sql - Get top three records from duplicate records having unique identity -

i'm using sql server 2008 r2. have table in management studio work. want top 3 records each employee in table. table has primary key workid , foreign key employeeid. table sorted descending date. don’t need joins other tables. specific top 3 records current employeeid. here example query.

select      wtop.workid, wtop.employeeid       work wtop       wtop.employeeid in (select top 3 wsub.employeeid                          work wsub                          wsub.employeeid = wtop.employeeid                          order wsub.employeeid) 

how using row_number.

something like

;with workvals (         select  *,                 row_number() over(partition employeeid order [date] desc) rowid            work ) select  *    workvals    rowid <= 3