- Decide what you'll rate
- Choose a rating scale and a schedule
An employee performance evaluation is a scheduled, written review of how someone did their job over a set period, measured against expectations they knew about in advance. To run one, don't bring new standards into the meeting: rate the person against the duties and goals already written down, back each rating with examples, talk it through in a private meeting, and keep a signed copy of what was said and decided.
Billed publishes this page. US employment-law statements are quoted from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), page checked October 31, 2026. This isn't legal advice: employment rules depend on where you operate, so check local rules or ask an employment lawyer.
This page covers the formal review itself. For improving performance day to day, with check-ins, feedback and improvement plans, see 10 tips to improve workplace performance.
Decide what you'll rate
Rate only what the person was told to do. Take the criteria from the job description and from goals set at the start of the period, such as:
- Results: goals with a number or a deadline, such as projects delivered on time.
- Quality: errors, rework or client complaints on the person's work.
- How the work gets done: reliability, communication and teamwork, each described with what it looks like in this job.
Use the same criteria for everyone in the same role, and write them down before the period starts.
Choose a rating scale and a schedule
Pick one scale, such as 1 to 5, and write a short description for each point so two managers would give the same score for the same work. Hold the review on a fixed schedule, such as once a year with a shorter check at the half-year, and tell the team when it will happen.
Gather evidence before the meeting
Collect examples from the whole period, not only the last few weeks: finished work, deadlines met or missed, and notes from earlier check-ins. Ask the employee to fill in the same form as a self-review before the meeting, so you can compare the two.
Run the review meeting
Hold it in private and leave enough time. Go through each criterion with the score and the examples behind it, and ask for the employee's view before you move on. End with two or three goals for the next period, each with a measure and a date.
Keep a written record
Write up the ratings, the examples, the employee's comments and the goals, and give the employee a copy to sign as having seen it. Store it with their employment records. Treat everyone the same way at this step: in the US, the EEOC's page on prohibited employment practices (checked October 31, 2026) says: "The law forbids discrimination in every aspect of employment." On discipline it says: "An employer may not take into account a person's race, color, religion, sex (including transgender status, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information when making decisions about discipline or discharge." To find out whether these laws cover your business, check local rules or ask an employment lawyer.
Worked example: a weighted score (sample figures)
Sample figures only. A small agency rates a project coordinator on three criteria, each from 1 to 5, with weights set with the coordinator at the start of the year:
- Projects delivered on time (weight 50%): rated 4 → 4 × 0.50 = 2.00
- Quality of client deliverables (weight 30%): rated 3 → 3 × 0.30 = 0.90
- Communication with the team (weight 20%): rated 5 → 5 × 0.20 = 1.00
Overall score: 2.00 + 0.90 + 1.00 = 3.90 out of 5. The weights add up to 50% + 30% + 20% = 100%. Write the examples behind each rating next to the number, so the score can be explained.
Where Billed fits
If your team logs its hours in Billed, the time records can be one source of examples for delivery goals. Billed's time tracking page says: "Create timesheets from the time you and your team have tracked to see how the team is spending its time, and export them when a client or your accountant needs a copy."
When this guide isn't for you
If you have no employees, or you work only with independent contractors, this review process doesn't apply in the same way. If you're about to discipline or dismiss someone, or an employee has raised a complaint, talk to an employment lawyer before you act.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I hold performance evaluations?
Pick a schedule and keep to it, such as a yearly review with a shorter check at the half-year. Tell the team the dates in advance, so nobody is surprised.
What should a performance evaluation form include?
The criteria for the role, the rating scale with a description for each point, space for examples next to each rating, the employee's comments, goals for the next period, and signatures.
Can I evaluate employees in different roles with the same form?
Use the same layout, but take the criteria from each role's own job description and goals.
Do anti-discrimination laws apply to performance reviews?
In the US, the EEOC's page on prohibited employment practices (checked October 31, 2026) says: "The law forbids discrimination in every aspect of employment." To find out whether the laws cover your business, check local rules or ask an employment lawyer.