Good employee evaluation phrases help managers give clear, helpful feedback. They make the process easier for both the manager and the employee. With the right phrases, you can highlight strengths and suggest areas for improvement.

Using example phrases can save you time and stress. They give you a starting point for your evaluations, and you can then adjust them to fit each employee’s unique situation. In this article, we are sharing more than 200 employee evaluation examples, both positive and negative, for a variety of skills.

Employee Evaluation Example Phrases

Communication and Interpersonal Skills

Positive examples:

1. You express ideas clearly and concisely.
2. Your active listening skills are excellent.
3. You build strong relationships with coworkers and clients.
4. Your written communications are well-organized and error-free.
5. You’re great at giving constructive feedback.
6. Your presentations are engaging and informative.
7. You’re a skilled negotiator and problem-solver.
8. You show empathy and understanding in difficult situations.
9. Your body language and tone are always professional.
10. You’re an effective team player and collaborator.

Negative examples:

1. You often interrupt others when they’re speaking.
2. Your emails are frequently unclear or contain errors.
3. You struggle to explain complex ideas to non-experts.
4. You avoid difficult conversations with coworkers.
5. Your presentations lack structure and clarity.
6. You have trouble accepting feedback from others.
7. You sometimes come across as dismissive or rude.
8. You don’t contribute much during team meetings.
9. Your body language can appear closed off or defensive.
10. You struggle to adapt your communication style to different audiences.

Teamwork and Collaboration

Positive examples:

1. You always lend a hand to your coworkers when they need help.
2. Your positive attitude lifts team morale.
3. You communicate clearly with team members.
4. You’re great at resolving conflicts within the group.
5. You actively participate in team meetings and discussions.
6. You respect others’ ideas and opinions.
7. You’re willing to compromise for the good of the team.
8. You share credit for team successes.
9. You’re reliable and meet team deadlines.
10. You foster a supportive team environment.

Negative examples:

1. You often work alone instead of collaborating with others.
2. Your communication with team members needs improvement.
3. You sometimes struggle to accept feedback from coworkers.
4. You could be more open to others’ ideas.
5. You miss team meetings frequently.
6. Your negative attitude affects team morale.
7. You have trouble meeting team deadlines.
8. You don’t always pull your weight in group projects.
9. You could be more supportive of your teammates.
10. You sometimes create conflicts within the team.

Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking

Positive examples:

1. You quickly identify root causes of issues.
2. Your solutions are creative and effective.
3. You ask insightful questions to gather information.
4. Your analytical skills are impressive.
5. You remain calm under pressure when solving problems.
6. You consider multiple perspectives before making decisions.
7. Your logical approach leads to great outcomes.
8. You break down complex issues into manageable parts.
9. You’re not afraid to think outside the box.
10. You consistently find ways to improve processes.

Negative examples:

1. You often struggle to see the big picture.
2. Your problem-solving skills need improvement.
3. You tend to make rushed decisions without proper analysis.
4. You have trouble breaking down complex issues.
5. Your solutions are sometimes impractical or unrealistic.
6. You often overlook important details when problem-solving.
7. You could benefit from developing your critical thinking skills.
8. You sometimes jump to conclusions without enough evidence.
9. Your approach to problem-solving lacks structure.
10. You have difficulty adapting to unexpected challenges.

Leadership and Management Skills

Positive examples:

1. You inspire and motivate your team effectively.
2. Your decision-making skills are excellent.
3. You delegate tasks appropriately.
4. You communicate expectations clearly.
5. You handle conflicts professionally.
6. You promote a positive work environment.
7. You set achievable goals for your team.
8. You provide constructive feedback regularly.
9. You lead by example.
10. You encourage creativity and innovation.

Negative examples:

1. You struggle to make timely decisions.
2. Your communication with team members is inconsistent.
3. You often micromanage tasks.
4. You have difficulty addressing conflicts.
5. You don’t provide enough guidance to your team.
6. You fail to recognize team achievements.
7. Your leadership style is too authoritarian.
8. You don’t delegate responsibilities effectively.
9. You struggle to adapt to changing situations.
10. You don’t promote teamwork and collaboration.

