Best Communication Phrases for Performance Reviews (2022)

Giving and receiving feedback is an essential part of any workplace. Performance reviews are a time to give employees feedback on their work and discuss ways to improve in the future. To make these reviews as effective as possible, it is essential to use communication phrases that will encourage open communication.

This blog post will provide the best communication phrases for performance reviews in different situations and a list of things to avoid. Let’s get started!

Areas to focus on during performance reviews

There are a few things to keep in mind regarding employee performance evaluations.

• Be Positive And Honest

There is no doubt that being as positive as you possibly can is essential; however, being honest is also vital.

There are times when an employee is not performing as expected in a particular aspect of their job, and in those cases, you are right to tell them so. However, be constructive and tell them precisely what they need to do to improve. Ensure that the balance between the positives and negatives is good so that the positives don’t overwhelm the negatives.

• Two-way Communication

A performance review allows you to hear about all the employees’ views on how things are going on the ground.

To engage employees, it’s essential that their opinions matter and that they feel listened to. Using this method, you will be able to demonstrate that, and in the process, you may also stumble upon a new insight or valuable new idea that you had not considered before.

• Set Specific Achievable Goals

You need to set specific, realistic, and attainable goals for your employees to motivate them. Conversely, it is counterproductive to set vague or unattainable goals.

Also, explain to the employee how the organization in general and you as their manager can assist them with their career and personal development.

This is a great way to demonstrate that you are invested in the success of your employees, as this is another crucial reason employees become more engaged with their employers. For example, this kind of goal could be tracked and achieved through your employee intranet.

Related: Engagement Program for Employees

Top communication phrases for performance reviews

Here are some best phrases for performance reviews that you can use.

→ Communicating effectively in the workplace

Verbal communication is often overlooked when it comes to employee performance reviews. Yet, communication is an essential skill in the workplace, even though it may seem insignificant.

The ability to communicate clearly and concisely is one of the most critical skills employees need to build relationships with coworkers, resolve conflicts, and effectively convey their ideas in meetings to accomplish their goals. In addition, when someone can give clear instructions and feedback, they are more likely to improve the team’s productivity.

Listed below are a few ways you can use performance appraisal feedback. Also, you can use them as a sample:

• The information ……. shared with his team and other groups to keep everyone updated.
• ……. carefully documents all processes and queries during all staff meetings during a project.
• The projects at the company are no stranger to ……., who is not afraid to ask questions about them. It is essential to her that she obtains answers quickly so that her work is of high quality.
• Throughout the workplace, …… enjoys strong relationships with everyone. Everyone wants to talk to her when she enters the room, making her a valuable corporate resource.
• ……. ensures that his subordinates are always aware of the expectations by effectively communicating with them.
• Despite the client’s incapacity to express the problem clearly, ……. excels at identifying the source of the problem.
• The company’s productivity increases when ……. assists all employees in identifying and communicating issues, including those not on his team.
• ……. priority is ensuring everyone understands the project’s goals, answering queries, and staying in the loop.
• The client is always ……. top priority, and she is always looking for ways to improve the product or service.
• ……. listens as well as he talks, which is essential for a successful communicator. He listens carefully to the other person and considers how he can help.
• Even the most difficult concepts are no problem for …….. Many employees turn to her for assistance when they cannot convey their message clearly. Alternatively, she delivers it herself or assists them.
• In addition to his natural communication ability, ……. is a gifted writer. Since he always knows what we need to know the first time, we never have to ask him more questions.
• ……. expertise facilitates team meetings that generate new ideas and resolve issues. Leadership was in her blood.
• Any hostile dialogue does not faze …….. The situation does not faze him, and he can quickly ease the other person’s concerns, resulting in a friendly relationship.
• Despite the complexity of even the most complicated topics, ……. can convey them clearly and understandably.

→ Exceeding expectations of the company

When it comes to performance reviews, it’s essential to take the time to appreciate employees who are going above and beyond the call of duty.

This is especially true for those who consistently exceed the company’s expectations. Not only does this show that you’re paying attention to their work, but it also motivates them to keep up the excellent work.

Here are some performance review phrases for those employees who exceed the company’s expectations. You can use them as an example.

