Free Talent Review Templates to Assess & Develop Your Workforce

How do you know your talent management efforts are yielding the right results? Many companies struggle to identify high-potential employees despite HR leaders prioritizing talent management.

Often, it’s a structured, repeatable talent review process. Combined with the right templates for evaluating performance and guiding development discussions, it can change how you manage employees.

Whether you’re preparing for quarterly performance cycles or building your company’s succession planning strategy, having the right talent review templates is essential. These templates help transform scattered feedback into actionable development plans that align with organizational growth.

Let’s explore the best performance review templates to help you identify talent, address skill gaps, and create clear pathways for employee growth.

What Are Talent Review Templates?

Talent review templates are standardized tools used to evaluate employee performance, potential, and readiness for growth. These templates help HR teams and managers:

• Identify high-performing and high-potential employees
• Assess critical competencies and development areas
• Guide performance conversations and succession planning
• Align individual growth with company goals

A good review template includes evaluation criteria for current performance, career aspirations, and future readiness. It ensures reviews are structured, fair, and actionable, supporting clear decision-making.

What Makes a Good Talent Review Template?

A good employee review template balances comprehensive evaluation with practical usability. It should include clear assessment criteria that measure both performance (what employees deliver) and future potential (what they could achieve with development).

Effective templates also feature:

• Objective measurement: Uses rating scales that minimize bias
• Qualitative insights: Provides space for feedback and specific performance review examples
• Future focus: Differentiates between current capabilities and future potential
• Action orientation: Includes development planning sections that drive change
• Strategic alignment: Connects to organizational competencies and values
• Visual clarity: Features elements that make talent distributions easy to understand
• Adaptable design: Works across different roles and departments

The best templates transform subjective impressions into structured insights that drive meaningful talent development conversations.

15 Talent Review Templates

Finding the right talent review templates can be challenging when building an effective performance management system. That’s where , the everything app for work, comes in. It offers customizable, workflow-integrated templates tailored to your organization’s specific needs.

In fact, users consistently praise the platform’s versatility for talent management processes:

Along with other valuable resources from trusted providers, here are 15 templates to transform your talent review meeting.

1. The Feedback Collection Form Template

When regular feedback becomes part of your culture, talent reviews become much more effective. The Feedback Form Template provides a structured approach to gathering performance insights from multiple stakeholders. 

This customizable template creates a centralized system for collecting, organizing, and analyzing feedback across your organization.

These key features make feedback collection more systematic:

• Track progress with Custom Statuses, including “Open” and “Complete”
• Capture feedback across 15 different custom attributes like development opportunities, company culture, role clarity, and work distribution
• Access 4 distinct views: All Respondents List View, Responses List View, Employee Feedback Survey Table View, and Start Here Whiteboard View
• Enhance feedback management with tagging, comment reactions, automations, and AI capabilities
• Organize responses with Board and Table views to identify patterns and trends
• Supports regular feedback cycles to enhance employee engagement and continuous improvement

2. The Employee Evaluation Feedback Form Template

Have you considered how structured feedback could transform your talent discussions? The Employee Feedback Form Template transforms traditional performance conversations into structured, actionable discussions. This version of ’s feedback form is specifically designed for manager-led evaluations.

This comprehensive feedback form template combines quantitative ratings with qualitative feedback areas to create a complete picture of both their performance and potential.

Here’s how this template enhances your feedback process:

• Collect meaningful insights through Custom Fields like Feedback Value and Development Opportunities
• Track employee sentiment and identify trends with multiple organized views
• Foster transparent communication between employees and management
• Ensure fair and comprehensive evaluations with a structured approach
• Conduct thorough assessments with sections for core competencies, achievement tracking, and development planning
• Adapt across departments and seniority levels with a flexible template

3. The Performance Review Template

Looking for a comprehensive framework that covers all aspects of performance evaluation? The Performance Review Template offers a robust framework for evaluating employee contributions, capabilities, and growth trajectory. 

This comprehensive template provides a structured system for effective performance reviews, highlighting strengths, addressing improvement areas, and establishing actionable development plans.

This template provides everything you need for a complete performance evaluation:

• Set clear expectations and measurable goals with customizable employee performance metrics
• Document accomplishments and areas for improvement using structured feedback sections
• Identify top performers and high-potential employees with objective criteria and nuanced feedback
• Create targeted development plans with specific action items and timelines
• Ensure consistent evaluation across teams while generating data for talent calibration sessions

4. The Comprehensive Performance Review Template

Multi-dimensional assessment provides the richest insights for talent discussions. The Comprehensive Performance Review Template elevates standard reviews with a structured approach to talent assessment that covers the complete performance lifecycle. 

