13 Performance Review Tips That Actually Improve Performance

Employee performance reviews are crucial for both individual growth and business success. When you have remote employees, though, performance reviews become even more significant: according to a study by Gallup, more than 60% of remote employees are more engaged when they receive regular feedback.

Gone are the days of yearly reviews where employees spend months wondering if their supervisor is happy with them. When done right, performance reviews not only highlight areas for improvement — they also acknowledge achievements.

But conducting effective reviews isn’t always intuitive. What should you say? What shouldn’t you say? What obstacles does a remote work environment bring to the review process?

We’ve got you covered. In this article, we’ll share 13 valuable performance review tips for employees that help them improve.

What Are Performance Reviews?

A performance review is a meeting where a supervisor assesses a report’s job performance. It usually occurs once a year or every six months, but some companies might do a review meeting every 90 days.

The goal is to recognize their strengths and areas for development. Performance reviews also establish objectives and provide feedback on accomplishments and obstacles. They ensure that employees’ efforts support the company’s mission and goals — but they can also influence promotions, salary increases, and training opportunities.

What Are The Benefits Of Performance Reviews?

When executed thoughtfully, performance reviews offer tons of benefits. Employees learn valuable insights about their strengths, and these evaluations can boost morale by highlighting successes and charting a clear path for future growth.

In remote teams, reviews facilitate better communication and nurture trust, and cultivate a sense of connection despite geographical barriers. For example, praising an employee’s dedication to completing a complex project can bolster their confidence. On the other hand, pointing out areas for improvement enables them to concentrate on refining skills or behaviors that can elevate their performance levels.

What about benefits for you, as a manager or employer? Performance reviews provide a platform to discuss expectations, accomplishments, and barriers to growth. And if you’re not sure where to begin, check out our performance review meeting template. It has everything you need to be prepared for your next review meeting.

Common Mistakes In Employee Performance Reviews

Some of the missteps managers take when conducting performance reviews can include:

• Focusing excessively on the negatives.
• Being unprepared.
• Neglecting to give actionable feedback.
• Offering vague feedback.
• Only doing a review once or twice a year.

Some of these mistakes are even more pronounced in remote companies. Why? Remote companies face some unique challenges when doing performance reviews:

• Managers often lose track of the big picture for remote employees.
• Standardizing the review process can be overwhelming and time-consuming.
• Employees can feel out of the loop with office conversations and distant from day-to-day feedback.

When these mistakes happen, what could have been an opportunity for inspiration and motivation becomes demotivating. For instance, if you only point out missed deadlines without celebrating the successful completion of other tasks, the employee might feel unappreciated.

The tips we’ve collected below provide solid, actionable advice that you can offer employees during a review. They’ll help your reports improve their performance and help you avoid pitfalls common to remote reviews.

13 Performance Review Tips That Actually Improve Performance

As a supervisor, you can recommend these tips to your employees to work on between reviews. Use them in your conversations to support their growth and enhance their performance.

Tip 1: Establish Clear Objectives

Defining clear and measurable goals is fundamental for conducting effective performance evaluations. According to Minesh J. Patel of The Patel Firm PLLC, “If your team members don’t know what they are supposed to accomplish, evaluating their progress is impossible.”

To help your employees define objectives, encourage them to create SMART goals. This means objectives should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. When employees use this template, they have a clear roadmap. Expectations are obvious, and it will be evident at the next review whether or not they have accomplished their goals.

For instance, rather than simply mentioning “improve communication skills,” set a goal such as “participate in a communication skills workshop and implement the learned techniques in team meetings within the next three months.” This particular goal has a specific expectation and includes a timeframe and method for achieving it.

In addition, it’s important to review and adjust these goals regularly to keep them relevant and attainable. Some companies find 90-day goals more achievable than bi-annual or yearly goals.

Tip 2: Prioritize Tasks Appropriately

Helping employees focus on the right tasks is key to maximizing productivity. Hopefully, employees can identify this on their own — but don’t assume they all can. Ask them if this is an area where they need help. If so, assist them in identifying high-priority tasks and focusing on completing these first.

There are several techniques to help your staff in this process. You can suggest a priority matrix or setting daily “top three” tasks. You might also introduce the Eisenhower Matrix to an employee, which divides tasks into four quadrants based on urgency and importance.

By tackling the most crucial and time-sensitive tasks first, employees can ensure they are contributing towards the company’s primary goals and making a significant impact. This boosts productivity and assists employees in better managing their time and resources.