Time Management and Efficiency

Positive examples:

1. You consistently meet deadlines and manage your time well.
2. Your ability to prioritize tasks is impressive.
3. You’re great at balancing multiple projects without dropping the ball.
4. Your efficiency in completing tasks is commendable.
5. You make excellent use of your work hours.
6. Your organizational skills help you stay on top of your workload.
7. You’re proactive in identifying and addressing potential time-wasters.
8. Your time estimates for projects are usually spot-on.
9. You’re skilled at delegating tasks when appropriate.
10. You’ve shown improvement in managing your time over the past year.

Negative examples:

1. You often struggle to meet deadlines.
2. Your time management skills need improvement.
3. You seem to have trouble prioritizing your tasks effectively.
4. Your work pace is slower than expected for your role.
5. You frequently get distracted during work hours.
6. Your desk and files are often disorganized, slowing you down.
7. You tend to procrastinate on important tasks.
8. You underestimate the time needed for projects.
9. You hesitate to delegate tasks, even when overwhelmed.
10. Your efficiency has decreased compared to last year.

Adaptability and Flexibility

Positive phrases:

1. You quickly adjust to new tasks and responsibilities.
2. Your ability to adapt to change is impressive.
3. You remain calm and productive during times of uncertainty.
4. You’re always willing to learn new skills and technologies.
5. You embrace challenges with a positive attitude.
6. You’re open to feedback and use it to improve your work.
7. You find creative solutions when faced with obstacles.
8. You handle last-minute changes gracefully.
9. You’re flexible in your approach to problem-solving.
10. You thrive in dynamic work environments.

Negative phrases:

1. You struggle to adapt to new processes or procedures.
2. You resist change and prefer to stick to familiar routines.
3. You become stressed when faced with unexpected situations.
4. You have difficulty learning new skills or technologies.
5. You complain about changes instead of embracing them.
6. You’re reluctant to try different approaches to tasks.
7. You become frustrated when plans change suddenly.
8. You have trouble adjusting your work style to meet new demands.
9. You often miss deadlines when faced with unexpected challenges.
10. You struggle to work effectively in fast-paced environments.

Professionalism and Work Ethic

Professionalism and work ethic are key traits employers look for in their staff.

Positive phrases:

1. You always dress appropriately for the workplace
2. Your punctuality sets a great example for the team
3. You handle difficult situations with grace and tact
4. Your communication style is clear and respectful
5. You consistently meet deadlines and deliver quality work
6. You show excellent judgment in decision-making
7. Your positive attitude lifts the entire office
8. You maintain a clean and organized workspace
9. You’re always willing to help coworkers in need
10. You represent our company well to clients and partners

Negative phrases:

1. Your attire often doesn’t meet our dress code standards
2. You’re frequently late to work and meetings
3. You struggle to control your emotions in stressful situations
4. Your communication can be unclear or abrasive at times
5. You often miss deadlines or turn in rushed work
6. Your decision-making needs improvement
7. Your negative attitude affects team morale
8. Your disorganized workspace impacts your productivity
9. You’re reluctant to assist colleagues when asked
10. Your behavior has reflected poorly on our company image

Quality of Work

Quality of work is a key factor in employee evaluations. It shows how well someone does their job tasks.

Positive phrases:

1. You consistently produce error-free reports
2. Your attention to detail is impressive
3. You take pride in delivering top-notch results
4. Your work always meets or exceeds expectations
5. You show great care in your project deliverables
6. Your output is reliable and accurate
7. You strive for excellence in all tasks
8. Your work quality sets a high standard for others
9. You put in extra effort to ensure quality results
10. Your thorough approach leads to superior outcomes

Negative phrases:

1. Your work often contains preventable errors
2. You rush through tasks, sacrificing quality
3. Your projects frequently require extensive revisions
4. You struggle to meet basic quality standards
5. Your work lacks attention to important details
6. You often submit incomplete or subpar deliverables
7. Your output is inconsistent in quality
8. You need to double-check your work more carefully
9. Your careless mistakes create extra work for others
10. You prioritize speed over accuracy too often

Technical Competence and Expertise

Positive phrases:

1. You consistently deliver high-quality technical solutions.
2. Your coding skills are top-notch and greatly benefit the team.
3. You stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends and technologies.
4. Your technical knowledge is impressive and well-applied.
5. You excel at troubleshooting complex technical issues.
6. Your ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical staff is excellent.
7. You show great initiative in learning new technical skills.
8. Your technical documentation is clear, thorough, and helpful.
9. You consistently meet or exceed technical project requirements.
10. Your technical expertise has significantly improved team productivity.

