Can this form be signed electronically?

Yes. Electronic signatures are legally valid under federal ESIGN and state UETA statutes when intent, consent, attribution, and record retention requirements are met. Ensure any consumer-facing disclosures required by ESIGN are provided if applicable.

Is notarization required for performance reviews?

Not typically. Performance guidance rarely requires notarization. If a review will be used in legal proceedings or attached to a notarized document, confirm local requirements and follow state notary rules before requesting notarization.

How long must the record be kept?

Retention depends on context: retain active records for the employment term plus additional years, follow IRS minimums for financial records, and apply HIPAA retention if health information is present.

What if an employee refuses to sign?

Document the refusal, have the manager sign and date to acknowledge delivery, and retain the record. A signed manager attestation noting the employee declined to sign preserves evidence of communication.

Can ratings be amended after signing?

Amendments should be recorded as formal revisions, with the date, reason, and signatures from reviewer and employee where possible. Maintain both original and amended versions and an audit trail explaining the change.

How do I correct an error in a completed form?

Issue a corrective addendum that cites the original record, describes the correction, and obtains signatures. Preserve the original with the amendment and keep full audit metadata for traceability.

Electronic Signature
Templates
HR
Employee Performance Guidance

Employee Performance Guidance

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE GUIDANCE

Personal Information

Full Legal Name Primary Address Phone Email

Position Information

Job Title Department Reporting Manager Position Start Date Current Salary / Rate

Employment History (Most Recent)

Employer 1 — Company Name Title / Role

Start Date

End Date

Primary Responsibilities Reason for Leaving

Employment History (Previous)

Employer 2 — Company Name Title / Role

Start Date

End Date

Primary Responsibilities Reason for Leaving

Education

Highest Degree / Certification Institution Graduation / Completion Date

Professional References (3)

Reference 1 — Name

Reference 2 — Name

Reference 3 — Name

Legal Disclosures

At-Will Employment: Nothing in this Performance Guidance document amends or modifies the at-will employment relationship. Employment may be terminated at any time by either the employee or the employer, with or without cause or advance notice, unless otherwise provided in a separate written agreement signed by an authorized representative of the company.

Equal Employment Opportunity: The employer provides equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other protected classification. This document will be applied and enforced in a manner consistent with applicable law.

Performance Guidance Summary

Purpose: To document observed performance issues, set measurable expectations, and provide a defined timeline and support to assist the employee in achieving acceptable performance standards.

Summary of Performance Concerns Specific Examples / Incidents (dates and details) Expected Performance Standards Measurable Goals and Metrics Support, Training, or Resources Provided

Training sessions
Coaching / mentoring
Temporary workload adjustment
Other (describe below)

Required Employee Actions Consequences if Expectations Are Not Met

Improvement Timeline and Review

Initial Guidance Issued On:

First Review Date

Final Review Date

Acknowledgements and Authorizations

Employee Certification: I certify that the information provided in this form is accurate to the best of my knowledge. I acknowledge receipt of the performance guidance described herein, understand the expectations, and agree to participate in the specified improvement activities.

Authorization to Contact and Background Checks: I authorize the employer to contact prior employers, references, or other parties as necessary to verify information and to conduct background checks relevant to my employment. I understand that such inquiries will be conducted in accordance with applicable law.

I certify that all information provided is true and complete and that I accept the guidance and improvement plan contained in this document.
I authorize the employer to contact prior employers and references and to conduct background checks as permitted by law.

Employee Comments (optional)

Employee Name:

By:

Date:

Manager Name:

By:

Date:

What Employee Performance Guidance Is and when it's used

Employee Performance Guidance is a structured document and template used by employers to record performance conversations, define expectations, and document improvements or corrective actions. It combines objective evaluation criteria, measurable goals, a timeline for follow-up, and signature blocks for the employee and reviewer. The guidance supports consistent decision-making for promotions, disciplinary steps, and development planning, and can accompany performance improvement plans or annual reviews. When retained and executed correctly it may be used as evidence in HR proceedings; electronic execution must comply with ESIGN, UETA, and applicable privacy rules.

Why a consistent guidance form matters

Provides a consistent framework to document expectations, objective ratings, and development plans, which helps reduce bias and improves auditability. Properly completed Employee Performance Guidance supports fair performance management, clearer employee communication, and defensible HR decisions when audited or reviewed.

Who typically completes and signs this guidance

HR leaders, people managers, and supervisors use Employee Performance Guidance to standardize reviews, document outcomes, and track follow-up actions across teams.

HR managers responsible for designing and enforcing performance programs and ensuring compliance.
Direct supervisors conducting periodic reviews and creating development plans for each direct report.
Employees receiving feedback, acknowledging goals, and signing review acknowledgments electronically or on paper.

Use the form consistently across business units to reduce variability in ratings, ensure legal defensibility, and preserve complete records for audits or disputes.

Core parts of a professional Employee Performance Guidance

A complete Employee Performance Guidance includes objective criteria, rating scales, documented examples, goals and timelines, reviewer comments, and clear signature blocks for both reviewer and employee.

Purpose

Defines performance expectations, scope of role responsibilities, and key performance indicators to guide objective evaluations and align employee development with organizational goals over the review period.

Evaluation Criteria

Lists measurable metrics and behavioral examples linked to job duties; provides calibration language, rating anchors, and documentation guidance to reduce rater variance and support auditability.

Rating Scale

Includes a clear numeric or descriptive rating system, definitions for each level, examples of behaviors for each rating, and guidance on mapping observations to scale points for consistent ratings.

Development Plan

Specifies agreed actions, target dates, owner responsibilities, required training, resource allocation, and follow-up checkpoints to track progress and measure intervention effectiveness.

