askST Jobs: Should I prioritise doing ‘high visibility’ work before a job performance review?

In this series, business journalist Timothy Goh offers practical answers to candid questions on navigating workplace challenges and getting ahead in your career. Get more tips by signing up to 

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Q: My performance review is coming up. Should I take on more high-visibility tasks to improve my promotion chances?

It can be tempting to increase visibility or take on high-profile work as appraisals approach, hoping that recent achievements will carry weight.

While the “recency effect” – the tendency to remember recent performance more vividly – exists, relying on it is a risky strategy, said Mr Elvin Goh, a certified senior professional at the Institute for Human Resource Professionals.

“A short-term spike may create a perception of peak performance, but it does not replace a consistent track record,” he said.

In organisations with robust performance systems, leaders tend to look for sustained impact rather than a last-minute push.

Therefore, a sudden surge of activity just before an appraisal rarely outweighs a longer track record of consistent results.

“Most promotion cycles also involve calibration, where managers compare notes on employees across teams,” said Mr Goh.

“In such settings, a late burst of visible work can appear inconsistent with earlier performance and may raise questions... Consistency therefore matters.”

Mr Goh added that when someone’s output fluctuates widely, it can make them seem unpredictable, whereas steady performance over time signals reliability and readiness for greater responsibility.

“I would not encourage employees to attempt to beat the system. Rather, employees should deliver steady value year-round to ensure your promotion is viewed as an inevitability, not a surprise,” he said.

Mr Kevin Chan, chief executive of HR technology company Epitome Global, said that visibility closer to appraisal can have some influence.

Human recall is imperfect, and recent work can feel more salient, he said. Still, there is a risk in focusing too heavily on timing.

“When professionals optimise primarily for visibility during appraisal season, they may end up strengthening impression rather than capability – over time, those two can diverge,” said Mr Chan.

“Individuals who are rated strongly in traditional reviews do not always demonstrate equally strong capability when objectively assessed...

“The gap between perceived performance and demonstrated performance is often wider than organisations expect.”

Mr Chan said professionals who progress sustainably tend to focus on three areas: documented outcomes, capability depth and stakeholder trust.

Documented outcomes refer to clear, measurable business impact tied to revenue, cost, risk or productivity.

Capability depth involves skills that compound over time and increase a person’s leverage at work, especially in an artificial intelligence-enabled workplace, while stakeholder trust comes from building a reputation for solving complex problems reliably, rather than simply appearing during high-profile moments.

“Timing can shape perception, but durable career progression is usually built on sustained contribution, with visibility emerging as a by-product of meaningful work rather than a seasonal tactic,” said Mr Chan.