Year-end reviews can cause employees to feel anxious and worried, but they’re not the only ones. Managers who oversee the process can be just as stressed about performance reviews as their direct reports.
The good news? By preparing with the right strategies, you can facilitate impactful conversations that benefit both your employees and the company itself. In fact, a McKinsey report reveals that focusing on performance leads to employees outperforming their peers by 4.2 times. Company-wide attrition rates also drop by 5% while revenue growth increases by an average of 30%.
Those are impressive results that any manager would be thrilled to inspire within their teams. As a manager, you are well-positioned to serve as the catalyst for these powerful changes, particularly as 2025 comes to a close.
Here’s how to prepare and facilitate your year-end reviews with confidence and proactiveness in a way that benefits you and your employees.
Prepare in Advance
It’s hard to navigate a performance review on the fly – and it’s not helpful for your team members. Give yourself time to prepare in advance so you can ensure a meaningful discussion with each of your direct reports. Depending on the size of your department, you may need to start a few days or even weeks in advance in order to properly prepare for each review. That may sound overwhelming with your other responsibilities, but it’s time well spent in preparing your team for the year ahead.
As you get ready, strike a balance between assessing your employees’ achievements and areas for growth. Then brainstorm actionable steps to inspire them for potential development goals. But it’s not just about your opinion – remember to actively listen when it’s time for your meeting in order to hear how each employee wants to grow and learn.
When scheduling review meetings, give your team advance notice that you’ll want to hear about their goals for the upcoming year using the SMART framework. That means each goal should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART).
Finally, consider asking colleagues for their perspective as well for a more well-rounded review process.
Enter the Conference Room with Confidence
The time has arrived: the year-end reviews are scheduled and your calendar reminders are popping up. But before your first employee arrives at the meeting, silence all of your device notifications to avoid unwanted distractions. It’s respectful, and you’ll make sure the discussion flows naturally.
In order to drive both engagement and future productivity, center the conversation around the employee’s goals and actionable steps to achieve them. Using the active listening skills you brushed up on in advance, ask each team member about their short-term goals for the year ahead, along with long-term goals for their career.
Potential goals could include things like getting a promotion to managing a team in the future. If they’re hesitant to offer ideas, encourage them with examples for inspiration. That’s where your prep time comes in handy because you’ll already have a sense of how to guide them based on their strengths and growth potential. Once you come up with some goals together, map out the steps your employee can take to achieve them.
Short-term goals may require developing a new skill or earning relevant credentials, while long-term goals may involve earning a management certification or getting a degree. If available, point them to resources within their EdAssist portal.
Check-in Throughout 2026
The outcomes of a year-end review aren’t over once everyone heads out for the holidays. Instead, keep the enthusiasm going by emailing each team member with the key takeaways from your meeting. Include helpful resources that can assist with their goals, such as LevelUp Studio.
Once the new year rolls in, schedule another check-in before the mid-year review process arrives. This is a low-stakes opportunity to follow up on your employees’ progress towards their goals without focusing on performance. At that point, you can also identify obstacles and celebrate milestones, whether they’re related to short-term or long-term goals. Even small celebrations can keep the momentum going.
Help Your Employees Grow with EdAssist
With the right end-of-year review framework and an action-oriented strategy, managers can empower their employees to create a clear vision for their professional future – including 2026 and beyond. Not sure how to take goal-setting to the next level?
EdAssist provides industry-specific support with individualized coaching and ongoing guidance for employees and managers alike. If available in your organization, check eligibility in advance, then encourage employees to book a free coaching session to start putting an education plan in place.
Visit LevelUp Studio for inspiration and resources on goal setting, upskilling, and more. Encourage your team to sign up for our upcoming webinar on December 18, 2025 – Map Your Career Path: Exploring Opportunities and Setting Goals for 2026 and Beyond.
