A positive attitude can take employees far in the workplace regardless of the position. After all, no one wants to work alongside or manage an employee who’s grumpy, unexcited and uninterested. In general, employees with a positive mindset are more well-liked, approachable, productive, and more frequently promoted too.

If you’re a manager or human resource specialist looking for a way to describe an employees positive or bad attitude, I’ve got you. Feel free to use or adapt any of these feedback phrases to write a clear appraisal. 

Performance Review Phrases for a Positive Attitude

A good attitude can help you build friendships in the workplace.

  • Always encourages colleagues at work and quickly establishes a friendly, trusting work environment. People around the office are drawn to your bright demeanor. 
  • *Employee Name* always goes above and beyond to ensure client happiness and helps colleagues build efficient processes. They approach each task with a positive mindset.
  • Willing to take on difficult jobs, and he/she is one of the team’s most effective employees because of his/her attitude. The employee does not shy away from difficult challenges. 
  • Possesses a valuable work ethic that significantly improves business connections. The employee always enters the office with a smile on their face and skip in their step. 
  • Straightforward, honest, and acts as a role model for all the other employees. We are lucky to have you in the organization. 
  • Part of being ready for work is having the correct mindset so you can serve customers. Each day, the employee comes prepared to work and ready for action.
  • A natural team player who promotes a great work environment and raises the spirits of other employees. It sounds cliche, but you really do brighten the overall mood of the office. 
  • Excellent ability to handle pressure while maintaining a positive attitude at work. Even during the busiest rushes, you continue cooking with a smile in the kitchen. 
  • Has a positive outlook and is consistently upbeat, which makes him a standout customer service representative. You have such a welcoming and uplifting spirit on the telephone. Don’t lose that trait. 
  • A really pleasant employee who makes everyone else at work feel positive as well.
  • She works hard to support her teammates, applying her knowledge for the group’s benefit.
  • Possesses confidence, perseverance, optimism, and the capacity to make wise decisions under pressure. You always see the glass as half full and find silver linings on challenging days. 
  • Always having a positive outlook and are open to sharing insights that benefit everyone in the workplace.

Always has a wide smile on his/her face when the workday begins, and his/her cheerful outlook makes him/her a very effective and creative worker.

  • Regardless of how terrible a work scenario appears to be, they always accentuate the good.
  • [insert name] is an excellent team player. He/she is aware of how crucial transparency is in the workplace/business.
  • Possesses a delightfully charming persona that makes others feel positive as they go about their work.
  • Accepts work challenges and feedback in a mature manner. He/she always seeks to improve as an employee and pays attention to what others say.
  • Has a significant positive effect on everyone in the workplace, inspiring and motivating them to strive for the better.
  • He/she is innovative and isn’t scared to explore something new or find an alternative method of solving a problem.
  • Possesses a positive attitude that remains unchanged even amid challenging circumstances.
  • Exudes optimism, which lifts everyone’s spirits. They embrace every endeavor with great enthusiasm and see every circumstance as a great opportunity.

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  • Concentrates efforts on the most difficult activities that can be accomplished.
  • Adjusts quickly to changes in the performance of the necessary tasks.
  • Confident in their ability to complete any task successfully.
  • Always eager to step up and assist in any work situation, even if not explicitly asked.
  • Demonstrates initiative in developing fresh ideas to enhance projects or work performance.
  • Endeavors to do the most difficult tasks and execute them well.
  • [Insert name] is such an excellent communicator, and he/she can keep a positive and kind attitude no matter what happens in the workplace.
  • Possesses a great passion for work and never allows his/her work to be affected by her emotions or other people’s criticisms. Also does an excellent job as an after-sale service agent.
  • Persistently provides measurable value to the objectives and goals of the firm.
  • He is constantly placed in challenging circumstances of dealing with dissatisfied clients, but he always finds and focuses on the good; as a result, these clients are virtually always delighted with his service.
  • Highly cooperative and enthusiastic. Always inspires confidence in the team as a whole.
  • Possesses good interpersonal skills and the ability to have direct, succinct conversations about challenging topics at work.
  • *Name of employee* Is a knowledgeable employee who anticipates the demands of the clients. They do everything in their power to anticipate and address their issues.

