Flexibility demonstrates an employee’s ability to adapt to new situations, learn from experience, and quickly adjust their approach to tasks and projects. Employees who are flexible can work effectively in various roles, tasks, and environments, and are able to shift their focus based on changing priorities.

A flexible employee is open to learning new methods and skillsets, works well under pressure, and can think critically when faced with unexpected challenges. They are more likely to embrace change and find creative solutions to complex problems.

Performance Review Questions: Flexibility

These questions will help you gain a better understanding of an employee’s flexibility, allowing you to identify their strengths and areas for improvement.

1. Did the employee demonstrate a willingness to adapt to changing circumstances and take on new challenges?
2. Did the employee show a positive attitude towards change and remain calm and focused when faced with unexpected situations?
3. Did the employee effectively manage their workload and priorities, and adjust their schedule as needed to meet changing demands?
4. Did the employee demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively with others and support team members in achieving shared goals?
5. Did the employee show a willingness to learn new skills and take on new responsibilities?

Related: Best Performance Review Examples for 48 Key Skills

2000+ Performance Review Phrases: The Complete List (Performance Feedback Examples)

Performance Review Phrases and Paragraphs Examples For Flexibility

5 – Outstanding

Example Phrases

Example Paragraph

“Susan consistently demonstrates exceptional flexibility in her role. She is always quick to adapt to new situations, embracing new ideas and approaches with enthusiasm. Her ability to think creatively and find innovative solutions under pressure has greatly contributed to the success of our team.”

4 – Exceeds Expectations

Example Phrases

• Adapts to new situations with ease.
• Open to new methods and ideas.
• Often finds creative solutions under pressure.
• Demonstrates strong resilience in the face of challenges and setbacks.
• Actively seeks out opportunities to learn and develop new skills to enhance flexibility.
• Maintains a positive attitude and high productivity during times of change or uncertainty.
• Serves as a positive example of flexibility, encouraging others to embrace change and adapt quickly.
• Demonstrates versatility, easily shifting between tasks and responsibilities as needed.
• Anticipates potential challenges and develops contingency plans to ensure smooth transitions.
• Goes above and beyond to support team members and facilitate seamless adaptations to change.
• Demonstrates strong ability to work effectively with diverse individuals and teams, adapting communication and collaboration styles as needed.
• Seeks out and incorporates feedback to improve flexibility and adaptability.
• Demonstrates creativity and innovation in developing solutions to navigate complex or ambiguous situations.
• Identifies opportunities to streamline processes and improve efficiency during times of change.
• Maintains a strategic perspective while adapting to immediate needs and challenges.
• Demonstrates flexibility in remote or virtual work environments, quickly adapting to new technologies and communication methods.
• Takes initiative in helping the team navigate change, providing guidance and support to ensure success.
• Demonstrates adaptability in cross-functional projects, easily integrating into new teams and contributing valuable insights.
• Seeks out and shares knowledge and best practices related to flexibility and adaptability, contributing to a culture of continuous improvement.

Example Paragraph

“Mark exceeds expectations in displaying flexibility. He consistently adapts to new situations, taking them in stride and adjusting his approach as needed. Mark is always open to new ideas and methods, which has resulted in a more efficient workflow for the team.”

3 – Meets Expectations

Example Phrases

• Able to adapt to new situations.
• Willing to learn new methods and ideas.
• Can find solutions to challenges when faced with them.
• Demonstrates resilience in the face of challenges and setbacks.
• Participates in opportunities to learn and develop new skills to enhance flexibility when offered.
• Generally maintains a positive attitude and productivity during times of change or uncertainty.
• Serves as a reliable example of flexibility, usually embracing change and adapting as needed.
• Demonstrates some versatility, shifting between tasks and responsibilities with minimal guidance.
• Develops basic contingency plans to prepare for potential challenges during transitions.
• Supports team members and contributes to adapting to change when asked.
• Demonstrates ability to work with diverse individuals and teams, adapting communication and collaboration styles when needed.
• Incorporates feedback to improve flexibility and adaptability when provided.
• Demonstrates some creativity and innovation in developing solutions to navigate complex or ambiguous situations.
• Identifies some opportunities to streamline processes and improve efficiency during times of change when prompted.
• Generally maintains a balance between strategic perspective and adapting to immediate needs and challenges.
• Demonstrates flexibility in remote or virtual work environments, adapting to new technologies and communication methods with some guidance.
• Participates in helping the team navigate change, providing support when asked.
• Demonstrates adaptability in cross-functional projects, integrating into new teams and contributing insights.
• Shares knowledge and best practices related to flexibility and adaptability when requested, supporting a culture of continuous improvement.

