Performance reviews are one of the most overlooked opportunities in business. In too many organizations, they happen once a year with little preparation and even less impact. Employees walk away uncertain. Managers feel like they are just checking a box. And leadership has no clear way to connect individual performance to company outcomes.
But performance reviews should do more than recap the past. They should shape the future. When done well, reviews help people understand what is expected and how they are doing. They open space for growth and clarity.
So why are performance reviews important? Because they are a key driver of business momentum. They can move people and teams forward when they are built on the right foundation. Especially when using the P.A.C.E.™ framework, it provides a clear structure to make performance reviews more valuable, more consistent, and more effective.
What Are P.A.C.E.™ Checkpoints?
The words “performance review” don’t really describe what happens. In many workplaces. The process feels stiff, forced, or disconnected from actual performance. That’s why Turnkey uses a different name: P.A.C.E.™ Checkpoints. It reflects a new mindset.
Checkpoints are real conversations, not formal sit-downs or scheduled critiques. They give managers a chance to check in. Instead of looking back at old problems, the focus stays on what’s happening now and what needs to happen next. These moments clear the air, reset expectations, and keep people moving forward. They also happen regularly, so no one has to wait for a review that only shows up once a year.
That approach comes from the P.A.C.E.™ Framework, which centers on four essentials: Performance, Alignment, Clarity, and Execution. With P.A.C.E.™, leaders engage their teams in meaningful discussions that drive positive change. These regular coaching conversations foster real progress and build stronger, trust-based relationships between managers and employees.
When managers treat reviews as part of an ongoing dialogue, people respond differently. They’re more open and are heard.
The Four Pillars of P.A.C.E.™ Framework
Every organization wants better results, but few have a clear system for getting there. The P.A.C.E.™ Framework offers a way to close that gap. It provides leaders and teams with four solid points of focus: Performance, Alignment, Clarity, and Execution. When each one is in place, teams don’t just work harder. They work smarter, together.
Performance
In most companies, performance shows up as a metric after the fact. Something tracked at the end of a quarter or tied to bonuses. At Turnkey, performance starts much earlier. It’s something to build and shape over time. With the Turnkey Goal Setting Software, teams create weekly priorities that tie directly to bigger outcomes. Everyone can see their progress, which makes it easier to stay on track. Managers don’t need to guess how someone is doing or wait until a review cycle to step in. The system gives them a way to support performance in real time.
Alignment
It’s possible to have talented people working hard and still not moving the needle. Alignment brings focus. Teams that share a direction are quicker to collaborate and less likely to pull against each other. This doesn’t mean everyone has to do the same thing. It means they know where they’re going and why it matters. That shared understanding becomes a source of momentum.
Clarity
When people aren’t sure what matters most, energy gets scattered. Clarity keeps that from happening. The P.A.C.E.™ Framework teaches teams to set goals that are specific and motivating. Clear goals remove second-guessing and make expectations visible. That helps people focus, especially when there are competing demands on their time. No one has to wonder if they’re doing the right thing; they know where they stand.
Execution
Execution is where everything either clicks or falls apart. A strong strategy won’t matter much if no one follows through. That’s why Turnkey developed the Organizational Performance System. It’s not just a dashboard. It’s a tool that helps teams build rhythm into their work. Progress becomes something people can see and respond to. Weekly check-ins create space to solve problems before they grow. Managers stop chasing updates. Team members stay accountable. The system makes forward movement feel natural instead of forced.
These four pillars reinforce each other. A team that’s clear on its goals and supported by smart systems will naturally perform better. Not just on paper, but in the way people show up and solve problems. That’s what employee performance looks like when it’s supported by the right culture.
Traditional Reviews vs. Turnkey’s P.A.C.E.™ Checkpoints
By emphasizing regular conversations, actionable feedback, and alignment with growth goals, P.A.C.E.™ creates a culture of continuous development—not just annual judgment.
Why Most Reviews Fail
Most performance reviews feel like a box to check. They happen too late and leave too little time for real discussion. Employees often leave without a clear sense of where they stand, while managers feel like the meeting did not help.