Performance Review Phrases for a Negative Attitude

  • Does not really perform well under pressure and is likely to miss essential information at work.
  • He’s productive but has some issues with his/her colleagues that must be addressed.
  • Frequently changing moods that are sometimes difficult to handle.
  • Is quite collected, but admittedly, their attitude isn’t excellent. He/she has to work on their attitude.
  • While under pressure at work, she fails to keep a polite demeanor and instead displays a high tone and hostile voice.
  • Generally takes a break from work when difficult decisions are announced at corporate meetings.
  • He/she always appears intimidating and unapproachable, which causes the team to be afraid and to hold back their opinions.
  • Lately, [insert name] has been acting as though he was disconnected from what he was doing. Try to take steps to get more sleep and be less distracted in the workplace. 
  • Needs to focus on controlling his anger and temperament when under pressure at work. I suggest exploring counseling options through our HR department on-site. They are available 5 days a week to support our staff. 
  • Complains too much while working and should consider the impact of his/her behavior on those around them. Instead of complaining, try practicing gratefulness and be thankful about the opportunity to serve our customer base. 
  • He/she is sometimes the cause of problems among coworkers, always fueling conflict on each side. Please focus efforts on solving business related problems instead of interpersonal challenges with colleagues. 

Frequently displays his/her superiority complex over coworkers. He/she ignores them and treats them rudely while under pressure.

  • Has ongoing disputes with management and other employees that need to be handled.
  • Can occasionally be aggressive that he/she unnerves the other workers. Try to keep personal issues at home or take advantage of our generous vacation time to resolve problems at home. 
  • Carries a negative point of view that causes others to consistently lose their bearing. I suggest taking a walk or doing some self reflections in an effort to reduce stress. 
  • Rarely lends a hand to other colleagues, and he/she needs to be more encouraging.
  • Always goes against company rules by always complaining that everything is challenging. A good goal for next year is to identify ways you can support colleagues in their work. 
  • Always daydreaming and requires prodding to end. She takes far too long to do tasks because he/she spaces out a lot. Try to cut distractions from your day. 
  • Extremely unkind to coworkers and poorly takes feedback when criticized by colleagues.
  • He/she frequently uses his phone at staff meetings and needs to behave more respectfully and with a different attitude while at work.
  • Must be prepared because they are a crucial component of the new project. Although they seem capable, they lack commitment.
  • Is sometimes unwilling to work with colleagues. A change in attitude would make him/her much more helpful.
  • He/she needs to step up more and lead with more enthusiasm and dedication.
  • Is unfocused and careless, which ultimately affects the other members of the team negatively and slows them down.
  • His/her lack of genuine enthusiasm for their work is evident, and he/she frequently tries to leave the office early than they should.

[Insert name] have trouble expressing their ideas when necessary. It would be interesting to hear more from them because they are a skilled employee of the organization.

  • Is highly sensitive and struggles to cope under pressure.
  • Although they are proficient at work, they are not effectively sharing their knowledge with the team.
  • Has an occasionally negative outlook. The entire team could be negatively affected by this.
  • Regularly blames their flaws and mistakes on regulations and rules of work.
  • When they engage in their problematic behavior, they put their own interests and professional goals first before the accomplishment and well-being of the team.
  • No one wants to work with them since he/she has the tendency to be so arrogant to their coworkers.
  • Frequently exhibits unpleasant behavior at work.
  • Failing to keep confidential information at work private.
  • Rejects everyone that we regret giving him the task. His negative attitude has damaged the reputation of the rest of the team.
  • Is frequently and without prior notice unavailable for long periods of time.
  • Keeps making unfavorable comments about the duties or projects he/she is assigned. His/her bad attitude has infuriated their supervisor.
  • To finish the whole project on schedule, they must show more teamwork by assisting others when necessary.

Self-Performance Phrases about Attitude

  • I constantly strive to keep a cheerful attitude and to express how much I appreciate my work.
  • I make an effort to be optimistic and cheery to make everyone around me feel welcome and valued.
  • I am quite enthusiastic about my work. I make an effort to lead by example and always be available for the team when they need me.
  • Even in the face of unfavorable customer feedback, I remain composed and assure them that I will take care of any urgent concerns.
  • I pour my best into every assignment I work on and ensure that it is finished on schedule.

