Performance Review Questions

Two to three months prior to performance review seasons, managers and HR teams start thinking about how they can best survive this upcoming cycle. It can be a very stressful time for everyone involved.

We often get asked the question “what are the best performance review questions?“. We have compiled our top favorites below as well as included a few external links. We have segmented them into three parts. Enjoy!

• Questions for employees evaluating peers or direct reports
• Questions for employees evaluating their managers
• Questions for employees evaluating themselves

Side note 1) Try to keep the number of questions below 10. Higher the number of questions, lower the quality of answers typically, especially as the size of your organization grows.

Side note 2) If your organization has a clearly outlined list of values and competencies/skills that employees should practice, I would attach it to the review so that they can reference them in their answers.

Questions for Employees Evaluating Peers or Direct Reports

1. Do their behaviors and mindsets reflect the culture and values of the organization? Why or why not?
2. How did they measure up to their goals for this review cycle?
3. What enabled them to achieve their goals? Or what stopped them from achieving their goals?
4. What are their biggest strengths? Give examples of when they demonstrated these strengths.
5. How can they leverage these strengths to the fullest?
6. What are their biggest areas of development? Give examples of why you think so.
7. How can they improve in these areas? What are tactical steps that they can take?
8. How would you or your team be affected if they left the organization?
9. How likely are you to recommend them to another team?
10. What would you need to see before promoting them? How prepared are they for the next step in their career?
11. Who can you introduce to them to foster their development?

Questions for Employees Evaluating Their Managers (Upward Review)

1. Do their behaviors and mindsets reflect the culture and values of the organization? Why or why not?
2. What are their biggest strengths? Give examples of when they demonstrated these strengths.
3. How can they leverage these strengths to the fullest?
4. What are their biggest areas of development? Give examples of why you think so.
5. How can they improve in these areas? What are tactical steps that they can take?
6. How likely are you to recommend them to another team?
7. How effective are they in coaching you to excel? What can they do better?
8. How often did you receive feedback and/or recognition from them? What can they do better?
9. What is the one thing you would change about them? Why?

Questions for Employees Evaluating Themselves (Self Review)

1. What were your goals for this review cycle? These can be Objectives/KPIs or competencies/skills you wanted to work on
2. Did you successfully achieve your goals? Why or why not?
3. What were your biggest learning since the last review?
4. What motivates you to excel? How can the organization make your work more enjoyable?
5. What are your biggest strengths? Give examples of when you have demonstrated these strengths.
6. What can your manager and/or colleagues do to help you leverage these strengths to the fullest?
7. What are your biggest areas of development? How do you plan on working on them?
8. What can your manager and/or colleagues do to help you improve in these areas?
9. What are your goals for the next review cycle? What do you need in order to succeed?
10. What are your professional aspirations/where do you see yourself in five years? What do you need in order to achieve these aspirations?
11. What is the one thing you would change about our organization, your team, and/or your role? Why?

Additional links:

• Pavestep – Questions to Ask Your Remote Employees
• Pavestep – 100+ Questions for Your Next Performance Review
• HelpJuice – Employee Evaluation Forms
• Medium – Fabulous & Free Employee Performance Review Templates
• SHRM – Performance Appraisal Form (including supervisory skills)
• Medium – The Best Questions to Ask at Your Performance Review
• Project Manager – The 10 Best Performance Review Questions