Getting the right questions for your employee performance survey can make the difference between a checkbox exercise and a genuinely valuable manager review.
This guide shares practical, research-backed questions and explains how conversational AI surveys turn standard reviews into real opportunities for growth—helping every manager spark richer, more actionable conversations with their team.
Competency-based questions that get beyond generic ratings
Too often, performance reviews fall into the trap of vague rating scales and hollow feedback. Competency-based prompts offer a smarter way. Instead of just asking managers to give a number or circle a word, these questions dig into the specific skills, actions, and attitudes tied to workplace success.
Why do they work? Because they focus on observable skills—not just opinions. Competency-based questions help employees and managers recognize what’s working, and what would actually move the needle if improved.
Communication: "Can you describe a recent situation where the employee demonstrated clear and effective communication with team members or stakeholders?"
This prompts specifics: a real moment, not just “good” or “bad” communication.Problem-solving: "Share an example of how the employee approached an unexpected challenge or resolved a complex issue."
Collaboration: "Give a specific case where the employee contributed to a team goal or helped a colleague overcome an obstacle."
Leadership (if applicable): "Tell me about a time this employee motivated others or took initiative on a project. What did they do that stood out?"
See the difference? Instead of “Rate their teamwork: 1–5,” you ask for a story. That’s where breakthroughs (and real growth) start.
Follow-up questions get at the “why” behind every competency rating. Let’s say an answer feels superficial—AI-generated follow-ups step in to ask for a recent example or dig into what influenced the outcome. With automatic AI follow-up questions from Specific, you’re never stuck with shallow feedback; the survey naturally encourages richer responses, clarifications, and context from managers.
It’s no wonder that 89% of employees and managers engaging with AI-driven performance management systems report high satisfaction levels—compared to just 40% for traditional reviews. [2]
Evidence of behaviors: Questions that capture what actually happened
In my experience, performance reviews that focus on real, observable behaviors stay actionable—and fair. If you want reviews that drive change, anchor them to facts: what did the person do, when, and how did it help (or hurt) the team?
"Describe a time when the employee delivered results under a tight deadline. What strategies did they use to manage the pressure?"
"Can you share a situation where the employee gave constructive feedback or received it gracefully?"
"Think of a project where the employee exceeded expectations. What was their contribution, and how did it impact the outcome?"
"Recall a moment when the employee learned from a mistake or adjusted their approach based on feedback. What was different the next time?"
"Provide an example of how the employee adapted to changes in priorities or team direction."
Situational questions give managers context—they move past opinion and tap into the moments that matter most. Instead of just describing someone as “good under pressure,” now you hear the story behind it. That detail is gold for coaching and recognition.
Generic questions | Evidence-based questions |
|---|---|
Is the employee a team player? | Give a specific case where the employee supported a colleague or contributed to group success. |
Does the employee handle feedback well? | Share an example of how the employee implemented feedback to improve their work. |
Is the employee adaptable? | Describe a moment when the employee pivoted to meet new demands. |
Conversational surveys—like those you can build with Specific—encourage managers to tell these stories. The chat format makes it easy to reflect, recall, and capture rich detail, resulting in higher-quality input and easier follow-ups. With Specific’s best-in-class conversational survey experience, feedback feels less like a chore and more like an authentic conversation. Companies have seen a 65% improvement in employee engagement and a 45% uptick in performance improvement rates when using AI-powered performance management tools like these. [3]
Turning feedback into coachable next steps with AI
Here’s where AI moves from data collection to true development: by reviewing responses across surveys, it spots emerging patterns and guides managers straight to the themes that matter for each employee’s growth.
With intelligent, AI-powered follow-ups, feedback isn’t just collected—it’s transformed into practical next steps. For example, if a manager mentions that someone “needs to speak up more in meetings,” the AI can ask: “Can you suggest a specific situation where this employee could have been more vocal? What support might help them improve?”
Development-focused questions shift the energy from judgment to coaching. When the conversation is about how each person can grow—not just where they landed—everyone wins.
Try prompts like:
What are two things this employee could work on to build even stronger relationships with team members?
Thinking about the last project, what new skill could this employee develop to make an even bigger impact next time?
What support, resources, or training could help this employee reach their next performance milestone?
AI-powered survey response analysis makes it easy for managers to analyze all feedback, identify repeated themes, and see which coaching opportunities are coming up again and again. Through chat-based insights, managers can quickly surface action items—even across dozens of reviews. Companies adopting these practices report a 33% reduction in bias and a 50% cut in time spent on performance review documentation, freeing up time for coaching instead of just reporting. [4][5]
Making it happen: Templates and customization for your team
If you want to build surveys that spark change, you shouldn’t have to start from scratch. That’s why templates from research experts accelerate the process—giving you starting points for your performance review surveys and letting you customize them with your own language, context, and goals.
With Specific’s AI survey editor, making adjustments is as easy as chatting with a colleague. Managers can fine-tune questions or add follow-ups based on whether an employee is new to the role, moving into leadership, or tackling a special project.
Role-specific customization keeps feedback targeted and meaningful. For example, a sales manager might add scenario-based prompts that wouldn’t make sense for a product designer. And when the survey feels tailored, employees are more likely to see the process as fair, relevant, and helpful.
Research shows that a conversational survey format increases comfort and candor, with 60% more meaningful discussions emerging from these AI-led review cycles. [6] If you’re not running conversational performance reviews, you’re missing out on richer insights, higher engagement, and a more effective path to employee growth and retention. For inspiration, check out different Conversational Survey Pages or explore in-product chat experiences with in-product conversational surveys.
Build your performance review survey in minutes
Transform your performance reviews from a bureaucratic exercise into a dynamic, coaching-driven process. With conversational AI surveys, you’ll get sharper insights, richer stories, and action-ready feedback—so everyone can grow.
Create surveys with natural language prompts and AI-powered analysis—start now and give your team the review experience they deserve.