People: performance review cycle (goals, self & manager review, rating)

The standard review cycle: set goals with your manager, self-review, manager review, 1-on-1 meeting, and a final A/B/C/D rating. How each step works and what to write.

A performance review is a formal check-in, usually every half year or quarter, where you and your manager measure the period against goals you set together. The point is not to dock pay — it is to make good work visible and to agree on an improvement plan where needed. The whole flow runs in the system: set goals → self review → manager review → 1-on-1 meeting → rating → results.

The review process#

1. Goal setting: you write 3–5 goals, each with a weight (weights add up to 100%); your manager confirms each one.
2. During the cycle: update each goal's progress (0–100%) any time — it is reference only, not your score.
3. Self review: score each goal's achievement (1–5), write a short summary, and submit — you cannot edit after submitting.
4. Manager review: your manager scores each goal (1–5), writes comments and an overall score. They cannot see your self-review scores, only your summary.
5. 1-on-1 meeting: you and your manager talk through the results, record key points and agree on action items in the system.
6. Rating: HR calculates the final score and assigns an A/B/C/D rating, then publishes — only then can you see your result.

Setting good goals#

Good goals are specific, measurable, achievable and time-bound — "specific, measurable, reachable, with a deadline". Don't write "improve picking efficiency"; write "picking accuracy ≥ 99.5% by end of 2026". Keep 3–5 goals; give each a weight (e.g. accuracy 40%, attendance 30%, 5S 30%) — weights must add up to 100%. A goal only takes effect after your manager confirms it; if it is sent back, revise it per the comments and resubmit.

1. Open People → Performance Review → My Review, and click "Set goals" for the current cycle.
2. Click "Add goal" and fill in the title, target value (e.g. "accuracy ≥ 99.5%") and weight.
3. Check that the weights add up to 100%, then click "Submit for confirmation".
4. Confirmed goals are locked; if one is sent back, edit it per the comments and resubmit.

How to do your self review#

The self review is your chance to tell your story — what you achieved, with facts. Write one line of evidence per goal ("Q3 picking accuracy 99.7%, zero mis-picks on the Costco rush order") instead of adjectives ("worked hard"). Your self score only counts for 10% of the final score, so honesty matters more than a high number: a 4 you can defend beats a 5 you cannot.

1. When the cycle reaches the self-review stage, open My Review and click "Start self review".
2. Score each goal's achievement (1–5) and add one line of evidence for each.
3. Write the summary: 1–2 things you did best this period, and 1 thing you most want to improve.
4. Double-check, then click "Submit self review" — after submitting you cannot edit, and your manager gets notified.

Making the 1-on-1 meeting count#

The 1-on-1 is the most valuable part of the whole cycle — the only time this period you sit down with your manager and talk about your work properly. Come prepared: bring your self-review summary and one question you genuinely want answered ("what would it take for me to reach the next level?").

1. Before: the manager reviews your summary and goal results, and prepares 2–3 concrete examples.
2. Start with strengths: recognize with specifics ("you carried the March rush order alone"), then discuss 1–2 improvement points.
3. Agree on action items together: specific, doable, with a deadline (e.g. "forklift refresher training next month") — recorded in the system.
4. After: the manager completes the meeting notes in the system; you confirm them.