The annual review: a key moment for dialogue in the workplace

The annual review focuses on the employee’s performance and the missions completed over the past year. It makes it possible to assess an employee’s results, identify their strengths and areas for improvement, set new objectives, and allow both parties to share feedback. It is often conducted by the direct manager. Note that, unlike the professional review, it is not required by law. However, it becomes mandatory for employees on a day-rate package.

Looking back: concrete facts and personal experience

• Taking stock of the past year
  
  

  The annual review is first and foremost a time to reflect on the last twelve months. It provides an opportunity to look back on the past year in direct connection with an employee’s missions. It is a privileged moment to assess what the talent has accomplished, observe what they handled well, note the difficulties encountered, discuss objectives, unexpected events, adjustments, and sometimes highlight the invisible daily efforts. The discussion generally takes place between two or three people: the employee (the person being evaluated), their manager, and an HR representative or director (the evaluator).
  
  

  Let’s take the example of Nicolas, a quality engineer. This year, he was assigned tasks beyond his initial scope: budget management, creation of monitoring dashboards, validation of supplier invoices... Missions that were not listed in his job description, but which he handled rigorously. The annual review was the right time to bring them up, measure their impact (on him, his team, the quality of deliverables, customer satisfaction), and above all, discuss them.
  
  

• Talking about facts, but also about lived experience
  
  

  The review does not stop at results alone; it also makes room for feelings. How did the employee experience their year, beyond the indicators? What supported them? What made them doubt or feel enthusiastic? This perspective may concern their missions, their relationships with others, and their well-being.
  
  

  An example: Fatou, a project manager in a services company. This year, she successfully led several strategic projects. The results are there. But during the review, she shares that she felt isolated at several moments, particularly when making high-responsibility decisions. She mentions some frustration: her achievements were not highly valued internally, unlike those of other teams. This type of feedback reveals what cannot be seen in a dashboard.
  
  

Looking ahead: future objectives and missions

The annual review is also a springboard for discussing upcoming missions and goals.

• Objectives for the coming year

  
  The annual review helps update priorities and set clear objectives for the months ahead. It is a way to ensure alignment between the employee’s missions and all team projects, as well as with the company’s ambitions.
  
  

• Evolution of missions
  
  

  Employees also want to use the annual review to share their wishes to evolve their current missions. Imagine Aymeric, a sales assistant, expressing the desire to take on more responsibility in client management. The discussion with his manager may lead to conversations about a specific need for conflict management training, a request for mentoring support, or an adjustment of his scope of action.

The preparation questionnaire: a tool serving all parties

If it is well prepared and conducted in a climate of trust, the annual review preparation questionnaire can generate value at every level of the organization.

For the employee: a space for expression

It is a space for expression, sometimes rare, where the employee can share how they feel, make their voice heard, and showcase their work. It is also an opportunity for them to gain perspective, assert what they want next, and even ask the evaluator what they think of them.

At Seven, we recommend increasing opportunities for discussion throughout the year. This helps maintain smoother connections between teams and prevents tensions or latent needs from being addressed only within the annual review framework. In short, feedback can happen at any time! Employees, managers, HR leaders, directors—anyone can initiate a discussion.

For the manager: better knowledge of their team

One employee’s annual review is a valuable opportunity for a manager to better know team members, understand what motivates them, and refine their own managerial posture.

During the discussion, the manager can invite their employee to use Moving Motivators (the employee can also request it): a card game that helps managers understand what motivates their employees (e.g., building relationships, learning, having an impact on others) and observe how each motivation was, or was not, stimulated in a specific situation.

The manager may also decide to revisit their management style following feedback shared by their employee. Perhaps for a certain mission, a directive style was not the best fit for that employee, but a participative style was.

For HR: signals to capture

As for HR, the annual review is a strategic moment. It allows them to detect weak signals: disengagement among certain employees, work overload, need for recognition, internal tensions... But also to identify strong signals: an employee’s potential, interest in management, ability to unite others, natural leadership, strong involvement in cross-functional projects... All indicators that can guide HR policies.

The questionnaire offers a broader view of employee perceptions. It enables HR to understand aspirations and obstacles. Afterwards, HR can identify trends, such as a desire for more flexible remote work, misunderstandings about promotion criteria within the company, or recurring requests for training on new tools.

Once consolidated, this data strengthens understanding of talent, development plans, training programs, and helps adjust managerial messaging so it aligns with on-the-ground realities.

For the company: a lever for engagement

Finally, at the organizational level, the annual review is a lever for retention, team mobilization, and strategic alignment. When well conducted, it reflects the company’s ability to listen, value its talent, and give meaning to their missions. It also helps better align individual paths with company objectives.

