This tool is the third of five resources in the package designed to support performance reviews between line managers and staff members. Engaging in performance conversations is good practice at any point in the cycle, not only at its close. Here you will find key guidance to help you, whether you are a line manager or a staff member, turn performance review moments into constructive, meaningful opportunities for professional development.
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Guide to Line Managers
The purpose of the performance review process is designed to assess and identify opportunities for improvement in individual performance, align each team member’s job goals with organisational objectives, and deliver constructive feedback to encourage professional development and stronger results.
A good performance and results review process is a valuable tool to foster individual growth, improve process efficiency and effectiveness, and strengthen team members' commitment to organisational values and strategic goals. As Line Manager, you play a key role in preparing for conversations with your team that can be both meaningful and inspiring experiences.
Next actions aim to help you as Line Manager to guide a structured and powerful conversation that build and strengthen connections with your team, drive development and motivation, recognize success, align expectations, and establish clear and achievable commitments.
🧩 Before the meeting
Preparing in advance for the session with your staff member is the first step to creating a safe, reliable, and meaningful space. Getting to know each team member personally and professionally helps build a relationship of trust and mutual respect, which is an essential responsibility for every line manager.
- Schedule the meeting with each member of your team at least one week in advance and ask them to complete their self-appraisal and update goals at least 2–3 days before the session.
- Read their self-appraisal, review their goals, and take notes of your observations by identifying at least two strengths and one or two challenges during the year.
- Gather Supporting information by look over any additional materials such as notes from previous 1:1 conversations, or feedback from stakeholders, project progress reports, etc.; and capture points you consider relevant for the upcoming conversation.
- Prepare 2–3 concrete examples of key situations in where you observed their behaviour or results to highlight during the conversation. Facts, dates and results are useful to give constructive feedback and recognize achievements.
- Prepare powerful questions that invite self-reflection and deepen the conversation around performance and continuous improvement. Get extra inspiration in the article A Leader’s Guide to Asking Better Open-Ended Questions of Employees.
- Consider the resources and support you could offer based on the review outcome, for example: training, time off, mentoring or reprioritisation.
🧩 During the meeting
The 1:1 conversation is a valuable opportunity to strengthen your bond with team members, understand their individual needs and interests, and recognise common elements within your team that highlight success factors and areas for improvement, al of which contribute to build a high-performance team.
A performance review conversation should include space to express and clarify job expectations and objectives, review progress against agreed goals, recognise and appreciate work and effort, provide useful constructive feedback, and offer support and wellbeing measures to help improve performance and results.
- Start the meeting by creating a safe, open, and honest environment for dialogue. Present the agenda and clearly explain what you expect to achieve from the conversation, including the review of goals and agreement on next steps.
- For some, this maybe the first performance review, or their 100th, or their last. So, its important to check in with them before kicking off the review, to understand how they are joining the discussion, how they are feeling in general about their time in the WSB and what they can expect as part of this conversation.
- Use clear and straightforward language. Avoid metaphors, lengthy self-reflections, comparisons, and complex wording.
- Keep in mind that the staff member should lead the conversation about their self-appraisal; as a line manager your role is to facilitate the reflection, ask probing questions and help them focus. Consider their overall performance level when tailoring your questions and support, since different levels require different approaches to ensure the discussion remains productive and results in agreed actions.
Use this simple guide provided to focus your approach.
Development level |
Description |
Focus of conversation |
Support to offer |
Outstanding |
Staff who consistently meet or exceed expectations and deliver superior results. These colleagues are often top talent and may be future leaders in the organisation. |
Focus on career expectations and readiness for next steps. Explore stretch opportunities, discuss retention factors and what keeps them motivated. Confirm aspirations and agree a realistic timeline for growth. |
Provide coaching to identify concrete next steps; discuss likely investments in learning, build a tailored learning and career path that supports development and succession planning. Agree checkpoints to track progress and ensure visibility with senior stakeholders. |
Excellent |
Staff who reliably deliver solid results, are highly valued by the organisation, and show potential to take on greater responsibility. |
Explore interest in additional responsibilities, identify skill gaps and development areas, and
clarify what success look like at the next level.
|
Provide coaching to map out next step and build a short development plan that maintains performance while adding value through training, stretch projects, or mentoring. Set one or two measurable goals to broaden scope. |
Satisfactory |
Staff who meet performance standards but whose full potential is not yet visible(for example, due to recent role change, reprioritisation, or limited time in role). Results are acceptable, but there is scope for greater impact. |
Review the reasons for current performance, clarify role expectations and priorities, and identify barriers. Re-establish short-term objectives and define clear, immediate success criteria. |
Co-create an action plan with clear milestones, resources and training needs. Provide regular check-ins, offer on-the-job stretch opportunities and ensure line-manager support to remove obstacles.
