Alicia was hoping to get promoted in the next 6 months. She had done all the things she thought she needed to do, and her boss had told her as much in their informal conversations. When her file went up for review, she was denied the promotion because there was no documentation of her achievements and performance on file. Though she appreciated informal praise for her work, what Alicia needed was

- employee reviews in her file.

Explanation:

As per the question, Alicia required 'reviews in her file' apart from the informal appreciation that she has received. The informal reviews on work are not considered valid until they are documented as employee reviews in the employee's file. While making the decision of promoting an employee, his/her files are given the utmost importance as it is the written proof of his/her performance throughout their work period. Therefore, Alicia had needed those documented reviews to successfully achieve her promotion.