Evaluating Employees

Sample Employment Evaluation Forms

Love it or hate it, employee evaluation is a standard part of small business ownership. Good evaluation forms can make all the difference . . . But where can you find sample employment evaluation forms?

The hardest part of employee evaluations may be creating a review system that doesn't place an undue burden on either employees or management resources.

Everyone agrees that an effective performance review process is essential for a successful small business. But the task of creating such a process can be elusive, even for small companies with a dedicated HR staff member.

Employment evaluation forms are the backbone of a workable performance review process. The best forms have the dual effect of standardizing the process and insulating your company from legal exposure. By thoroughly documenting the review process, you generate written records of employee assessments that can be retained in personnel files for use in subsequent performance reviews or in a worse case scenario, a legal defense.

Rather than creating forms from scratch, many companies rely on sample employment evaluation forms that can be customized to your business' unique employment requirements. Some forms will be more appropriate than others, but these days there are plenty of places to find first-rate sample employment evaluation forms.

• Online. One of the best places to find sample employment evaluation forms is online. There is a multitude of online resources ranging from generic evaluation form templates to forms that have been created for specific companies and industries. The drawback of online forms is that it can be hard to distinguish useful materials from ineffective ones, especially if you're starting from scratch.
• Small business networks. If you participate in a small business network, you are probably surrounded by a treasure trove of sample employment evaluation forms. Don't hesitate to ask other small business network participants how they evaluate their employees and whether they would be willing to share their forms with you.
• Form providers. There are a lot of form providers who would be more than happy to sell you a decent employment evaluation form template. Although these forms tend to be more reliable than the free ones you'll find in a Google search, make sure to evaluate each form and form provider closely before you adopt their solution.
• Previous employers. If you're like most small business owners, you once worked for someone else. If you were diligent about keeping your own employment records, you may already have several sample evaluation forms in your personal files.
• Industry connections. If you're at a complete loss about where to find sample evaluation forms that are relevant for your company, contact industry associations for recommendations about other sources of evaluation form templates.

Share this article

Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

Lists of Venture Capital and Private Equity Firms

Franchise Opportunities

Contributors

Business Glossary