Purpose This study focuses on enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of employee performance prediction to enhance decision making and improve organisational productivity. By introducing advance machine learning (ML) techniques, this study aims to create a more reliable and data-driven approach to evaluate employee performance. Design/methodology/approach In this study, nine machine learning (ML) models were used for forecasting employee performance: Random Forest, AdaBoost, CatBoost, LGB Classifier, SVM, KNN, XGBoost, Decision Tree and one Hybrid model (SVM + XGBoost). Each ML model is trained on an HR data set covering various features such as employee demographics, job-related factors and past performance records, ensuring reliable performance predictions. Feature scaling techniques, namely, min-max scaling, Standard Scaler and PCA, have been used to enhance the effectiveness of employee performance prediction. The models are trained to classify data, predicting whether an employee’s performance meets expectations or needs improvement. Findings All proposed models used in the study can correctly categorize data with an average accuracy of 94%. Notably, the Random Forest model demonstrates the highest accuracy across all three scaling techniques, achieving optimise accuracy, respectively. The results presented have significant implications for HR procedures, providing businesses with the opportunity to make data-driven decisions, improve personnel management and foster a more effective and productive workforce. Research limitations/implications The scope of the used data set limits the study, despite our models delivering high accuracy. Further research could extend to different data sets or more diverse organisational settings to validate the model’s effectiveness across various contexts. Practical implications The proposed ML models in the study provide essential tools for HR departments, enabling them to make more informed data driven decisions with regard to employee performance. This approach can enhance personnel management, improve workforce productivity and fostering a more effective organisational environment. Social implications Although AI models have shown promising outcomes, it is crucial to recognise the constraints and difficulties involved in their use. To ensure the fair and responsible use of AI in employee performance prediction, ethical considerations, privacy problems and any biases in the data should be properly addressed. Future work will be required to improve and broaden the capabilities of AI models in predicting employee performance. Originality/value This study introduces an exclusive combination of ML models for accurately predicting employee performance. By employing these advanced techniques, the study offers novel insight into how organisations might transition from a conventional evaluation method to a more advanced and objective, data-backed approach.