• All the squad members, including those from rival teams, get along with …….. By interacting effectively with them, she ensures a job well done.
• ……. makes communication easy. Even under stressful conditions, she smiles sweetly, making the challenge easier to handle.
• It is ……. skill to translate even the most complicated technical discussions into layman’s terms so that everyone can understand and be on the same page during meetings.
• …….. encourages her team members to suggest ideas during team meetings, even though they prefer ……. to handle it herself. It is essential to her that everyone on the team participates.
• Whenever ……. welcomes new staff, he takes them under his wing and teaches them everything they need to know. It is essential that every employee feels comfortable interacting with each other.
• Throughout her life, ……. has demonstrated a natural ability to lead. She organizes and conducts team meetings regularly to ensure everyone feels like they have a voice in what’s happening.
• Writing is ……. natural medium of communication. In addition to his communication skills, his clients and merchants often compliment him on his ability to ease people’s concerns.
• …….. strength is to write reports and present them properly to colleagues. Despite being brief, her words offer much information, ensuring everyone understands what is happening.
• Throughout the company, ……. is all employees’ primary point of contact. Her job is to ensure everyone knows what’s going on and explain anything unclear.
• Whenever others are unsure or need assistance, ……. is the person to go to. She is excellent at articulating what others are thinking.
• Keeping the crew up-to-date and answering questions is no problem for ……..
• No matter where he is, …… never hesitates to approach management, ask questions, or respond to their concerns.
• Despite her disagreements with others on the team, …… gets along with everyone.
• ……. knows how to keep a crowd engaged, whether it is staff, customers, or vendors.

→ Communication falls short of company expectations

It’s essential to be clear and concise when communicating with your employees, especially when it comes to performance reviews.

After all, this is a time when you need to give constructive feedback that will help them improve their work. However, it can be tough to know what to say if an employee doesn’t seem to be living up to the company’s communication expectations.

Here are some phrases you use for those who don’t live up to the company’s communication expectations:

• For example,…… has a hard time taking criticism when it comes to his interactions with others (or lack thereof).
• Due to her preference for privacy and avoidance of social situations, ……. isn’t very good at collaborating with others.
• Having conversations with strangers is …… most minor favorite thing to do. His superiors are the only ones he will speak with.
• …… fails to provide emotional encouragement or hands-on support to struggling team members.
• It’s difficult for …… to keep her teammates updated on her project because she doesn’t tell them enough.
• As long as …… performs his duties, he does not believe communicating with people is necessary.
• In his refusal to seek assistance, …… assumes full responsibility.
• As opposed to engaging in discussion with others, ……refuses to accept aid from others.
• …… could not ask for help, which caused him to overburden himself.
• There isn’t much communication between ……. and the team members about her needs.
• There is no way ……. knows how to communicate with unhappy customers or resolve issues.
• …… needs to improve her communication skills during team meetings.
• There is a need for …… to improve his written report communication since he has difficulty comprehending it often.
• …… needs to involve her teammates more in decision-making. Knowledge is something she keeps to herself.
• It hurts the company’s bottom line when …… dislikes interacting with his coworkers.
• There is no getting along between …… and others.
• A lack of communication skills by …… negatively impacts the company’s productivity and profitability.
• …… struggles to communicate effectively with others because he cannot get along with them.
• The team’s ability to accomplish the task is hindered by ……. inability to present his ideas.
• Whenever …… interacts or collaborates with others, she is obnoxious.
• …… dismisses other people’s ideas when they are given to her.
• It is evident from ……. demeanor that he is unwilling to collaborate with others.
• …… needs to improve her written communication skills. In addition to being overly brief, they often miss the mark.
• Whenever …… is unsure about a project, she should strengthen her questioning skills.
• …… fails to communicate progress, does not collaborate with others, and focuses solely on his task.
• The company’s productivity suffers when …… does not share with others when necessary.
• The company’s culture doesn’t align well with …… desire to work alone.
• As far as communicating with employees is concerned, …… is impatient.
• …… needs to engage in conversation with others. As a result, she rushes through her task to complete it as soon as possible.
• Due to …… lack of participation in team meetings, no one knows what Justin’s situation is.
• Whenever …… needs help, she refuses to ask for it and creates subpar work.
• ……. behavior toward his colleagues and management is rude.

→ Is What’s Expected in the Workplace Fulfilling

Regarding Communication at Work, the best employees are those who do what is expected without needing to be reminded or constantly supervised.

They proactively keep their supervisor in the loop regarding their projects and tasks and keep an open mind regarding feedback and criticism. Such employees understand that effective communication is two-way and try to listen attentively as they speak.

