Examples of employee strengths in annual reviews: 3 examples managers can actually use

Let’s start with the kind of strengths that are easiest to measure: performance and results. When managers look for examples of employee strengths in annual reviews, 3 examples usually rise to the top in this category:

• Delivering consistent, high-quality work
• Owning outcomes and meeting (or beating) goals
• Adapting to changing priorities without dropping the ball

Instead of just writing, “consistently meets expectations,” describe what that actually looks like.

Example of a performance strength for a high performer
“Jamal consistently delivers high-quality project work ahead of deadlines. Over the past review period, he completed 12 client implementations with a 98% on-time delivery rate and no major rework. His attention to detail reduces follow-up issues and improves client satisfaction scores.”

Notice what’s happening here:

• It names the strength: consistent, high-quality work.
• It backs it up with numbers.
• It ties the strength to a business outcome.

Example of a performance strength for a solid, steady performer
“Priya maintains reliable performance across her core responsibilities. She manages a high volume of support tickets while keeping her customer satisfaction scores in the 4.6–4.8 range throughout the year. When new product features launch, she quickly learns them and incorporates them into her support responses.”

This is still a strong review. Not everyone is a superstar, and that’s okay. A realistic example of employee strengths in annual reviews can highlight steady, dependable work without exaggeration.

Example of a performance strength for someone in a changing environment
“In a year of significant organizational change, Miguel stayed focused on outcomes. When our team migrated to the new CRM, he maintained his sales pipeline and achieved 103% of his annual quota while also serving as a pilot user and sharing feedback that helped improve the rollout.”

Here, the strength is performance under pressure. In 2024–2025, many organizations are dealing with restructures, new technology, and shifting market conditions. Calling out adaptability alongside results reflects those realities and aligns with current performance management guidance from organizations like SHRM and Gallup.

2. Collaboration and communication: the best examples for team-based roles

If you’re leading any kind of team-based work, collaboration strengths matter as much as individual output. When people search for the best examples of employee strengths in annual reviews, 3 examples in the collaboration bucket tend to show up again and again:

• Communicating clearly and proactively
• Building trust and resolving conflict constructively
• Supporting teammates and sharing knowledge

Here’s how to turn those into real examples.

Example of a communication and collaboration strength
“Taylor communicates clearly with both technical and non-technical stakeholders. In cross-functional meetings, they summarize complex topics in plain language and check for understanding before moving on. Their weekly status emails keep partners informed, which has significantly reduced last-minute surprises and escalations.”

This goes beyond “good communicator.” It shows how the strength shows up day to day.

Example of a team support and mentoring strength
“Over the past year, Ana has become a go-to resource for new hires. She volunteers to buddy with new team members, walks them through our workflows, and shares practical tips that shorten their ramp-up time. Her willingness to answer questions without judgment helps create a more inclusive team culture.”

This kind of strength matters more than ever as companies focus on retention and onboarding quality. Research from organizations like Harvard Business School highlights how peer support and psychological safety contribute to performance and engagement.

Example of a cross-functional collaboration strength
“During the Q3 product launch, Chris coordinated effectively with marketing, sales, and engineering. He scheduled regular check-ins, documented decisions, and ensured everyone was aligned on timelines. When conflicts arose around scope, he facilitated discussions that led to practical compromises without damaging relationships.”

If you’re looking for examples of employee strengths in annual reviews: 3 examples like these—communication, mentoring, cross-functional coordination—cover a lot of what modern organizations need.

3. Growth mindset and learning: examples of employee strengths in annual reviews for 2024–2025

In the last few years, one trend has become very clear: the ability to learn new skills is just as important as what someone already knows. With AI, automation, and hybrid work reshaping jobs, many HR teams now rate learning agility as a top success factor. Studies from organizations like the World Economic Forum emphasize adaptability, creativity, and continuous learning as key skills for the future of work.

So when you’re writing about strengths, don’t stop at “hard skills.” Some of the best examples of employee strengths in annual reviews include:

• Actively seeking feedback and acting on it
• Learning new tools or methods and sharing them
• Taking ownership of professional development

Example of a learning and growth strength
“Over the past year, Jordan has shown strong ownership of their development. After receiving feedback about presentation skills, they enrolled in a public speaking course, practiced with the team, and noticeably improved their confidence and clarity in client meetings. Their Q4 presentations were more structured and engaging, leading to two new client renewals.”

This shows a full feedback loop: feedback → action → visible improvement → business impact.

Example of a technology/skills-upgrade strength
“In response to our shift toward data-driven decision-making, Mei took the initiative to deepen her analytics skills. She completed an online SQL course, began using data dashboards in her weekly reports, and trained two colleagues on basic reporting. Her new skills allowed the team to identify a process bottleneck that reduced turnaround time by 15%.”

Here, the strength is not just “good with data.” It’s the willingness to build new skills and then spread that knowledge.

Example of a resilience and adaptability strength
“This year brought frequent changes to priorities and timelines. Throughout this, Omar stayed flexible and solution-focused. When a major project was deprioritized, he quickly shifted to a new initiative without losing momentum, asked clarifying questions, and helped teammates understand the new direction.”

