positive feedback examples
positivefeedbackexamples.com is published by thrive at work, a workforce performance platform. Every example here is free to copy and change.

Performance review comments

30 comments for the written review, in 6 groups. Replace the details in [brackets] with the person's own work.

Quality and results

[Name] delivered [result] this year, which [effect on team or customer].
Strong results
[Name]'s work is accurate. Over the year, the number of corrections needed on [type of work] has been very low.
Accuracy
[Name] met all 3 goals set at the start of the year. The most significant was [goal].
Meeting goals
[Name] consistently meets the standard for [task] and is often asked to check others' work.
Standards
[Name] delivered more than was asked for on [project], including [addition], which the client valued.
Going beyond

Teamwork

[Name] works well with colleagues across the team and often helps others without being asked.
Collaboration
[Name] helped [colleague] learn [task], which improved the whole team's output.
Supporting others
[Name] treats colleagues with respect and listens to different views.
Respect
[Name] built a good working relationship with [other team], and requests between us are now easier.
Across teams
[Name] shares what they learn, for example by [action].
Sharing knowledge

Communication

[Name] communicates clearly in writing and in meetings. Their updates on [project] are short and easy to act on.
Clarity
[Name] listens carefully and asks questions before giving a view.
Listening
[Name]'s presentation to [audience] was clear and well prepared.
Presenting
[Name] raises problems early and suggests how to solve them.
Raising issues
[Name] explains things clearly to customers, and the feedback they receive reflects it.
With customers

Initiative and growth

[Name] identified [problem] and proposed [solution] without being asked.
Taking initiative
[Name] has developed [skill] this year and now uses it to [task].
Learning
[Name] takes feedback well and applies it quickly. After [feedback], the next [piece of work] improved clearly.
Taking feedback
[Name] took on [additional responsibility] and handled it well.
Taking on more
[Name] improved [process], which saved [time or effort].
Improvement

Reliability and ownership

[Name] can be relied on to deliver. They met all deadlines this year, including during [busy period].
Dependable
[Name] takes ownership of their work and follows it through.
Ownership
[Name] stays steady under pressure. During [event], they stayed calm and kept the team informed.
Under pressure
[Name] does what they say they will do.
Following through
[Name] manages their time well and is rarely late with work.
Attendance and time

Areas to develop

Worded so the person knows what to try.

[Name] would benefit from delegating more. In the next year, try passing [task] to [person] and checking in weekly.
Delegating
[Name] has good ideas and could share them more in meetings. A first step is to prepare 1 point before each meeting.
Speaking up
[Name] sometimes finds it hard to choose between tasks. We will agree a weekly top 3 in our one-to-ones.
Prioritizing
[Name] could check work more before sending. A short checklist for [task] would help.
Detail
[Name] may wait too long before asking for help. We agreed they will ask after 30 minutes of being stuck.
Asking for help

Questions

What should you write in a performance review?

Describe what the person did, the effect it had, and what you would like to see next. Add 1 specific example to each main point.

How do you write positive performance review comments?

Name the work, say what it changed, and keep it specific. See the 60 positive feedback examples.

How do you write a negative performance review comment?

Describe what happened, say what it changed, and give a clear next step. Avoid labels about the person.

Feedback shows how one person is doing. A survey shows how a team is.

thrive at work is a workforce performance platform that measures whether people want to do the work and whether they can keep going. Each employee gets a private result, and managers see team results only.

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