5 ChatGPT Prompts for Performance Reviews (Copy & Paste Ready)

You have eight performance reviews due by mid-December. You know what to say about each person—the wins, the development areas, the context. The problem isn’t knowing what to write. It’s getting the words on the page.

Starting is the hardest part. By the time you finish the first review, you’ve spent three hours staring at a blank document.

ChatGPT changes this. With the right prompts, you can draft a complete review in 30-45 minutes instead of three hours. For eight reviews, that’s 12+ hours saved. Not by cutting corners—by letting AI handle the structure and initial language while you add the specifics only you know.

Here are five ChatGPT prompts for performance reviews. Pick the one that matches your employee, fill in your specific details, and let ChatGPT draft your starting point.

Writing your own self-evaluation? Check out our guide to ChatGPT for Self-Evaluations instead.

Prompt 1: High Performer Review

The scenario: This employee exceeded expectations all year. They delivered major wins, solved problems independently, and raised the team’s performance.

The prompt:

I'm writing a performance review for a high-performing [job title] who exceeded expectations this year. Help me draft a review that covers:

Role and context:

- [Job title and seniority level]

- Reports to me for [timeframe]

Major accomplishments:

- [List 3-5 specific achievements with metrics]

- [Example: Led Q3 product launch that delivered 40% revenue growth]

Key strengths demonstrated:

- [List 2-3 standout qualities with specific examples]

Development opportunities:

- [1-2 areas for growth at their next level, framed as expansion]

Goals for next year:

- [2-3 stretch goals aligned with their trajectory]

Tone: Genuinely positive and encouraging, specific not generic, professional but warm.

Make this 400-500 words, organized into clear sections.

Why this works: High performers need reviews that match their contribution level with specific wins and metrics. This creates both meaningful recognition and a defensible paper trail for promotion discussions.

Customization tip: Include actual numbers. If they increased efficiency by 30%, say that. If they mentored three people to promotion, say that. Specifics make the review defensible and meaningful.

Prompt 2: Solid Performer Review

The scenario: This employee meets expectations consistently. They’re reliable, steady, and deliver quality work. No major concerns, but also no standout moments that exceed their role.

The prompt:

I'm writing a performance review for a [job title] who consistently meets expectations. Help me draft a balanced review that covers:

Role and context:

- [Job title and key responsibilities]

Performance against expectations:

- [List 3-4 responsibilities where they performed well]

- [Include specific examples and any metrics]

Reliable strengths:

- [2-3 consistent qualities with examples]

Development opportunities:

- [1-2 areas where growth would help them advance]

Goals for next year:

- [2-3 goals focused on skill development and consistent performance]

Tone: Professional and appreciative, realistic without being lukewarm, recognizes solid contribution without overstatement.

Make this 350-450 words.

Why this works: Solid performers need honest recognition, not inflated praise. This helps you write a review that’s genuinely appreciative of reliability while setting realistic expectations.

Customization tip: Emphasize that consistency and reliability are valuable. “Meets expectations” is the goal for most roles. Make sure your final version clearly communicates you value their contributions.

Prompt 3: Needs Improvement Review

The scenario: This employee is underperforming in one or more areas. You’ve already discussed these concerns in 1-on-1s. Now you need clear documentation with a path forward.

The prompt:

I'm writing a performance review for a [job title] who needs improvement in specific areas. Help me draft a constructive review that addresses concerns clearly:

Role and context:

- [Job title and time in role]

Areas of solid performance:

- [List 1-2 things they do well - provides balance]

Performance concerns:

- [Specific area 1 with clear examples and impact]

- [Example: "Missed 4 of 6 project deadlines, affecting team delivery"]

- [Specific area 2 with clear examples]

Development plan:

- [Specific improvements needed with measurable criteria]

- [Support you'll provide: training, mentoring, resources]

- [Timeline: "Expect progress by end of Q1 2026"]

Tone: Direct and honest, constructive not punitive, clear about expectations, professional throughout.

Make this 400-500 words with clear structure.

Why this works: Performance concerns require clarity, not diplomatic language that obscures the message. This helps you be unmistakably clear while remaining professional and offering a genuine path to improvement.

Critical customization: Make sure every concern mentioned has been discussed in previous 1-on-1s—no surprises in the annual review. Remove any language that sounds harsh or personal. Focus on behaviors and outcomes, not character.

Important: If this might lead to performance improvement plans or termination, check with HR first. This is where your HR partner and careful writing matter most.

