (Situation, Behaviour, Impact) Feedback Model rather effectively. Download this Word performance review template for free if you want to put more emphasis on specific actions employees displayed throughout the review period or during certain projects. While focusing too heavily on specifics is a double-edged sword, this performance appraisal template can certainly start the right discussion.

10. Free Peer Review Template for Microsoft Word

Peer review and peer feedback are incredibly effective performance management practices. That is why we included an employee evaluation template specifically focused on peer reviews. If customized and expanded on correctly, this word performance review template could be used to integrate 360 review questions into the performance evaluations you conduct. A relatively simple questionnaire, this Word employee review template makes peer-to-peer feedback and peer evaluations more accessible. 

The Drawbacks of Using Word Templates

Limited Customization

An extremely problematic issue with Word templates is their limited customization options. Word performance review templates can be a bit too rigid for you to tailor the template to your organization’s specific needs or preferences, leading to a generic and potentially unhelpful review process. Word templates may not offer a wide range of formatting choices, which can make it difficult to create a visually appealing and easy-to-read document.

No Way to Analyze Data

Word performance review templates do not offer any advanced features for tracking and analyzing review data. You will have to manually gather and organize the data, which can be challenging and error-prone, especially if you are dealing with a large number of reviews. At that point, is it really that much better than using printed-out performance review forms and wrestling with mountains of paperwork?

Difficult to Create

Microsoft Word performance review templates aren’t just difficult for their users. They are also very hard for the people that design them. Using a Word performance review template can be a time-consuming and tedious process, especially if you are starting from scratch. You will need to spend time creating a new document, formatting it to match your organization’s branding, and inputting the relevant information about the employee’s performance. This can take up valuable time that could be better spent on other HR tasks or activities.

A Microsoft Word performance review template may seem like the easiest way to create these documents, but they actually perpetuate outdated methods. Not only are they rigid and inflexible, but they also force you into creating a lengthy process from scratch every year—a tedious task that can be simplified by using software that works with your existing HR data.

Using Performance Review Software

Performance review software such as Teamflect are powerful tools that can greatly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your performance review process no matter the size of your organization. Here are some of the key benefits of using performance review software:

Customizable templates

Performance review software typically comes with a range of customizable templates that allow you to tailor the review process to your organization’s specific needs and preferences. This means you don’t have to spend time creating and formatting a review document from scratch, as you would with a Word template. Teamflect’s performance review template gallery offers an extensive library of highly customizable templates for almost every situation!

Real-time tracking

Performance review software enables you to track the progress of the review process in real time, making it easier to stay on schedule and avoid delays. You can also set reminders and notifications to ensure that all parties involved in the review process are kept informed and up-to-date.

If the performance review software of your choice has strong integrations into communication tools, such as the integration between Teamflect and Microsoft Teams, you can make continuous feedback an essential part of your day-to-day operations.

Data analytics

One of the major benefits of performance review software is its ability to provide insights and data analytics on employee performance. You can easily view and analyze data on factors such as employee productivity, goals achieved, and areas for improvement, helping you to make informed decisions about employee development and training.

Self-assessment and 360-degree Feedback

Top-of-the-line performance review software such as Teamflect includes self-assessment and 360-degree feedback tools, which enable employees to reflect on their own performance and receive feedback from multiple sources, including their managers, peers, and even customers. This results in a more rounded view of an employee’s performance and identifies areas for improvement.