Again, that’s very 2024–2025: work changes fast, and the ability to adapt is a real strength worth naming.

Putting it together: one full paragraph using multiple strengths

Sometimes managers want a single, polished paragraph. Here’s an integrated example of employee strengths in an annual review that pulls together performance, collaboration, and growth.

Full review paragraph example
“Over the past year, Lena has consistently delivered high-quality work while strengthening team collaboration and investing in her own growth. She exceeded her sales target at 108% attainment, maintained accurate pipeline data, and proactively communicated updates to stakeholders, which improved forecast reliability. Lena is a supportive teammate who shares effective outreach templates and offers to role-play calls with new hires, helping them ramp up faster. After identifying a gap in her product knowledge, she completed advanced training and now leads monthly knowledge-sharing sessions. Her combination of reliable performance, clear communication, and continuous learning makes her a strong contributor to the team’s success.”

If you’re trying to write your own examples of employee strengths in annual reviews, 3 examples like this—one each for performance, collaboration, and growth—can give you a strong starting point for different types of roles.

How to discover the right strengths for each employee

Before you write, you need raw material. Here’s a simple way to find authentic strengths instead of guessing.

Look at the past year’s data
Review metrics, projects, and feedback. For a customer service rep, that might mean ticket volume, satisfaction scores, and time to resolution. For a project manager, think about on-time delivery, budget adherence, and stakeholder feedback.

Ask yourself three questions

• When this person is at their best, what are they doing?
• What do teammates rely on them for?
• What has noticeably improved this year?

Your answers will often map back to the categories we’ve used for examples of employee strengths in annual reviews: 3 examples of categories—performance, collaboration, and growth—cover a surprising amount of ground.

Use specific language, not generic labels
Instead of: “Very professional.”
Try: “Maintains a calm, respectful tone with clients even in high-pressure situations, which helps de-escalate conflicts.”

Instead of: “Hard worker.”
Try: “Regularly volunteers for complex tasks and follows through on commitments, even when timelines are tight.”

Specifics make your feedback more credible and more useful.

Phrases you can adapt: more real examples of employee strengths

To make this truly practical, here are additional phrases you can customize. Mix and match based on the role.

Customer-facing roles

• “Builds strong rapport with customers and consistently receives positive feedback on their responsiveness and empathy.”
• “Balances company policy with customer needs, offering options instead of simply saying no.”

Analytical or technical roles

• “Breaks down complex problems into manageable steps and communicates options clearly before recommending a solution.”
• “Writes clean, maintainable code and documents changes so others can quickly understand and build on their work.”

Leadership or manager roles

• “Sets clear expectations, follows up on commitments, and provides regular feedback that helps team members grow.”
• “Recognizes wins publicly and addresses issues privately, which builds trust and morale.”

These are all examples of employee strengths in annual reviews you can adjust by adding specific numbers, projects, or timeframes.

Common mistakes to avoid when describing strengths

Even with good examples, it’s easy to slip into patterns that weaken your review.

Being too vague
“Great attitude” doesn’t tell the employee what to keep doing. Instead, describe the behaviors that show that attitude.

Only focusing on weaknesses
Research from organizations like NIH and APA has long noted that people are more likely to grow when feedback includes both strengths and development areas. Strengths are not fluff; they’re clues to where someone can contribute even more.

Copy-pasting the same sentence for everyone
If three people on your team all have “strong communication skills” with no additional detail, it starts to feel like filler. Use the examples here as templates, but always anchor them in that person’s actual behavior.

FAQ: examples of employee strengths in annual reviews

Q1. What are some good examples of employee strengths in annual reviews for remote or hybrid workers?
For remote or hybrid employees, highlight strengths like proactive communication, self-management, and reliability. For example: “Consistently meets deadlines without close supervision,” or “Keeps the team aligned by summarizing decisions in shared documents and following up on action items.” These examples of strengths show they can be trusted to work independently while staying connected.

Q2. How do I write an example of an employee strength without sounding exaggerated?
Stick to observable behavior and, when possible, data. Instead of saying “always” or “never,” use language like “regularly,” “often,” or “over the past quarter.” For instance: “Over the last six months, Dana has regularly taken the lead on resolving complex customer issues and follows through until the customer is satisfied.” This kind of example of a strength feels grounded because it points to real patterns.

Q3. Can I use the same examples of employee strengths in annual reviews across different roles?
You can reuse the structure, but not the exact wording. Most roles benefit from strengths around performance, collaboration, and learning. However, a software engineer’s “problem-solving” looks different from a nurse’s or a sales rep’s. Start with the category, then customize the example with role-specific tasks, tools, and outcomes.

Q4. How many strengths should I include in an annual review?
Aim for at least two to three well-described strengths. That’s enough to give the employee a clear picture of where they shine without overwhelming them. You can always reference more informal praise from the year, but in the written review, focus on the strongest, most relevant examples.

If you keep circling back to these categories and phrases, you’ll never be stuck for words again. Use these examples of employee strengths in annual reviews, 3 examples at a time if that helps—performance, collaboration, and growth—and then tailor them so each employee feels accurately seen, not copy-pasted.