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Performance Review Co-Pilot

Performance reviews are often dreaded—but they don’t have to be. This playbook helps you streamline the review process using AI-enhanced summaries, coaching prompts, and clear frameworks that save time while improving feedback quality.

Overview​

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Goal: Make performance reviews more reflective, consistent, and action-oriented.

  • 💡 Key Insight: AI-generated summaries and coaching aids can cut review prep time in half.
  • 📊 Metric to Watch: Review completion rate and quality-of-feedback score (self- or peer-rated).
📄 Step 1: Collect Inputs Across Channels

  • Use your HRIS or performance platform (Lattice, 15Five, BambooHR) to pull:

    • Peer reviews
    • Goal progress
    • Manager notes
    • Self-assessments

  • Encourage managers to log quick notes throughout the quarter (use Notion, Google Docs, or Slack integrations).

🧠 Step 2: Use AI to Draft Review Summaries
  • Feed data into this prompt to generate a strengths/areas-for-growth summary:
You are an HR advisor helping a manager write a performance review summary.

Inputs:
- Employee Name: [e.g., Jordan Smith]
- Role: [e.g., Customer Success Manager]
- Highlights: [e.g., resolved 45+ customer tickets/month, led Q3 churn project]
- Areas for Growth: [e.g., needs to improve cross-team communication]

Write:
- A 2-paragraph summary of this employee’s performance over the review period
- 1 paragraph should highlight wins and contributions
- 1 paragraph should outline growth opportunities and next steps
  • Review AI draft and revise for tone or specifics.
🗣️ Step 3: Coach Managers on Feedback Delivery
  • Use prompts to help managers prep for conversations:
You are prepping for a performance conversation with a high performer who’s recently struggled with deadlines.

Draft:
- 3 talking points that balance encouragement with accountability
- 1 growth question to spark reflection
- 1 coaching suggestion for forward progress
  • Provide a simple script template to lower anxiety.
📆 Step 4: Automate Scheduling and Reminders

  • Sync review due dates to Google Calendar or Outlook

  • Use Zapier or Make.com to:

    • Trigger nudges to managers
    • Send reminders to employees for self-review completion

  • Automate Slack or email nudges for “review week” prep.

📊 Step 5: Track Feedback Trends

  • Use AI or Excel formulas to analyze:

    • Common growth themes
    • Strength clusters across teams
    • Manager feedback tone variance

  • Flag “boilerplate” comments for revision coaching.

  • Share anonymized insights with leadership for strategic planning.

AI Prompt​

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Prompt to rewrite vague manager feedback:

Original input:
“Great team player and always positive.”

Prompt:
Rewrite this into a more specific and measurable performance review sentence that highlights real contribution or behavior. Maintain a positive tone.

AI Output Example: “Consistently fosters team collaboration by organizing weekly syncs and stepping in to support peers during high-volume periods.”

Wrap-Up​

By pairing your review process with automation and thoughtful AI prompts, you save time, reduce bias, and improve the quality of feedback across the board.

Pro Tip: Offer managers optional coaching office hours during review season to boost confidence and clarity.