Example Paragraph

“Emma meets expectations when it comes to flexibility in the workplace. She is able to adapt to new situations when necessary and consistently shows a willingness to learn new methods and ideas. Emma’s ability to find solutions to challenges makes her a valuable team member.”

2 – Needs Improvement

Example Phrases

• Struggles with adapting to new situations.
• Reluctant to learn new methods and ideas.
• Has difficulty finding solutions under pressure.
• Demonstrates limited resilience in the face of challenges and setbacks, often becoming discouraged.
• Rarely seeks out opportunities to learn and develop new skills to enhance flexibility.
• Struggles to maintain a positive attitude and productivity during times of change or uncertainty.
• Serves as an inconsistent example of flexibility, sometimes resisting change or struggling to adapt.
• Demonstrates limited versatility, having difficulty shifting between tasks and responsibilities.
• Rarely develops contingency plans to prepare for potential challenges during transitions.
• Inconsistently supports team members and contributes to adapting to change, often requiring prompting.
• Demonstrates limited ability to work with diverse individuals and teams, struggling to adapt communication and collaboration styles.
• Inconsistently incorporates feedback to improve flexibility and adaptability, often requiring repeated guidance.
• Demonstrates minimal creativity and innovation in developing solutions to navigate complex or ambiguous situations.
• Rarely identifies opportunities to streamline processes and improve efficiency during times of change, even when prompted.
• Struggles to maintain a balance between strategic perspective and adapting to immediate needs and challenges.
• Demonstrates limited flexibility in remote or virtual work environments, requiring extensive support to adapt to new technologies and communication methods.
• Rarely takes initiative in helping the team navigate change, often requiring direct instruction to provide support.
• Demonstrates limited adaptability in cross-functional projects, struggling to integrate into new teams and contribute insights.
• Rarely shares knowledge and best practices related to flexibility and adaptability, requiring prompting to support a culture of continuous improvement.

Example Paragraph

“Unfortunately, John’s flexibility needs improvement, as he often struggles to adapt to new situations. He appears reluctant to learn new methods and ideas, which can sometimes hinder overall team progress. Additionally, John has difficulty finding solutions when faced with challenges, particularly under pressure.”

1 – Unacceptable

Example Phrases

• Resistant to change and new situations.
• Unwilling to learn new methods or ideas.
• Unable to find solutions when faced with challenges.
• Demonstrates no resilience in the face of challenges and setbacks, becoming easily overwhelmed and discouraged.
• Actively avoids opportunities to learn and develop new skills to enhance flexibility.
• Consistently displays a negative attitude and significantly reduced productivity during times of change or uncertainty.
• Serves as a negative example of flexibility, actively resisting change and refusing to adapt.
• Demonstrates no versatility, unable to shift between tasks and responsibilities even with guidance.
• Consistently fails to develop contingency plans to prepare for potential challenges during transitions.
• Actively undermines team efforts to adapt to change, refusing to support or contribute.
• Demonstrates an inability to work with diverse individuals and teams, consistently failing to adapt communication and collaboration styles.
• Consistently ignores or rejects feedback to improve flexibility and adaptability, showing no effort to improve.
• Demonstrates no creativity or innovation in developing solutions to navigate complex or ambiguous situations.
• Consistently fails to identify opportunities to streamline processes and improve efficiency during times of change, even when directly instructed.
• Consistently fails to maintain a balance between strategic perspective and adapting to immediate needs and challenges.
• Demonstrates no flexibility in remote or virtual work environments, unable to adapt to new technologies and communication methods despite extensive support.
• Consistently undermines team efforts to navigate change, actively resisting or hindering progress.
• Demonstrates no adaptability in cross-functional projects, unable to integrate into new teams or contribute insights.
• Consistently withholds knowledge and best practices related to flexibility and adaptability, actively undermining a culture of continuous improvement.

Example Paragraph

“Sarah’s flexibility is unacceptable. She consistently resists change and new situations, and displays an unwillingness to learn new methods or ideas. Her inability to find solutions when faced with challenges has negatively impacted our team’s ability to adapt and grow.”