Rita Mendes, head of people at Alts Digital, talks about one of the most dreaded parts of employment: performance reviews. She explains how the affiliate treats them as a time to discuss growth and far away from salary discussions
Performance reviews are one of the most impactful moments in an employee’s journey within a company. Done well, they provide clarity, direction, and motivation. At Alts Digital, we see them as more than just a look back at past performance: they’re a tool for growth, both personal and professional.
Our approach isn’t about ticking boxes or following a rigid process. It’s designed to ensure employees know where they stand, what they need to improve, and how they can move forward.
How performance reviews drive growth
We’ve built our process around key principles that help us turn performance reviews into a real growth driver.
Ongoing growth cycle
One of the biggest flaws of traditional performance reviews is that they happen once or twice a year and then get forgotten. At Alts Digital, we make sure performance and feedback conversations are continuous.
- Reviews are scheduled according to each employee’s life cycle. The first review takes place around half a year after the start of employment, followed by regular reviews every six months.
- Growth objectives set in the review don’t just sit in a document; they’re revisited in future and ongoing conversations.
This way, employees get ongoing feedback and support, making it easier to track progress and make real improvements.
Effective feedback requires structure and flexibility
Good feedback is essential for growth. But for feedback to be effective, it needs both structure and adaptability.
Growth objectives set in the review don’t just sit in a document; they’re revisited in future and ongoing conversations
Instead of forcing managers into a rigid template, we provide a structured framework that allows flexibility. The key is that feedback should always be:
- Balanced – highlighting both strengths and areas for improvement.
- Specific – using concrete examples to make it meaningful.
- Actionable – giving clear guidance on what to improve and how.
Not all managers are naturally good at giving feedback. Some go into too much detail and lose focus, while others are too vague. That’s why it’s important to coach them on how to give structured, meaningful feedback, helping them grow as leaders in the process.
Setting the path for growth
A performance review is only useful if it leads to clear next steps. At Alts Digital, every review results in three concrete outcomes:
- A written evaluation summarising strengths and areas for improvement.
- A feedback conversation where the manager and employee align on feedback.
- Growth objectives with clear goals for the next months.
This ensures employees leave their review with a clear understanding of where they are and how they can grow.
Growth goes beyond results
Performance reviews shouldn’t be just about output. While results matter, long-term success also depends on how employees work, learn, and contribute to the company culture.
Not all managers are naturally good at giving feedback. Some go into too much detail and lose focus, while others are too vague
At Alts Digital, we assess performance based on:
- Results and achievements – what tangible impact has the employee made?
- Values and behaviours – how do they collaborate, communicate, and contribute to our culture and work environment? This assessment is guided by our core values.
By evaluating both what employees achieve and how they achieve it, we ensure growth isn’t just about hitting numbers, it’s about strengthening leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.
Write first, talk after
To make performance reviews more productive, we follow a "write first, talk after" approach.
Before the review meeting, both the manager and the employee prepare written assessments and share them in advance.
When feedback is closely tied to financial outcomes, employees tend to be more cautious in their responses, focusing on phrasing rather than on growth
This gives both sides time to reflect, leading to deeper and more structured discussions. It takes more effort than a quick rating system, but the long-term benefits make it worth it.
Keep performance reviews separate from salary
A lot of companies tie performance reviews directly to salary increases. We don’t.
When feedback is closely tied to financial outcomes, employees tend to be more cautious in their responses, focusing on phrasing rather than on growth. The concern that their thoughts might influence pay decisions can make discussions less open.
By separating these discussions, we create a space where employees can engage with feedback openly, without the immediate pressure of a salary decision.
Challenges and future adjustments
Our approach works well for our current team size, but as we grow, we know we’ll need to adapt. Some key areas we’re keeping an eye on:
- Scalability – as the team expands, we may need new tools or processes to keep feedback structured and efficient.
- Time investment – our process takes effort from managers, but we believe high-quality feedback leads to stronger growth, for individuals and the company.
- Consistency in feedback – not all managers provide feedback in the same way, and some are naturally more effective than others. To address this, we prioritise coaching to ensure feedback remains structured and valuable. This also means that both managers and the People team play a role in reviewing and maintaining the quality of feedback given.
Helping managers improve their feedback skills makes them better leaders, which strengthens the overall company culture.
Growth happens by design, not by chance
Performance reviews shouldn’t be a formality. When done right, they’re one of the most powerful tools for employee development.
At Alts Digital, we’ve built our process around growth, balancing structure and flexibility. We focus on both results and behaviours, and ensuring every review leads to actionable next steps.
Rita Mendes
With over 10 years of experience in the field of people, culture, and human resources, Rita currently serves as head of people at Alts Digital. She has worked in various environments, including consultancies, international tech companies, and startups, primarily focusing on recruitment and selection, as well as people management and development. In private practice, she is a psychologist specialising in career development.