The bigger problem is that reviews focus on the past. But the real purpose of performance evaluation is to help people grow. When reviews only happen once a year, feedback loses its value. Over time, this weakens trust and the overall feedback culture.
What Makes P.A.C.E.™ Different
P.A.C.E.™ shifts the focus forward. Checkpoints happen often and feel more like coaching conversations than critiques. People talk about what is working, what needs to change, and how to stay aligned.
That is what makes the P.A.C.E.™ Framework different. It replaces long delays with steady support. Employees feel seen and managers stay connected. And performance becomes something you build together, not just measure later.
Why Are Performance Reviews Important?
Most people do not enjoy performance reviews. But when done with the right mindset and structure, reviews can be one of the most useful tools a business has. So why are performance reviews important? Because they create a moment to pause, take stock, and realign people with the direction the company is going.
There is a reason so many organizations still rely on them. One of the real benefits of performance reviews is how they connect the day-to-day work to something bigger. Without that connection, even your best people can lose momentum. They want to know their time matters.
It also helps with retention. People do not always need a raise to stay. Sometimes, they just want to know someone sees their effort. These are the moments when a manager can recognize progress, talk about future goals, and offer support. That is what a real coaching conversation looks like. It does more than measure. It builds relationships and feelings of recognition.
The purpose of performance evaluation is not to check boxes. It is to make performance visible. Without structure, evaluations turn into guesswork. Feedback becomes inconsistent. Promotions start to feel political. That is where trust erodes. A consistent review system ensures fairness and facilitates linking recognition to results.
Performance reviews provide employees with an opportunity to share their thoughts. They can ask questions, flag issues, or share ideas that would not come up in a typical meeting. For leaders, this is an opportunity to learn what is working and what is not. The process creates space for honest dialogue, and that strengthens the overall feedback culture.
Turnkey also uses the Organizational Health Assessment to help leadership see what might not be obvious from one-on-one meetings. Together, the system and the conversation give companies a clearer view of both individual and organizational performance.
So again—why are performance reviews important? Because they are one of the few business tools that, when done well, serve both people and results.
Best Practices for Effective P.A.C.E.™ Checkpoints
A checkpoint is only useful if it leads to real clarity and momentum. For P.A.C.E.™ Checkpoints to work well, they need to be consistent, focused, and tied to actual progress. That starts with showing up regularly. Skipping check-ins or cramming them into the calendar at the last minute takes away their value. Set a rhythm and stick to it.
Each conversation should connect to performance goals that matter. The Turnkey Goal Setting Software makes this easier by turning goals into weekly action. It helps everyone stay on the same page without adding more work. People know what is expected and where they stand. That alone improves employee performance because it reduces uncertainty and builds focus.
Good checkpoints are not one-sided. Managers should guide the conversation, but employees need space to share what they see. These meetings work best when they feel like coaching conversations, not grading sessions. Both sides should leave with a better understanding of what is working and what needs to shift.
It also helps to keep track of progress between conversations. Patterns become easier to spot, and small problems do not get ignored. Over time, this turns checkpoints into a habit that supports real improvement.
These are a few ways to make P.A.C.E.™ Checkpoints more useful. Done well, they show people that you are paying attention, and that makes the work feel more meaningful.
Help Your Team Move Forward
Performance reviews are not just a task for human resources. They are a tool for leadership, growth, and alignment. When built around the right system, they stop being a once-a-year event and become a regular part of how teams move forward.
The P.A.C.E.™ Framework gives companies a way to make that shift. It replaces outdated, backward-looking reviews with checkpoints that support real progress. Managers talk with their teams more often. Employees know what matters. And goals stay visible, not buried in spreadsheets.
When performance is supported instead of measured, people respond. They feel more invested, more capable, and more connected to their work. That is what makes P.A.C.E.™ Checkpoints a smarter choice for today’s teams.
Resources
MIT Human Resources. “Performance Development Review Process.” Retrieved from https://hr.mit.edu/performance/reviews
Harvard Business Review. “The Performance Management Revolution.” Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2016/10/the-performance-management-revolution
The Guardian. “The appraisal is dead. Long live the catchup.” Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/careers/2018/feb/02/the-appraisal-is-dead-long-live-the-catchup
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