Documentation
What "document everything" actually means
Documenting performance means writing down what happened, when, and what was agreed, in plain words, close to the day it happened. Good documentation is specific, describes behavior rather than character, includes the good as well as the bad, and lives somewhere it cannot be lost or quietly rewritten. A notebook in your desk drawer or a text thread on your phone is not that place.
How managers put it
- “Everyone tells me to document everything. Document what, exactly?”
- “I have notes in my phone, my email and a notebook. Is that enough?”
- “What should I write down after a difficult conversation?”
- “How do I document without it feeling like I'm building a case?”
What to do
1.Write it the same day
Memory rewrites things within a week. A two-line note on the day is worth more than a page written a month later when you suddenly need it.
2.Date, fact, effect, agreement
When it happened. What was said or done, in words a stranger would recognize. What effect it had on the work or the team. What you agreed next. That is the whole template.
3.Describe behavior, not character
"Arrived at 9:40, 9:35 and 9:50 last week; the start time is 9:00" is documentation. "Unreliable" is a judgement, and it reads badly to anyone who looks at the file later.
4.Write down the good, too
Note the finished project, the customer who praised them, the week the improvement stuck. A file of only problems looks like a case being built, and it misleads you as well.
5.Share what you agreed
After a conversation, send a short written summary of what was agreed. If the person remembers it differently, you want to know now, not in six months.
6.Keep it in one place that belongs to the business
Notes spread across a phone, an inbox and a notebook get lost when you change phones, leave the job or need them in a hurry. Keep them where the next manager can find them.
This is management practice, not legal advice. For a termination, talk to an employment lawyer in your state first.
Where LVL Up helps
Dated 1:1 notes on the person's record
Notes written in a 1:1 are saved against that date and stay on the person's record, along with the action items you agreed and who owns each one.
Feedback and recognition in the same file
Feedback and recognition given in the app sit on the same record, so good moments are as easy to record as hard ones.
One timeline per person
Goals set and closed, feedback, recognition, 1:1s held or missed and reviews completed are gathered on one timeline, in date order.
The record stays when people move on
If the manager leaves or the employee is offboarded, the record stays with the business, not in someone's personal phone.
What it does not do
LVL Up keeps what you write. It does not decide what is worth writing down, judge anyone's conduct, or check your notes against employment law. It does not produce warning letters or disciplinary forms. If your documentation is heading towards a termination, have an employment lawyer read it first.
Common questions
What should employee documentation include?
The date, what happened in specific terms, the effect on the work or the team, and what was agreed next. Add the person's own response if they gave one.
Should the employee know I am documenting?
Nothing in the file should surprise them. Share a summary of each conversation and what was agreed; a secret file undermines both trust and fairness.
How long should I keep performance notes?
For as long as the person works for you, and for a period afterwards that depends on your state and industry. Ask your accountant or an employment lawyer what applies to you.
Is it bad to document only the problems?
Yes. A one-sided file misrepresents the person and makes it look as if you decided the outcome first. Record good work in the same place and in the same detail.
Can I document what other employees tell me?
Write down what you were told, by whom and when, and mark it as a report rather than something you saw. Then talk to the person before you draw any conclusion.
Related:
Keep the record in one place
1:1 notes, goals, reviews, feedback and recognition for your team, without an HR department. From $29 a month for up to 25 people.
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