Negative phrases:

1. Your technical skills need improvement to meet job requirements.
2. You struggle to keep up with new technologies in our field.
3. Your code often contains errors and requires frequent revisions.
4. You have difficulty explaining technical concepts to others.
5. Your troubleshooting skills are not as strong as we need them to be.
6. You often miss deadlines due to technical challenges.
7. Your technical documentation is often incomplete or unclear.
8. You rely too heavily on others for technical support.
9. You need to improve your attention to detail in technical work.
10. Your technical skills haven’t progressed as expected in your role.

Customer Service Skills

Customer service skills are key for many jobs. They help workers connect with clients and solve problems.

Positive examples:

1. You excel at making customers feel valued.
2. Your patience when dealing with tough clients is impressive.
3. You have a knack for turning unhappy customers into loyal ones.
4. Your friendly demeanor puts customers at ease.
5. You’re great at finding creative solutions to customer issues.
6. Your ability to stay calm under pressure is admirable.
7. You consistently go above and beyond for customers.
8. Your product knowledge helps you answer customer questions quickly.
9. You’re skilled at de-escalating tense situations.
10. Your positive attitude shines through in every customer interaction.

Negative examples:

1. You sometimes struggle to maintain a professional tone with difficult customers.
2. Your responses to customer inquiries can be slow at times.
3. You need to work on actively listening to customer concerns.
4. Your product knowledge could use some improvement.
5. You occasionally miss opportunities to upsell or cross-sell.
6. Your body language can come across as impatient or bored.
7. You need to be more proactive in following up with customers.
8. Your explanations to customers are sometimes unclear or confusing.
9. You could improve on empathizing with customer frustrations.
10. You need to be more consistent in your customer service quality.

Setting the Right Tone for Feedback

Constructive Feedback Techniques

When giving feedback, focus on specific behaviors and their impact. Use “I” statements to share your observations. For example, say “I noticed you missed two deadlines this month” instead of “You’re always late with your work.”

Offer suggestions for improvement along with your critique. This shows you’re invested in the employee’s growth. You might say, “To help meet deadlines, try breaking big projects into smaller tasks.”

If applicable, ask questions to understand the employee’s perspective. This can uncover hidden issues and show you’re open to dialogue. Try asking, “What challenges are you facing with time management?”

Balanced Assessment

Start with positive feedback to set a good tone by highlighting the employee’s strengths and achievements. You could say, “Your customer service skills have really shined this quarter.”

Be honest about areas needing improvement, but frame them as growth opportunities. Instead of saying “Your presentations are boring,” try “I think you could make your presentations more engaging by adding visual aids.”

End on an upbeat note to motivate the employee. Express confidence in their ability to improve and grow. You might say, “I’m excited to see how you’ll tackle these challenges in the coming months.”

Examples: Phrase Examples for Constructive Commentary

• “You’ve made great progress in meeting deadlines. Let’s work on improving your planning skills.”
• “Your attention to detail is impressive. Consider sharing your methods with the team.”
• “Your customer service skills are strong. Try to apply those same skills when working with colleagues.”
• “You show creativity in problem-solving. Next, focus on implementing those ideas more quickly.”
• “Your technical skills are solid. Now, let’s develop your leadership abilities.”
• “You’re great at starting projects. Work on seeing them through to completion.”
• “Your written reports are clear. Aim to make your verbal presentations equally effective.”
• “You handle pressure well. Try to maintain that calm when dealing with difficult clients.”
• “Your work is high quality. Let’s find ways to increase your output without sacrificing that quality.”
• “You’re a team player. Consider taking on more individual projects to showcase your skills.”

Examples: Positive Reinforcement and Encouragement

• “Your dedication to learning new skills is admirable. Keep up the great work!”
• “Your positive attitude lifts the whole team. It’s a pleasure to work with you.”
• “You consistently exceed expectations. Your hard work is noticed and appreciated.”
• “Your ability to meet tight deadlines is impressive. You’re a key part of our success.”
• “Your innovative ideas have greatly improved our processes. Keep thinking outside the box!”
• “Your attention to detail ensures high-quality work. It sets a great example for others.”
• “Your leadership skills have grown significantly. You’re becoming a valuable mentor.”
• “Your teamwork and collaboration skills are outstanding. You bring out the best in others.”
• “Your customer service skills are top-notch. Clients often praise your helpfulness.”
• “Your problem-solving abilities have saved us time and resources. Great job!”