8 Ways to Alleviate Performance Review Anxiety

John Krautzel
Posted by in Career Advice •


Performance reviews can cause stress for both workers and supervisors. These conversations are anything but normal, as they can make or break your future with a company. Employees may feel as if they could lose their jobs or fail to get a promotion if they don't perform well, while supervisors may have several performance reviews to finish by a certain deadline, adding to the stress on both sides.

Before you know it, mild anxiety leading up to the review day turn into full-blown stress. The more you think about the review, the more you stress about it, potentially putting your mind and body into full panic mode. Try these eight tips to alleviate the anxiety of your performance review long before the day arrives.

1. Prepare Ahead of Time

Prepare for the performance review in advance, much as you would for a job interview. Think about the successes you had over the past year and have those topics ready. Note any positive feedback you received since the last performance review. Once you get the date of the review, email your supervisor and ask politely how the meeting should go. This heads-up should alleviate a lot of stress and surprises from the get-go.

2. Make the Review a Conversation

Much like a job interview, a performance review isn't one-sided. Talk to your supervisor about how you can improve, what things you did right and where you see yourself by the time you reach your next performance review. Ask your supervisor questions about how you can improve and projected team goals for the upcoming year. The answers can give you some direction for improvement moving forward.

3. Remember the Purpose of the Review

The point of a performance review is to make you a better employee, and how you react to your manager's assertions is up to you. Come into the review knowing that you're there to improve, and maintain this positive attitude throughout your meeting. This shows your boss you're eager to learn new ways of working, and may even lighten your supervisor's criticisms.

4. Set Concrete Goals

Work with your manager to set specific goals. Have him outline exact expectations of your performance so you know how you can improve in the next weeks and months. Clarity is very important, and you need as many details as possible to try to move forward with your goals. When you have more information, your next performance review becomes easier.

5. Make a List of Your Accomplishments

Write down a list of everything you accomplished over the past year, no matter how big or small. Listing your accomplishments does two things. First, it makes you feel good about yourself and the things you do for your employer. Second, the list gives you a reference to talk to your boss about your value. Your accomplishments give you confidence knowing that you, in general, do a good job.

6. Listen

When you hear something bad or something you didn't expect, don't launch into defensive mode right away. Instead, listen to what your supervisor has to say. Think about a response for a few moments, and then calmly talk about the issue. Is your manager on point or is he way off base?

Discuss why you think there are differences. Perhaps it stems from a perception problem. Maybe your boss said one thing and you took it to mean something else. You don't know these things unless you listen and then talk about them.

7. Relax

Performance reviews aren't all about bad news. Your supervisor is human, too, and he is probably a little nervous as well. Relax knowing you're only nervous because your supervisor has more information about the review than you. It's the fear of the unknown that worries you — not your actual job performance.

8. Get as Much Feedback as You Can

Constructive feedback is good because it lets you know precisely how you need to improve. The more you improve, the more valuable you become to your boss and your team. Plus, taking your manager's advice to heart can catapult your career to a higher level. Specific feedback also takes the surprises out of your next review.

Performance review anxiety is perfectly normal, and you need to remember that every employee goes through them in their careers. Just be yourself and show your manager you want to improve, and you should do just fine.

Photo Courtesy of ImageryMajestic at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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  • Jacqueline Parks
    Jacqueline Parks •

    I have been on both sides of the performance review and have experienced stress as both the reviewer and one getting the review. I find that relaxing and seeing that the situation is a two way process helps on both sides. I like to think of the situation as simply a conversation about the job a person does. It isn't a deep critique. If an employee is doing something majorly wrong, I would hope they would get timely feedback before the performance review. It is simply a time to look at the past and then into the future, thinking about strengths and weaknesses, and where an employee is going with the company.

  • Erica T.
    Erica T. •

    If employees flat-out disagree with certain performance assessments, how should they handle this? Is it best to explain themselves or should they listen to the feedback and then ask follow-up questions? I can see where disagreements pertaining to performance may come up when employees work together on team projects, or when employees have to meet specific client expectations - these scenarios involve other people, which can affect individual contributions to projects or company accounts.

