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How to customize the performance reviews packet

Pyn's performance review packet guides managers and employees on an upcoming performance review

Julianna Kapjian-Pitt avatar
Written by Julianna Kapjian-Pitt
Updated over 3 years ago

Who the performance reviews packet is for

All employees included in an upcoming performance review cycle.

Purpose of this packet

By the end of this packet employees will know:

  1. The basics of the performance review process

  2. How to write a self-review

  3. How to provide 360 feedback

  4. How to prepare for a performance review conversation

Managers will be better equipped to deliver reviews that positively impact their employees, regardless of performance.

Length of time covered

Approximately 3.5 weeks. We recommend you start this automation one day before your review cycle opens.

Pyns included in this packet

This packet includes 4 Pyns (1 for managers and 3 for individual contributors). Managers will receive 4 Pyns total.

How to use this packet

In order to customize this packet to your company:

  • Personalize the language to fit your company’s style (e.g., if you have a special term for new starters or what you call your employees, formal v informal tone, etc).

  • Add company photos to the headings

  • Complete sections where you see “Pyn note to HR” or information requested in brackets with your own company’s information or links (e.g., for “What to expect and do in your first week” you should add links to company values, setting up benefits, connecting with IT, etc)

  • Be sure to fill in any bracketed information like [new starter] or [day of the week] that you see within the Pyn (e.g., the “Your 1st day is approaching fast! Here's what to expect” Pyn requires you to add information about where and when your new hire should arrive).

Things you can add later

  • Specifics dates of your review cycle

  • competencies or specifics of your ratings system and methodologies

  • compensation changes or instructions

What if I already have performance review content?

Perfect! There are a couple of options for how you could combine Pyn’s content with your own.

You can edit any of the performance review Pyns, as described above, to combine them with your content. Complete the sections where you see “Pyn note to HR,” remove sections that don’t work for you, or create new sections.

Alternatively, instead of adding your content into existing performance review Pyns, you could mix and match between the two. For example, if you have checklists that currently go to your managers, simply add those to Pyn’s performance review packet.

Do's and Don'ts

Do

  • Personalize these Pyns to fit your company’s style and lingo

  • Add company photos to the headings of your Pyns

  • Be sure to fill in any bracketed information like [date of review deadline] or [day of the week] that you see in the Pyn

  • Complete sections where you see “Pyn note to HR” with your own company’s information or links

  • Make sure your content is timely, specific, actionable and direct

Don’t

  • Send more than 2 messages per week

  • Send overly long or detailed messages

  • Send Pyns too far in advance of when the information it contains will be needed

  • Create Pyns with vague titles and descriptions

  • Be too formal in your communications. Feel free to use pronouns like “we” and “I”

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