The structured format includes reflection on past accomplishments and development plans, ensuring retrospective and forward-looking reviews.

Take your performance reviews to the next level with these capabilities:

• Manage the complete review cycle with subtasks for self-evaluation performance review, manager assessment, and career conversations
• Track review progress across multiple employees with visual progress indicators
• Organize reviews by department, quarter, and manager with seven Custom Fields
• Document specific accomplishments with supporting evidence in the “Reflect on the Past” section
• Facilitate future planning with guided evaluation questions about career aspirations and development

5. The Quarterly Performance Review Template

Why wait an entire year to evaluate existing talent when quarterly reviews provide more timely insights? The Quarterly Performance Review Template creates a rhythm of regular performance conversations that feed into broader talent management processes. 

This focused template balances efficiency with insight, allowing managers to capture recent performance data without the administrative burden of full annual reviews.

Here’s how this template supports your performance review cycle:

• Focus on short-term results, near-term development goals, and recent accomplishments without the burden of annual reviews
• Capture fresher data with a quarterly cadence for more relevant and timely development conversations
• Track progress against quarterly goals and key results (OKRs)
• Identify emerging strengths and new areas for growth
• Set clear development priorities for the next 90 days
• Maintain a rolling record that informs annual performance reviews

6. The Employee Evaluation Form Template

The Employee Evaluation Form Template is designed to assess individual performance, track progress, and identify areas for improvement. This versatile template combines quantitative ratings with qualitative feedback to create a balanced evaluation supporting talent review discussions. It can be used for employee evaluations, project reviews, event feedback, or product assessments.

Here’s how it supports consistent, objective evaluations:

• Manage the process with Custom Statuses like “Open” and “Complete” to track progress
• Capture key performance attributes such as job title, technical skills, communication skills, and areas for improvement
• Use Custom Fields like awards received, pending tasks, or total hours rendered to get a complete picture of employee contributions
• Access helpful views, including the Evaluation Form, List of Employee Evaluations, and Start Here, to organize your workflow
• Use automations and comment reactions to streamline collaboration during evaluation cycles

7. The Task-Based Evaluation Workflow Form Template

Accountability is essential when conducting evaluations across teams. The Evaluation Form Task Template integrates employee assessments into your existing workflow by turning evaluations into trackable tasks. This task-based format ensures timely completion, consistent data collection, and visibility into evaluation progress.

Managers can reduce admin burden by assigning evaluations as tasks with ownership, due dates, and documentation while keeping the process consistent across teams.

Here’s how this template improves your evaluation workflow:

• Assign evaluation tasks with clear ownership and deadlines to boost accountability
• Track progress across reviewers and departments using task status indicators
• Capture evaluation details with Custom Fields like job title, communication skills, and technical competencies
• Centralize performance data for easier talent calibration and follow-up planning
• Scale evaluations effortlessly across teams with reusable task templates and Custom Fields

8. The Employee Weekly Report Template

Continuous documentation creates a richer picture for talent reviews. The Employee Weekly Report Template captures ongoing performance data, ensuring more informed discussions. 

This lightweight template helps employees log weekly accomplishments, challenges, and development activities, offering valuable context for broader talent assessments.

Here’s how this template strengthens your performance documentation:

• Capture real-time performance data through regular self-reporting, reducing reliance on recent events or manager biases
• Record weekly accomplishments, roadblocks, and lessons learned for a comprehensive performance history
• Use Custom Fields to ensure consistent updates across departments
• View progress through visual summaries in List and Board views
• Streamline communication with comment threads and mentions
• Build a living archive of employee contributions to support fair and accurate talent evaluations

9. The Start Stop Continue Template

Sometimes, the most potent feedback comes in the most straightforward format. The Start Stop Continue Template is one such option, offering a streamlined approach to gathering focused feedback that informs talent development. 

This intuitive template uses a simple framework to identify behaviors to begin, cease, and maintain, creating a clear direction for employee development.

Here’s how this template improves feedback and reflection:

• Use a visual whiteboard to collaborate and brainstorm as a team
• Encourage open input to create a psychologically safe feedback space
• Tailor the template for retrospectives, team check-ins, or planning
• Turn reflections into actionable items with follow-up tasks
• Facilitate alignment across roles with a shared understanding of priorities

10. The Performance Report Template

The Performance Report Template transforms raw talent data into visual dashboards and trend analysis. This isn’t just about listing outcomes—it’s about spotting patterns and forecasting talent risk. 

