EMPLOYEE EVALUATION and PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT POLICY
Category: Governance & Administration
Title: Employee Evaluation and Performance Management Policy
Table of Contents
CONTINUING EVALUATION AND ADJUSTMENT
All National Midwifery Institute employees will receive a written performance evaluation complemented by an individual performance evaluation meeting, at least annually. The principal purpose of the performance evaluation is to provide two-way communication between a Team Leader and an employee about the individual’s work performance and to establish goals for the upcoming year. Performance evaluations also may provide a basis for salary change, promotions, or other changes.
The Executive Director(s) is responsible for the implementation and management of the employee Evaluation and Performance Management Policy.
Peer Reviewer - a colleague who provides feedback on a peer Director’s performance, skills, and contributions, helping to create a more holistic view of their work.
Director - the Director positions are indicated in NMI’s Organizational Chart. Directors may have oversight over other W2 or contraction positions and may be required to manage the evaluation process for any employees/contractors they oversee.
Employee - Employees are considered all W2 members at NMI.
Academic Faculty - Virtual Instructors and Study Group Coursework Instructors who are 1099 contractors.
Onboarding - initial paperwork, orientation, policy review, training, and close oversight of job responsibilities.
The National Midwifery Institute is committed to the success of its employees. Through the performance management process, a constant line of communication will be established beginning with the onboarding process and continuing throughout the duration of the employment relationship.
The Employee Evaluation and Performance Management policy provides the basis on which performance is reviewed at the National Midwifery Institute for all W2 employees and Academic Faculty who engage with NMI as 1099 contractors. The institute expects ongoing evaluation of employee performance, with regularly conducted and documented reviews of all employees administered according to applicable administrative policies.
All employees are given performance evaluations within 3 months of their initial hire month, and then at least annually thereafter. Employee evaluations are not designed to be punitive, but rather as tools for professional growth. Evaluations will include a review of personnel files to see if there are any commendations, complaints, or conflicts of interest (COI).
To support a comprehensive understanding of performance, the evaluation process will include peer review input for director-level employees, in which directors provide feedback on each other’s performance. This peer feedback will be considered alongside other performance data and owners will receive a collective summary (themes, not names) of how the directors are functioning as a team and what supports are needed from ownership.
New employees or contractors starting in a position in a new department will receive an initial review at 90 days after all onboarding is complete. Onboarding is considered complete when orientation and initial training are done, all paperwork in, and employees are starting in their position with normal oversight.
Each Team Leader is responsible for providing their team report with the proper self-evaluation forms, review procedures, and Conflict of Interest Disclosure Forms. Completed forms should be saved in the employee’s personnel file.
After receipt of completed self-evaluation and COI forms, the Team Leader will set up a Check-In meeting (via phone or video conference) during which the Team Leader and employee can review the employee’s performance and integration into the team. This check in is also an opportunity for the employee to share their experience working at NMI, and to request additional support, training, or clarification about their role. The Team Leader provides an evaluation report to their supervisor.
In October of each year, each Team Leader is responsible for managing the review process of their Department.
Peer reviews will be compiled and considered alongside self-evaluations, student evaluations filed in their personnel folder, and Team Leader evaluations as part of the overall assessment.
For Academic Faculty, the review process is as follows:
Time should be managed to allow for completion of all reviews, meetings, and plans to be in place no later than October 30th. Completed forms should be saved in each employee’s personnel file.
The Team Leader will set up an Annual Evaluation meeting (via phone or video conference), during which the Team Leader can review the employee’s performance over the past year, and to work with the employee to set goals for the coming year. The Team Leader and employee will discuss any resources or support that might be needed to achieve these goals, and will discuss whether NMI professional development funds or other resources can be applied.
In addition, job descriptions will be reviewed and updated during this meeting.
The Executive Director(s) may initiate an interim review whenever the professional performance of any employee member is unsatisfactory. Concerns about the individual’s performance may arise from annual reviews, complaints, investigatory findings, or any other reporting mechanism. When the interim review results in findings of deficiencies in performance or other duties, the Executive Director(s) shall initiate the performance improvement process. Serious violations of professional ethics or professional behavior in violations of NMI policy and/or destructive to the school community may lead to immediate dismissal.
If the professional performance of the Executive Director(s) is unsatisfactory, The Owner(s) may initiate an interim review process as described in this section.
NMI believes that the evaluation process is best utilized when clear expectations are set, and employees are given the opportunity to grow to meet expectations and thrive. When an employee's performance is not meeting expectations, the employee’s Team Leader should develop a performance improvement plan for that employee, clearly stating performance areas that need improvement, clear expectations of what constitutes satisfactory improvement, and the process for determining whether improvement has happened and is sufficient. A copy of the plan, signed by the Executive Director(s), the Team Leader, and the employee, should be filed for inclusion in the personnel file.
The employee and their Team Leader will monitor progress according to the Performance Improvement Plan during their regularly scheduled check - ins. If the employee does not make satisfactory progress toward improvement, they may be dismissed.
If the Executive Director’s performance is unsatisfactory, the Owner(s) will work with the Executive Director(s) to create a performance improvement plan as outlined and administered above. Progress toward the agreed upon goals will be monitored at the Quarterly Owner(s)’s Meetings. If necessary, the Owner(s) may choose to schedule additional check-in meetings or request written or phone updates in between meetings. The reporting/monitoring plans should be outlined in the Performance Improvement Plan.
Reviews should be held annually in October. The timing of the review process is set so that all evaluations will be completed after the NMI Annual Meeting in September, during which Annual Survey data (which is collected in the summer) about general school performance and themes from student, graduates, and Clinical Faculty feedback are reviewed. The scheduling of employee reviews therefore allows school success and student feedback to be incorporated into employee evaluations.
Employee performance and school performance are then considered in development of the budget, which is reviewed and approved in November each year, so that any warranted wage changes can be budgeted and put into effect starting in January of the following year.
May → Annual Survey
Summer → Collate data from Annual Survey
September → Annual Meeting, review program performance
October → Annual Reviews
November → Budget
The following forms are used as part of the Employee Evaluation and Performance Management process:
All completed forms should be saved in the employee’s personnel file in accordance with NMI recordkeeping policies.
This policy is published on the NMI Policy and Procedures web page.
This Employee Evaluation and Performance Management Policy will be subject to periodic review and adjustment. Continued administration of the development, implementation, and maintenance of the plan will be the responsibility of the Executive Director(s) who will assign specific responsibility for implementation and administration as appropriate.
The Executive Director(s), in consultation with the Director of Operations & Administration, will review the standards set forth in this policy and recommend updates and revisions as necessary.
Date | Type of Change | Updates since last Change |
February 9, 2023 | Minor | Updated to new policy template. |
Aug 29, 2024 | Minor | Merged Academic Faculty policy into this Employee policy and noted distinction of review procedures. Adjusted timing of reviews to flow with school procedures and calendar as well as timing of initial progress check-in. |
Date | Minor | Updated to reflect the peer review process and include links to forms. |
NMI Organizational Chart - detailed in Governance & Framework Policy
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