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  • I get along with my team very well, and the team benefits greatly from my capacity to generate fresh concepts.
  • An essential strategy I do to keep customers satisfied is to address consumer concerns and offer quick solutions.
  • I don’t always get back to consumers fast enough.
  • In several areas of my job, I often realize that I am more practical than imaginative.
  • Despite receiving some low scores on client satisfaction evaluations, I am making an effort to raise them.
  • I intend to work on motivating myself better at work so I can think more imaginatively during projects/at work.

I get along pretty well with the people on my team, but I need to do a better job getting along with the people in my upper management.

  • Although some people might have trouble with my strong personality, I think I manage my staff well with it.
  • I am a trustworthy employee that shows up and leaves on schedule. My breaks are thoughtfully scheduled and don’t go longer than authorized.
  • My weakness is in staying calm under pressure, and I know I need to work on it.
  • I’m still trying to get better at getting past client issues and objections.
  • I find that I seek assistance from my colleagues more often than I search for potential answers and solutions by myself.
  • I often find it difficult to calm myself down in stressful situations.
  • I often find myself too immersed in my own duties that I need to remember to assist my colleagues when they need my help.
  • I sometimes lose my temper at work because of my slow-paced colleagues.
  • Both my supervisors and clients have frequently seen and complimented my ability to get along with my colleagues pretty well.
  • Being transparent and cooperative with my colleagues are some of my strengths.

How can you evaluate an employee’s attitude at work?

Be cooperative in the workplace.

Here are the most important aspects to consider when evaluating overall employee performance and attitude at work.

  • Collect customer and peer feedback through surveys. It’s important to obtain genuine feedback and criticism from the management and customers. However, you should also solicit evaluation from an employee’s peers, which can be done anonymously to have a complete picture of how they’re really doing.
  • Monitoring employees. Monitoring employee activity will give you better insights into their performance and attitude at work. By keeping watch of their work habits and behavior,  you will discover a lot of information that may have been unavailable previously. However, make sure that you are transparent about your surveillance policies to avoid future employee resentment.
  • Talking directly to employees. Aside from getting evaluations through surveys and questionnaires, you can also assess an employee’s attitude by talking to them and their colleagues directly. 
  • Check their responsiveness to feedback. The ideal employee would seriously consider comments so that he could comprehend why he was being urged to change. It is not good to hear justifications or excuses from an employee if they performed a task incorrectly or poorly.
  • Don’t forget the positives. It’s simple to overemphasize constructive criticism when your performance review’s objective is to help employees in improving. However, your employees would also want to know when they are thriving and doing well at their jobs.

What can you do to improve an employee’s attitude at work?

Below I have listed down some ideas on what a company or business can do to improve their employees’ attitude if this is an area identified for improvement.

  • Communicate with employees. If you are providing feedback on an employee for their negative attitude at work, make an effort to keep it constructive and helpful. As a result, your employee will be more receptive to your criticism.
  • Provide mental health support. Employee mental health and well-being are tied closely to employee attitude, motivation, productivity, and a variety of other concerns. It goes without saying that a company can be more productive from a workforce that is healthy in every aspect.

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  • Show some appreciation. Simple messages like, “I know you worked long hours to finish this task —I admire your effort,” show that you are aware of the importance of their contribution to the workplace. Appreciation gestures like this can boost their morale and encourage them to maintain their good attitude at work.
  • Encourage employees to take vacations. One of the most important aspects of managing a workforce is knowing how to encourage employees in a way that improves their enthusiasm, performance, and efficiency. Work-life balance and productivity both improve when people take time off from their jobs and unplug.
  • Recognize successes. When employees go above and beyond, recognize them for their hard work. This enables them to create strong connections to their jobs, boosting their success moving forward.

Finally, sometimes all you need to do to improve your attitude is by taking a break. Encourage employees to utilize their vacation time so that they can return to work rested and focused. Encourage smaller breaks can also help workers. Some people like to take a brisk walk or do some deep breathing exercises to put things into perspective.

I hope you found the provided templates for performance review phrases to be a useful tool for evaluating and can serve as a guide during the annual appraisal process. Knowing the right kinds of words to use during a performance review can help you communicate reviews well to your team members so choose the feedback with care. 

65+ Performance Review Phrases About Attitudes (Positive & Negative)
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