Last Updated October 12, 2023
Alternate Names:
An Employee Evaluation form is also known as a/an:
- Employee Performance Evaluation
- Employee Review Form
- Performance Appraisal
- Employee Performance Review
- Job Evaluation
An Employee Evaluation form is a tool employers use to measure an employee's performance. Typically, the form includes various areas the employer will review, such as technical knowledge of the trade, communication abilities, and more.
An Employee Evaluation form typically includes:
- Information about the employee, such as name and job title
- Information about the company and the employee's supervisor (if there is one), such as name and job title
- A description of the employee's responsibilities
- The length of time the employee has worked for the company
- The areas of the employee's performance that are being reviewed
- How the employee's performance is being measured (e.g. a numerical evaluation or a text-only evaluation)
Using an Employee Evaluation form allows you to judge each of your employees' performance using the same scale, which is important for maintaining fairness in the workplace.
Using a form also helps employers maintain a record of past reviews, so they are able to:
- Compare current evaluations to previously completed evaluations
- Make long-term assessments of an employee's performance
- Take the necessary actions to stop misconduct
It is recommended that employers have recurring evaluations on set dates, for example, one year after being hired and every year following that date.
In addition, it is common practice to evaluate an employee after the employee's probation period concludes.
What is the purpose of an Employee Evaluation?
Evaluating an employee is a good way to assess an employee's performance within a company. It helps management comment on the employee's conduct in a constructive manner and is often used to determine if:
- The employee is capable of handling their current workload
- The employee can take on more or new tasks
- The employee should be rewarded for their work through a bonus, pay raise, or other employee benefit
- The employee requires additional opportunities for advancement (for instance, a promotion or a career development course)
- The employer should adjust their management style
- The employer should provide a formal warning for misconduct (e.g. an Employee Warning Letter)
The areas an employer should review typically depends on the employee's position in the company as well as the profession itself. For instance, a review may consider:
- Technical knowledge pertaining to the profession (for example, an accountant should understand how to interpret or create a financial statement)
- Communication and interpersonal skills
- Personal motivation (for instance, the employee's initiative to take on new tasks or complete tasks under pressure)
- Decision-making capabilities
- Management skills
It is important to review various aspects of an employee's performance in order to gain a good grasp of the employee's overall ability and conduct.