During a performance review, an employee meets with their supervisor to discuss their job performance, goals, and areas for improvement. The supervisor provides feedback and sets expectations for the upcoming review period.

Taking notes during a performance review can help the employee remember key points discussed, track progress on goals, and refer back to feedback for self-improvement. After the review, the notes may be used to create a development plan, set new goals, or inform future performance discussions.

Good performance review notes are specific, objective, and focused on behaviors and outcomes rather than personal traits or opinions. It is important to be prepared with examples and evidence to support your feedback.

1. Understand the criteria being evaluated – Make sure you are familiar with the specific goals, objectives, and competencies that are being assessed in the performance review.

2. Listen actively – Pay close attention to the feedback and comments provided by the reviewer, and capture key points accurately.

3. Use a structured format – Organize your notes in a clear manner, such as using bullet points or a table to highlight key strengths, areas for improvement, and action items.

4. Be objective – Avoid injecting personal biases or opinions into your notes. Focus on capturing factual information and observations.

5. Follow up – After the performance review, review your notes with the employee to ensure accuracy and discuss any action items or next steps.

Performance review notes: Key items

• Goals and Objectives – Document the employee's progress toward achieving their goals and objectives from the previous review. This helps track development and growth.

• Strengths and Accomplishments – Recognizing contributions helps motivate employees and serves as a reference point for future evaluations.

• Areas for Improvement – Identifying specific areas for growth ensures that feedback is actionable and targeted.

• Training and Development Needs – Outlining necessary training helps create a personalized development plan and shows the organization’s commitment to employee growth.

• Feedback from Peers and Supervisors – Recording feedback from multiple sources provides a well-rounded view of performance.

• Performance Metrics and KPIs – Tracking measurable outcomes supports data-driven assessments.

• Career Aspirations – Aligning personal goals with organizational objectives aids in succession planning and talent development.

• Action Items and Next Steps – Listing action items ensures clarity on what needs to be done, by whom, and within what timeframe.

Common mistakes in taking performance review notes (and how to avoid them)

• Focusing only on negatives – Highlight both strengths and areas for improvement.

• Using vague language – Be specific to ensure employees understand expectations.

• Not providing examples – Use concrete examples to clarify feedback.

• Being too subjective – Base notes on objective criteria and measurable outcomes.

• Not setting clear goals – Ensure employees have a defined path for progress.

Avoid these mistakes:

• Automatically generate balanced feedback highlighting strengths and areas for improvement.

• Use AI-powered language processing to ensure clarity in review notes.

• Include specific examples and data points to provide context.

• Utilize objective criteria and data-driven insights for fairness.

• Set clear action items and goals to guide employees’ growth.

How do we make sure follow ups for my performance review actually happen?

After a performance review, follow-ups may include setting specific goals, scheduling check-ins to monitor progress, and providing additional training or resources for development. Recognizing strengths and successes encourages continued high performance.

Here are some examples of what you can use Circleback to automate:

• Automatically send meeting notes and action items after a performance review.

• Integrate with Zapier to update HR systems with feedback and action items.

• Send insights to a private Slack channel for HR review.

• Update Notion with key takeaways for easy tracking.

• Automatically update Salesforce with performance improvement plans or goals.