How to Run a Performance Review When You’ve Never Done One
Updated October 2026
General HR information, not legal advice. Laws vary by state. See our Disclaimer.
Your first performance review can feel high-stakes. You want to be fair and honest without damaging the relationship, and you know that what you write may be read again later, sometimes by people outside the company.
This guide shows you how to conduct a performance review from start to finish: how to prepare, what to write, how to run the conversation, and what to avoid. It works whether you’re the manager giving the review or the HR person setting up the process.
The short answer: Gather examples from the whole review period, write about specific results and behaviors rather than personality, hold a two-way conversation, agree on goals, and document what you discussed. There should be no surprises.
Table of Contents
Before the Performance Review: Prepare
Two to three weeks before:
- Pick a simple format. If you don’t have one, three questions work: What went well? What needs to improve? What are the goals for the next period? A rating scale is optional.
- Look back at the whole review period, not just the last month. Check goals, past one-on-one notes, project results and feedback from others. Reviews weighted toward the most recent weeks are one of the most common sources of unfairness.
- Ask the employee for a self-review using the same questions. It surfaces work you may not have seen and starts the conversation on equal footing.
- Use the same standards you use for everyone else in the same role.
One week before: schedule 45 to 60 minutes somewhere private, and send the employee the agenda.
Writing the Performance Review
Good reviews are specific, balanced and about the work.
Do:
- Use concrete examples: “Closed 14 support tickets per day on average, above the team target of 10.”
- Describe behavior and results, not personality: “Missed three of five project deadlines in Q2,” not “seems unmotivated.”
- Balance strengths and areas to improve.
- Connect feedback to the job’s actual expectations.
Don’t:
- Mention protected characteristics or anything close to them: age (“young and energetic,” “slowing down”), family or pregnancy, health, religion or national origin.
- Count protected leave against the employee. Department of Labor regulations prohibit using FMLA leave as a negative factor, and penalizing time off taken as an ADA or PWFA accommodation can create risk too. If you need a refresher, see How to Handle an Employee’s Leave Request, Step by Step.
- Reference complaints the employee has made, such as about harassment, pay or safety. Punishing someone for raising concerns can be retaliation.
- Inflate ratings to avoid a hard conversation. A glowing review followed by a termination is a pattern that’s hard to explain later.
If an employee has a disability, the EEOC’s guidance on applying performance standards to employees with disabilities explains that you can generally hold them to the same standards as others, while considering any reasonable accommodations they need to meet them.
Running the Performance Review Conversation
A simple flow for a 45- to 60-minute meeting:
- Open (5 minutes): explain the purpose and the agenda. Set a constructive tone.
- Their view first (10 minutes): ask how they think the period went. Listen.
- Strengths (10 minutes): share specific examples of what went well.
- Areas to improve (10–15 minutes): be direct and specific, and explain why it matters. Ask what would help.
- Goals (10 minutes): agree on two to four goals for the next period, with measures and dates.
- Close (5 minutes): summarize, ask for questions, and explain the next steps.
Tips:
- Ask more questions than you answer.
- If the employee gets upset, pause. You can finish another day.
- Don’t promise a raise or promotion unless it’s already approved.
After the Review: Document and Follow Up
- Finalize the written review, and add a note on what was discussed and the goals you agreed on.
- Ask the employee to sign it. Explain that signing confirms they received it, not that they agree. Let them add written comments.
- Store it in the personnel file, and follow your normal process for pay decisions tied to reviews.
- Follow up in regular one-on-ones, not just at next year’s review.
If performance problems are serious, the review shouldn’t be the first time the employee hears about them. Address problems as they happen, and talk with HR about a written improvement plan if needed.
Performance Review Timeline at a Glance
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 2–3 weeks before | Choose the format, gather examples from the full period, request a self-review |
| 1 week before | Draft the review, schedule a private 45–60 minute meeting, send the agenda |
| Day of | Hold the conversation: their view, strengths, areas to improve, goals |
| Within 1 week after | Finalize the review, get the signature, file it, set check-ins |
Phrases to Use and Avoid
| Instead of | Try |
|---|---|
| “You have a bad attitude.” | “In three team meetings this quarter, you interrupted coworkers before they finished.” |
| “You’re not a team player.” | “Two coworkers waited a week for your project inputs in June.” |
| “Great job this year!” | “You cut the invoice backlog from 60 days to 20, which helped cash flow.” |
| “You’ve been out a lot.” (when leave is protected) | Leave protected absences out of the review entirely. |
Common First Performance Review Mistakes
- Surprises. Nothing in the review should be news.
- Recency bias. Judging the whole year by the last month.
- Vague feedback that the employee can’t act on.
- Uneven standards across employees in the same role.
- No follow-up until next year.
Make reviews easier every cycle. The HR Binder’s Performance Review Toolkit is coming soon, with a review form, self-review questions, a conversation guide and a goal-setting worksheet. See what’s coming in Toolkits →
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should a performance review meeting last?
Plan for 45 to 60 minutes. That’s enough time for the employee’s view, specific feedback in both directions and agreeing on goals, without rushing.
Should employees complete a self-review?
It’s a good practice. A self-review shows you work you may have missed, shows how the employee sees their performance, and makes the conversation more balanced.
What should you not say in a performance review?
Avoid comments about age, family, pregnancy, health, religion, national origin or other protected characteristics. Avoid treating protected leave as a negative, and don’t mention complaints the employee has raised. Stick to specific results and behaviors.
Does an employee have to sign their performance review?
Many employers ask for a signature to confirm the employee received the review. Explain that signing doesn’t mean they agree, and let them add written comments. Check your own policies and any state rules on employee access to personnel files.
What if the employee disagrees with the review?
Listen, ask for specifics, and check whether there’s information you missed. If you still disagree, let them add written comments to the review, and keep the conversation focused on the goals ahead.
How often should performance reviews happen?
Many employers do an annual or twice-yearly formal review, with regular one-on-ones in between. For new hires, a 90-day check-in is common.
Bottom line: A good first performance review is prepared, specific and fair. Look at the whole period, write about results and behavior, hold a real two-way conversation, and follow up afterward. When feedback happens all year, the review itself becomes the easy part.
Worth keeping? Print this guide or save it as a PDF for your HR binder.
Related Articles
- How to Plan a New Hire’s First Week
- How to Handle an Employee’s Leave Request, Step by Step
- What to Do in the First 48 Hours After a Workplace Complaint
- How to Update Your Employee Handbook Without Starting Over
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Disclaimer
This guide provides general HR information for educational purposes only. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client or other professional relationship. Employment laws vary by state and locality, so review your situation with an employment attorney or your state agency before acting. See our Disclaimer and Terms of Use.