Appraisal Form Template

To effectively manage productivity, you need to monitor staff performance. Appraisal forms are a key tool in doing this.

This article will help you make sure you’re using your forms correctly and provide you with a company appraisal form sample. If you want to jump straight to the download, find our appraisal form template here.

Otherwise, keep reading to ensure you monitor staff performance effectively.

What is an appraisal form?

An appraisal form is a tool you can use to assess employee performance. Having a company appraisal form will mean you can evaluate the contributions and achievements of staff within a certain timeframe.

If your form is well-structured, it will highlight career development opportunities as well as areas to improve. This means you can base promotions on results and plan staff advancement within your teams.

When should you use a staff appraisal form?

There is no legal timeline for when you should carry out an appraisal. As a result, you decide when to conduct them. A typical pattern is to conduct a yearly or quarterly.

One reason it is a good idea to have a critical appraisal form to hand. This way you can  conduct reviews at critical points within an individual’s employment. For example, at the end of their probation. Also, if you have concerns about an employee’s performance, you can refer back to the form.

 

 

Appraisal form examples

You should tailor your form to your business. That means that no two appraisal forms look the same. Also, other organisations may choose to use their forms in a different way. For example, one business may utilise an employee self-appraisal form.

Also, the document may look different depending on the role. A senior management performance appraisal form will look different to an entry-level worker, for example.

The download at the bottom of this page is a standard, simple appraisal form. However, we’ll explore a few alternative options here, such as:

Self-appraisal form

You can use this type of form on its own, or in conjunction with a regular appraisal form. Ask questions, such as:

• What are your main accomplishments this year?
• Which parts of your job do you do best, and which do you struggle with?

The self-appraisal form gives the employee the opportunity to raise concerns and self-evaluate. In doing so, they might highlight issues you weren’t even aware of.

Appraisal form for a potential promotion

In this document, you’re really looking for applicability to a new role. As such, you should ask questions such as:

• Will they need further training?
• Do they have the appropriate experience?

Remember, the appraisal itself isn’t the decision, but an information-gathering exercise. Ask all of the questions you feel are relevant to the senior role.

 

 

How to use your employee appraisal form

Of course, having a form is just one part of the appraisal. We would advise conducting a meeting with the employee to discuss achievements, concerns, and future development. Together, it may be worth using a rating rubric. A common rating system is the 5-point rating scale:

• 1 = Poor (consistently fails to meet expectations)
• 2 = Fair (frequently fails to meet expectations)
• 3 = Good (usually meets expectations)
• 4 = Very Good (frequently surpasses expectations)
• 5 = Excellent (consistently surpasses expectations)

At the end of the review, you can get an average score. This score may tell you whether they’re suitable for future development.

An appraisal should be a discussion too. If the review is entirely one-sided, you may not get an accurate reflection of the individual’s performance. Ask them questions and give them time to answer. Address their concerns if they have them and build a plan to move forward.

Employment law & appraisal forms

What does employment law have to say about appraisals? Not much.

You’re not legally required to keep a simple appraisal form in the UK. There is also no requirement to conduct a review, annually or otherwise. So what is the purpose of them?

You might not encounter an issue until you dismiss an employee for performance issues. Without performance management, or a chance to improve, the staff member could raise a claim of unfair dismissal. You will find it difficult to justify a dismissal for performance without any evidence of a review or appraisal.

Download your FREE appraisal form template

Ready to conduct your review? Our appraisal form sample is based on performance. However, you may prefer an approach based on specific objectives. In this case, you can edit the template to suit your needs.

Download your free employee appraisal form by clicking the link below. Remember, you should use the form in conjunction with meetings. If you need further support with performance management, speak to one of our HR experts today on 01455 858 132.