Twice a year, performance reviews meant six spreadsheets, hundreds of emails, and a cycle that always overran. We automated the whole flow — distribution, chasing, calibration packets — so the last cycle closed two weeks early with 100% completion.
Typical results
100%
Reviews submitted
40 hrs
HR admin saved per cycle
0
Spreadsheets left
Figures reflect typical results for this kind of automation.
The challenge
The group runs reviews for 240 people across four agencies. Each cycle, HR built spreadsheets by hand, emailed forms, and spent evenings chasing managers — 55 hours of admin per cycle. Only 71% of reviews arrived by deadline, calibration meetings started with missing data, and an eight-week cycle regularly stretched toward ten.
Before and after
Cycle duration
−25%Reviews in by deadline
+41%HR hours per cycle
−73%The automation
We built an orchestrator that launches the entire cycle from one kickoff date. Self-review and manager forms go out automatically from the HRIS employee list; reminders chase only the people who haven't submitted, escalating politely as deadlines near. As each department completes, the system compiles a calibration packet — scores, distributions, flight risks — and books the calibration meeting. HR watches a single live progress board instead of six spreadsheets.
How it works
- 01
One-click kickoff
HR sets the cycle date; forms and timelines generate from the live HRIS employee list.
- 02
Targeted chasing
Reminders go only to people with outstanding forms, escalating as the deadline approaches.
- 03
Calibration packets
Completed departments get an auto-compiled packet — scores, distributions and outliers.
- 04
Meetings booked
Calibration sessions are scheduled automatically once a department's data is complete.
- 05
One progress board
HR tracks every agency, form and straggler on a single live dashboard.
Starts from
- Cycle kickoff date
- HRIS employee list
Delivers
- Self & manager reviews
- Targeted chasers
- Calibration packets
The impact
The last cycle closed in six weeks instead of eight — two weeks early — with every one of 240 reviews submitted, up from 71% on-deadline. Calibration meetings opened with complete packets for the first time, and HR's admin load dropped from 55 hours per cycle to 15.
Questions about this automation
What does HR need to set up before each review cycle?
HR picks the kickoff date, the deadline for each stage and the form templates for self and manager reviews. The automation pulls the current employee list and reporting lines from the HRIS, so every person gets the right forms and every manager sees only their own team's reviews.
Who receives reminders during the cycle?
Only people with outstanding forms. The automation checks submission status before each reminder goes out, so employees and managers who have finished are left alone. Reminders become firmer as the deadline nears, and HR can see every straggler by department on the live progress board.
What goes into a calibration packet?
Once every review in a department is submitted, the automation compiles a packet with scores, rating distributions, outliers and flagged comments, then books the calibration meeting with the relevant leaders. A multi-step build like this is usually rolled out in stages, starting with form distribution and chasing.