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Performance Review Comments: How to Write Them (41 Examples)
Short answer
Write a performance review comment in three sentences (the fact, the evaluation, and the next expected action), and put the most effort into the third sentence, which is addressed to the employee. In it, spell out what you want them to move forward next period, by when, and to what level. Talk about evaluation in regular 1-on-1s rather than saving it for the end of the period: in KAKEAI's survey of 10,000 employees in Japan, 50.8% of people who meet their manager at least once a week and also discuss evaluations felt their meetings led to results, higher than people who meet just as often but don't. Avoid vague praise like "worked hard" and judgments about personality.
By the numbers
Most people who meet with their manager once every six months talk about performance evaluations in those meetings. Among people who meet this often, the share who feel their meetings lead to results was below that of all respondents. Yet among people who meet equally often, those who talk about evaluations are more likely to feel their meetings lead to results. This page recommends talking about evaluation in regular meetings and writing the review comment as a continuation of those talks, so that the next action is clear.
- 20.3%
- 10,000-person survey
- Share of people who meet with their manager once every six months who feel their meetings lead to results
- Across all respondents, the figure is 31.9%. Of people who meet once every six months, 69.8% talk about performance evaluations in those meetings. In meetings held once every six months, many people talk about evaluations, and the share who feel the meetings lead to results is lower than for all respondents.
- 50.8%
- 10,000-person survey
- Share of people who meet with their manager at least once a week and also talk about evaluations who feel their meetings lead to results
- Among people who also meet at least once a week but don't talk about evaluations, the figure was 39.7%. Comparing people who meet equally often, those who talk about evaluations are more likely to feel their meetings lead to results.
- 75.5%
- 10,000-person survey
- Share of people who say their meetings lead to action every time who feel their meetings lead to results
- People who chose "Every time" make up 9.4% of all respondents. Among those who chose "Never," only 6.0% felt their meetings led to results. The more a person's meetings lead to next actions, the more likely they are to feel the meetings lead to results.
The survey asked about regular meetings with one's manager. These figures are not about review comments or performance review meetings themselves.
Source: KAKEAI, Inc. “1-on-1 Survey” (N=10,000, May 2026, online survey of employees in Japan)
The survey asked 10,000 employees in Japan who meet their manager regularly how those meetings feel from their side.
Write review comments as a continuation of your regular 1-on-1s
We recommend writing performance review comments as a continuation of what you and your direct report have already talked about in regular 1-on-1s. When you write everyone's comments at the end of the period from memory alone, the boxes tend to fill up with phrases like "worked hard" and "made a contribution." Those words don't tell the employee what to change next period.
In KAKEAI's survey of 10,000 employees in Japan, 69.8% of people who meet with their manager once every six months said they talk about performance evaluations in those meetings. Among people who meet once every six months, only 20.3% felt their meetings led to results, below the 31.9% of all respondents.
But when you compare people who meet equally often, those who talk about evaluations are more likely to feel their meetings lead to results. Among people who meet at least once a week, 50.8% of those who talk about evaluations felt their meetings led to results, compared with 39.7% of those who don't. Among people who meet once every six months to once a year, the figures were 20.9% and 17.8%.
KAKEAI believes evaluation should not be saved for end-of-period review comments and review meetings. It belongs in regular 1-on-1s, discussed against concrete criteria. Look at the goals or the job-level criteria together, and share what you noticed within the same month.
- Could we look at this item in the job-level criteria together? I think this month's [task A] met the standard, and [task B] isn't there yet. How do you see it, [name]?
How to write a review comment: decide the "next expected action" first
A review comment is easiest to understand when it has three sentences: the fact, the evaluation, and the next expected action. The fact and the evaluation also explain your reasoning to second-level reviewers and HR. The third sentence is written to the employee, so we recommend putting the most effort into it and writing it first.
- Write the third sentence first. Narrow down what you want them to work on next period to one thing. Write what it is, by when, and to what level. Avoid ending with only "I look forward to your continued growth" or "Keep it up."
- Pick one fact that supports the evaluation. Include counts, frequency, or dates. If you don't have notes, look back through your calendar, email, and chat.
- State the evaluation in a few words. Compared with the goals or the job-level criteria, say whether the work "exceeded," "met expectations," or "fell short."
If you can't find a fact for an item, it often helps to ask the employee.
- Before I write up your review, could you tell me about the work you put the most effort into over the past six months, and how it turned out? Please also tell me about anything I may have missed.
Performance review comment examples (by evaluation area)
Replace the brackets with the actual work and numbers. Map "high rating," "meets expectations," and "low rating" to your company's own rating scale.
Results and performance
High rating
- Against a goal of [X] for [project], you delivered [X]. This exceeds expectations. Next period, please turn this approach into a written guide by [month] and share it with the team.
