Employee Evaluation Template with Action Plan | Free to Download in Excel

Effective employee evaluations go beyond scoring—they're about guiding growth, setting clear expectations, and fostering accountability. This Employee Evaluation Template with Action Plan is a practical tool designed to help managers and HR professionals conduct meaningful performance reviews that lead to real development.

Built in Excel spreadsheet for ease of use and flexibility, this free template includes a rating scale that you can modify, sections for strengths and improvement areas, and a structured action plan to support follow-through. Whether you're conducting quarterly check-ins or annual reviews, this template ensures your feedback is not only documented—but actionable.

This template is ideal for team leads, supervisors, and HR personnel. It helps streamline the evaluation process for employees while promoting transparency, consistency, and employee engagement.

Purpose

The purpose of this employee evaluation template is to:

• Provide a structured format for assessing employee performance.
• Facilitate meaningful feedback and goal-setting.
• Document strengths, areas for improvement, and development plans.
• Create accountability through action steps and follow-up timelines.
• Support HR decisions related to promotions, training, and performance improvement.

Fillable Fields and Definitions

1. Employee Information

• Employee Name – Full name of the employee being evaluated.
• Employee ID – Unique identifier assigned to the employee.
• Position – The employee's current job title.
• Department – The department the employee belongs to.

2. Evaluation Period

• Evaluation Period (Start – End) – The timeframe being reviewed.
• Date of Evaluation – The date the evaluation is conducted.
• Evaluator's Name – The person conducting the evaluation.
• Evaluator's Position – Their job title or role.

3. Evaluation Scale & Score

This section includes a table with the following columns:

• Performance Criteria: Lists the key areas being evaluated such as the following:

  • Quality of Work
  • Attendance
  • Communication
  • Initiative
  • Teamwork

• Score: For each performance criterion, the evaluator assigns a numeric score using the following scale:

  • 1 – Unsatisfactory
  • 2 – Needs Improvement
  • 3 – Satisfactory
  • 4 – Very Good
  • 5 – Excellent

  Enter one score per criterion, reflecting the employee’s performance in that area. Use the scale above to ensure consistent and objective ratings across all criteria.

  Note: The rating scale can be customized to match your organization's standards.

• Comments/Notes: A space to provide additional context or examples for each performance criterion.

• Total Rating Score: The sum of all individual scores assigned to each performance criterion.

• Average Rating Score: This is calculated by dividing the total rating score by the number of performance criteria evaluated. For example: If an employee receives the following scores—Teamwork: 2, Communication: 4, Initiative: 2—the total rating score is 2 + 4 + 2 = 8. Since there are 3 criteria, the average rating score is 8 ÷ 3 = 2.67.

  Color Coding: The average rating score cell is color-coded to help quickly interpret performance levels:

  • 🔴 Red for scores between 1.00–2.99 (Low Performance)
  • 🟡 Yellow for scores between 3.00–3.99 (Average Performance)
  • 🟢 Green for scores between 4.00–5.00 (High Performance)

4. Goals & Objectives

• Achievement Status – Mark goals as Achieved, Partially Achieved, or Not Achieved.
• Comments – Notes on progress or challenges.
• Goals for Next Review Period – New objectives to work toward.

5. Strengths & Areas for Improvement

• Strengths – Key skills or behaviors the employee excels in.
• Areas for Improvement – Specific areas where growth is needed.

6. Overall Performance Rating

• Summary Rating – A final assessment such as:
  • Exceeds Expectations
  • Meets Expectations
  • Needs Improvement
• Comments – Justification or summary of the overall rating.

7. Action Plan

• Area for Development – The skill or behavior to improve.
• Action Steps – Specific tasks or training to address the area.
• Responsible Party – Who is accountable for the action.
• Timeline – When the action should be completed.
• Follow-up Date – When progress will be reviewed.

8. Signatures

• Employee Signature & Date – Acknowledges the review.
• Evaluator Signature & Date – Confirms completion of the evaluation.

How to Use This Employee Performance Review Template

1. Download and Open the Template

Download and open the Excel employee evaluation template in your device.

2. Enable Editing

If prompted, click “Enable Editing” to allow changes and use any built-in formatting.

3. Fill in Employee and Evaluation Details

Enter the employee’s name, ID, position, department, and evaluation period. Add the evaluator’s name and title.

4. Complete the Performance Criteria Section

• If you're using the blank version, enter your organization’s performance criteria and descriptions.
• If you're using the sample-filled version, review and adjust the pre-filled content as needed.
• Then, assign a rating and add comments for each criterion.

Note: This template is available in Excel format only and includes built-in formulas that automatically calculate the Total Rating Score and Average Rating Score based on the ratings you enter. You can also customize the rating scale labels or numeric values to match your organization’s evaluation standards.

Tip: The Average Rating Score cell is color-coded to help you quickly interpret performance levels:

• 🔴 Red for scores between 1.00–2.99 (Low Performance)
• 🟡 Yellow for scores between 3.00–3.99 (Average Performance)
• 🟢 Green for scores between 4.00–5.00 (High Performance)

5. Evaluate Goals & Objectives

• Review the goals set during the previous evaluation period and mark their achievement status (e.g., Achieved, Partially Achieved, Not Achieved). Add comments to provide context or explain the outcome.
• Define new goals for the upcoming review period, ensuring they are specific, measurable, and aligned with the employee’s role and development plan.

6. Identify Strengths and Areas for Improvement

Summarize the employee’s key strengths and note any areas that require development.

7. Provide an Overall Performance Rating

• Choose a summary rating that best reflects the employee’s overall performance during the evaluation period (e.g., Exceeds Expectations, Meets Expectations, Needs Improvement).
• Add supporting comments to explain the rating and highlight key achievements or concerns.

8. Create an Action Plan

For each area needing improvement, define action steps, assign responsibility, and set a timeline and follow-up date.

9. Finalize with Signatures

Have both the employee and evaluator sign and date the form to complete the review process.

Benefits of Using This Performance Evaluation Template

• Structured Evaluation – Ensures consistency across all employee reviews.
• Goal-Oriented – Encourages accountability and continuous improvement.
• Customizable – Adaptable to different roles, departments, and performance standards.
• Actionable – Includes a built-in action plan to turn feedback into results.
• Professional Documentation – Provides a formal record for HR and future reference.

By using this employee evaluation template with an action plan, organizations can foster a culture of growth, accountability, and performance excellence.