Exceeds expectations
- Set up the biometric machine and its data push without help, so attendance flowed the same day.
- Builds spreadsheet formulas that update the whole payroll working when one input changes.
- Diagnoses why a machine keeps tripping and fixes the setting, not just resetting it each time.
- Kept skills current by learning the new ERP module before the team migrated to it.
- Writes clear steps for a technical task so a colleague can run it without the expert present.
- Handles the tricky configuration cases that others escalate, and explains the fix afterwards.
- Spots a data error at the source in the system rather than patching each report by hand.
- Troubleshoots a reporting glitch to root cause and prevents the same failure next month.
Meets expectations
- Uses the core tools of the role competently without frequent help.
- Applies the standard technical steps correctly for routine tasks.
- Learns a new feature of the system when the work needs it.
- Keeps working knowledge of the main software current enough for the job.
- Follows the correct procedure for setup and maintenance tasks.
- Asks for help on genuinely new problems rather than guessing and breaking things.
- Documents own technical work well enough for others to follow.
Needs improvement
- Relies on a colleague for routine tasks that the role should handle alone.
- Applies a memorised sequence but stalls when the situation differs slightly.
- Puts off learning new features, which slows the whole team's move to them.
- Patches each report by hand rather than fixing the error in the system.
- Skips the correct procedure for setup, which causes avoidable faults later.
- Guesses at an unfamiliar technical problem instead of asking, and creates rework.
- Leaves technical work undocumented, so only one person can run it.
- Struggles to explain a technical issue clearly, so tickets bounce back for detail.
Self-review phrases
- I set up the biometric machine and its data push myself this cycle.
- I learned the new ERP module before the team migrated to it.
- I want to fix data errors at the source rather than patching each report.
- I now document technical tasks so a colleague can run them without me.
Tips for writing this feedback
- Rate technical skill by what the person can do unaided on the role's real tasks, not by tools listed on a CV.
- Value the ability to reach root cause over memorised steps that fail the moment the situation changes.
- Check whether skills are kept current, since a tool learned two years ago may no longer match the work.
- Credit documentation and teaching, because a skill only one person holds is a risk to the team.
- Match the standard to the level; expect independence from a senior and steady progress from a junior.
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How do you review technical skills fairly?
Judge technical skill by what the person can do unaided on the role's real tasks, and by whether they reach the root cause rather than repeat memorised steps. Match the standard to the level, expecting more independence from a senior. Note whether skills are kept current and shared, since a capability only one person holds is a risk to the team.
What if an employee knows the tools but cannot solve new problems?
That is a common gap between knowing steps and understanding the system. Recognise the working knowledge, then point to a case where an unfamiliar problem stalled them. Encourage learning the why behind the tool, pairing them with someone who diagnoses well, and set a goal of handling one new class of problem in the coming cycle.
Should technical skills be weighted heavily in every role?
Not equally. Weight them by how central they are to the role. For a system administrator or machine operator, technical depth is core. For a people manager, coordination and judgement may matter more, with enough technical grasp to lead the team. Set the weight when goals are agreed, so the review reflects what the role actually needs.