- You delivered [project] [X] days ahead of the deadline, with no rework. I rate this highly. I'd like to give you a larger [project] next period, so let's finalize the plan together by [month].
- On your own initiative, you took on [task], which was not in your goals, and reduced [cost or time] by [X]%. I recognize this as a result beyond your goals. Next period, I hope you'll extend this work to [area] by [month].
Meets expectations
- Against a goal of [X] for [project], you delivered [X]. This meets expectations. Next period, let's set a goal of raising [metric] to [X] per month within the first three months.
- You handled the monthly [process] on time and without errors throughout the period. This meets the required standard. Next period, I'd like you to propose one step we can remove by [month].
- You achieved [X] of your [X] goals. This meets expectations. For the unfinished [goal], let's check progress in our [month] 1-on-1 next period and rebuild the plan.
Low rating
- Against a goal of [X] for [project], results stopped at [X]. I believe the main reason was that work didn't start until [month]. Next period, let's build a month-by-month plan together in the first week.
- This period, you missed the deadline for [deliverable] [X] times. This held up [downstream work], and it falls short of the required standard. Next period, please let me know on the same day you realize something may be late.
- The volume of [work] was on target, but [X] items were sent back because of errors. This falls short of the standard for accuracy. Starting with the next [deliverable], please review the [field or section] before you submit.
- [Project] stalled partway through the period and was not completed. I understand this happened because other work took priority. Next period, let's agree on priorities together at the start of each month and aim to finish by [month].
Skills and capabilities
High rating
- You taught yourself [skill] and can now handle [task] on your own. I value how this has broadened the range of work you can take on. Next period, let's write up what you learned as a guide by [month].
- When a problem came up with [system or process], you isolated the cause and proposed a fix the same day. I value how quickly you made that call. Next period, please share the reasoning behind your decisions in the weekly meeting.
- You coached a junior colleague on [task] in a planned way, and that colleague has handled it on their own since [month]. I value your ability to develop others. Next period, let's capture what you taught in a written resource by [month].
Meets expectations
- You plan your own [task] schedule and meet deadlines. This is at the expected level. Next period, let's think together in our 1-on-1s about how to rework your plan in weeks when urgent requests come in.
- In meetings and reports, you organize the key points and explain them clearly. This meets expectations. Next period, at the [month] [meeting], I'd like you to present to another department that doesn't share our background.
Low rating
- There were [X] inquiries about [topic] that took [X] or more days to answer. You need to strengthen your basic knowledge of [topic]. Let's build a plan together for learning [topic] by [month].
- In weeks when work piled up, you missed deadlines [X] times. Setting priorities is the area to work on. Next period, I'll review the week's plan with you every Monday.
- On [task], work stopped [X] times while you waited for my sign-off. Up to [point], this is within the range you can decide on your own. Next period, please come to me with one proposal of your own before asking for advice.
- In the weekly reports, the conclusion was hard to find [X] times. How you structure explanations is the area to work on. Starting with the next report, let's put the conclusion in the first sentence.
Accountability
Accountability, teamwork, initiative, and reliability are area names that sound like personality traits, but the comments should describe behavior.
High rating
- When the [incident] occurred, you took ownership of everything from investigating the cause to creating steps to prevent it from happening again, and finished in [X] days. I rate this highly. Next period, I hope you'll roll these steps out to the whole team by [month].
Meets expectations
- You complete your [work] on time and to the expected quality. This meets expectations. Next period, when you notice delays in the steps before or after yours, please let people know the same day as well.
Low rating
- There were [X] times when your work on [task] stopped partway and was not handed off. Seeing work through to the end is the area to work on. Next period, please talk to me as soon as you sense you may not be able to move forward.
Teamwork
High rating
- While [colleague] was on leave, you took on [task] before anyone asked and kept the team on schedule. I value how you watched what the team needed and acted. Next period, let's put together a plan for covering work during time off by [month].
- When opinions split on how to approach [project], you listened to both sides and put together a plan everyone could agree on. I value your ability to coordinate. Starting in [month] next period, I'd like you to run the [meeting].
Meets expectations
- You follow the approach the team agreed on for [process] and help out when asked. This meets expectations. Next period, try checking in with a colleague who is short on hands once a week, without waiting to be asked.
Low rating
- You changed the approach to [process] without telling the people around you, and the team had to redo work [X] times. Sharing information is the area to work on. Going forward, please give the people involved a quick heads-up before you change the approach.
Initiative
High rating
- You proposed an improvement to [process] on your own and took it all the way to a trial run. I value that you acted without waiting for instructions. Next period, let's turn it into something the whole team can use by [month].
Meets expectations
- In [meeting], you offer ideas for improvement when asked for your opinion. This meets expectations. Next period, let's start with you speaking up at least once in each weekly meeting without being called on.
