Management does not do its employees any favors by fluffing up evaluations with dishonest praise. At the end of the day, it is usually an employee’s real record that determines success or failure, and so workers deserve to be given accurate appraisals.

Even if the evaluator is the employee himself, a fair and constructive review will usually include both positive and negative points. To be human is to be imperfect, and the employee evaluation form used correctly is a powerful tool in supporting both individual growth and company-wide success. Without some variation in the evaluation results, it is nearly impossible to form a three-dimensional picture of the employee. What does it mean if an employee is entirely excellent or wholly poor? More than likely, it signifies an evaluation done wrong, not anything about the individual worker or her achievements at the company.

An employee evaluation is more than just the sum of the individual parts – it should provide a narrative about the employee’s performance and progress over the past year or period, specific directions for improvement, and an overall rating. It should paint a picture of the employee as a full person in context.

The evaluation should emphasize the most important strengths and weaknesses. All points should be relevant to job tasks. Ideally, strengths are meaningful sources of esteem, and weaknesses are issues that are both concrete and actionable.

The evaluation process should be regular and predictable. Results should be presented constructively to employees.

The workforce at a company will often span a spectrum – with a few standouts, some who are struggling, and a mass of satisfactory employees. For those failing to meet standards, the evaluation process provides a key opportunity to initiate a development plan or to put an employee on probation.