This analytics-focused performance management template helps leaders identify performance trends, compare team members, and make data-driven talent management decisions.

Turn your talent data into actionable insights with these capabilities:

• Visualize team output across time frames using List, Calendar, and Workload views
• Track goals and KPIs using Custom Fields and real-time updates
• Assign reporting tasks with due dates and Custom Statuses for clarity
• Create automated summaries to reduce manual reporting work
• Add supporting notes, files, and comments for context-rich reports
• Monitor trends across teams and time periods to uncover performance patterns
• Aggregate performance data to identify high performers, retention risks, and development needs

11. The 30-60-90 Day Plan Template

After talent reviews, structured development planning becomes essential. The 30-60-90 Day Plan Template transforms talent review insights into structured development roadmaps. 

Following talent review discussions, this 30-60-90 day plan template provides a framework for implementing development recommendations through progressive goal setting and learning opportunities. 

Here’s how this template supports your onboarding and growth strategy:

• Outline 30, 60, and 90-day goals with tasks assigned to each stage
• Use Custom Fields to track role objectives, training needs, and key deliverables
• Visualize timelines and deadlines using List, Calendar, and Board views
• Monitor plan progress using Custom Statuses and task checklists
• Review and adjust goals during one-on-ones to ensure alignment

12. The Employee Action Plan Template

Talent insights only create value when they lead to action. The Employee Action Plan Template transforms talent review discussions into concrete development activities. This implementation-focused template helps managers create structured development plans with clear actions, timelines, and accountability measures.

Turn insights into action with these implementation tools:

• Define specific development objectives based on talent review feedback
• Create actionable steps with clear ownership and deadlines
• Identify resources and support needed for successful development
• Track progress against development goals with status indicators

• View action plans in multiple formats, including List, Calendar, and Board views
• Promote follow-through with reminders, comments, and task checklists
• Translate talent review insights into clear development goals, action steps, and progress tracking

13. The Employee & Manager 1-on-1 Template

Regular check-ins ensure development plans from talent reviews stay on track. The Employee & Manager 1-on-1 Template creates structure for ongoing development conversations that support talent growth. 

This communication-focused template helps managers conduct effective check-ins that build on talent review insights and track development progress.

Here’s how this template supports your ongoing conversations:

• Schedule recurring 1-on-1s with built-in reminders and task assignments
• Track progress on goals and development plans using task statuses
• Use Custom Fields to document action items, blockers, or meeting themes
• Review meeting history to ensure continuity and reduce repetition
• Visualize action items and timelines through List and Calendar views
• Maintain accountability with structured 1-on-1s, goal tracking, and documented action items

14. Google Sheets Nine Box Grid Talent Review Template by TestGorilla

The classic 9-box framework is a powerful tool for talent discussions. The Google Sheets 9-Box Grid Talent Review Template by TestGorilla provides a structured way to map workforce distribution. 

This strategic format helps leadership teams assess employee performance and potential, making identifying development priorities and succession candidates easier.

Classify and develop your talent more effectively with:

• Classify employees across performance and potential axes in a familiar 3×3 grid
• Use clear labels and definitions for each box to ensure consistent evaluation
• Highlight succession candidates and leadership potential through visual mapping
• Align development strategies and succession planning with employee placement in the grid
• Use a collaborative, shareable format in Google Sheets to streamline team input

15. PDF 9 Box Grid Talent Review Template by Primalogik

Guidance on how to use the 9-box effectively can be invaluable. The PDF 9 Box Grid Talent Review Template by Primalogik provides a professional, ready-to-use framework for talent mapping discussions. 

This polished template includes comprehensive guidelines for evaluating both performance and potential, ensuring consistent assessment across the organization.

Here’s how this 9-box talent review template supports your talent review process:

• Access clear definitions for performance and potential dimensions
• Reference suggested development strategies for each box placement
• Document placement decisions with consistent criteria
• Facilitate structured discussions around employee readiness and growth
• Support succession planning with a standardized visual framework
• Use offline or in printed form during collaborative talent calibration sessions

Transform Your Talent Management Strategy

Implementing a structured talent review process with the right templates transforms talent management from subjective opinions to data-driven decisions. These 15 templates provide the frameworks to identify high performers, address development needs, and build robust succession pipelines of future leaders.

Ready to upgrade your talent management approach? Start by implementing the templates that align with your current maturity level, then gradually expand your toolkit as your process evolves. Your organization’s future depends on how effectively you identify, develop, and deploy your talent today.

Sign up for to access these customizable templates and create a talent review process that drives organizational success.

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