Low rating
- This period, I asked for volunteers to own new [tasks] [X] times, and you did not volunteer. Taking on work on your own is the area to work on. Next period, I hope you'll take on one [task] by [month].
Reliability and following rules
High rating
- You follow the rules for report deadlines and procedures, and you also teach new team members the rules for [process]. Your behavior is a model for others. Next period, please summarize what you've been teaching on a single page by [month].
Meets expectations
- You follow the rules for working hours and for the [process] procedure. This meets expectations. Next period, let's create a chance by [month] for you to explain the reasons behind the rules to junior colleagues.
Low rating
- This period, your [request or filing] was submitted after the deadline [X] times. I raised it each time, but it has improved only partly. Starting in the first month of next period, please submit [X] days before the deadline.
Overall comments
High rating
- This period, you exceeded your goals in both [area A] and [area B]. I value how you made your own decisions and kept things moving even in difficult situations. Starting in [month] next period, I'd like to ask you to lead [project or team].
Meets expectations
- This period, you kept your assigned work on schedule and achieved [X] of your [X] goals. This is the expected result. I'd like to give you [project] starting in [month] next period, so let's discuss the plan by [month].
Examples for writing low-rating comments (by situation)
In a low-rating comment, state the facts without blurring them, and use the third sentence to show what needs to change to reach the standard. This matters because a low rating also affects pay. That said, stating facts does not mean blaming someone with harsh words.
When your rating is lower than their self-assessment
- Your self-assessment was [rating], but I rated you [rating]. The volume of [work] was on target, but the deadline was missed [X] times. Next period, let's set a goal of eliminating missed deadlines by [month].
In the meeting, it helps to share the rating and the reason first, then ask for your direct report's view.
- I'd like to go through this while we look at the review form together. Your self-assessment was [rating], but my view is [rating]. The reason is that the deadline for [deliverable] was missed [X] times.
- If any part of my understanding is off, please tell me.
- For the first month of next period, what do you think would be a good place to start?
If your company only shares the final rating with the employee, change "my view is [rating]" to "the final rating is [rating]."
When you write about an issue you didn't raise during the period
Before you put it in the comment, tell the employee directly in a meeting.
- There's something I should have told you back in [month]. Not raising it until today was my mistake. The [X] items that were sent back for [work] are reflected in this period's rating.
Then write this in the comment:
- This period, [X] items of [work] were sent back. This falls short of the required standard. Next period, let's aim to bring it down to [X] or fewer per month by [month], and review the count together once a month.
When they put in the effort but didn't get the result
- You increased [activity] to [X], but the result was [X], short of the goal. I value that you increased your level of activity. Next period, let's review the content of [activity] together by [month].
When results are strong but the way they work is a problem
- You far exceeded your goal for [project]. At the same time, changes to the approach weren't communicated to others, and the team had to redo work [X] times. Next period, please let the team members involved know before you change the approach.
When the same issue carries over from last period
- The deadline for [deliverable] was missed [X] times again this period. The issue I raised last period has not yet improved. Next period, let's check progress together every [weekday], and in [month] review whether this approach is working.
When the way they speak to others is holding up work
- Since you responded to a colleague's proposal with "[comment]" at the [month] meeting, that colleague has stopped coming to you for input. As a result, [project] fell behind. Next period, when you disagree, please offer one alternative as well.
When the overall rating is low (overall comments)
- This period, you fell short of the goal for [area], and deadlines were missed [X] times. Overall, your work did not reach the required standard. On the other hand, customers have praised how you handled [task]. Next period, let's start by eliminating missed deadlines in the first month. I'll review progress with you in our monthly 1-on-1.
What not to write in a performance review comment
We recommend leaving these five things out of review comments.
- Vague praise. "Worked hard" or "made a contribution" alone does not tell the employee what to keep doing.
- Judgments about personality. Avoid words like "conscientious" or "lacks initiative." What someone can change next period is their behavior, not their personality.
- Weaknesses reworded as strengths. Some advice recommends this, but we don't. It makes it harder for the employee to see why their rating was low.
- Issues raised for the first time in the comment. What needs fixing here is not the wording but the fact that you didn't raise the issue during the period. KAKEAI does not recommend avoiding evaluation topics in regular 1-on-1s. Raise issues directly in the month you notice them.
- Health or family circumstances. Don't write these as reasons for the rating. For how to handle circumstances that affect leave or work schedules, check your company's policies and talk to HR before you write the comment.
| Words you may be tempted to write | What to write instead |
|---|---|
| Worked hard | What they worked on, and how many times or how often |
| Made a contribution | Whose work, which work, and how it moved forward |
| Conscientious | How long and how many times they kept to deadlines and procedures |
| Lacks initiative | The situations where you asked for volunteers and none came forward, and how many times |
Check whether your review comments actually helped
You can tell whether a review comment helped by whether the employee's next steps became concrete. Look back on these three points.
