Performance Review
A manager’s guide to reviewing performance with fairness, clarity and evidence.
Review performance with evidence, not impression.
A fair review helps good performance be recognised, gaps be discussed clearly, and improvement expectations be aligned. It should protect both the employee and the company standard.
What performance review is for
Performance review is not only a scoring exercise. It is a management conversation that helps employees understand how they are doing and what they need to improve next.
Recognise contribution
Make meaningful contribution visible and appreciated.
Clarify gaps
Discuss what is not meeting expectation clearly and respectfully.
Align expectations
Make sure the employee understands what good performance looks like.
Support development
Help people know what to strengthen and where to focus next.
Protect fairness
Reduce bias, favouritism and unclear judgement.
Common review mistakes managers should avoid
These habits may feel easier in the moment, but they weaken standards and make future performance conversations harder.
Being too nice
Giving high ratings to avoid discomfort, even when evidence does not support it.
Rating by impression
Using general feelings instead of specific examples and work evidence.
Overweighting recent events
Letting one recent event dominate the full review period.
Avoiding difficult feedback
Softening problems until the employee does not understand the real gap.
Score without evidence
Using ratings that cannot be explained clearly when questioned.
Two core review areas: KPI and RISE
ASEC performance review should balance two areas: the result delivered and the behaviour shown. Managers should not rely on only one side when reviewing performance.
KPI: Result & Responsibility
KPI focuses on the measurable or observable work outcome. It helps us understand whether the employee delivered the expected result, responsibility, target or output.
RISE: Behaviour & Attitude
RISE focuses on the attitude, behaviour and working standard shown by the employee. It helps us understand whether the employee works in a way that supports respect, integrity, synergy and excellence.
Good performance needs both result and behaviour
A strong result does not automatically mean strong overall performance if the behaviour damages trust, teamwork or standards. At the same time, good attitude alone cannot replace weak delivery. A fair review looks at both KPI and RISE together.
High KPI, strong RISE
This is strong overall performance: the employee delivers results while protecting trust, teamwork and standards.
High KPI, weak RISE
The employee may deliver results, but the behaviour may create hidden cost, team friction, customer risk or repeated management issues.
Weak KPI, strong RISE
The employee may show good attitude and teamwork, but still needs improvement in result, skill, execution or ownership of expected work.
Weak KPI, weak RISE
This is a clear performance concern because both delivery and working behaviour need attention.
What evidence can support the review?
Supporting evidence helps managers explain KPI and RISE fairly. It is not a third scoring area, but examples managers may use to support the discussion.
Work quality
Can support KPI discussion when the output was accurate, reliable, complete or below the expected standard.
Ownership
Can support KPI or RISE discussion depending on whether the issue is delivery, responsibility or working attitude.
Improvement
Can support KPI and RISE discussion when the employee learns, improves, responds to feedback or repeats the same mistakes.
Team impact
Can support RISE discussion when the employee helps or affects teamwork, handover, communication or cross-department coordination.
Customer impact
Can support KPI or RISE discussion when the employee’s work affects customer experience, trust or service quality.
Repeated patterns
Can support the review when a behaviour or performance issue happens repeatedly, whether positive or negative.
The manager’s role before review
A good review starts long before the review meeting. Managers should observe, discuss and record meaningful performance evidence throughout the year.
Good review depends on good notes
Managers do not need to record everything. They should record meaningful examples that help explain performance fairly.
Record when behaviour is meaningful
Record examples that clearly exceed expectations, clearly fall below expectations, repeat over time, or affect customers, teamwork, quality, results or trust.
Do not wait until year end
If an issue matters, discuss it early. Performance review should not be the first time an employee hears about an important gap.
How a fair review conversation should feel
The conversation should be honest and clear, but not careless or personal. A manager should help the employee understand the evidence, the standard and the next step.
Specific
Use real examples instead of vague labels like “good attitude” or “not responsible”.
Balanced
Recognise strengths while also discussing the real gaps that need attention.
Forward-looking
End with clear improvement focus, not only a score or judgement.
Final Takeaway
Performance review is not about being harsh or being nice. It is about being fair, clear and evidence-based. When managers review KPI and RISE properly, good contribution is recognised, gaps are addressed and ASEC’s standards are protected.