|
Needs Improvement |
Staff who performance falls below expectations in some areas but show ability and willingness to improve. The issues are specific and addressable with targeted support. |
Identify precise gaps (behaviours, skills, resources) and explore root causes. Emphasise development intent while making performance expectations clear. Agree immediate, time-bound improvements and how progress will be measured. |
Create a focused Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) with concrete actions, short deadlines and measurable indicators for the next three months with regular check-ins. Offer targeted coaching, specific training, peer support, or temporary tasks reallocation as needed. |
Unsatisfactory |
Staff who are not meeting expectations and may be disengaged or overwhelmed. Their performance is inadequate and requires decisive action. |
Keep the discussion tightly focused on current performance and concrete examples and explore root causes. Avoid exploring new responsibilities or future options. Agree on immediate corrective actions focused in the root causes and realistic short-term targets. |
Implement a formal Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) with clear objectives, timelines and success criteria. Provide structured coaching and resources, ensure frequent monitoring with documented check-ins, and involve People & Culture as required. offer support to achieve the actions proposed in the plan. |
- Empower the team member to guide this process, asking them to go through each goal, reading their assessment and comments, before adding your own input or opening a wider discussion related to the process or focus of the specific goals. Ask questions to clarify and use your notes to emphasise important observations.
- Allow the conversation to flow naturally. Prioritise listening and asking questions over speaking. Avoid monologues and instead use open-ended questions to encourage deeper reflection.
- Talk about challenges and achievements. Use the examples you prepared, explore root causes, and offer constructive feedback that encourages reflection and continuous improvement and recognition. For additional guidance, see other tools like How to guide: Effective Performance Feedback and How to guide: Constructive Feedback.
- Encourage your staff member to think strategically about their performance and potential by exploring the value of their work in achieving goals and their contribution to the organizational goals and culture.
- Invite your staff member to propose improvement actions. Offer some ideas and support where helpful, and jointly identify at least two or three actions to incorporate into goal planning for the next period.
- If the staff member is performing below expectations, inform them that a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) will be required. Explain that this will be addressed in another specific session separately.
- Create space to talk about the leader-staff relationship. Ask for feedback on your leadership style, listen carefully, and identify their preferences. Establish agreements on work methods, communication, and interpersonal relations.
- Clearly state your expectations regarding results and behavior. Explain what you expect to see and achieved in the next cycle or period so the staff member has a clearer vision of their goals.
- End the meeting by outlining them of the next steps in the process and offering to follow up on any elements that require further discussion.
🧩 After the meeting
- Review your notes, comments, and reflections from the 1:1 meeting.
- Complete the evaluation process in the system according to the guidelines in How to guide: Multi-rater Annual Performance Review.
- Ensure all the relevant elements from the conversation, including agreements and planned actions, are clearly reflected in your evaluation and comments.
- If specific agreements were reached related to training, support, or other topics, send a summary email to the staff member confirming next steps for implementation.
- For staff member with low performance, schedule a follow-up meeting to formulate the performance Improvement Plan (PIP) no later than one month after the performance review.
- Document, report, or contact other stakeholders as agreed to ensure the accountability, fulfilments and follow-up of the commitments.
Finally, remember that as a line manager your work doesn’t end when the meeting finishes. The real impact comes from consistent follow-up. Use this guide as your roadmap: prepare with care, listen with curiosity, agree on clear actions, and track progress with regular check-ins.
When you close the loop, you turn a performance conversation into a real development moment for the individual and the team. 💟
Guide to Staff Members
The purpose of the performance review is to reflect on your work practices, methods and results; identify opportunities to develop your skills and grow; align your goals with the organisation’s priorities; and agree on concrete actions that move you forward.
A good review is an opportunity for you as Staff Member to demonstrate your impact, receive constructive feedback, and co-create a plan that helps you improve and feel supported. It is also a chance to have an open conversation with your line manager about ways of working and communication, and to share your ideas and proposals that can boost both your individual results and the team’s collective performance.
Use this guide to prepare your self-assessment, lead the conversation around your achievements, engage with feedback constructively, and leave every 1:1 with practical and achievable next steps.
🔗 Before the meeting
Preparing your meeting in advance gives you confidence and ensures the conversation stays focused on evidence and development.
