Should the employee see the manager's ratings before the meeting?

It is better to discuss them in the meeting. Sharing the form just before can help, as long as there is time to talk.

Does a rating decide the increment?

Only if your policy says so. Link the rating and the increment openly, and confirm the policy with a qualified adviser.

What if the employee disagrees with the rating?

Record their comments on the form, review the evidence and let a second reviewer look at it. Apply the same process to everyone.

Free template

Appraisal form

A single form for an annual or half-yearly review. The employee fills the first part, the manager the second, and both agree the goals and development plan together. Fill in the square brackets and keep the form short enough to complete honestly.

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An HR consultant and business owner reviewing employee records together

Employee details

Field	Detail
Employee name and ID
Designation and department
Reporting manager
Review period	[From] to [To]
Date of review meeting

Rating scale

1: Needs significant improvement.
2: Partly meets expectations.
3: Meets expectations.
4: Exceeds expectations.
5: Consistently outstanding.

Part 1. Self-assessment (employee)

What were my main achievements in this period? ____________________
Which goals did I meet, and which did I miss? Why? ____________________
What helped me do well, and what got in the way? ____________________
What support do I need from my manager or the company? ____________________
My overall rating for myself (1 to 5): ____

Part 2. Manager assessment

Area	Rating (1 to 5)	Evidence and comments
Quality and accuracy of work
Output and meeting deadlines
Job knowledge and skills
Teamwork and communication
Ownership and reliability
Adherence to policies and values

Manager summary

Key strengths: ____________________
Areas to improve: ____________________
Overall rating (1 to 5): ____
Recommendation, if any: ____________________

Part 3. Goals for the next cycle

Goal	How it will be measured	Target date	Weight (%)

Part 4. Development

Skill or area	Action (training, coaching, project)	Support needed	By when

Discussion and sign-off

Employee's comments on the review: ____________________
Employee signature: ______________________ Date: ____________
Manager signature: ______________________ Date: ____________
HR or second reviewer: ______________________ Date: ____________

Note

This form records a review. It does not fix pay, promotion or action by itself. Confirm how appraisal outcomes link to increments, promotion and any formal step with your policy and a qualified adviser before use.

A starting point, not legal advice. Check the final wording against your contracts and the rules of your state, and have a qualified professional review it before you issue it.

Performance management process →Goal setting: OKR, MBO framework →Performance improvement plans →

How to use this template

Agree the goals and the rating scale at the start of the cycle, not at review time.
Send the form to the employee a week before the meeting to complete Part 1.
The manager completes Part 2 with real examples from the period, not impressions.
Hold the meeting in private, listen first, and agree Parts 3 and 4 together.
A second reviewer, such as the manager's manager or HR, checks the ratings for fairness.
File the signed form and use it as the base for the next cycle's one-to-ones.

A filled example (illustrative)

This example is invented for illustration. Replace every value with your own.

Area	Illustrative entry
Role	Customer Support Executive
Self-assessment	Handled queries on time, missed one target in the second quarter
Manager evidence	Closed most tickets within the agreed time, with two repeat complaints
Goal next cycle	Cut repeat complaints through a clear checklist, measured monthly
Development	Product knowledge session and a buddy for difficult calls

Common mistakes

Rating on the last month only, instead of the whole review period.
Giving ratings with no examples, so employees cannot see how to improve.
Springing surprises, such as raising an issue for the first time at the appraisal.
Setting goals that cannot be measured.
Leaving out the development section, so the review looks only backward.

Adapt it to your business

Factory or plant: add safety, quality and output measures for each shift role.
Shop or retail: add sales, stock accuracy and customer feedback measures.
Clinic or hospital: add patient feedback, documentation quality and team cover.
Office or services firm: add client feedback, project delivery and collaboration.

Questions about this template

Many SMEs do it once or twice a year. Regular one-to-ones in between matter more than the form itself.

Appraisal form

Employee details

Rating scale

Part 1. Self-assessment (employee)

Part 2. Manager assessment

Manager summary

Part 3. Goals for the next cycle

Part 4. Development

Discussion and sign-off

Note

How to use this template

A filled example (illustrative)

Common mistakes

Adapt it to your business

Questions about this template

Let’s make HR work better.

Let’s start with your business

Appraisal form

Employee details

Rating scale

Part 1. Self-assessment (employee)

Part 2. Manager assessment

Manager summary

Part 3. Goals for the next cycle

Part 4. Development

Discussion and sign-off

Note

How to use this template

A filled example (illustrative)

Common mistakes

Adapt it to your business

Questions about this template

01How often should we run appraisals?

02Should the employee see the manager's ratings before the meeting?

03Does a rating decide the increment?

04What if the employee disagrees with the rating?

Let’s make HR work better.

Let’s start with your business