When a top performer leaves an organisation, it's more than a loss; it's a serious business risk. You are left wondering what went wrong. Everything seemed fine on the surface: They were hitting the target, leading projects, and appearing genuinely happy, but deep down, frustrations were quietly building, unnoticed and unaddressed.
According to the Society of Human Resource Management, turnover can cost up to 200% of an employee's annual salary. The warning signs are rarely obvious, so organizations need a powerful tool to capture employee sentiments before it's too late.
This is where the employee evaluation survey comes in.
By gathering regular employee feedback, you can fill the performance gaps and create a more satisfied and engaged workforce.
What is an employee evaluation survey?
An employee evaluation survey is a method used by organizations to review employees' performance, including productivity, punctuality, dedication, passion, and teamwork, over a defined period.
Employee evaluations or performance reviews improve communication between employees and managers. When employees feel heard, they are more likely to stay and contribute at a high level. Performance reviews focus on how employees feel about their role, organization, and colleagues, helping management identify potential issues and opportunities for growth.
These surveys include questions on key performance metrics:
- Job-specific skills and competencies
- Working Relationship with Manager
- Interpersonal Relations
- Willingness to overcome adversity
- Understanding of job role and responsibilities
- Planning and Organization
- Job satisfaction and growth potential
Related Read: How to Conduct Employee Engagement Surveys for Maximum Impact
Did You Know?
Organisations focusing on employee experience have a 40% lower turnover than the average company.
Types of employee evaluation surveys (and why they matter)
The following are the types of employee evaluation surveys. Each survey type helps organizations build a high-performance culture and maximize employee potential.
.webp)
Here’s the breakdown:
Self-Assessment Evaluation
A self-assessment evaluation allows employees to share honest thoughts about their contributions. It helps them reflect on their strengths and weaknesses to improve work strategies that boost personal and professional growth.
Self-evaluation is a great communication tool between employees and managers. It helps them discover whether employees require any training opportunities or development programs.
Send out an employee self-evaluation form, which includes questions like:
- Share your key accomplishments during this review period.
- What are your specific goals for the next review period?
- What additional short is required by managers to achieve desired goals?
At Adobe, annual performance reviews were replaced with ongoing "Check-Ins," including self-assessment evaluation. This initiative reduced the turnover rate by 30% and boosted employee engagement.
360-Degree Feedback Survey
A 360-degree feedback survey comprehensively evaluates employee performance from different perspectives (peers, managers, subordinates, clients, and vendors ). It is an overall analysis of an employee in an organization that helps build a skilled, engaged, and productive team.
A 360-degree performance review evaluates all aspects of an employee's performance, including collaboration, teamwork, productivity, and workplace attitude.
The feedback received by 360-degree feedback is entirely impartial as it’s based on input from the entire team rather than just one manager’s assessment.
According to Conway, Lombardo, and Sanders (2001), ratings from direct reports and team members accounted for more variation in metrics such as productivity and profit than other sources.
Think of it as a team-wide pulse check, giving you the full picture of an employee’s impact. The results? Stronger teams, better collaboration, and higher productivity.
Sign up for TheySaid and choose the plan that best meets your needs.
Also Read: 55+ Employee Evaluation Questions for Effective Performance Reviews
Benefits of employee evaluation for organizational growth
Enhanced Career Opportunities
Employee evaluation gives employees the chance to discuss their goals with the supervisors. Managers can use the information to guide them to achieve their ambitions and provide development opportunities that align with their long-term goals
Determine weak links
Employee evaluation helps you figure out what’s working and what’s not working in a workplace. By addressing these weak links early, you can strengthen team dynamics and overall performance.
Expand internal talent pipeline
Through honest feedback, employees overcome challenges and improve their skills, which results in a larger pool of future leaders.
Finding out training needs
Through employee evaluation, you will be able to determine why some of your employees are struggling, whether it's due to skill gaps, ineffective training, or the need for additional development support.
Positive Impact on Mental Health
Employee evaluations can reveal if employees are struggling with mental health issues or other problems. Managers can discuss these concerns with employees and work together to find solutions, contributing to their overall mental wellness.
Related Read: Why an Employee Wellness Survey Is Essential for a Thriving Workplace
Lower Employee Turnover = High Employee Engagement
Overall, employee evaluations foster a culture of productivity, support, and workplace satisfaction.
Best practices for employee evaluation surveys
If you want your employee performance evaluation surveys to actually drive changes(and not just gather dust in a report), here’s how to do it right:
Clear Evaluation Criteria
Setting clear evaluation criteria is essential for a successful evaluation process. Employees need to understand what is being evaluated. Vague and confused questions lead to unreliable data. Be specific about what you expect from employees, and make sure your survey questions reflect that. For example, instead of asking "Rate your teamwork skills," ask, "How often do you collaborate with cross-functional teams for projects?"
Clear evaluation criteria eliminate all the guesswork and align managers and employees for actionable feedback.
Regular Feedback Mechanism
Feedback shouldn’t just be a once-a-year event that everyone dreads. Set up a regular feedback mechanism into the rhythm of work (like monthly or quarterly mini-surveys or quick one-on-ones.
