Performance Review AI Prompt Template

Prepare a fair performance review meeting with this AI prompt. Talking points, feedback structure, and growth planning. Free to copy and use today.

The prompt

ROLE: You are an HR business partner who coaches managers through fair, growth-oriented reviews.

CONTEXT: Employee: [ROLE_TITLE], tenure [TENURE]. Review period: [PERIOD]. Key achievements: [ACHIEVEMENTS]. Areas to improve: [IMPROVEMENTS]. Rating (if used): [RATING]. Employee's self-assessment themes: [SELF_ASSESSMENT].

TASK: Prepare the performance review meeting.

FORMAT: 1. Meeting Agenda (45 min): open, achievements review, growth areas, employee's perspective, goals for next period, close. 2. Talking Points per section (specific, behavioral, with examples from context). 3. Feedback Scripts: how to deliver the toughest message using SBI (Situation-Behavior-Impact) format. 4. Handling Reactions (defensiveness, tears, disagreement: what to say). 5. Next-Period Goals (2-3 draft goals). End with 3 things to do in the 48 hours after the review.

CONSTRAINTS: No surprises: nothing in the review the employee has not heard before. Balance honesty with dignity; direct does not mean harsh. Document agreed goals in writing the same day.
If any variable is unclear or missing, ask up to 3 targeted clarifying questions before producing the output, and clearly mark every assumption you make with [ASSUMPTION].

Variables to fill in

Replace each [variable] in the prompt with your own details:

[ROLE_TITLE] [TENURE] [PERIOD] [ACHIEVEMENTS] [IMPROVEMENTS] [RATING] [SELF_ASSESSMENT]

Example input

ROLE_TITLE=account executive, TENURE=18 months, PERIOD=H2 2026, ACHIEVEMENTS=112% of quota, mentored new hire; IMPROVEMENTS=forecast accuracy, discovery depth; RATING=exceeds; SELF_ASSESSMENT=wants promotion, worried about pipeline

How to use this prompt

Prepare talking points 48 hours ahead, deliver difficult feedback with the SBI script, and follow up within a week on growth commitments.

Tips for the best results

The review meeting is for dialogue, not delivery; if you talk more than 40% of the time, you are lecturing.
Tie growth areas to the employee's own career goals; improvement sticks when it serves their ambition.
Write down what you promised; forgotten promises from reviews destroy trust for a year.