Why do supervisors dread writing performance reviews? Often seen as a necessary but difficult part of the organizational landscape, performance reviews are pivotal to employee growth and organizational success. These discussions and their accompanying documentation are far more than a formality — they are an opportunity to inspire and empower your teams. Focusing on engagement and motivation in the written portion can unlock your employees’ potential and create an experience you and they enjoy more.

The Significance of Focusing on Engagement and Motivation in Written Reviews

Situated at a crossroads where the past and future meet, performance reviews provide an occasion to reflect on past accomplishments and chart a course toward future goals and professional growth. They’re a unique opportunity to catalyze organizational success by focusing on engagement (an employee’s commitment to their work and organization) and motivation (the driving force behind employee behavior and effort). Priming the pump of engagement and motivation in a performance review’s written document opens the floodgate to fully interactive performance review conversations.

Here’s why this is significant:

• Improved employee performance: Writing reviews that are both constructive and encouraging engenders better performance reviews. This, in turn, leads to increased performance and productivity. Motivated employees are driven to excel, and engaged employees are more invested in their organization’s success.
• Enhanced employee engagement and retention: When employees feel valued and recognized for their contributions, they are more likely to feel connected to their work and the organization. This leads to improved retention rates, as employees are more likely to stay in a company that invests in their growth and development.
• Strengthened feedback culture: Focusing on the art of constructive feedback and positive language fosters a culture of open, transparent communication and continuous improvement within an organization. Managers and employees who understand how to deliver written feedback effectively create a safe and supportive environment for ongoing discussions about performance and development.
• Enhanced leadership skills: Learning to write inspiring performance reviews can also develop leadership abilities. By understanding the impact of feedback and recognition on employee motivation, leaders can better guide their teams, improve team dynamics and cultivate a positive work culture.
• Increased professional development: Crafting meaningful written performance reviews that include specific performance and professional development goals drives employees’ personal growth. When employees see a clear path for their development within the organization, they are more likely to be proactive in enhancing their skills and capabilities.
• Adoption of performance management technology: Leveraging technology for performance excellence drives organizations to adopt performance management software and data analytics tools. These technologies can streamline the review process, provide valuable insights and facilitate continuous feedback and coaching throughout a year-long cycle.
• Alignment with L&D initiatives: Empowering performance excellence aligns well with learning and development initiatives. Organizations may integrate performance reviews into broader training programs, emphasizing the importance of feedback and coaching as integral components of employee growth.
• Positive organizational impact: Ultimately, a well-structured performance review process that inspires and drives results has a positive impact on the overall organizational culture. Employees who feel motivated, supported and valued are more likely to be committed to the organization’s success and contribute to its growth and profitability.

Crafting engaging and motivating performance reviews is pivotal to the success of your organization. Let’s delve into how to write them.

The Two-Fold Experience of the Written Performance Review

Performance reviews are not just an annual meeting between a manager and an employee. They contain two interconnected aspects: self-assessment of the past and planning for growth in the future.

• Self-assessment (looking at the past): For some, the only focus of a performance review is to look at the past and tally accomplishments and struggles. This is only half the game. To create a holistic view, engage in both individual self-reflection and a manager-driven review of the past.
• Planning for growth (look to the future): What is most critical in performance reviews is to sow the seeds of the future in the written document. While noting past accomplishments and obstacles is important, what is more critical is to help set goals and landmarks for growth and future success.

Understanding this two-fold experience is crucial. A review only recounting the past 12 months is two-dimensional if it doesn’t also tee up opportunities for gains and successes in the future.

Employee Expectations in Performance Reviews

Understanding what employees expect from the performance review process is essential to creating an engaging and motivating experience. Here are some common employee expectations:

• Feedback and recognition: Employees want both positive feedback and guidance on their performance. They also desire recognition for their achievements and getting it can boost motivation.
• SMART goal setting: SMART goals have been an integral part of performance reviews for 40-plus years because they are comprehensive and detailed, allowing employees and employers to set clear and achievable performance goals. This not only gives them direction but also motivates them to strive for improvement.
• Upskilling: Many employees seek opportunities for professional growth and development. They appreciate a performance review that includes information about their career path within the organization.

Having established the importance of engagement and motivation in performance reviews and gained a clear understanding of the review process and employee expectations, let’s explore how to write reviews that engage and motivate.

4 Keys to Writing Reviews that Engage and Motivate

Be Comprehensive

An engaging and motivating performance review is a detailed one. It should provide a comprehensive overview of an employee’s performance throughout the review period. Avoid recency bias! Include specific examples of their achievements, contributions and areas for improvement. A comprehensive written review provides enough detail to be actionable while also building a solid foundation for the forthcoming discussion.

Be Specific

Generalizations in performance reviews do more harm than good. Be specific in your feedback and comments. Instead of saying, “You did a good job on the project,” say, “Your attention to detail and creative problem-solving in the XYZ project led to a 15% increase in customer satisfaction, and your initiative to streamline the process saved the team 20 hours per week.” Specific feedback reinforces the employee’s actions and highlights their value to the organization. It also shows you have been paying attention!

Keep It Positive

While it’s essential to address areas for improvement, it’s equally important to highlight the positive aspects of an employee’s performance. Celebrate their achievements and acknowledge their hard work. Positivity breeds motivation and a sense of accomplishment. A review that focuses solely on obstacles and shortcomings is demoralizing.

Check Your Language

The language you use in a performance review influences its impact. Avoid overly critical or harsh language. Instead, opt for constructive and supportive language. Use phrases like “growth opportunities” instead of “weaknesses,” and substitute ones like “you need to improve” with “here’s how you can develop further.” Include action verbs like “solve,” “advocate” and “listen” so you are being specific about the behaviors and actions you want to see. Similarly, avoid using “always and never” because such absolutes are rarely true.

Writing performance reviews that engage and motivate is a critical skill for people leaders to build and enhance to ensure elevated levels of satisfaction and engagement in their teams. These summative written documents serve as platforms to springboard growth-oriented performance review discussions as part of the overall performance management process. By focusing on engagement and motivation in the written portion of performance reviews, you will have set your team up for success into the next year.

Conclusion

Performance reviews serve a vital role in employee retention and organizational success, but few managers (and perhaps even fewer employees) look forward to them as the opportunities they are. By embracing the dual reflective and forward-looking nature of reviews, employee expectations and four keys to crafting written reviews, you will set the stage for developmental conversations that increase employee engagement and motivation and unlock your team’s potential.