Long confined to a somewhat static administrative exercise, the annual interview returns to the forefront in 2025… but not in the form we know it. In a world of work where employees are demanding more meaning, recognition and clarity, companies are completely reviewing this meeting to make it a moment of authentic exchange almost an act of management in its own right.
The annual appraisal interview, once feared for its formal and sometimes arbitrary side, is therefore changing face. No more long check-off grids and standardized criteria. In 2025, the trend is clear: putting people back at the center, and restoring coherence to a ritual often perceived as constrained.
A study published in February 2025 by Gartner confirms this: 68% of European employees believe that an interview is only useful if it leads to a clear and personalized action plan. In short, they want to understand where they are going and how the company plans to support them.
1/ A review exercise… but above all a projection exercise
If the interview remains a moment to look back on the past year, it above all becomes a space for projection. HR encourages managers to adopt a coaching posture, more focused on the future than the past.
In large companies, the transformation is already underway. At L’Oréal, since 2024, managers have been trained in “continuing conversation” : regular exchanges, shorter, but more sincere. Orange is following the same path with its “People 2025” plan, which emphasizes continuous feedback and the co-construction of objectives.
2/ More flexible, more human objectives
Defining the objectives for the following year remains a delicate moment. For a long time, they were almost exclusively quantified: turnover, sales volume, productivity, etc. Now, companies are broadening the field to include qualitative and behavioral indicators.
According to an ANDRH survey (May 2025), 54% of French companies include at least one objective linked to human skills or quality of life at work.
Thus emerge objectives around collaboration, creativity, knowledge sharing or collective commitment. Dimensions that have long been ignored but have become essential, especially in a context of digital transformation.
3/ The key role of the manager
This evolution of practices imposes a condition: invest in managerial skills. Because everything, absolutely everything, relies on the manager’s ability to listen, reformulate, add value… and inspire the desire to move forward.
But this relational requirement takes time. To free it up, some companies, Decathlon or Crédit Agricole, for example, have decided to halve their evaluation forms. Fewer checkboxes, more conversation.
4/ Technology, a new ally of dialogue
Contrary to popular belief, digital tools do not necessarily dehumanize the interview. On the contrary, they can make the process more fluid.
Platforms like PerformanSe, BambooHR or Factorial make it possible to follow the evolution of objectives over the months and to feed the final interview with factual data rather than subjective impressions.
Artificial intelligence, used with caution, also makes it possible to identify training needs or performance trends more quickly. But the red line remains clear: AI does not replace human judgment.
5/ From evaluation to commitment
Basically, the real issue of these interviews is simple: to create trust. When done well, they become a powerful driver of engagement.
According to an OpinionWay survey for Empreinte Humaine (March 2025), 74% of employees who experienced a “constructive and caring” interview say they are more motivated for the following year.
Conversely, a botched interview can leave lasting traces: loss of motivation, incomprehension, early departure.
To avoid this boomerang effect, certain companies, particularly in consulting and tech, have introduced a mid-term interview. Halfway through the year, we adjust the objectives, we refocus, we reassure if necessary. A way to make the annual maintenance a living process and not a fixed ritual.
6/ A strategic moment for 2026
As the wave of end-of-year interviews approaches, a trend is confirmed: personalization.
No more question of applying a single model. Each employee now follows their own professional path. In a labor market marked by a shortage of talent, this personalization has become a strategic necessity.
The annual interview thus becomes as much a loyalty lever as a collective performance tool.
In summary
The annual interview is no longer a simple administrative formality. It is a moment of truth, a space for listening and a projection tool. Setting the 2026 objectives amounts to:
- give meaning to action,
- recognize the efforts,
- draw a clear path,
- strengthen the manager-employee bond.
