TL;DR
- The employee comments box is your part of the written record. Use it to confirm what you agree with, add context or evidence that is missing, note any disagreement calmly and say what support you need next.
- The 50 examples here cover agreeing, accepting criticism, adding context, disagreeing respectfully, commenting on goals and KPIs, asking for development, raising workload, commenting on the company and signing off.
- Wait a day before you write, stick to facts and keep it short. If you disagree strongly, talk to your manager first, and use the formal route only if that fails.
The review meeting is over, the form arrives, and at the bottom sits an empty box labelled “Employee comments”. Many people type “No comments” or “Agreed” and sign. That wastes the one part of the record that is written in your own voice.
This article explains what the employee comments section is for and how to approach it. It gives 50 examples of employee comments on a performance review that you can adapt, covers what your signature means and sets out what to do if you disagree.
If your organisation wants reviews in which the employee's view counts from the start, see how New Dynamics performance reviews include self-reflection alongside the manager's assessment.
About these examples: all 50 were written by the New Dynamics editorial team. The details in them are illustrative. Replace them with your own facts.
What the employee comments section is for
Acas, in its guidance on performance management, says of review meetings that “it's important to keep a written record of what is discussed”, and that the record “should be shared with the employee afterwards”. The comments box makes that record two-sided. It lets you:
- confirm what you agree with, so that there is no doubt later;
- add achievements, context or evidence that the review left out;
- record a different view where you disagree, calmly and with facts;
- state what you need in the next period: support, training, clearer priorities;
- show how you respond to feedback, which future managers may read.
It is not the place to argue the whole review again, to criticise colleagues or to write in anger.
Before you write: six steps
- Read the whole review twice. Note what is fair, what is missing and what you dispute.
- Wait a day. Comments written in the first hour are rarely the ones you would choose to keep on file.
- Decide your aim. Do you want to confirm, to add, to disagree or to ask for something? Most comments need only one or two of these.
- Gather your evidence. Dates, figures, emails of thanks and the goals as they were originally agreed.
- Draft it short. Three to six sentences are usually enough. Long comments are skimmed.
- Check the tone. Read it as a stranger would in two years' time. Would it reflect well on you?
The five parts of a good comment
You will not need all five every time.
- Acknowledge. Thank your manager for the review and the time.
- Agree. Name the points you accept, including criticism that is fair.
- Add. Supply context, achievements or evidence that is missing.
- Differ. Where you disagree, say so factually, and say what you base it on.
- Look ahead. Goals, support and what you will do next.
50 employee comments examples
When you agree with a positive review
- “Thank you for a fair and thorough review. I agree with the assessment, and I am pleased that the work on the supplier contracts was recognised.”
- “I agree with this review. I would like to add my thanks to the team, whose support made the results possible.”
- “This is an accurate summary of my year. I appreciated the specific examples, which show me what to keep doing.”
- “I agree with the rating and the comments. Next year I would like to build on this by taking on the regional project that we discussed.”
- “Thank you for the recognition of the onboarding work. I am glad that it has helped new colleagues, and I would be happy to extend it to other teams.”
- “I have read the review and agree with it. I value the feedback on my presentations and will keep working on them.”
When you accept criticism
- “I accept the feedback about missed deadlines in the second quarter. I have started planning my work weekly, and I have asked my manager to review priorities with me each month.”
- “The comments about my written reports are fair. I have booked the writing course and will ask a colleague to review my next two reports before they go out.”
- “I agree that I should have raised the delay earlier. In future, I will flag a risk as soon as I see it, even when I do not yet have a solution.”
- “Thank you for the honest feedback about how I come across in meetings. I had not realised it, and I would welcome examples as they arise, so that I can adjust.”
- “I recognise that my delegation needs work. My aim for next quarter is to hand over two recurring tasks fully, with a check-in in place of my doing them myself.”
- “This was a harder year than I wanted, and the review reflects that fairly. I am committed to the improvement plan that we agreed.”
When you want to add context
- “I agree with the review overall. For the record, the delay to the March project followed a four-week freeze on the budget, which was outside my control. The project was delivered three weeks after the freeze ended.”