By the way, when is it best to organize it? Historically, annual reviews took place in December, at the close of the calendar year. But more and more organizations are shifting them to January, after the end-of-year holidays, to benefit from a calmer and better-prepared discussion period. That said, there is no single rule. Some companies prefer to schedule them at the end of a budget cycle or at the close of a semester, for example late June or early July. The important thing is finding a moment consistent with the organization’s rhythm and teams’ real availability.

Designing a good preparation questionnaire

Why send a questionnaire beforehand?

A good review is prepared in advance, notably thanks to a questionnaire sent several days beforehand. We recommend leaving at least 5 working days between sending the questionnaire and holding the review, in order to allow real time for reflection.

It is up to the evaluator (manager, HR, or executive) to define the questions included in the preparation questionnaire. They are responsible for formulating questions adapted to the team’s reality, the company’s challenges, and the review’s objectives. Each question will directly influence the employee’s posture, the topics they dare (or do not dare) to address, and the quality of the dialogue. A rushed questionnaire will lead to a vague, incomplete, or even frustrating review.

How should questions be formulated effectively?

The choice of questions asked, their wording, and the order in which they are placed will affect the quality of the exchange during the annual review. A few tips:

• Explain the questionnaire’s objective in the introduction
  
  

  Before asking the first question, it may be relevant to add a short introductory text. This text helps give meaning to the approach, value the employee’s voice, and prevent the questionnaire from being completed too quickly.
  
  

  An example of an introductory paragraph: “The objective of this questionnaire is to prepare your annual review. It gives you time to step back from your year, share your achievements, your needs, and your aspirations. Your responses will be read carefully and will feed a constructive discussion. We invite you to allow at least 20 minutes to complete it.”
  
  

• Take care with the first question
  
  

  The first question sets the tone. It should invite reflection without being too direct.

  Examples: “What word or phrase best sums up your year?” - “What key moments would you like to share?” - “If you had to keep only one source of pride from this year, what would it be?”
  
  

• Favor open-ended questions... in moderation
  
  

  Open-ended questions—that is, those requiring a written response—encourage introspection, nuance, and expression of lived experience.
  
  

  Examples: “Which skills did you develop the most this year?” - “Did you encounter any specific difficulties? If so, which ones?” - “Which topics would you like to explore or deepen in the coming months?”
  
  

  It is useful to balance them with shorter formats: scale questions (e.g., “On a scale of 1 to 5, how do you assess your work/life balance this year?”), multiple choice, or closed responses followed by a free comment. This mix helps streamline questionnaire completion while preserving the quality and depth of responses.
  
  

• Adapt the annual review questionnaire to employee profiles
  
  

  Preparation questionnaires should be personalized according to role, level of responsibility, missions, seniority, experience...

  
  Examples of questions for a manager: “What helped you (or held you back) in your managerial role this year?” - “What feedback did you receive about the way you support your team?”
  
  

  And for an employee without a managerial role: “In which missions did you feel most autonomous?” - “How would you describe the quality of cross-functional relationships this year?”

  Adapting questions makes it possible to obtain more relevant feedback while showing that each role is considered in its uniqueness.
  
  

• Final questionnaire question: leave an opening
  
  

  The last question in the questionnaire can be freer and more personal. “Would you like to address a topic that was not mentioned in this questionnaire?” - “Do you have an idea, a need, or an aspiration to share for the coming year?” These questions offer an unframed space for expression, where weak signals, everyday frustrations, or new ideas can emerge.
  
  

What are the benefits of digitizing the annual review questionnaire?

Digitizing the review questionnaire offers several benefits, both for HR and for any other evaluator.

• Time savings at every stage
  
  

  HR platforms such as Seven’s OpenAleph, as well as other digital tools, make it possible to create customizable review templates based on profiles, professions, departments... Once created, these templates can be duplicated, adjusted, enriched... and sent in just a few clicks.
  
  

• Better talent tracking
  
  

  Digital tools make it possible to centralize responses, track completion in real time, and send automated reminders according to customizable rules. Each employee thus receives the same level of information and follow-up, without additional mental load for managers or HR.
  
  

• A historical record
  
  

  By centralizing data on HR platforms, evaluators can more easily retrieve responses from previous years. This facilitates tracking commitments, analyzing developments, and preparing more tailored support. A manager who changes teams can benefit from a record of past discussions. An HR professional in talent review can measure progression. And an employee can project themselves forward based on their completed path.
  
  

• A view of collective trends
  
  

  When data is grouped in one place, it becomes possible to identify shared trends at the level of a department or a company: a recurring training need on a tool, a regularly shared feeling of isolation, misunderstanding about career progression prospects. Elements that allow HR and directors to adjust internal policy, evolve managerial practices, or prioritize certain actions.