100 Useful Performance Review Comments to Choose From!

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

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

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

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

Are you conducting performance reviews manually?

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

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

Performance Review Comments Examples

1. Communication

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

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

Positive:

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

Needs improvement:

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

2. Time Management

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

Positive:

1. “Consistently meets deadlines and delivers high-quality work on time.”
2. “Effectively prioritizes tasks and manages time to ensure productivity.”
3. “Demonstrates excellent organizational skills, keeping on top of multiple projects and responsibilities.”
4. “Uses time efficiently, avoiding unnecessary distractions or procrastination.”
5. “Shows flexibility in adapting to changing priorities and deadlines.”

Needs improvement:

1. “Has difficulty managing time effectively, leading to missed deadlines or rushed work.”
2. “Struggles to prioritize tasks, sometimes working on less important projects instead of urgent ones.”
3. “Tends to procrastinate, leading to work being rushed and potentially low quality.”
4. “Could benefit from better organization and planning skills to improve productivity.”
5. “May need to work on delegating tasks to others to better manage workload.”

3. Quality of Work

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

Positive:

1. “Produces consistently high-quality work that meets or exceeds expectations.”
2. “Pays attention to detail, catching errors or issues before they become problems.”
3. “Shows pride in work, going above and beyond to ensure excellence.”
4. “Demonstrates a strong understanding of requirements and produces work that aligns with them.”
5. “Is committed to continuous improvement, regularly seeking feedback and making adjustments.”

Needs improvement:

1. “Has a hard time consistently producing work that meets expectations and may require additional support or revisions.”
2. “Has challenges in maintaining attention to detail, which can result in errors or oversights.”
3. “Has a tendency to rush work, resulting in lower quality outcomes.”
4. “Needs to take greater ownership of their work and ensure it aligns with the required standards.”
5. “Could benefit from additional training or support to enhance skills and produce higher quality work.”

4. Dependability

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

Positive:

1. “Is a reliable team member, consistently meeting commitments and delivering high-quality work.”
2. “Takes responsibility for tasks and projects, ensuring they are completed on time and to the required standard.”
3. “Brings with them a strong work ethic, putting in extra effort when required to meet team goals.”
4. “Shows initiative in taking on additional responsibilities and supporting team members.”
5. “Is committed to continuous improvement, actively seeking feedback and making adjustments.”

Needs improvement:

1. “Has trouble keeping commitments, occasionally needing more assistance or time extensions.”
2. “Has difficulty accepting responsibility for jobs or projects, occasionally blaming others for mistakes or delays.”
3. “Tends to miss deadlines or deliver work that is below the required standard.”
4. “May need to improve time management and planning skills to better meet expectations.”
5. “Could benefit from increased accountability and taking ownership of mistakes or challenges.”

5. Initiative

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

Positive:

1. “Takes initiative to identify and address challenges or opportunities without being prompted.”
2. “Shows creativity and innovation in identifying new solutions or approaches to tasks and projects.”

3. “Has the willingness to take on new challenges and responsibilities.”
4. “Is proactive in identifying and addressing potential issues before they become problems.”
5. “Seeks out opportunities to improve processes or procedures, contributing to overall team success.”

Needs improvement:

1. “Often requires a nudge to take the reins and identify opportunities for improvement.”
2. “Encounters roadblocks when it comes to brainstorming innovative solutions and thinking outside the box.”
3. “May benefit from a confidence boost to take on new challenges and responsibilities with enthusiasm.”
4. “Could leverage growth opportunities by seeking out challenges and embracing new experiences.”
5. “Needs to take a more proactive approach to identify and tackle potential issues before they escalate.”

6. Teamwork

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

Positive:

1. “Is a supportive team member, working collaboratively to achieve team goals.”
2. “Contributes positively to team dynamics, fostering a positive work environment.”
3. “Interacts effectively with team members, building strong relationships and fostering a sense of camaraderie.”
4. “Shows a willingness to help colleagues and offer support when needed.”
5. “Respects and values diverse perspectives, contributing to an inclusive and welcoming team environment.”

Needs improvement:

1. “Faces hurdles in working collaboratively with team members, at times operating in groups or generating discord.”
2. “Has some room for growth in terms of communication skills to foster stronger connections with colleagues.”
3. “Shows a tendency to prioritize individual objectives over team goals, which can hinder overall team success.”
4. “Has potential to grow by demonstrating more empathy and support towards colleagues.”
5. “Requires development in valuing diverse perspectives and creating an inclusive team environment.”

