60 ChatGPT Prompts for Performance Review [UPDATED]

Alright, let’s be honest. When “performance review season” rolls around, it can feel like a bit of a pressure cooker, can’t it? If you’re an employee, you’re probably thinking about how to best put your year’s hard work into words. If you’re a manager, you’re juggling how to give feedback that’s fair, encouraging, and actually helps your team grow. And if you’re in HR, you’re aiming to make the whole system run smoothly, stay compliant, and genuinely support everyone’s development. It’s a big deal for everyone.

But what if you had a smart, friendly assistant ready to help you make sense of it all? Someone to help you find the right words, organize your thoughts, and approach those review conversations with a bit more confidence?

This carefully crafted ChatGPT prompts design to transform how you approach performance reviews. We’ve done the groundwork to provide you with targeted questions you can ask ChatGPT, whether you’re:

• An employee looking to articulate your achievements and prepare for a constructive conversation.
• A manager aiming to draft insightful evaluations, set meaningful goals, and deliver impactful feedback.
• An HR professional focused on designing efficient, fair, and legally sound review systems that foster growth.

Our goal is to empower you to turn these crucial conversations from a daunting task into a genuine opportunity for growth, clarity, and improved performance. Simply find the section relevant to your role, replace the placeholders like [Your Role], [Specific Skill], or [Company Name] with your specific details, and let ChatGPT guide you towards more effective and insightful outcomes. Let’s make your next performance review your best one yet!

I. For Employees (Preparing for & Navigating Your Review)

This section helps employees prepare for their performance review, understand feedback, and plan for future growth.

1. Preparing for Your Review & Self-Assessment:

1. How can I best prepare for my upcoming performance review for my role as [Your Role], focusing on my work on [Key Project/Responsibility] over the last [Review Period, e.g., 6 months, 1 year]?
2. What are common mistakes employees in [Your Industry/Role Type] make during performance reviews, and how can I avoid them?
3. I need to write a self-assessment for my role as [Your Role]. What key elements should I include to highlight my achievements like [Specific Achievement 1] and address areas for development like [Specific Area for Development]?
4. Generate a comprehensive self-assessment template for an employee in the role of [Your Role] to prepare for their performance review covering [Review Period, e.g., 'the past 6 months']. The template should include sections and guiding questions for them to reflect on:
   • Key accomplishments and contributions (e.g., related to [Project X], [Skill Y demonstrated via Z action]).
   • Challenges faced and how they were addressed (e.g., [Specific Challenge]).
   • Areas of personal and professional growth (e.g., in [Specific Skill or Competency like 'public speaking']).
   • Specific examples of teamwork and collaboration (e.g., [Contribution to Team Project Z]).
   • Areas they believe they need to develop further, with examples.
   • Their goals and aspirations for the upcoming [Next Period/Year] (e.g., related to [New Skill Development like learning Python] or [Career Progression like leading a small project team]).
5. Acting as a critical thinking promoter, provide a list of 5-7 insightful questions to encourage [Employee's Name] ([Employee's Role]) to deeply self-evaluate their performance. The questions should prompt reflection on their strengths in [Specific Skill/Area, e.g., 'customer relationship management'], weaknesses or areas for development in [Another Skill/Area, e.g., 'data visualization'], significant achievements during [Specific Project or Time Frame, e.g., 'the successful ABC client onboarding'], and lessons learned from any setbacks or [Specific Challenging Situation].

2. Communicating Achievements & Addressing Challenges:

1. How can I effectively articulate my accomplishments, such as [Specific Achievement 1] and [Specific Achievement 2], and quantify their impact during my review?
2. What are constructive ways to discuss areas where I need improvement, like [Area of Improvement], and propose actionable solutions or request support?
3. How can I highlight my contributions to team projects like [Team Project Name], detailing my specific role as [Your Role in Project] and the outcomes?

3. Discussing Career Growth & Compensation:

1. What’s the best approach to discuss a potential raise or promotion to [Desired Role/Salary Level] during my review, considering my contributions like [Key Contribution for Raise/Promotion]?
2. How can I use the feedback from my review on [Specific Feedback Point] to set realistic and impactful SMART goals for the next review period, specifically for improving [Goal Area]?

4. Handling Feedback & Asking Questions:

1. What are effective strategies for professionally handling negative or unexpected feedback regarding [Specific Negative Feedback Example] during my review?
2. I received feedback that [Quote or Paraphrase Specific Feedback]. How can I interpret this, ask clarifying questions, and formulate a constructive response or action plan?
3. What key questions should I ask my manager, [Manager's Name/Role], during my review to better understand my performance in [Specific Area] and learn about future opportunities like [Potential Project/Responsibility]?

5. Post-Review Actions:

1. What are effective ways to follow up after my performance review regarding [Specific Agreed Action/Goal] to ensure progress and accountability?

II. For Managers (Conducting Effective Reviews)

This section helps managers prepare for and conduct performance reviews that are fair, constructive, and motivating.

1. Preparation & Structure:

1. How can I best prepare to conduct performance reviews for my team members, such as [Employee Name] in the role of [Employee's Role], ensuring consistency and fairness?
2. What are key components of a well-structured performance review discussion for an employee like [Employee Name] who [Briefly describe employee's general performance, e.g., is a high performer, needs development in X]?

2. Drafting Reviews & Initial Feedback:

1. Generate a comprehensive performance review draft for [Employee's Name], who is a [Employee's Role]. The review should cover the period from [Start Date] to [End Date]. Highlight their key achievements, such as [Achievement 1] and [Achievement 2], and contributions to [Key Project or Skill]. Also, identify areas for improvement, like [Area 1] and [Area 2], and suggest specific, actionable development goals for the upcoming [Next Period/Year] focusing on [Specific Skill or Competency].
2. Acting as a manager, draft initial feedback for [Employee's Name] ([Employee's Role]) based on their performance data and observations from [Specific Period]. Focus on their accomplishments in [Specific Achievement or Strength, e.g., 'exceeding sales targets by X%'], areas requiring development such as [Specific Area for Improvement, e.g., 'meeting project deadlines'], and propose a concrete development plan to enhance [Specific Skill, e.g., 'project management skills'] or achieve [Specific Goal, e.g., 'certification in Y by Z date'].
3. I need to write a performance review summary for [Employee Name]. What key elements should I include to accurately summarize their performance regarding [Key Responsibility] and [Development Goal], ensuring it’s balanced and actionable?
4. Generate a concise summary (approx. [Number, e.g., 100-150] words) of [Employee's Name]‘s performance for the [Review Period, e.g., '2023 Annual Review'] for [Purpose, e.g., the introductory section of the official review form or for talent calibration discussions]. Key highlights include: [Achievement 1, e.g., 'Led team to exceed Q3 target by 15%'], [Achievement 2, e.g., 'Successfully mentored two new hires']. The main development area is [Improvement Area 1, e.g., 'delegating tasks more effectively']. Primary goals for the next period are [Goal 1, e.g., 'obtain certification in X'] and [Goal 2, e.g., 'improve Y process efficiency by Z%'].
5. What are some examples of clear, specific, and behavioral language to use when documenting [Employee's Name]‘s strengths in [Specific Strength] and areas for improvement in [Specific Area for Improvement]?
6. Refine the language in the following section of [Employee's Name]‘s performance review to enhance professionalism, empathy, and clarity, ensuring it motivates them towards their [Development Goals, e.g., 'taking more ownership of projects']. Current text: ‘[Paste specific section of the review here]‘.

3. Delivering Feedback & Communication:

1. What are best practices for delivering constructive feedback about [Specific Positive Behavior/Result] and [Specific Area for Improvement] to my direct report, [Employee Name]?
2. What are some tactful phrases or approaches for delivering difficult feedback to [Employee Name] about [Specific Difficult Issue, e.g., poor communication, missed deadlines] while maintaining a positive and supportive tone?
3. I need to provide feedback to [Employee's Name] about their [Area Needing Improvement, e.g., 'attention to detail in reports']. Here is my current draft: ‘[Paste your draft feedback here]‘. Please help me revise this feedback to be more constructive, positive, and actionable. It should clearly address their performance in [Specific Project or Task, e.g., 'the Q3 financial report'] and suggest specific steps for improvement, such as [Example Improvement Step].
4. Acting as a communication coach for a manager, help me structure a conversation to deliver difficult feedback to [Employee's Name] regarding [Specific Issue, e.g., 'their recent dip in productivity']. Provide talking points that focus on observable behaviors (e.g., [Specific Observable Behavior]), its impact (e.g., [Specific Impact]), and collaboratively explore solutions for improvement. Ensure the message is clear, empathetic, and aimed at motivating them towards [Desired Outcome, e.g., 'achieving their Q4 targets'].
5. Draft a script or key talking points for delivering a performance review to [Employee's Name] ([Employee's Role]). The review includes positive feedback on [Specific Strength/Achievement, e.g., 'their initiative in streamlining Z process'] and constructive feedback on [Area for Improvement, e.g., 'enhancing cross-departmental communication on projects']. The goal is to ensure the employee feels valued, clearly understands the feedback, and is motivated for future development. Include suggestions for proactively addressing potential questions or defensiveness regarding [Sensitive Feedback Point, e.g., 'their recent project delay'].
6. How should I address underperformance by [Employee Name] in [Area of Underperformance] during their review, and what documentation is crucial?

4. Goal Setting, Development & Progress Tracking:

1. Help me define 2-3 SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals for [Employee's Name] ([Employee's Role]) for the upcoming [Period, e.g., quarter, year]. The goals should focus on:
   • Key responsibility/skill: [e.g., Improving data analysis skills to reduce report generation time by X%]
   • Project contribution: [e.g., Successfully leading the launch of Y project by Z date]
   • Personal/Professional development: [e.g., Completing a course on Z leadership skill and applying it in team meetings].
2. Acting as a goal-setting advisor, develop comprehensive SMART goals for [Employee's Name] ([Employee's Role]) for the [Year/Period]. These goals should target:
   • Professional development in [Specific Skill Area, e.g., advanced Excel proficiency]
   • Contribution to [Team or Company Objective, e.g., 'increase customer retention by X% through improved follow-up protocols']
   • Achievement of [Specific Project Milestone or Personal Career Goal, e.g., 'mentoring a junior team member'] by [Deadline].
3. How can I use [Employee Name]‘s performance review to foster their development in [Skill/Area] and map out tangible growth opportunities within the team/company for [Type of Opportunity, e.g., leading a small project, mentorship]?
4. Identify and recommend specific training and development resources (e.g., online courses like [Coursera course name], workshops, books such as [Book Title], mentorship programs) for [Employee's Name] ([Employee's Role]) to enhance their [Specific Skill 1, e.g., technical writing] and address challenges in [Specific Area/Skill 2, e.g., cross-functional communication]. Also, suggest resources to prepare them for upcoming projects involving [Specific Technology or Methodology, e.g., Agile project management].
5. Acting as a personal development planner, create a tailored development plan for [Employee's Name] ([Employee's Role]). This plan should:
   • Address identified skill gaps in [Specific Area, e.g., strategic negotiation]
   • Leverage their existing strengths in [Specific Skill, e.g., analytical thinking]
   • Outline actionable steps, resources, and a timeline to achieve [Specific Career Goal or prepare for role advancement, e.g., 'Senior Analyst within 2 years'].
6. Draft a set of discussion questions or a template to help [Employee's Name] ([Employee's Role]) and their manager track progress towards achieving [Specific Goal, e.g., 'improve presentation skills for client meetings']. The template should help identify milestones achieved, challenges encountered, resources utilized or needed, and any adjustments to the goal required during [Specific Period, e.g., the next quarter].

5. Managing the Conversation & Motivation:

1. Help me craft a concise and positive opening statement for [Employee's Name]‘s performance review discussion. The statement should set a collaborative tone, acknowledge their contributions, and briefly outline the agenda for the meeting, which includes discussing [Key Achievement or Strength like 'their excellent work on project X'], [Area for Growth like 'developing Y skill'], and [Future Goals like 'taking on Z responsibility'].
2. What strategies can I use during the review for [Employee Name] to motivate them, especially regarding [Specific Challenge/Goal] or if they seem [Employee's Demeanor, e.g., disengaged, anxious]?
3. How can I create a positive and productive atmosphere when discussing a sensitive topic like [Sensitive Topic, e.g., missed target, interpersonal conflict] with [Employee Name]?
4. What are common pitfalls for managers to avoid when conducting a review for an employee in a [Specific Situation, e.g., remote setting, first review, after a re-org]?

6. Ensuring Fairness and Reducing Bias:

1. How do I ensure fairness and objectivity when evaluating [Employee Name]‘s performance on [Specific Project/Task] compared to [Another Employee Name/Similar Task] or against [Specific Performance Standard]?
2. Review the following performance feedback drafted for [Employee's Name] and identify any language that could reflect unconscious bias (e.g., related to [Age, Gender, Personality, Cultural Background, etc.]). Suggest specific edits to make the feedback more neutral, objective, and focused on observable behaviors and measurable outcomes: ‘[Paste feedback here]‘.
3. Acting as a bias minimizer, help me rephrase the following statements about [Employee's Name]‘s performance in [Subjective Area, e.g., 'their assertiveness in meetings' or 'their fit with team culture'] to ensure the language is objective, behavior-based, and fair, avoiding speculation or personal judgment. Original statements: ‘[Paste statements here]‘.

7. Scenario Planning and Future Performance:

1. How can I use the review process to identify and discuss development paths for high-potential employees like [Potential HIPO Employee Name] for future roles like [Specific Future Role/Responsibility]?
2. Based on [Employee's Name]‘s ([Employee's Role]) current performance trajectory, including strengths in [Specific Strength, e.g., 'rapid learning of new technologies'] and challenges in [Specific Area, e.g., 'time estimation for complex tasks'], outline 2-3 potential performance projection scenarios for them over the next [Timeframe, e.g., '12-18 months']. For each scenario (e.g., ‘Exceeds Expectations’, ‘Meets Expectations’, ‘Needs Improvement’), suggest:
   • Key actions or developments by the employee or manager that could lead to this scenario.
   • Strategies to achieve a [Desired Outcome, e.g., 'readiness for a senior role'] or mitigate a [Potential Risk, e.g., 'burnout due to over-commitment'].
3. Help me outline potential career path scenarios for [Employee's Name] ([Employee's Role]) within our organization over the next [Timeframe, e.g., '2-3 years']. Consider their stated aspirations (if known, e.g., [Stated Career Goal like 'moving into product management']), their demonstrated success in [Specific High-Impact Area/Project, e.g., 'leading the X initiative'], and challenges they might face in [Area Needing Development for Future Roles, e.g., 'strategic planning']. For each scenario, what specific development steps, experiences, or mentorship would be most beneficial?

8. Supporting Continuous Feedback:

1. Design a template for regular (e.g., weekly/bi-weekly/monthly) check-in meetings between a manager, [Manager's Name], and their team member, [Employee's Name] ([Employee's Role]). The template should facilitate discussion on:
   • Progress on current tasks and [Specific Ongoing Project(s) or Key Responsibilities].
   • Achievements and successes since the last check-in.
   • Any challenges, obstacles, or resource needs related to [Specific Area of Work or Goal].
   • Actionable feedback (from manager to employee and vice-versa) on recent work.
   • Support needed to achieve [Specific Short-Term Goal or overcome an area of improvement].
   • Priorities for the upcoming [Week/Period].

9. Data Analysis for Performance Insight:

1. I have the following performance data for [Employee's Name/Department] for the period [Time Period, e.g., 'Q2 2024']: [Insert or describe data, e.g., 'Project completion rate: 85%; Average customer feedback score: 4.5/5; Number of new features launched: 3']. Analyze this data to identify key performance trends, compare outcomes in [Specific Area, e.g., 'bug resolution time'] against set goals (e.g., [Target Bug Resolution Time]), and provide actionable insights or suggestions for improvement, such as [Potential Action based on data].
2. Generate a summary report of [Employee's Name]‘s ([Employee's Role]) performance metrics from [Start Date] to [End Date]. The report should focus on:
   • Productivity in [Specific Task or Project, e.g., 'writing marketing copy for X campaigns'].
   • Efficiency in [Specific Process, e.g., 'managing customer inquiries, average handling time X minutes'].
   • Impact on [Overall Team or Company Goal, e.g., 'contributing to a Y% increase in lead generation'].

   Please highlight key achievements and areas needing attention based on the data provided: [Provide relevant quantitative or qualitative data].

III. For HR Professionals (Designing & Managing the Review System)

This section helps HR professionals design, implement, and refine effective performance review processes.

1. Process Design & Alignment:

1. How can our organization, [Company Name], design or improve our performance review process to better align with our core values of [Company Value 1] and [Company Value 2] and our strategic objective of [Strategic Objective]?
2. What are some innovative performance review approaches (e.g., [Specific Approach like 360-degree feedback, continuous feedback, project-based reviews]) that [Company Name] could consider to improve [Specific Aspect, e.g., employee engagement, fairness, development focus]?
3. What strategies can we implement to ensure our performance reviews directly support organizational goals like [Organizational Goal 1] and help develop competencies needed for [Future Business Need]?
4. Provide a framework or a set of questions to help compile 360-degree feedback for [Employee's Name] ([Employee's Role]) from their peers (e.g., [Peer 1 Name], [Peer 2 Name]), direct reports (if applicable, e.g., [Reportee 1 Name]), and other managers/stakeholders they collaborate with (e.g., [Manager from X Department]). The feedback should focus on their observed behaviors and performance in:
   • [Specific Competency/Skill 1, e.g., 'communication effectiveness in team meetings']
   • [Specific Competency/Skill 2, e.g., 'collaboration on cross-functional projects']
   • Observed strengths in [Another Area, e.g., 'innovative problem-solving']
   • Constructive suggestions for improvement for the [Upcoming Period, e.g., 'next project cycle'].

2. Training & Communication:

1. How can we effectively train managers at [Company Name] to conduct fair, consistent, and legally sound performance reviews, especially when addressing [Specific Challenge, e.g., rating calibration, unconscious bias, remote employees]?
2. What are best practices for communicating upcoming changes to our performance review process, such as [Specific Change, e.g., new rating scale, shift to continuous feedback], to all employees and managers at [Company Name]?

3. Evaluation, Compliance & Fairness:

1. What key metrics should [Company Name] track to evaluate the effectiveness of our performance review system, particularly concerning [Specific Outcome, e.g., impact on employee retention, perception of fairness, goal achievement rates]?
2. What are the key legal compliance considerations (e.g., related to [Specific Regulation/Law in Your Jurisdiction]) and risk mitigation strategies for performance reviews, especially regarding documentation of [Issue like underperformance, disciplinary actions]?
3. Provide a checklist of key legal and ethical considerations for conducting performance reviews in [Your Country/Region, if specific laws apply, e.g., California, USA or Germany]. Focus on aspects such as:
   • Non-discrimination (based on [Protected Characteristics like age, race, gender, disability]).
   • Data privacy and confidentiality of employee information.
   • Proper documentation and record-keeping.
   • Ensuring fairness, consistency, and transparency in the process.
   • What are common legal pitfalls to avoid when discussing [Sensitive Topic like underperformance or promotion denial]?
4. Acting as a compliance advisor for our [Organization's HR Department/Company Name], outline best practices for structuring our performance review process for [All Employees / Specific Employee Group like 'remote workers'] to ensure it aligns with [Specific Laws or Regulations, e.g., 'GDPR for European employees', 'Equal Pay Act'] and promotes [Ethical Standards like objectivity] and equity in [Evaluation, Development Opportunities, and Promotion Decisions].
5. How can we ensure that the criteria used for performance evaluations for [Employee's Role or Department, e.g., 'Sales Representatives'] are clearly job-related, objectively measurable, consistently applied across all individuals in that role, and documented appropriately? This is to comply with [Relevant Employment Laws/Company Policy, e.g., 'our company's internal EEO policy'] and to support fair and defensible decision-making regarding [Promotions, Compensation Adjustments, or Disciplinary Actions].
6. I am reviewing feedback for multiple employees in similar roles ([List Roles or Department, e.g., 'Software Engineer II']). How can I systematically check for consistency and fairness in the application of [Specific Performance Criteria, e.g., 'innovation' or 'problem-solving skills'] across these reviews? Provide a checklist or a set of guiding questions to audit these reviews, particularly considering diverse employee backgrounds such as [e.g., 'employees with different tenures' or 'employees from underrepresented groups'].
7. How can we effectively gather and analyze feedback from employees and managers on the current performance review process at [Company Name] to identify areas for improvement, such as [Current Problem Area, e.g., perceived bias, time-consuming process]?

4. Technology, Data & Talent Management:

1. What tools or technologies could help [Company Name] streamline the performance review process, specifically for [Task like data collection, feedback scheduling, analytics]?
2. How can [Company Name] use aggregate performance review data to inform talent management decisions, such as succession planning for [Key Role], identifying company-wide skill gaps in [Specific Skill Area], or developing targeted training programs for [Target Employee Group]?
3. Acting as a performance analyst for the [Team/Department Name], analyze the collective performance data over [Specific Period, e.g., 'the last 12 months'] based on [KPI 1, e.g., 'average project delivery time'], [KPI 2, e.g., 'employee engagement scores'], and [KPI 3, e.g., 'client satisfaction ratings']. Identify overall trends in [Specific Skill or Project Performance, e.g., 'adoption of new software'], patterns in [Team Collaboration or Efficiency, e.g., 'meeting deadlines for multi-stage projects'], and common areas for improvement or commendation in [Specific Process or Competency, e.g., 'knowledge sharing practices'].