  • Shannon Philpott
    Shannon Philpott •

    My most productive and pleasant performance reviews were when I felt like the experience was more casual than formal. I had several employers who were very skilled at providing feedback - positive and negative - and they were successful because they carried on more of a conversation versus conducting the review as more of a lecture.

  • Mike Van de Water
    Mike Van de Water •

    As a manager, I totally agree with recording a list of accomplishments between reviews. A lot of time things are so busy that somebody who performs well slips under the radar, and it's great when an employee can remind me of past successes. Abbey, I would generally work these accomplishments into the conversation whenever they naturally come up. This will likely be in the review section, but if there's something big that doesn't come up during the review, don't be scared to bring it up before the end of the meeting.

  • Jane H.
    Jane H. •

    I disagree with making one's goals too concrete. Companies are always evolving; if the details get too specific, it could actually come back to haunt the employee. In my opinion, it's better to set soft targets that provide some leeway in the employee's favor as a hedge against downturns in corporate productivity or unexpected changes within one's department.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Abbey I would think that you would interject, if you can, during the review instead of waiting until the end. If you supervisor is talking about an accomplishment that you are particularly proud of - bring it up. Mention what you did for the team to complete the project and your part in it. Just as when you are looking for a job - annual reviews are the time to blow your own horn. No one is going to come in and say - oh hey Abbey did this or that. They are all thinking about what they want to say at their reviews.

  • Abbey Boyd
    Abbey Boyd •

    I can see where having a list of accomplishments can be useful, especially if you are expecting to try to balance any negative feedback. When is the best time to bring these accomplishments up? Should you mention them in the beginning, or wait until the end, after your supervisor has finished with their feedback?

  • Jay Bowyer
    Jay Bowyer •

    As the article suggests, it's so important to remember that the purpose of the review is to give you the feedback you need to be a better employee. I remember one review I went into expecting the worst. In fact, I came out of the review feeling quite positive: instead of being castigated, I'd been given useful advice and had been praised for several projects. Reviews are not always as bad as you think they're going to be.

  • Duncan Maranga
    Duncan Maranga •

    I have to admit that it is quite an abnormal period for employees, especially for those who feel like they have little to show for the period they have served in the organization. How can such people, who have little to show, negotiate the question of cumulative achievement in their department through the years without losing their viability in the organization?

  • Shaday Stewart
    Shaday Stewart •

    I definitely agree that it helps to approach the review as a conversation, not a lecture. I think a lot of people are so nervous that they hope the feedback is good enough and forget to use the review as a chance to progress. Be willing to listen and take constructive criticism to heart, but also ask for opportunities to take on more duties that fit your strengths. The worst that can happen is a flat-out "no," but few bosses are going to be angry with you for taking initiative to do more. You also have to speak up if the employer is out of touch with what the job requires on a day-to-day basis. Bosses aren't all-knowing, and sometimes they don't realize that they are poorly communicating company goals or giving conflicting directions.

  • Hema Zahid
    Hema Zahid •

    I agree that it’s the fear of the unknown that makes performance reviews so intimidating. Even if you know that you have worked hard all year, there’s no way to know beforehand if your supervisor appreciates your work. This uncertainty can be nerve-wracking and can make performance reviews very difficult for some workers.

  • William Browning
    William Browning •

    Making a list of accomplishments is one way to relax, but I think coming up with a list of possible improvements to your behavior is another way to alleviate any anxiety. Listing your faults lets you prepare for any negative things your supervisor may say about you among the positive aspects of the past year. Preparing for your review may also entail asking human resources to see your permanent file so you can review last year's documentation.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Lydia that's a great question and I think it would depend upon the company and upon your manager's style. Some managers don't want to be bothered with a formal review and may not appreciate you asking for one. If you are getting raises/bonuses, why upset the apple cart? After all, reviews are for performance raises and promotions. You would have to decide why you are asking for the review and then determine if it's worth it.

  • Lydia K.
    Lydia K. •

    Some smaller companies don't have the formal performance appraisal process of bigger companies. Some give annual raises or a bonus across the board instead. Although I think the absence of formality can be a plus, it can also make it hard to to get recognition for accomplishments in your role. What's a good way to approach a small company manager (or owner) about asking for a performance based raise or promotion in an informal setting?

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