Part of the HR comparisons cluster. For definitions, see the glossary; to go deeper, follow the resources below or the resource center.
Definitions
Performance Review. A performance review is a periodic, structured conversation that looks back at performance and agrees next goals.
Feedback. Feedback is specific, timely information about behaviour and its impact, given to help someone improve or continue what works.
Similarities
- Both support performance and development.
- Both should be specific and evidence-based.
- Both are part of performance management.
Differences
- Frequency — feedback is frequent and in the moment; reviews are periodic.
- Scope — feedback is specific to a situation; reviews are broader.
- Frequent feedback makes reviews easier and less surprising.
Use cases
- Give feedback continuously, close to events.
- Run reviews on a cadence to step back and set goals.
- Use both, with feedback feeding the review.
At a glance
| Aspect | Performance Review | Feedback |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency | Periodic | Frequent / ongoing |
| Scope | Broad look-back | Specific situation |
| Best for | Goals & summary | In-the-moment growth |
| Relationship | Eased by feedback | Feeds the review |
Common mistakes
- Saving all feedback for the annual review.
- Reviews full of surprises because feedback was missing.
- Vague feedback with no examples.
Free, printable HR resources
Templates, checklists and calculators to put these concepts into practice — free and ungated.
For informational purposes only. This is a neutral, educational comparison — not legal, tax, financial or compliance advice. It contains no salary data, benchmarks, fabricated statistics or vendor/software rankings. Usage of these terms varies by organisation and region. Confirm specifics with qualified professionals.