Signatures

Signature blocks for employee, reviewer, and optional HR approver; include dates and space for electronic signature metadata and audit-trail information when executed digitally.

Confidentiality

Specifies who may access records, necessary privacy controls, retention guidelines, and procedures to redact or segregate sensitive medical or protected information.

Step-by-step: completing and finalizing the guidance

Follow these steps to complete, approve, and store Employee Performance Guidance using a consistent, auditable process across your organization.

01

Prepare document: Populate employee details, role, and review period.
02

Set criteria: Attach metrics and examples for calibrated scoring.
03

Review & sign: Reviewer and employee sign; include dates and notes.
04

Store record: Save final version in secure HR system with retention.

Configure your digital routing and authentication

Configure digital workflow settings to route, authenticate, notify, and archive Employee Performance Guidance efficiently across HR systems and approvers.

Template name and version identifier	Set template title; include version date and owner.
Signer order and role sequence	Define signer order, role names, and approval steps.
Authentication method and verification level	Choose email, SMS, or KBA for signer verification.
Notification and reminder schedule settings	Enable reminders, escalation rules, and completion notifications.
Storage location and retention policy	Save to HRIS, document management, or encrypted cloud storage.

How the review moves from draft to signed record

This flow shows how Employee Performance Guidance moves from draft to signed record, including approvals, electronic signing, and secure storage.

Draft: Manager completes form draft and attaches supporting evidence.
Approve: HR or second reviewer validates content and ratings.
Sign: Employee and reviewer complete electronic signatures and dates.
Archive: System stores signed record and audit trail securely.

Technical and platform considerations for eSubmission

Choose platforms and file formats that support secure e-signature, audit trails, and integration with HR systems for consistent recordkeeping.

Supported formats: PDF, DOCX, HTML supported.
Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace.
Authentication: Email link, SMS code, SSO, or advanced methods.

Timing to plan for reviews and acknowledgements

Identify and calendar required review dates, employee response windows, and follow-up checkpoints to ensure timely completion and compliance with retention rules.

Annual performance review finalization deadline:

Complete annual reviews within 30 days of period end.

Probationary performance review completion window:

Complete probation reviews within the first 90 days of employment.

Employee acknowledgement timeframe and deadline:

Employee has 7 calendar days to review and acknowledge.

Corrective action follow-up and checkpoint schedule:

Schedule check-ins at 30-day intervals until goals met.

Record retention start date and obligations:

Start retention when document is finalized and signed.

Milestone timeline from draft to archived record

Key milestones track the guidance from draft to execution and long-term retention, clarifying responsibilities at each stage.

01

Draft completed

Manager prepares draft with evidence and ratings.

02

Manager review

Manager reviews draft for completeness and accuracy.

03

Signatures collected

Employee and reviewer sign; capture electronic audit trail.

04

Archive and retain

Save final version and apply retention schedule.

Common pitfalls to avoid when preparing guidance

Using vague or subjective language in comments, which makes ratings hard to defend and increases the likelihood of disputes or inconsistent calibration.
Delaying completion or signature after review conversations, which undermines timeline integrity and complicates evidence of timely communication to the employee.
Applying inconsistent criteria across reviewers or departments, which increases perceived bias and weakens the defensibility of performance-based decisions.
Failing to record agreed follow-up actions and dates, which hinders monitoring improvements and can prolong unresolved performance problems.

Security and compliance basics for stored guidance

In-transit encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit

At-rest encryption: AES-256 encryption at rest

Audit trail: Complete timestamped audit log

Access controls: Role-based access and SSO

HIPAA BAA: BAA available for PHI workflows

Security certifications: SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS

Risks and consequences of improper guidance

Inaccurate record: May undermine disciplinary action

Missing signature: Can invalidate the review

Late documentation: May affect appeal rights

Privacy breach: Regulatory fines or exposure

Inconsistent ratings: Claims of bias or discrimination

Legal challenge: Potential litigation or arbitration

Comparing core eSignature pricing and features

Overview of common vendor starting prices and feature availability relevant to issuing Employee Performance Guidance; signNow appears first by design.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7-day free trial	Free trial available	Free trial available	Free trial available	Free trial available
Bulk Send	Yes (Business Premium)	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Envelope Cap	No cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan

Frequently asked questions about using Employee Performance Guidance

Answers to common questions about e-signing, retention, corrections, and when additional authentication or notarization may be required for performance records.

Need help? Contact support

Can this form be signed electronically?
Yes. Electronic signatures are legally valid under federal ESIGN and state UETA statutes when intent, consent, attribution, and record retention requirements are met. Ensure any consumer-facing disclosures required by ESIGN are provided if applicable.
Is notarization required for performance reviews?
Not typically. Performance guidance rarely requires notarization. If a review will be used in legal proceedings or attached to a notarized document, confirm local requirements and follow state notary rules before requesting notarization.
How long must the record be kept?
Retention depends on context: retain active records for the employment term plus additional years, follow IRS minimums for financial records, and apply HIPAA retention if health information is present.
What if an employee refuses to sign?
Document the refusal, have the manager sign and date to acknowledge delivery, and retain the record. A signed manager attestation noting the employee declined to sign preserves evidence of communication.
Can ratings be amended after signing?
Amendments should be recorded as formal revisions, with the date, reason, and signatures from reviewer and employee where possible. Maintain both original and amended versions and an audit trail explaining the change.
How do I correct an error in a completed form?
Issue a corrective addendum that cites the original record, describes the correction, and obtains signatures. Preserve the original with the amendment and keep full audit metadata for traceability.

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