- “I would like to add that I covered the team leader role for ten weeks from May, alongside my own work. This is not mentioned in the review, and it affected my capacity for goal 3.”
- “The review does not mention the client retention work in the autumn. We retained all twelve accounts that were at risk, and I have attached the summary.”
- “The customer satisfaction figure quoted is for the whole team. My own figure for the period was 4.6, and I have attached the report.”
- “Two of my five goals were replaced in June when priorities changed. I would ask that the review be read against the revised goals, which I have attached.”
- “I was on reduced hours from January to March, by agreement. I would like it noted that the targets were not adjusted for that period.”
When you disagree, respectfully
- “I appreciate the time taken over this review. I see the rating for goal 2 differently. The target was 20 new accounts, and I opened 23, as the attached report shows. I would welcome a conversation about how this was assessed.”
- “I do not agree with the comment that I am resistant to change. I raised concerns about the new process in two meetings, with reasons, and then adopted it on the agreed date. I would be glad to discuss specific examples.”
- “I was surprised by the feedback about my communication, as this had not been raised during the year. I would find it helpful to hear about such concerns at the time, so that I can act on them.”
- “I respectfully disagree with the overall rating. I met four of five goals in full and the fifth in part, which under the published definitions I understand to be ‘fully meets’. I would like to understand the reasoning.”
- “I do not believe that the incident in September is described accurately. My recollection, supported by the attached emails, is that I escalated the issue on the day it arose.”
- “I accept some of this feedback, and I do not recognise the rest. I would like a follow-up meeting to go through the examples, because I want to understand what I could do differently.”
- “The review compares my output with that of colleagues whose territories are considerably larger. I would ask that this context be taken into account.”
- “I have signed to confirm that I have received this review. I do not agree with the assessment of goals 1 and 4, for the reasons set out above, and I have asked for a meeting with my manager and HR.”
Notice what these have in common: facts, a calm tone, an attachment where possible and a request for a conversation. Compare them with “This review is unfair and biased”, which invites an argument and proves nothing.
Comments on goals and KPIs
- “I achieved the response-time KPI in every quarter, with a yearly average of 3.2 hours against a target of 4.”
- “The sales KPI was missed by 6%. The main cause was the withdrawal of the product in the third quarter. Excluding that product, I was 4% above target.”
- “I met the quality KPI and missed the volume KPI. I chose to protect quality when the two conflicted, and I would like to agree priorities between them for next year.”
- “I believe that the current KPI measures activity more than results. I would suggest replacing ‘calls made’ with ‘qualified meetings booked’.”
- “The baseline for this KPI was set before the system change. I would ask that it be reset, so that next year's target is measured on the new basis.”
- “I am proud to have exceeded the retention KPI, and I have shared what worked with the rest of the team.”
Our KPI tracker guide and performance goals examples can help you to propose better measures.
Asking for development and support
- “To reach the next level, I would like experience of managing a budget. I would welcome the chance to shadow the budget round this year.”
- “I would benefit from training in data analysis, and I have identified a suitable course. I would like to discuss funding and time.”
- “I would like a mentor outside my own team, to help me prepare for a leadership role.”
- “Regular one-to-ones would help me to stay aligned with changing priorities. Could we schedule them fortnightly?”
- “I would welcome more frequent feedback during the year, so that nothing in the annual review is new.”
- “My goal for next year is to lead a project from start to finish. I would appreciate being considered when the next one is scoped.”
See our guide to the development plan.
Raising workload and resources
- “I met my goals this year, and doing so required regular evening work. I would like to discuss how the workload can be made sustainable.”
- “Two posts in the team were vacant for six months. I would ask that next year's targets reflect the staffing we actually have.”
- “The reporting tool was unavailable for much of the second quarter, which slowed the analysis work. A reliable tool would let me deliver more.”
- “I am keen to take on the new responsibilities we discussed. To do them well, I would need to hand over the weekly reporting.”
Comments about the team or the company
- “I have enjoyed working in this team, and I value the way colleagues support each other under pressure.”
- “I would find it helpful if company priorities were shared earlier in the year, so that individual goals can be set against them.”
- “The move to hybrid working has helped my focus, and I hope that it continues.”
- “I would welcome clearer information about how pay and promotion decisions are made.”