Tip 3: Seek Feedback From Peers

Getting feedback from a superior can be intimidating. It’s not as difficult to get feedback from peers, so encourage your reports to actively seek informal feedback from colleagues they work with — and some they don’t. This can be as simple as encouraging your reports to ask, “How am I doing on this task?” as they work on a project with peers.

This informal “review” process assists employees in understanding how others perceive them. It also pinpoints specific steps they can take to actually improve their performance. This will build a work culture of transparency and development, where continuous progress is appreciated and encouraged.

Getting this informal feedback peers will help make the most of 360-degree feedback reviews, which is a more formalized version of peer feedback. If your employees are asking for feedback constantly, they won’t be shocked when they get formal feedback from peers on a 360 review.

Tip 4: Develop Your Strengths

Your employees deserve to develop their skills and stay updated in their respective fields, so suggest relevant training opportunities or professional development activities. This may involve online courses, workshops, certifications, or participation in industry events.

Uniqode SEO Specialist Soham Khatri knows employees’ strengths drive company-wide success. “We focus on targeted professional development to refine each team member’s core competencies,” Khatri said. “We tailor our feedback and development programs to individual strengths. That means every employee grows in their specific area of expertise.”

Offering access to such resources showcases the company’s dedication to employee growth. Employees then get the essential skills needed to excel in their roles and make meaningful contributions to the company. It’s a win-win for everyone.

Tip 5: Manage Your Time Wisely

Time management is not something we’re all born with (unfortunately!), but it’s essential for improved performance. Time management can also be more difficult for remote workers who are at home full-time. With kids to transport, laundry to do, or a dog to walk, there’s always something else besides work.

Thankfully, time management can be learned — and you can help your team.

Share strategies like time blocking, the Pomodoro technique, or using productivity apps to help employees better manage their time. Time blocking involves setting aside specific blocks of time for different tasks, which can assist employees in staying focused and organized.

The Pomodoro technique can be especially helpful, as it involves working in short, concentrated intervals (usually 25 minutes). A brief break follows the interval. Repeat this cycle 3-5 times and then take a 30-minute break.

Mastering time management skills will boost productivity so employees can reach their goals more effectively.

Tip 6: Keep Your Workflow Organized

Being organized is a game-changer for performance, and a tidy workspace helps reduce distractions and enables employees to concentrate more easily.

For remote workers, this is doubly important. It’s imperative to have a dedicated workspace, preferably away from the kitchen or common areas where family or roommates will spend time.

Then there’s workflow organization. Your company probably has tools to communicate, share, and organize everything. Does your remote report know how to use them? Don’t take that for granted.

Digital tools such as Trello, Slack, Asana, or other software assist workers in managing their daily tasks and deadlines. They’re also great for collaboration, particularly for teams working remotely. By staying well organized, employees can handle their workload more efficiently, reducing stress levels and enhancing performance.

Tip 7: Master Your Communication

Clear and concise communication is crucial for avoiding misunderstandings, especially for remote teams. Without in-person interaction, it’s difficult to read the room during video meetings. Team members may miss important non-verbal cues, both positive and negative, when they aren’t physically present with each other.

Stress the significance of both written and verbal communication to your team. Encourage team members to practice active listening by fully engaging with what is being communicated, comprehending it, responding appropriately, and retaining the information.

You can give this tip during a performance evaluation meeting or a regular one-on-one. But avoid vague suggestions. Instead, offer specific guidance like “use bullet points for clarity” or “summarize key points at the outset of the email.” If you’re coaching them on verbal communication, rather than saying, “Make eye contact,” say, “Make sure you’re looking at the camera during important moments in your Zoom presentations.”

Tip 8: Be Proactive, Not Reactive

As a supervisor, you want employees who solve problems. During performance review conversations, encourage them to take initiative, look for potential barriers, and propose solutions. This prevents issues from escalating.

When an employee spots a possible bottleneck in a project, it’s good to encourage them to suggest a solution early on to prevent it from becoming a major issue. Taking proactive steps gets them into the practice of problem-solving and helps you nurture a culture of innovation and ongoing improvement within the company.

Tip 9: Watch Your Work-Life Balance

Maintaining a proper work-life balance allows employees to avoid burnout and maintain consistent performance levels — so over-emphasize this if you have to! Encourage your people to establish clear boundaries between their professional and personal lives. This equilibrium is especially vital in remote work setups where the lines between work and home life can blur.

