Employee performance management: Building a high-performing team, by Intuit QuickBooks on YouTube. 8 min 13 s.
- Video length
- 8 min 13 s
- Time to do it
- 45 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Choose the review format and how often you will use it. Options include annual reviews, mid-year check-ins, self-assessments, team assessments, 360-degree feedback and short ongoing conversations.
Set team and employee goals at the start of the cycle so the review measures something agreed. Keep a running note of wins, misses and coaching moments as they happen.
Ask the employee to complete a self-assessment about a week before the meeting. Their answers show where your view and theirs differ, which is where the useful conversation is.
Gather concrete examples for each point you plan to raise. Use dates, project names, numbers and quotes rather than general impressions of how things went.
Write feedback that is specific and actionable. Describe what happened, why it mattered and what to do differently next time, then link each point back to a goal.
Hold the meeting in a private space with no interruptions, and let the employee talk through their self-assessment first. Cover strengths before gaps, then agree two or three priorities for the next period.
Turn each priority into a SMART goal: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. Write the goal down with a target date and say how you will measure it.
Send a short written summary within a day or two covering what you agreed. Book the next check-in, such as a six-week catch-up and a mid-year review, so feedback stays continuous.
Tips and common mistakes
Do not save all feedback for the annual meeting, because small corrections given early are easier to act on.
Avoid vague labels like good attitude or needs improvement and replace them with an example and a suggested fix.
Keep a shared written record of goals and notes so both sides work from the same version.
If an employee disagrees, ask what evidence would change their view instead of repeating your point louder.
Questions
How long should a performance review meeting take?
Plan for 45 to 60 minutes. That gives time for the self-assessment, a few specific examples and agreeing goals without rushing the ending.
Should I give the employee the feedback in writing first?
It helps to share the main points a day ahead so nobody is caught off guard. Keep the written version short and save the detail for the conversation.
What if the employee has no goals from last period?
Set them now as the starting point. Agree two or three SMART goals with dates, and use the next check-in as the first measurement.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