7. Leadership

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

Positive:

1. “Demonstrates strong leadership skills, inspiring and motivating team members towards success.”
2. “Shows a commitment to developing team members, providing support and opportunities for growth.”
3. “Leads by example, modeling positive behavior and work ethic for team members to follow.”
4. “Delageates tasks clearly and effectively to team members, setting clear expectations and goals.”
5. “Effectively manages conflicts and challenges, finding solutions that benefit the team as a whole.”

Needs improvement:

1. “Has a difficult time leading effectively, sometimes causing confusion or conflict among team members.”
2. “Has issues with communicating expectations or providing clear direction to team members.”
3. “Needs to improve on supporting and developing team members, leading to a lack of motivation or engagement.”
4. “Could benefit from developing stronger conflict resolution and problem-solving skills.”
5. “Needs to work on modeling positive behavior and work ethic for team members to follow.”

8. Adaptability

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

Positive:

1. “Is able to adapt quickly and effectively to changing priorities or circumstances.”
2. “Shows flexibility in approach, willing to adjust plans or strategies as needed to achieve goals.”
3. “Demonstrates resilience in the face of challenges, persevering to achieve success.”
4. “Handles uncertainty and ambiguity with ease, remaining focused and productive.”
5. “Thrives in a fast-paced environment, showing energy and enthusiasm for new opportunities.”

Needs improvement:

1. “Fails to adjust to changing conditions or priorities, resulting in missed opportunities or inefficiencies.”
2. “Can definitely use some work on being more flexible and open-minded in approach.”
3. “Can become overwhelmed by uncertainty or ambiguity, leading to decreased productivity.”
4. “Needs to improve resilience and persistence in the face of challenges or setbacks.”
5. “Could benefit from developing strategies for managing stress and pressure in a fast-paced environment.”

9. Problem-Solving

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

Positive:

1. “Demonstrates excellent problem-solving skills, able to analyze complex problems and develop effective solutions.”
2. “Approaches problems systematically and logically, using a variety of resources and tools to find solutions.”

3. “Is able to identify root causes of problems, rather than just treating symptoms.”
4. “Collaborates effectively with colleagues to find solutions to difficult problems.”
5. “Is innovative and creative in finding new solutions to problems.”

Needs improvement:

1. “Complex problem-solving can be a challenge, resulting in possible delays or inefficiencies.”
2. “Usually treats symptoms instead of investigating the underlying causes of problems.”
3. “Developing a more systematic and logical problem-solving approach could be beneficial.”
4. “Collaborative skills may need improvement to effectively work with colleagues in problem-solving.”
5. “Enhancing innovation and creativity in problem-solving is an area that requires attention.”

10. Creativity

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

Positive:

1. Displays creativity that is inspiring and has had a significant impact on the success of the project.
2. Demonstrates an ability to think outside the box and come up with innovative ideas that help the team overcome challenges and achieve goals.
3. Consistently brings fresh perspectives to the table and takes risks in order to achieve great results.
4. Applies a creative approach to problem-solving that leads to unique solutions, improving processes and saving time and resources.
5. Shows enthusiasm for exploring new ideas and experimenting with different approaches, fostering a culture of innovation within the team.

Needs improvement:

1. While technically sound, work lacks the creative flair that would make it stand out from the competition.
2. Provides solutions to problems that are often formulaic and lack originality.
3. Appears to be stuck in a rut and is not coming up with new ideas or approaches to address challenges.
4. Resists change and is unwilling to experiment with new ideas, which holds the team back.
5. Displays creativity that is limited to a particular style or medium, and does not demonstrate the ability to adapt to new situations and come up with fresh ideas.

Digitize Your Performance Reviews

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

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

Performance Review Software

A massive part of digitizing your performance reviews is to make use of performance review software. There are many incredible alternatives available to users worldwide and you’re never going to believe it… We made a list of the best of ’em! Just for you. Right here: Top 10 Performance Review Software of 2024. If you’re old-fashioned, we also have something for you: Excel Performance Review Templates.

Teamflect

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

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

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

Conducting Performance Appraisals in Microsoft Teams

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

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

Step 1: Go into Teamflect’s Reviews Module

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

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

Step 2: Choosing Your Performance Review Template

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

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

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

Step 3: Complete The Review

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

Automating Review Cycles

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

What Not to Say in Performance Reviews

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

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

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

Negative Language

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

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

Comparative Statements

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

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

Vague Feedback

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

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

Personal Criticisms

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

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

Unsubstantiated Claims

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

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

Ambiguous Praise

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

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

How to make supervisor comments and recommendations?

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

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

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

2. Do your homework first!

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

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

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

3. Focus on solutions instead of problems.

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