Google has built a regular feedback culture through quick pulse surveys and the "Googlegeist" survey, helping the company maintain a positive and innovative work environment.
Think about sending out :
- Quarterly or bi-annual employee surveys
- Quick pulse surveys
- After major projects or events
It’s like course-correcting a ship: the sooner you know it's off track, the easier it is to adjust
Also Read: 100+ Employee Evaluation Examples: Best Performance Review Phrases 2025
Focus on Development, Not Just Appraisal
An employee evaluation should not be just about grading performance. Instead, it should be a roadmap for future growth. It uncovers crucial information about areas where employees need more improvement. When employees see evaluation as a chance to grow instead of a judgment form, they are more motivated and engaged.
Remember: The key to retaining top talent is listening before they decide to leave.
Customizable Questionnaires ( One Size Doesn’t Fit All)
A junior marketing assistant and a senior software manager do not need the same surveys; instead of creating a one-size-fits-all customize it according to seniority level and roles. It shows employees that you understand the nuance of their work and help you gather meaningful feedback.
Use TheySaid to create survey questions within a few minutes according to your unique needs that help you get real-time insights that drive changes
Related Read:
Real-Time Analytics and Reporting
You don’t want to be six months into the year before you realize your team is disengaged. Modern tools such as TheySaid spot trends and address issues quickly, like a sudden drop in team morale or the effectiveness of a training session.
With real-time reporting, you can take action immediately before a problem becomes bigger and ensure that employee feedback is used proactively.
With TheySaid, quickly track employee sentiments, pinpoint areas for improvement, and take action without delay
Benchmarking Capabilities (See How You Stack Up)
Benchmarking allows you to compare your survey results against industry standards. You can see a clearer picture of where you stand in terms of employee satisfaction, employee engagement, and workplace performance. It can help you assess whether your initiatives are effective or if adjustments are needed.
Feature Must-Haves:
- Industry benchmark data
- Comparative reports
- Historical tracking
Gallup’s benchmarking tools help organizations measure engagement scores against global norms, offering insights into where they stand.
AI-Driven Sentiment Analysis
AI can read between the lines.
A sentiment analysis detects emotions, attitudes, and trends behind responses
Say dozens of employees mention "feeling overwhelmed" but use different phrases like "too much workload," "lack of work-life balance," or "constant pressure. AI connects the dots and identifies key issues before they escalate.
The benefits of using AI for your employee evaluation survey
People are tired of filling out traditional surveys because they are too long, full of vague questions, and, worst of all, they do not lead to improvement.
But times are changing — and so should your approach.
It's time for an upgrade!
TheySaid’s AI-driven approach creates surveys that listen, learn, and lead to real change precisely what your employees deserve.
Here’s what you can expect
Higher Completion Rates: Employees actually enjoy the conversational format
Deeper Insights: Understand not just what employees feel but why
Faster Turnaround: Launch surveys and get actionable feedback in record time
Scalable: Run employee evaluation surveys across teams, departments, and locations effortlessly
Create your employee evaluation survey with TheySaid
TheySaid isn’t your grandpa’s survey tool (seriously). With AI at the heart of everything, employee evaluation surveys are faster, smarter, and more engaging.
Set Up Smart Surveys with One Click: Enter your company’s URL and let TheySaid’s AI build custom questions tailored to your team in seconds.
Real Conversations, Not Just Checkboxes: With AI, employees have actual conversations that provide deeper insights, not just a bunch of generic ratings.
As responses roll in, TheySaid’s AI gets to work behind the scenes, identifying key trends, spotting action items, and highlighting follow-up opportunities.
The bottom line
If you’re tired of boring surveys that don’t really tell you anything, create your employee evaluation survey with TheySaid and get feedback that actually matters.
Key Takeaways
- Regular employee evaluations can uncover hidden frustrations and prevent turnover.
- Use multi-source feedback, including peers, subordinates, and managers, to get a clearer picture of employee performance.
- Don’t wait for annual reviews. Regular check-ins (quarterly or pulse surveys) create an engaged workforce.
- Use AI tools to analyze survey data quickly, spot trends, and take immediate action to address any issues.
- Compare your survey results to industry standards. This is a great way to identify areas for improvement.
FAQs
What is an employee evaluation?
Employee evaluation assesses employee performance over time, covering satisfaction, engagement, attitude, dedication, and goal-achievement skills. It will help you identify areas for improvement and set goals for the future.
How often should employee evaluation surveys be conducted?
That depends on your company's size and requirements. However, ideally, you can conduct ideally quarterly or bi-annually to keep track of performance.
How can AI improve employee evaluation surveys?
AI streamlines the process by automatically generating relevant questions, analyzing responses, and identifying key trends, making the evaluation process smarter and smoother.
What are some examples of performance evaluation survey questions?
- How well do you collaborate with your team?
- How effectively do you manage deadlines and priorities?
- Are there any areas you feel you need more support or training?
.svg)
