Performance Review Guidelines
Crafting Comprehensive Performance Review Guidelines
This prompt helps HR teams create performance review guidelines that are structured, fair, and actionable. It focuses on providing clear evaluation criteria, feedback processes, and goal-setting strategies to enhance employee development.
Responsible:
HR/Recruiting
Accountable, Informed or Consulted:
HR, Leadership
THE PREP
Creating effective prompts involves tailoring them with detailed, relevant information and uploading documents that provide the best context. Prompts act as a framework to guide the response, but specificity and customization ensure the most accurate and helpful results. Use these prep tips to get the most out of this prompt:
Define company-wide performance goals and align them with individual roles.
Collaborate with managers to identify role-specific KPIs and key behaviors.
Prepare standardized templates or tools for consistent documentation and tracking.
THE PROMPT
Help create detailed performance review guidelines for [specific software startup] to ensure fair and constructive evaluations. Focus on:
Evaluation Criteria: Recommending structured criteria, such as, ‘Define key performance indicators (KPIs) by role, including technical skills, collaboration, and contributions to team goals.’
Feedback Framework: Suggesting strategies for delivering feedback, like, ‘Use the [specific framework, e.g., Start-Stop-Continue or SBI (Situation-Behavior-Impact)] method to provide clear and actionable feedback.’
Goal-Setting Process: Including steps for alignment, such as, ‘Encourage managers and employees to set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals for the next review cycle.’
Frequency and Format: Proposing review schedules, like, ‘Conduct performance reviews quarterly or biannually, supplemented by regular one-on-one check-ins.’
Documentation and Follow-Up: Recommending tracking methods, such as, ‘Document review discussions and action plans using standardized templates, and schedule follow-ups to monitor progress.’
Provide a structured set of performance review guidelines that fosters employee growth, aligns with company objectives, and ensures consistency across teams. If additional details about team dynamics or organizational priorities are needed, ask clarifying questions to refine the guidelines.
Bonus Add-On Prompts
Propose strategies for incorporating 360-degree feedback into performance reviews.
Suggest methods for tailoring review criteria to align with department-specific goals.
Highlight techniques for using performance reviews to identify high-potential employees for leadership roles.
Use AI responsibly by verifying its outputs, as it may occasionally generate inaccurate or incomplete information. Treat AI as a tool to support your decision-making, ensuring human oversight and professional judgment for critical or sensitive use cases.
SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE
Focus on performance reviews for specific levels, like entry-level versus senior roles.
Include tips for integrating peer feedback into the review process.
Propose ways to emphasize career development in reviews for long-term retention.
Highlight tools like Lattice or BambooHR for managing performance reviews.
Add suggestions for including self-assessment as part of the review process.
WHEN TO USE
To standardize performance evaluations across departments and roles.
During the implementation or update of performance review processes.
When aiming to improve employee engagement and development through structured feedback.
WHEN NOT TO USE
For informal check-ins or discussions unrelated to formal performance evaluations.
If organizational goals and role expectations are not clearly defined.