For instance, suggest they take regular breaks, set specific working hours, and avoid taking on too many tasks. A well-balanced workload ensures that employees stay productive and engaged while protecting their well-being. Managers can also support this by periodically checking in on their team’s workload and offering assistance when needed.

Tip 10: Collaborate with Your Teammates

If your employees want to be great at their jobs, they will need other people to help them.

Remind your staff that collaboration enhances productivity. Remote work can sometimes lead to isolation, so it’s important to create opportunities for team members to work together. Remote collaboration can take many forms, such as team members discussing an assignment through messaging platforms like Slack or coordinating tasks via email. Regular virtual meetings also provide opportunities for brainstorming and problem-solving together.

For example, if you are on the social media team and you need to curate a photo dump for Instagram, there are going to be multiple moving parts and people required to get to that end goal — a graphic designer, your social media manager, a copywriter, or a content marketing manager.

Getting everyone on the same page is the key to not wasting time and getting the best possible outcome.

Promoting a collaborative environment not only boosts morale but also leads to better problem-solving and a more cohesive team dynamic. You’ll help employees feel more connected and engaged, ultimately driving better performance and job satisfaction.

Tip 11: Foster A Growth Mindset

When challenges arise for your employees, tell them that challenges present growth opportunities. Emphasize that persistence and effort can lead to improvement. By promoting a growth mindset, you encourage them to view setbacks as learning experiences rather than failures. Discuss specific strategies for cultivating this mindset, such as embracing challenges, learning from feedback, and drawing motivation from others’ success stories.

For instance, during performance evaluations, highlight incidents where employees successfully overcame obstacles…or discuss when the opposite happened, and things didn’t go well. Reinforcing the value of a growth mindset fosters resilience and continuous development.

Tip 12: Learn To Handle Stress Responsibly

Work is difficult and everyone deals with stress differently. Sometimes handling stress remotely can be even more difficult because employees are physically isolated from the team and can’t just walk down the hall to another office to vent.

But managing stress effectively is essential to mental well-being and productivity in the workplace. Some techniques you can share with your reports are:

• Mindfulness practices.
• Deep breathing exercises.
• Taking regular breaks.
• Engaging in physical activity.
• Regularly organize your workspace.
• Taking regular vacations.
• Turning off notifications on your phone.
• Avoiding work email at night and on the weekends.

We could go on and on, but you get the idea.

Tip 13: Celebrate Victories

Celebrating accomplishments, big or small, is no small thing in reinforcing positive behavior. Recognize individual and team successes to uplift spirits and nurture a positive work environment. In a remote setup, this can be achieved through virtual shout-outs, recognition platforms, or small gestures of gratitude.

Celebrating victories not only boosts motivation but also reinforces the behaviors that lead to success. It cultivates a sense of unity and gratitude within the company.

It’s one thing to celebrate an employee’s achievements during a performance review meeting. Take it to the next level and give them a shout-out during a team meeting. Make team celebration a part of your culture with tools like Bonusly, Kudos, or similar apps — they’re great for peer-to-peer acknowledgment and commending achievements within the team.

Performance Review FAQs

Q: How often should reviews be done?
A: Annual reviews are common. Quarterly or bi-annual reviews can be more timely and allow for more adjustments. Some companies even opt for 90-day reviews.

Q: How can remote teams make reviews more relational?

A: Use video conferencing tools and ensure each person’s environment is comfortable and distraction-free. If your budget allows, try to arrange an in-person meeting at least once per year (and include some non-work-related elements).

Q: What should be in an employee performance review?
A: A full review should include self-assessment, manager feedback, goal setting, and action plans. It should cover both achievements and areas for improvement. Need some help? Get our free performance review template.

Q: How can managers give feedback?
A: Managers can give feedback by using specific examples, not vague suggestions. Also, make sure to focus on work behavior, not the personality of the employee.

Q: How can continuous training help with reviews?
A: Continuous training allows employees to develop their skills and stay up-to-date with industry trends. This leads to better performance and helps grow the business, too.

Q: Why review an employee’s achievements with them?
A: To boost morale and reinforce good behavior. If they’ve done a good job, celebrate them! They deserve it.

Wrapping It Up

Conducting effective performance evaluations is a non-negotiable for a manager. They boost employee performance and productivity — and for remote staff, reviews can increase motivation and connection. By incorporating these 13 tips, managers can conduct reviews that don’t just assess performance but improve it.