Is your company holding its annual or quarterly employee review? Employee reviews are not easy to do because you will need to be the person to speak to each employee about their job performance. At the same time, there will be reviews that will be fun, such as those which employees who have done well; it will not be the same case for those who have done a poor performance.

Unfortunately, these employee reviews are important for the company because any inefficiency can affect the company if not remedied. But how can you ask these underperforming employees what’s going on and how you can do it without hurting their feelings? Here are 13 questions you can request from an employee during their employee review meeting:

1. Are the responsibilities and duties for your position clear? If not, can you explain how we can improve the training, resources, policies and procedures so you and the others can complete your tasks properly?
   
2. Did we explain the quality we are expecting from your work properly? Can you explain how we can explain the quality we want for your assigned tasks?
   
3. Is the deadline realistic for either minor or major projects?
   
4. Is there something we can do to help you manage and maximize your time?
   
5. Do you need a time plan to help you manage your time better so you can finish your assigned tasks more efficiently?
   
6. Do you feel that the current setup isn’t helping you succeed? Are our expectations reasonable and realistic?
   
7. Did we provide you with all the tools and resources to help you succeed in your job? Do you need extra training or opportunities to learn more skills?
   
8. Do you have a clear idea about why your position is vital, who your clients are and what your job is about to help you with your career?
   
9. Has the HR department or your team leader treated you differently? Are their management styles too much or too limited? If it is ineffective or has rubbed off wrong, would you be ok to provide feedback or criticism to improve the situation?
   
10. Are these reviews too frequent for you? Are the follow-ups too regular to the point you cannot breathe in and take stock of the situation before you present your point?
    
11. Are you enjoying your work? Which parts of the work are you happy, inspired or energised to do?
    
12. What’s your take on your work performance? Any thoughts as to what you can improve on?
    
13. What’s your take on the company’s future at this point?

It is undeniable that asking these questions can be uncomfortable since you don’t want it to be taken the wrong way by your employees. However, if you keep the questions objective and approach the talk with an open mind, you can reach a good understanding with your employees. You will also be able to give your employees the space to reflect on their performance and motivate them to improve or get the help they need.