If you want to give wider feedback about the organisation, a review form is a limited channel. Use the engagement survey or speak to your manager directly as well.
Sign-off comments
- “I have read and discussed this review with my manager, and I agree with its contents.”
- “I have read this review. I agree with it overall, and I have added comments above on goal 3.”
- “I acknowledge receipt of this review. My signature confirms that I have read it, and my comments above set out the points on which I hold a different view.”
- “Thank you for a constructive conversation. I look forward to working on the goals we have agreed.”
What does signing the review mean?
This depends on your employer's form, so read the wording next to the signature. Many forms state that signing confirms only that you have seen and discussed the review, not that you agree with it. If the wording is unclear, you can make your position plain, as in examples 26 and 49.
Refusing to sign rarely helps. The review usually still stands, and your view goes unrecorded. It is better to sign, state that you are acknowledging receipt and put your disagreement in writing.
Keep a copy of the review, your comments and your evidence.
If you strongly disagree
- Ask for a follow-up meeting with your manager. Bring your evidence, and ask for the examples behind the judgement.
- Put your view in the comments box, factually.
- Speak to HR or your manager's manager if the conversation does not resolve it. Ask whether your organisation has an appeal or review process for ratings.
- Use the formal route as a last resort. Acas says in its guide to the formal grievance procedure that “it's usually a good idea” to raise a problem informally first. A grievance is appropriate when the informal route has not worked or the issue is very serious.
If you believe that the review was affected by discrimination, take advice early. Our guide to the definition of discrimination at work explains the terms. This is general information, not legal advice.
For managers: how to read employee comments
- Read them. It sounds obvious, and forms are sometimes filed unread.
- Treat added context as information. If something was missing from your review, amend it.
- Respond to disagreement with a conversation. A calm, factual comment deserves a considered reply.
- Notice requests for support, and act on them or explain why you cannot.
- If a comment says that feedback came as a surprise, take that as feedback on you. See our performance review phrases and our guide to performance appraisal.
Common mistakes
Writing nothing. You give up your part of the record.
Writing in anger. It will be read long after the feeling has passed.
Attacking colleagues or your manager personally. Keep to events, facts and effects.
Arguing every point. Pick the one or two that matter.
Vague protest. “I disagree with this review” without reasons changes nothing.
Forgetting the future. A comment that ends with what you will do next, and what you need, shows maturity whatever the rating.
Frequently asked questions
What should I write in the employee comments on a performance review?
Thank your manager, confirm what you agree with, add any achievements or context that are missing, note calmly any point you see differently, and say what support or development you would like. Three to six sentences are usually enough.
What is a good example of an employee comment?
“Thank you for a fair and thorough review. I agree with the assessment, and I would add that I covered the team leader role for ten weeks from May. Next year I would like to gain experience of managing a budget.”
How do I disagree with my performance review in writing?
State the specific point, give the facts you rely on, attach evidence where you can and ask for a conversation. For example: “The target was 20 new accounts, and I opened 23, as the attached report shows. I would welcome a discussion about how this was assessed.”
Does signing a performance review mean I agree with it?
Often it does not, but it depends on the form. Many forms say that your signature confirms only that you have read and discussed the review. Check the wording, and if you disagree, say so in the comments box.
Should I refuse to sign a performance review?
Refusing rarely helps, because the review usually stands anyway and your view is not recorded. It is usually better to sign to acknowledge receipt and set out your disagreement in writing, then ask for a follow-up meeting.
What should I write as an employee comment on KPIs?
Give the figure, the target and the context: “I achieved the response-time KPI in every quarter, averaging 3.2 hours against a target of 4.” If you missed a KPI, explain the cause briefly and say what would help next year.
Your next step: draft your comment
- Read your review twice, and wait a day.
- List what you agree with, what is missing and what you see differently.
- Draft three to six sentences, using the five parts.
- Attach your evidence, keep a copy and ask for a follow-up conversation if you need one.
For a fair process from preparation to follow-up, read and download our performance review guide. The guide is free to read, and the PDF uses our short download form.
Want reviews that include the employee's own reflection and a full year of evidence? Book a New Dynamics demo and bring your current form. You can also email contact@new-dynamics.com.
