Free Employee Evaluation Form PDF
An employee evaluation form will help you assess employees consistently and fairly. Employee review is a valuable part of a business. It ensures that workers are held to high standards and that they are given the information needed to improve in their job. Many companies conduct performance evaluations annually or twice a year.
The form and content of an employee evaluation form can change to meet your unique needs. An employee performance review template gives you the power to create a printable form you can use with your business.
What is an Employee Evaluation Form?
An employee evaluation form is used to formally review an employee’s performance. It is an acknowledgment that the evaluation took place and documents what occurred in the meeting. The review form creates an important paper trail for the employee’s records. It provides useful information to improve the employee’s performance and may affect their future career.
These documents may be referred to by different names such as:
- Employee performance review
- Performance appraisal form
- Employee training form
These documents are a useful indicator of the success of a company and its management of employees. A printable employee evaluation form provides you with the tools necessary to conduct uniform employee evaluations. This gives you the critical information you need to handle human resources decisions and make informed business decisions.
What to Include in an Employee Evaluation Form?
An employee evaluation form should contain important information that documents the meeting and what happened. It is easier to structure an employee evaluation form using a free template rather than constructing it from scratch. This is where Legal Templates can help.
An employee evaluation form pdf may include many of the following sections.
Employee and Supervisor Information
This section should include information such as:
- Employee’s name
- Department
- Position or title
- Employee ID
- Name of supervisor/reviewer
- Supervisor’s title
This section should also include the review period and dates of the evaluation.
Easy-to-Understand Rating System
The performance review should contain a rating system that is easy to use and understand. It should set specific guidelines and grades a supervisor can use to assess the employee. You can modify a form template to fit your employment metrics. You can measure employees how you want with clear guidelines. Rating systems may be based on numbers or adjectives such as “Poor,” “Acceptable,” and “Excellent.”
This rating system should include evaluation points to address specific skills or actions. The supervisor and employee should be able to easily understand what is going well and what needs to be improved.
Space for Comments
Every form should have a space for additional comments. A rating system is very useful, but specific comments from a supervisor document the specific issues that need to be addressed. Especially when an employee requires improvement in an area, the comment section is incredibly helpful. It may even provide evidence in a later legal cause for termination.
Signature Lines
The employee evaluation form template should have an area where the employee and supervisor can both sign and date the document. This proves that the meeting occurred and outlines the details included. A legal signature may be required if the performance review is used as evidence in a court case.
Employee Evaluation Form Sample
A standard employment evaluation form template provides necessary information you can edit to fit your particular needs. You can download this free employee performance review template in either Word or PDF format.
When to Use an Employee Evaluation Form
You should use an employee evaluation form on a regular basis to analyze worker performance. An annual or semi-annual basis is often appropriate to ensure consistent assessment of all employees. These forms can also be used for worker evaluations that result from disciplinary action.
Using employee performance reviews should be a regular practice. Sporadic use of these assessments will not provide you with the information you need to improve employee performance. It may also make it difficult to utilize these forms when necessary—such as during promotion reviews or when terminating an employee.
Why Should You Use an Employee Evaluation Form?
You should use employee evaluation forms to improve performance and drive better results. Employees work better when they know what is expected of them. Evaluation forms provide an opportunity to give constructive comments on how to improve. There are many reasons you should utilize performance reviews with your business:
Provides Documented Feedback
Employees are often left in the dark about their own performance without a review. If they know how they can improve, they often will. Uniform metrics provide the employer with measurable employee data they can use to improve their bottom line.
Drives Employee Performance
Employees who know their work is assessed tend to work better. They know there are standards and they have to meet them. This does not mean a review has to be negative. You can build a form that encourages self-assessment and supervisor input. A template performance review allows you to format your assessments however you like.
When Making Promotion Decisions
When you are ready to promote an employee, you want the best. Performance reviews give you real-time information on an employee’s past work. You can know how the employee has performed in the past to predict their ability to do a new job. It also provides evidence as to why a particular candidate was chosen over another in case there is ever a legal dispute.
Firing Decisions
When it is time to let an employee go, performance reviews are an excellent source of evidence as to why. These reviews are often admissible in court should the employee claim they were wrongfully terminated. It may also provide detailed evidence to refute a claim of discrimination.
Tips for Creating an Employee Evaluation Form
These tips may help you create your employee evaluation form:
- Use a template builder to create a form document
- Decide how often the assessment will be used each year
- Create a detailed rating system that fits your unique business
- Leave space for individualized comments
An effective employee evaluation form template lets you build what you need. You are not stuck with a one-size-fits-all option. You can build an employee evaluation form customized for your business.