Here’s what you can say:

• ……, who asks questions as needed, and keeps every team member informed about relevant information.
• All employees, even those with whom he may not get along, can count on ……to be effective in interacting with them. Information is conveyed to him clearly and concisely.
• In addition to being a great communicator, ……. is a great team player. Without wasting their time, she provides them with the information they need.
• As a result of focusing on the areas that needed improvement, …… has improved his communication skills and can now communicate effectively with anybody within the company about corporate goals.
• Regarding communication, …… works well with people from all divisions and gets along well with them.
• When many new suppliers or clients are present in a meeting, …… is a natural icebreaker.
• …… encourages all employees to speak up during staff meetings instead of acting as the spokesman for everyone.
• …… interacts effectively with all her team members, even when she doesn’t always agree with them.
• With …… , you can talk about anything easily because he is optimistic.
• …… creates straightforward presentations for meetings with workers and customers.
• …… can speak clearly and fluently in team meetings, which is ideal.
• The employees of the company appreciate …… kindness.
• Whether inside or outside our corporate walls, ……. always displays a friendly demeanor when representing the company.
• While teaching coworkers or at staff meetings, …… makes even the most complex subjects understandable.
• The communication skills of …… are excellent, both in writing and speaking.

→ Company productivity suffers due to poor communication skills

Effective communication is essential to maintaining a productive work environment in today’s fast-paced business world. Unfortunately, not all employees can effectively communicate with their coworkers. Sometimes, this can be due to language barriers or cultural differences.

However, in other cases, it may simply be that the employee is not skilled in the art of communication. Whatever the reason, when an employee’s communication skills are poor, it can hurt the company’s productivity.

Here are some performance review phrases you can use for those employees whose communication skills are hurting the company.

• Because he doesn’t communicate, ….. isn’t good at working with others.
• As a result, ….. cannot present his ideas in front of the team, which hampers the group’s work.
• Communication and cooperation are blatantly lacking in …… behavior.
• When other people’s ideas are presented to her, …… ignores them.
• It is evident in …… attitude that he does not want to work with others.
• Their written communication skills of …… need to be improved. So often, they miss the point because they are too short.
• …… needs to practice asking questions when unsure how something works.
• Only focusing on his work, …… refuses to collaborate with others or communicate how the project is going.
• The company’s productivity suffers when …… fails to share with others.
• As a result of …… independent work style, she does not fit well within the company’s culture.
• It is difficult for …… to communicate with his employees because he lacks patience.
• Taking the time to speak with others is something …… needs to do. Rather than taking her time to complete her work, she rushes through it.
• …… doesn’t talk during team meetings, so everyone doesn’t know how he’s doing.
• It is not uncommon for …… to turn in less than ideal work when she needs help.
• …… disrespects employees and management.

Related: What to Say in a Performance Review

Performance reviews should avoid the following mistakes 

It’s essential for managers to avoid certain pitfalls when giving performance reviews, just as it’s essential to emphasize key points of an employee’s performance. It is not a good idea to do the following.

1. Avoid a one-size-fits-all approach

When it comes to performance reviews, there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach. What works for one employee may not work for another, and what works for one company may not.

The key is to tailor the performance review process to the specific needs of the employees and the organization. For example, some employees prefer a more informal, one-on-one performance discussion, while others prefer a more formal, structured review.

Similarly, some companies may require quarterly or annual reviews, while others may only need them on an as-needed basis.

2. Provide steps for improving communication

One area that can often be addressed through performance management is communication. Performance management programs help employees improve their performance in specific areas.

Communication involves verbal and nonverbal cues, and employees need to be aware of both types of communication. Furthermore, employees should be given specific, actionable steps they can take to improve their communication skills.

3. Make sure you are clear

Ambiguous jargon can be a real problem in performance management. We often use jargon or clichés without realizing it, leading to misunderstanding or conflict. When communicating with others, it’s essential to be as clear and concise as possible.

This means using specific language that everyone can understand. If we’re not careful, ambiguous verbiage can slip into our communication and create confusion or even chaos.

4. Absolutes should be avoided

It’s essential to give employees accurate and specific feedback. Avoid using absolutes like “always” and “never,” as it’s rarely precise that an employee always or never does something. If an employee is often late to work, avoid saying, “You’re always late” or “You’re never punctual.”

Instead, provide more accurate and specific feedback, like “You’ve been late to work at least twice a week for the last six months.” This will help employees understand what they need to improve and make it more likely that they’ll successfully meet their performance goals.

5. Avoid surprises

Performance reviews should be open and honest exchanges between manager and employee. Anything said in a review should not come as a surprise to the team member.

If issues need to be addressed, they should be discussed as they happen, not saved up for a yearly review. Furthermore, positive feedback should be given regularly, not just during an inspection.

Related: Annual Performance Reviews Sample Comments

Conclusion

Performance reviews can be an essential part of any workplace, but they are most effective when the communication between employees and managers is open and positive.

This blog post has provided a list of the best communication phrases for performance reviews in different situations. We hope that you find these phrases helpful in your following review! What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comment section below.

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