Performance Review Cycles: How They Work
A complete guide to the review cycle from planning to acknowledgment
In this article, you'll learn how performance review cycles work in Zal.ai—from initial setup through final acknowledgment. Performance review cycles are structured periods where employees receive formal feedback on their work.
This article is relevant to: All roles
Feature: Reviews
The 5 Phases of a Review Cycle
Phase 1: Planning & Setup (Admin)
Administrators create and configure the review cycle: set dates, add participants, configure appraisal template, enable surveys, and optionally enable peer nomination.
Phase 2: Data Collection (Employees & Peers)
Participants complete assigned tasks: peer nominations (if enabled), self assessments, and peer reviews. Continuous data like feedback, meeting notes, and goals is also collected.
Phase 3: Draft & Manager Review (Managers)
Zal.ai generates AI-powered drafts. Managers review, edit, and submit drafts to HR for calibration. Status: Draft
Phase 4: Calibration & Approval (HR/Admin)
HR reviews submitted appraisals, compares ratings for consistency, and approves or requests changes. Status: In Review → Approved
Phase 5: Publish & Acknowledge (Manager + Employee)
Manager publishes the review. Employee views and acknowledges. Status: Published → Acknowledged