- Did the comment include any sentence that would still work if you swapped in someone else's name? If so, add one fact specific to that person.
- Could the employee tell from the third sentence what to start on in the first week of next period?
- At the end of the review meeting, did your direct report describe what they'll work on first next period in their own words?
In KAKEAI's survey of 10,000 employees in Japan, 9.3% of respondents named "I worry about how it will affect my own evaluation or how I'm seen, so I can't speak openly" as a problem with their meetings.
Even if your direct report says "Understood" in the review meeting, that doesn't mean they agree. If they can't quickly name what they'll work on next, talk together about either setting a shorter deadline for the third sentence or cutting the amount of work in half. A good way to open the first 1-on-1 of next period is to check together how things have gone with what you wrote in the comment.
What Kakeai AI 1on1 can do in this situation
If you want to carry what you discuss in regular 1-on-1s into your end-of-period review comments, here is what Kakeai AI 1on1 can do.
Before the 1-on-1
Conversation history digest by topic
On the "Overview" screen for each person you meet with, you can look back at a written digest of the past six months of 1-on-1s prepared by Kakeai AI, along with what you have discussed under each topic. You both see the same content.
Day to day
Summaries and next steps in one place
The summary of each 1-on-1 is collected on the "Schedule & History" screen, and the next steps you decided are collected on the "MOVE" screen, organized by each person you meet with. You can look back at them anytime.
Before the 1-on-1
Advice on how to bring up what you want to say, and key points
If you enter something you want to bring up with your team member in the "Things to Tell Your Team Member" field and save it, the "Pre-1-on-1 AI Advice" is rewritten to reflect it. What you enter is not shown on your team member's screen.
Day to day
MOVE (list of next steps and goals)
On the "MOVE" screen, you can manage the next steps and goals decided in your 1-on-1s, in a separate list for each person you meet with. If you mark a goal as an "Ongoing Topic," it appears as a suggested topic when you prepare for a 1-on-1.
Kakeai AI 1on1 is currently available in Japanese. If you would like to use it in English, let us know.
Used by 600+ companies / 3,000,000+ 1-on-1s supported
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between "evaluator's remarks," "reviewer comments," and "manager comments" on a performance review?
These are just different names companies use for the same thing: the box where the evaluator writes about the employee's evaluation. An "overall comments" box is for the review period as a whole. Whichever box you are filling in, writing in the order of fact, evaluation, and next expected action makes the comment easier to understand. If your review form gives specific instructions for each box, follow them.
The comment box only fits one or two lines. If three sentences won't fit, which one should I drop?
If the box is too small for three sentences, one option is to drop the second sentence, the evaluation. If the rating is already entered as a letter or score in a separate field, the comment is clear without it. Keep one fact that explains the rating and the action you expect next period. For example: "The deadline for [deliverable] was missed [X] times. Next period, please let me know on the same day you realize something may be late."
I have many review comments to write and not enough time. Where should I start?
If you're short on time, we recommend writing the third sentence, the next expected action, for everyone first. Once you decide on one thing you expect from each person next period, you only need to look for the facts that support it. If you can't think of a third sentence for someone, you may not have been able to see enough of their work. Start with that person, and look back through your calendar and chat.
In the performance review meeting, should I just read the review comment aloud?
We recommend not ending the review meeting by simply reading the comment aloud. First, look at the review form together and explain the rating and the facts behind it in your own words. Next, ask how your direct report feels about it. Finally, talk together about what they'll work on first next period, and settle on something they can also agree with.
My direct report's rating was lowered at the second-level review. As the first-level reviewer, how should I revise my comment?
If the rating was lowered at the second-level review, keep the fact sentence as it is and rewrite only the evaluation sentence to match the final rating. In the third sentence, write one thing they need to do next period to reach the next level up. Avoid explaining in the meeting that "it was decided above me." If you don't know why the rating was lowered, ask the second-level reviewer before the meeting so you can explain it in your own words.
Sources and how to cite these figures
Source: KAKEAI, Inc. “1-on-1 Survey” (N=10,000, May 2026, online survey of employees in Japan)
About the survey and usage data (Japanese)
When citing, please credit “Source: KAKEAI, Inc., 1-on-1 Survey (2026)” and include the URL of this page.
URL of this page: https://kakeai.co.jp/en/guide/performance-review-comment-examples
Author and publisher
This page was written by KAKEAI, Inc., the company behind Kakeai AI 1on1, based on its own survey of 10,000 employees in Japan and aggregated Kakeai AI 1on1 usage data.
Publisher: KAKEAI, Inc. (Company) Updated: