Let’s face it—addressing workplace behavior or performance issues is never the highlight of anyone’s day. But for HR professionals, managers, and team leads, it’s a necessary part of maintaining a productive workplace.
A well-structured employee write-up form makes this process easier. It ensures consistent documentation of employee information, incident details, prior warnings, and responses, safeguarding both the organization and the employee involved.
This guide offers free, customizable templates to help you professionally document issues like poor performance, unprofessional behavior, and employee warnings. Read on!
🔎 Did You Know? There’s a popular (and sometimes debated) “feedback sandwich” method. It involves cushioning constructive criticism between two layers of positive feedback. Like a tasty but sometimes messy way to deliver the news! 🥪➡️
Free Employee Write-Up Templates for HR and Managers
What Are Employee Write-Up Templates?
An employee write-up template is a ready-made form that helps you record incident details, employee information, and specific performance issues or inappropriate behavior.
These templates make the disciplinary process smoother, more consistent, and legally correct. They’re structured to align with your employee handbook, include space for employee comments, and serve as a formal record for future reference.
So, when you leverage an employee write-up template, you can:
- Save time and avoid guesswork
- Create consistent disciplinary action forms
- Ensure legal compliance with relevant labor laws
- Document previous warnings and verbal warnings
- Maintain confidentiality and professionalism
Let’s say an employee repeatedly arrives late. You issue a verbal warning, but nothing changes. Using a written warning via an employee write-up form helps you officially document the behavior, outline expected behavior, and set a clear path for performance improvement.
15 Best Employee Write-Up Templates to Use at Work
Here are the best free templates to help you document employee performance, behavior, and incident details in a clear, structured format:
1. Comprehensive Performance Review Template
The Comprehensive Performance Review Template helps you monitor employee performance, track progress over time, and facilitate meaningful conversations around improvement.
With customizable fields and structured views, this company policy template ensures performance issues are documented professionally before escalating to a formal write-up. It supports HR professionals and managers in aligning feedback with company policies, tracking employees’ progress, and avoiding surprises during disciplinary action discussions.
Here’s why you’ll like it:
- Monitor how employees are progressing over time to spot patterns of poor performance early
- Document manager feedback that aligns with your employee handbook and job expectations
- Allow employees to fill out self-appraisals, encouraging open communication and accountability
🔑 Ideal for: HR professionals, team leads, and managers in any industry who want an easy-to-use employee write-up form to streamline reviews, boost engagement, and foster a culture of growth.
2. Quarterly Performance Review Template
The Quarterly Performance Review Template offers a structured and repeatable system for evaluating employee progress every quarter.
Whether you’re tracking poor performance or employee goals or laying the groundwork before an employee write-up, this template helps you address issues early, maintain documentation, and support improvement.
With goal tracking, feedback collection, and action planning all in one workspace, this tool enables the monitoring of employees’ actions, identification of gaps, and alignment of performance with job expectations.
Here’s why you’ll like it:
- Use real-time data to spot performance issues before they escalate into written warnings
- Document manager and peer input in a consistent, organized way for employee records
- Outline goals and steps that help employees meet job expectations and correct inappropriate behavior
🔑 Ideal for: HR professionals, team leads, and department managers who need to document and evaluate employee performance systematically.
3. Employee Feedback Template
The Employee Feedback Template helps gather, organize, and act on valuable team insights.
It enables you to streamline your feedback process, whether you’re conducting quarterly check-ins, administering anonymous surveys, or conducting regular team health checks. This helps you nurture a workplace culture of openness and continuous growth.
The employee write-up form also makes it easy to collect meaningful employee feedback and turn it into actionable steps. It’s a smart, structured approach to strengthening communication, boosting morale, and making every employee feel heard and valued.
Here’s why you’ll like it:
- Gather valuable input consistently by creating repeatable feedback cycles that encourage employee participation
- Improve manager-employee communication by creating a safe space for open, two-way conversations
- Turn feedback into action by assigning follow-up steps and tracking accountability to drive continuous improvement
🔑 Ideal for: HR managers, team leads, and department heads in remote, hybrid, or scaling teams looking to improve employee engagement and retention.
4. Feedback Form Template
The Feedback Form Template helps collect honest, actionable insights from customers, users, and partners.
Whether seeking feedback on a new feature or your customer service experience, this template enables you to ask the right questions and capture responses in a structured, easy-to-analyze format.
Using this template, you’ll turn raw responses into meaningful data that guides product improvements, boosts customer satisfaction, and builds stronger relationships.
Here’s why you’ll like it:
- Create targeted surveys to gather relevant feedback that aligns with your business goals and customer journey
- Streamline data collection so responses come in organized and ready to analyze, without extra work on your end
- Store and organize the feedback that you receive using the Feedback View
- Support smarter decisions by backing product, service, or strategy changes with real customer input
🔑 Ideal for: Product teams, customer success managers, and business owners who want to use customer feedback to guide improvements and elevate user experience.
5. Employee Evaluation Form Template
The Employee Evaluation Form Template helps you simplify and standardize your employee performance assessment.
Whether conducting regular reviews or preparing for promotions, this template ensures your evaluations are consistent, insightful, and aligned with company goals.
This employee write-up form template can be used to gather feedback, identify strengths and areas for improvement, and monitor performance trends over time. It’s a practical and powerful tool for promoting fairness, transparency, and employee development.
Here’s why you’ll like it:
- Track employee performance over time by logging evaluations regularly to monitor progress and consistency
- Create custom evaluation forms for each employee with the Evaluation Form View
- Get constructive input from your team by collecting peer or manager feedback to enrich performance reviews
- Spot areas for development by analyzing feedback to identify skills gaps or coaching needs
🔑 Ideal for: HR professionals, team leads, and department managers who must conduct fair, structured performance reviews with consistent tracking.
6. Employee Incident Report Template
The Employee Incident Report Template helps document workplace incidents quickly, accurately, and consistently. It is also useful for managing a growing team or ensuring HR compliance.
This template provides a centralized system for recording incidents, sharing updates, and taking corrective action, all without missing a beat.
By streamlining your incident reporting process, you boost transparency, improve workplace safety, and build trust. You also respond to incidents more quickly, identify trends, and safeguard your team and organization from preventable risks.
Here’s why you’ll like it:
- Track every incident from start to finish so you never lose vital details in scattered emails or docs
- Document evidence and statements efficiently to build a complete, accurate, and time-stamped report
- Streamline employee communication and resolution workflows so everyone knows what’s happening and what to do next
🔑 Ideal for: HR teams, safety officers, compliance managers, and operations leaders in many industries where clear documentation and fast response to incidents are critical.
💡 Pro Tip: Wondering how to craft effective HR policies?
Here are some tips you can follow:
- Be clear and concise to avoid misunderstandings 💬
- Align policies with your company values and legal requirements 📚
- Make them easy to access and understand for all employees 🧩
- Review and update regularly to stay relevant and compliant 🔄
7. Employee & Manager 1-on-1 Template
The Employee & Manager 1-on-1 Template helps you turn routine check-ins into structured, goal-oriented conversations. Whether addressing performance, reviewing past verbal warnings, or aligning on future goals, this template brings order and clarity to your one-on-ones.
This isn’t just about tracking employee write-ups or managing disciplinary actions—it’s about creating a written record of mutual expectations, progress, and accountability.
With , you ensure every meeting has a purpose and contributes meaningfully to professional growth and compliance with company policies.
Here’s why you’ll like it:
- Create structured 1-on-1 agendas to ensure consistent, productive meetings between employees and managers
- Track and follow up on performance concerns or behavioral issues after previous verbal or written warnings
- Resolve employee disputes effectively by maintaining a transparent and accessible meeting history
🔑 Ideal for: HR teams, department managers, team leads, and supervisors looking for structured employee engagement and clear communication.
8. Employee Activity Report Template
The Employee Activity Report Template helps record daily employee activities, offering a clear, structured way to assess performance, highlight accomplishments, and support continuous improvement.
If you aim to streamline your disciplinary process or want a written record of each day’s work, this template helps you stay organized, aligned with company policies, and focused on your team’s growth.
Here’s why you’ll like it:
- Support disciplinary process by maintaining a written document of tasks, behavior, and work ethics to be referred to for future employee write-ups or written warnings
- Maintain transparency with employees by clearly outlining expectations and goals at the start of each day
- Reduce employee disputes by keeping a formal document that records daily actions and issues, useful for any employee disciplinary action form or review meeting
🔑 Ideal for: Managers, HR teams, and team leads looking to monitor daily performance, enforce company policies, and reduce unprofessional behavior.
9. Employee Handbook, Policies and Procedure Template
The Employee Handbook, Policies, and Procedure Template helps outline expectations, minimise misunderstandings, and document every essential workplace policy.
Whether you’re a growing startup or an established enterprise, the docs template allows you to create a formal document that sets the tone for professionalism, ensures legal compliance, and clearly supports your disciplinary process.
The employee write-up form also provides a structured approach to managing employee behavior, preventing repeated policy violations, and maintaining a consistent written record in each employee’s personnel file.
Here’s why you’ll like it:
- Create and manage company policies to provide employees with a clear, consistent reference for expectations, conduct, and procedures
- Document employee write-ups to track unprofessional behavior and escalate issues from verbal warnings to written warnings effectively
- Standardize the disciplinary process with a reliable system for issuing employee warning notices and additional write-ups when necessary
🔑 Ideal for: HR managers, small business owners, legal teams, and operations leaders who wish to manage employee write-ups, enforce company policies, and handle employee disputes consistently.
10. Performance Improvement Plan Template (PIP)
The Performance Improvement Plan Template (PIP) is great for guiding underperforming employees toward success. It helps you craft a clear pathway to improvement by outlining expectations, performance benchmarks, support strategies, and deadlines in one collaborative and trackable document.
If you’re dealing with repeated policy violations, previous verbal warnings, or early signs of unprofessional behavior, this template provides a formal document to track progress, hold individuals accountable, and minimize misunderstandings during the disciplinary process.
It’s the bridge between feedback and measurable action.
Here’s why you’ll like it:
- Clarify expectations around company policies and performance standards
- Document every step, creating a written record that protects both the employee and the employer
- Include supervisors and HR to foster accountability and support through every phase of the disciplinary process
🔑 Ideal for: HR managers, team leads, and department heads in any industry where employee write-ups and progressive discipline are part of continuous performance management.
💡 Pro Tip: How do you respond to a warning at work?
Here are some smart strategies to consider:
- Stay calm and review the write-up carefully 🔍
- Have a respectful conversation with your manager 🗣️
- Document your side of the story professionally 📄
- Focus on making improvements and setting clear goals 🎯
11. Employee Onboarding Template
The Employee Onboarding Template helps you deliver a consistent, efficient, and engaging onboarding experience for every new hire—no more scattered documents, forgotten steps, or missed follow-ups.
This template ensures each new employee’s success by scheduling initial meetings, documenting onboarding progress, and outlining company policies. It streamlines your HR workflow and establishes a solid foundation for long-term success.
Here’s why you’ll like it:
- Build a structured onboarding journey that clearly outlines expectations, timelines, and responsibilities for new employees
- Assign onboarding tasks easily so every team member knows what to do and when to do it
- View a timeline of tasks and deadlines to follow with the Onboarding Calendar View
- Establish a written record for onboarding activities, great for future reference or employee write-ups
🔑 Ideal for: HR managers, team leads, and growing startups looking to streamline onboarding, reduce employee disputes, and stay organized with written records for employee disciplinary action or policy adherence.
12. PDF Employee Write-Up Form Template by AIHR
The PDF Employee Write-Up Form Template by AIHR helps you document employee disciplinary actions clearly and professionally. It provides a structured way to record incidents, violations, and expectations for improvement in one place.
This formal document safeguards your company legally and encourages accountability and consistent enforcement of company policies. It’s great for any manager looking to streamline employee write-ups, resolve employee disputes, and maintain a solid written record in the employee’s personnel file.
Here’s why you’ll like it:
- Document employee behavior by clearly stating the incident, rule violation, and consequences
- Track disciplinary steps from a first warning to a final written warning and ensure progressive action
- Build a written record for use in performance evaluations, future disputes, or additional write-ups
🔑 Ideal for: HR professionals, team leads, and supervisors managing unprofessional behavior or repeated policy violations.
13. PDF Employee Write Up Form Template by Betterteam
The PDF Employee Write Up Form Template by Betterteam helps you formally address workplace misconduct and clearly outline expectations for the future.
Whether you’re dealing with attendance issues, policy violations, or poor performance, this write-up form ensures that your employee warning notice is detailed, consistent, and legally sound.
Designed to protect the company and the employee, this employee write-up form helps document each incident, define consequences, and create an improvement plan.
It enables you to reduce misunderstandings, handle employee disputes, and keep a clear written record in the employee’s personnel file.
Here’s why you’ll like it:
- Address concerns clearly by documenting specific misconduct, such as absenteeism or safety rule violations
- Support fair HR processes by using it as a formal document during a private meeting for a verbal or written warning
- Protect your company legally by ensuring you have consistent documentation in case the employee fails to improve or disputes the write-up
🔑 Ideal for: HR professionals, operations managers, and team leads who must address misconduct, track employee behavior, or initiate disciplinary processes.
14. Google Docs Employee Disciplinary Report Template by AvaHR
The Google Docs Employee Disciplinary Report Template by AvaHR helps document misconduct and manage disciplinary actions. It ensures consistent reporting while giving both employees and managers a structured space to describe incidents, violations, and resolutions. It’s especially helpful when navigating sensitive workplace issues, such as misconduct, attendance problems, or policy violations.
This write-up form provides a clear framework for documenting employee write-ups and corrective measures, promoting accountability and encouraging fair and legal HR practices.
Here’s why you’ll like it:
- Document misconduct clearly by recording all essential details of the incident to ensure there’s a reliable reference
- Capture witness statements to provide supporting evidence and reduce bias during private meetings or HR reviews
- Outline disciplinary actions taken, like coaching or a written warning, to help track how many write-ups an employee has received
🔑 Ideal for: HR professionals, team leaders, and managers in fields where policy violations, attendance issues, and employee misconduct must be addressed swiftly and fairly.
15. Employee Written Warning Templates and Examples by HiBob
The Employee Written Warning Templates and Examples by HiBob help you document performance or conduct issues, outline necessary improvements, and communicate potential consequences in a compliant and respectful manner.
Whether you’re dealing with repeat attendance issues or serious behavioral concerns, this employee write-up form ensures your documentation is thorough and fair.
By using this template, you create a solid record of employee write-ups, giving your team members a clear chance to improve before further action is taken.
Here’s why you’ll like it:
- Clearly outlines the issue, policy violation, and expected improvements
- Communicates consequences and potential next steps, including termination
- References past warnings and efforts to resolve the problem privately
🔑 Ideal for: HR teams, line managers, and supervisors who need a consistent approach to handling employee written warnings and addressing ongoing behavioral or performance issues.
What Makes a Good Employee Write-Up Template?
A thoughtfully crafted employee write-up template can save you from messy miscommunication, HR headaches, and legal issues. It brings clarity, consistency, and compliance into your disciplinary process.
Here are the key features an ideal employee write-up template should include:
- Employee information section: The employee write-up form should capture key details like job title, department, and supervisor to place the write-up in context
- Clear description of the incident: It should document what happened, including the time, date, and the employee’s actions, for full transparency
- Violation of company policies: The write-up form template should reference the specific section of the employee handbook that was breached
- Type of warning issued: It should clarify if this is a first warning or a final written warning to track previous warnings
- Impact on job expectations: The employee write-up form must explain how the employee’s behavior or poor work performance affects team productivity or culture
- Employee response section: It should allow space for employee comments or disputes to support open communication
- Corrective action plan: The employee write-up form should outline next steps and expectations for performance improvement to avoid further disciplinary action
- Acknowledgment and signatures: It should provide space for signatures from both the employee and supervisor to confirm the meeting and discussion
Additional resources for people managers 👀
Manage Misconduct and Improve Accountability With
Managing employee misconduct and tracking disciplinary actions can feel like a never-ending paper trail. But skipping documentation? That’s a risk you can’t afford. Efficiently documenting employee write-ups, performance issues, and warning notices ensures your team stays accountable, policies are upheld, and future disputes are avoided.
These ready-to-use employee write-up form templates make it easier to document issues clearly and consistently.
Additionally, , the everything app for work, helps HR professionals and managers streamline employee discipline with task tracking, custom forms, comments, and private docs for sensitive records.
The best part? offers 100+ customizable templates to support your HR workflows. Sign up for today to bring clarity, consistency, and control to your employee management process!
Everything you need to stay organized and get work done.