Preparing for a performance review is a process that can easily feel intimidating for employees. It’s important that managers make the most of these meetings, so making sure that employees are comfortable, open, and honest is critical. The first thing a manager should do is be adequately prepared for a review meeting. Be sure to allow enough time to gather relevant materials, such as personnel files, production numbers, and records of significant achievements. Meeting somewhere comfortable and private can also help put employees' minds at ease, and will also keep the meeting from becoming derailed by distractions. The meeting itself should be viewed as a conversation, rather than a checklist of rights and wrongs, and employees should be encouraged to suggest their own solutions for problems rather than having directives passed down to them. Finally, everything agreed upon in the meeting should be put in writing, a process that provides important documentation should misunderstandings arise. Throughout the year, an employee can refer back to the document, as well, to make sure progress is being made.