- Check your current goals, archive goals from previous periods, and update progress on your current goals. Use the step-by-step guidance in the article How to guide: Goals Management in Zoho People to make this process easier.
- Add as much evidence as possible to each goal. Attach links, deliverables and metrics that demonstrate your impact. Concrete proof makes the conversation objective and credible.
- Take note on key results or moments you want to share with your line manager, and prepare full examples of situations that demonstrate those outcomes.
- Identify two or three major achievements and one or two challenges you faced during the year related to your goals, and make brief notes to guide the conversation.
- Prepare two or three meaningful questions to ask your line manager about your performance and areas for feedback.
- Complete your self-assessment in the system according to the guidelines in How to guide: Multi-rater Annual Performance Review at least two days before your 1:1 so your line manager has time to prepare.
- Consider two or three priority actions for yourself and the team in the next period, and identify one or two skills you would like to develop.
- Consider and note the type of support you would like to receive (for example: training, mentoring, or resources) to help your development and reaching your goals.
🔗 During the meeting
The 1:1 conversation with your line manager is your space to share and demonstrate the impact of your work, receive feedback on how your manager perceives your contributions, and jointly identify next steps to develop your skills and enhance your results.
- Start the meeting by reviewing the meeting agenda with your line manager so you both have clear objectives and expected outcomes.
- Lead the conversation sharing your goals one by one, emphasising those you believe had the biggest impact, and explain the tasks or goals that were most challenging for you.
- Share the evidence and key items you prepared beforehand to provide consistency and credibility to your results.
- Use concrete examples, explain the context, describe what happened, and highlight how it impacted the results.
-
Ask for concrete feedback, examples and practical suggestions, listen actively, take notes and reflect back the key points to confirm your understanding.
Receive feedback can be difficult sometimes, the table below may help you to consider the key elements when you receive feedback:
How to receive feedback |
What to say |
Listen carefully, don’t interrupt. Let your line manager finish speaking before responding. Take notes of key words and facts so you can reflect on what you hear. |
|
Be open and manage body language. Stay calm and neutral. It’s normal if you feel uncomfortable, but remember it is a safe space to listen and later share your perspective. |
|
Ask specific clarifying questions when something isn’t clear. Ask for concrete examples that help you better understand the situation. |
|
Summarise what you heard to validate understanding. Paraphrase briefly to ensure you and your line manager have same understanding. |
|
Thank your manager and acknowledge the effort in giving feedback. Recognise that constructive feedback requires courage and time. |
|
If you need time to think, ask for it and suggest a follow-up. It’s OK to pause, process the feedback and return with an action plan. |
|
Ask for concrete suggestions to improve. Ask your line manager for concrete suggestions on how you could improve or handle similar situations better in the future. |
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- Propose actions to improve performance or results. Considering both individual and team contributions, and try to link them to how they will improve collective outcomes.
- Ask for the support and request the resources you need to improve your results, training, extra time, mentoring, reprioritisation, and be specific about what will help you succeed. Remember there is always room for improvement, even when performance meets expectations.
- Discuss work and communication preferences with your line manager; this is also an opportunity to give your feedback and strengthen your working relationship.
- Clarify expectations and priorities for your role. If you leave the meeting with clear expectations, this will make planning your goals for the next period easier.
- If relevant, discuss career and growth opportunities within the organisation. Share your aspirations and plans for your career.
🔗 After the meeting
- Review and reflect on your notes and the feedback you received. Add some comments in your goals if something additional needs to be clarified or completed.
- Begin preparing or updating a personal action plan to track your progress as a good individual practice. Remember, improving results and developing skills is your own responsibility.
- Draft the next-period objectives. Outline the goals you want to pursue in the next period, aligned with the expectations shared by your line manager. This will help you to plan and structure your goals effectively.
- If your performance outcome is below expectations, start drafting actions to be included later in your Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). Identify the specific support you need to discuss in a follow-up meeting with your line manager.
- As a good practice, consider sending brief feedback on the review process to your line manager or to People & Culture by email, highlighting what worked well and what you would suggest to improve next time.
Finally, remember that the conversation doesn’t end when you close the meeting. The real value comes from your actions afterward. Use this guide as your roadmap, prepare thoughtfully, present your evidence confidently, receive feedback with curiosity, and turn agreed actions into tangible steps.
Take ownership of your development, keep your manager updated, and use the periodic check-ins to show progress and demonstrate your incredible potential. When you follow through, a performance conversation becomes a real opportunity for growth for you and the team. 💟