Performance appraisal form template (employee evaluation)
A performance appraisal form records how an employee performed over a review period against agreed goals and competencies, with an overall rating and a development plan. This performance appraisal form uses a 1 to 5 scale with a definition for each point, space for evidence, the employee’s own comments, and signatures from the employee, the manager and HR.
Replace everything in [square brackets] with your details.
[Company name]
Performance Appraisal Form
Review period: from [DD/MM/YYYY] to [DD/MM/YYYY]
Type of review: [Annual / Mid-year / End of probation]
Part 1: Employee details
Name: [Employee full name]
Employee number: [Employee number]
Job title: [Job title]
Department: [Department]
Manager (reviewer): [Manager’s name and title]
Date of meeting: [DD/MM/YYYY]
Rating scale
5 Outstanding: consistently exceeds every expectation
4 Exceeds expectations: often goes beyond what the role requires
3 Meets expectations: fully delivers what the role requires
2 Partly meets expectations: delivers some of what is required and needs to improve
1 Does not meet expectations: falls well short of what the role requires
Part 2: Goals and results
Goal 1: [Goal, measure and target]
Result and evidence: [What was achieved, with figures or examples]
Rating (1 to 5): [Rating]
Goal 2: [Goal, measure and target]
Result and evidence: [What was achieved, with figures or examples]
Rating (1 to 5): [Rating]
Goal 3: [Goal, measure and target]
Result and evidence: [What was achieved, with figures or examples]
Rating (1 to 5): [Rating]
Goals weight in the overall rating: [Percentage]%
Part 3: Competencies
Job knowledge and quality of work: [Rating] · Example: [Example]
Productivity and meeting deadlines: [Rating] · Example: [Example]
Communication and teamwork: [Rating] · Example: [Example]
Initiative and problem solving: [Rating] · Example: [Example]
Attendance and reliability: [Rating] · Example: [Example]
[Leadership, for managers]: [Rating] · Example: [Example]
Competencies weight in the overall rating: [Percentage]%
Part 4: Overall rating
Overall rating: [Rating] ([Outstanding / Exceeds / Meets / Partly meets / Does not meet])
Main strengths: [Strengths with examples]
Areas to improve: [Areas described as behaviour, with examples]
Part 5: Goals for the next period
1. [Specific, measurable goal with a deadline]
2. [Specific, measurable goal with a deadline]
3. [Specific, measurable goal with a deadline]
Part 6: Development plan
Development need: [Skill or knowledge]
Action: [Training, project, coaching or other]
Support from the company: [Support]
Target date: [DD/MM/YYYY]
Part 7: For end-of-probation reviews
Recommendation: [Confirm employment / End the contract during probation]
Reason: [Reason]
Part 8: Employee’s comments
[Employee’s comments]
Signatures
Employee (confirms having seen this appraisal): [Name, signature and date]
Manager: [Name, signature and date]
HR: [Name, signature and date]
When to use it
Use it for the annual review, a mid-year check-in, and before probation ends. Agree the goals at the start of the period, so the appraisal measures what both sides expected.
How to fill it in
- Write goals that can be measured, with a target and a deadline, such as “close 95% of tickets within 24 hours”.
- Give evidence for every rating: figures, examples, dates. A rating without evidence is hard to defend.
- Describe behaviour, not personality. “Missed three of five report deadlines” rather than “careless”.
- Weight goals and competencies the same way for everyone in the same role.
- Hold the meeting before signing, and let the employee comment in writing.
Points to keep in mind
- Fairness. Since the 2025 amendments, the Labour Law requires the employer to refrain from anything that undermines equal opportunity or treatment in employment, including distinction based on race, colour, sex, age, disability, marital status or any other form of discrimination. Ratings should rest on the work alone.
- Probation. Probation may last up to 180 days and either side may end the contract during it (Article 53). Schedule the end-of-probation review early enough to act on it.
- Not a penalty. An appraisal is not a disciplinary penalty. Penalties are only those in Article 66 and the work regulations, after a written charge and investigation (Article 71).
- Personal data. Appraisals are personal data under the Personal Data Protection Law; limit who can see them.
A worked example: goals weighted 60% with an average of 4.0, and competencies weighted 40% with an average of 3.5, give 0.6 × 4.0 + 0.4 × 3.5 = 2.4 + 1.4 = 3.8, which rounds to 4, Exceeds expectations. Use the performance review writer to turn your notes into balanced comments and goals.
In the RafiqHR Talent module, goals, check-ins and review cycles with calibration sit on the same employee record, in Arabic and English.
Official sources
Frequently asked questions
How often should performance be appraised?
The Saudi Labour Law does not set a frequency. Most companies run an annual appraisal with a mid-year check-in, plus a review before the end of probation so that the decision to confirm the employee is made in time.
Is a low rating a disciplinary penalty?
No. The disciplinary penalties are those listed in Article 66 and set out in the work regulations, and they follow their own procedure. A low rating can lead to an improvement plan, and any penalty for a violation has to go through the written charge and investigation the law requires.
Should the employee sign the appraisal?
Yes. The signature confirms that the employee has seen the appraisal, not that they agree with it. Give them space to comment, and keep a copy in their file.
This is general information to help you understand the topic. It is not legal advice. Rules and rates change: always check the official text on the relevant authority’s platform and consult a qualified adviser before acting.
