Annual reviews go wrong when they rest on memory: the last six weeks get rated, vague adjectives replace evidence and the employee hears the rating for the first time in the room. This template walks managers through the year in order, from goals and competencies to strengths, areas to develop, the overall rating and a development plan with owners and dates.

The sample follows Marisol Kane, a senior care coordinator at Yarrowfield Care, with five goals scored against target, six competencies rated on a 1 to 5 scale and a plan agreed in February 2027. Replace the header, goals, competency names and examples with your own, then write the rationale from at least three dated examples.