Business 2 Community compiled an infographic of depressing facts about performance reviews, and as you may have guessed, they are bleak. 20% of employees think their boss arrives wholly unprepared. Nearly half of people surveyed think their supervisor isn’t telling the truth. One-third of the time, performance reviews can actually lead to a decrease in performance.

The good news — yes, hope exists — is that managers can help fix these issues. For example, the same infographic points out how regular feedback increases employees’ scores and decreases turnover.

Here is what you need to know to lead a valuable performance review (even if you’ve never led one before).

1. Do consider your employee’s work all year

Think fast: What has your employee improved on since January? What projects did he hit out of the park in the first quarter? What issues has she pushed up against and how has she remedied them?

These questions would be a lot easier to answer if you kept a running list of innovations, great work and areas for growth. This sort of list will prepare you to assess performance based on more than recent memory. More importantly, you should use it to provide regular feedback throughout the year (positive and negative). That way, you’ll lead a more productive review because none of the information will come as a shock — and you won’t be seen as a boss who holds grudges or waits six months to give praise.

You’ll be able to reinforce what you’ve said in other discussions and how it contributes to your overall view of your employee. For guidance on specific timing, check out this schedule written by Amy Adams at The Muse, for what to do each month of the year.

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