Prompt 4: New Employee Review

The scenario: This person has been in the role less than six months. You have limited performance data but need to provide feedback on their onboarding and early trajectory.

The prompt:

I'm writing a performance review for a [job title] who joined [X months ago]. Help me draft a review that addresses the limited timeframe:

Role and context:

- [Job title and start date]

Onboarding and integration:

- [How quickly they got up to speed]

- [Cultural fit and team collaboration]

Early contributions:

- [1-2 projects or responsibilities they've handled]

- [Quality of work despite being new]

Current trajectory:

- [Are they on track?]

- [What's promising about their start?]

Development focus:

- [Skills to develop now that foundations are set]

Goals for next 3-6 months:

- [2-3 specific goals for continued ramp-up]

Tone: Encouraging about potential, realistic about short timeframe, clear about expectations, supportive.

Make this 300-400 words.

Why this works: New employee reviews are tricky because you have limited data. This acknowledges the short timeframe while still providing substantive feedback about trajectory and potential.

Customization tip: If they’re struggling more than expected, be direct about concerns early—it’s easier to course-correct at three months than twelve. Focus on trajectory, not just current output.

Prompt 5: Promotion-Ready Review

The scenario: This employee is performing above their current level and you’re building a case for promotion. The review needs specific evidence that will convince stakeholders who don’t work with them daily.

The prompt:

I'm writing a performance review for a [job title] who is ready for promotion to [next level]. Help me build a compelling case:

Current role:

- [Job title and tenure at this level]

Performing above current level:

- [List 3-5 examples of work at the next level]

- [Include scope, complexity, impact beyond current role]

- [Add metrics demonstrating impact]

Leadership and influence:

- [How they've influenced outcomes beyond their role]

- [Recognition from peers or stakeholders]

Readiness for next level:

- [Skills demonstrated that match next-level requirements]

Why now:

- [Business need for someone at this level]

- [Retention risk if not advanced]

Next-level goals:

- [2-3 goals appropriate for promoted role]

Tone: Confident and advocacy-focused, specific with strong evidence, professional case-building.

Make this 450-550 words.

Why this works: Promotion reviews need to convince people who don’t work with this employee daily. This forces you to document specific evidence of next-level performance, not just “they’re great and deserve it.”

Customization tip: Add exact metrics, quote stakeholder feedback, include evidence of scope expansion. If you’re struggling to fill in specific examples, they might not be ready yet.

How to Use These Prompts

Start with specifics: “Good communicator” tells ChatGPT nothing. Instead: “Facilitated Q3 planning with 12 stakeholders, resulting in clear decisions and no follow-up confusion.” Specific inputs get specific outputs.

Edit for your voice: ChatGPT’s first draft will be too polished. Shorten sentences. Remove corporate jargon. Make it sound like you actually talk.

Add what only you know: After the AI draft, add observations only you could make—how they handled tough conversations, what they’re like under pressure, how the team responds to them.

Check every sentence: AI sometimes fills gaps with plausible-sounding statements that aren’t true. If it says something you didn’t input, cut it or verify it.

Iterate: If the first draft isn’t working, tell ChatGPT what to fix: “Make this more specific” or “This sounds too formal” or “Be more direct about what needs to change.”

Quick Workflow

Two weeks before deadline:

• Gather 1-on-1 notes, project records, metrics
• Decide which scenario fits each employee
• List specific accomplishments and concerns

One week before:

• Customize appropriate prompt with your details
• Run in ChatGPT, get first draft
• Edit immediately while it’s fresh

Three days before:

• Final pass on all reviews
• Check accuracy—nothing false
• Verify tone sounds like you
• Submit

Time saved: 2+ hours per review. For 8 reviews, that’s 16 hours back.

Beyond ChatGPT

Claude AI works with these same prompts and handles longer context better. Try both and see which outputs you prefer.

Grammarly helps after you’ve drafted—refines tone and catches errors before you submit.

For most managers, ChatGPT Plus ($20/month) is the best value. Free version works but has message limits.

The Bottom Line

These five ChatGPT prompts for performance reviews cut time from 2-3 hours to 30-45 minutes by handling structure and initial language while you focus on the substance only you can provide.

Try these for your next review. Customize with specific details. Edit to match your voice. You’ll wonder how you ever wrote reviews without this.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Articles

• How to Use ChatGPT to Write Performance Reviews – Complete step-by-step workflow with 10 prompts
• How to Use Claude AI for Performance Reviews – Alternative AI tool comparison
• 5 ChatGPT Prompts for 1-on-1 Meetings – Ready-to-use prompts for better 1-on-1s