Exempt Professional Performance Management

What is performance management?

• A collaborative process involving the supervisor and employee to ensure that employee performance is identified, selected, developed and rewarded
• Performance Management provides a framework for employees to participate in establishing their own performance goals and objectives, and to be full participants in reviewing their individual progress toward those goals.
• It provides the supervisor with an opportunity to include the employee in the planning process, as well as setting the parameters for review of progress, annual appraisals and appropriate performance salary adjustments.

Goals of the Evaluation

• To improve professional performance.
• To increase communication between supervisor and professional to better meet the goals of the department.
• To annually review and update the job description and job responsibilities.
• To foster both University service and professionally relevant community service.
• To provide a guideline for decision about professional development, retention, and special recognition.

Prior to Establishing the Performance Plan…

• All professional positions on campus have a Job Description (JD).
• All Professional Staff are entitled to a solid, updated job description.
• Don’t have one? Create One!
• JD has not been updated in a while? Update it now!
• Unsure about the JD? Review it!
• Don’t know where to find your JD? Ask Shannon in HR! shannon _heersink@adams.edu

Timeline

• April 30 END OF PERFORMANCE YEAR (to be evaluated during the current evaluation year)
• May 1 BEGINNING OF PERFORMANCE YEAR (to be evaluated during the next evaluation year)
• May 15 Professionals submit the current year self review including proposed IPOs for the upcoming year to immediate supervisor for review.
• May 31 Supervisors complete reviews and evaluation conferences of those they supervise, and if warranted, recommend the Professional for exemplary status.
• November 15 Supervisors meet with professional to conduct mid-year review. Consults with Human Resources as necessary.

Core Competency Definitions

• Communication:
• The degree to which the employee effectively communicates by actively listening and sharing relevant information with co-workers, supervisors and customers so as to anticipate problems and ensure the effectiveness of the department and Adams State University.

Core Competency Definitions

• Interpersonal Skills:
• The degree to which the employee interacts effectively with others to establish and maintain smooth working relations.

Core Competency Definitions

• Customer Service:
• The degree to which the employee works effectively with internal/external customers to satisfy service expectations.

Core Competency Definitions

• Accountability:
• The degree to which an employee's work behaviors demonstrate responsible personal and professional conduct, which contributes to the overall goals and objectives of the department and Adams State University.

Core Competency Definitions

• Job Knowledge:
• The degree to which the employee is skilled in job-specific knowledge which is necessary to provide the appropriate quantity and quality of work in a timely and efficient manner

Core Competency Definitions

• Compliance:
• The Compliance Job Specific Responsibility will be in every evaluation.  The type of compliance and compliance responsibilities will vary by position.
• Other compliance requirements may apply.   For example: financial compliance, FERPA Compliance, HIPPA Compliance, etc.
• Add other compliance sections as necessary for the position

Annual Evaluation process

• The annual evaluation begins with the task of gathering information throughout the year on employee performance.
• Employees value evaluations that are fair, complete, and representative.
• Employees disregard evaluations that focus too much on personal opinion or do not represent a year’s effort.
• Your objective should be to create evaluations covering performance across the evaluation period and based on reasoned assessments of job duties, goals and measurements.

Performance Evaluation steps

• Establish a performance plan in Workday;
• Establish standards and measures within the plan;
• Meet with the employee;
• Track and coach performance; and
• Conduct periodic progress reviews.

Step I- Establish the performance plan

• Review the mission/vision of the department and of the work unit, the business requirements for the work unit, and the position description (PD) of the employee.
• Always review the PD when creating the performance plan.
• Keep in mind that communicating expectations to the employee is a key contributor to an employee performing satisfactorily, and that all employees are entitled to know what is expected of them.
• Performance plans align with unit and division objectives, which in turn align with the department’s strategic plan.
• Every employee must receive a planning meeting by the date specified in the department’s performance management program.

Step II – Establish standards and measures

• The performance plan identifies individual performance objectives (IPOs) that are specific to the job.
• These IPOs are not a list of tasks, but rather goals and objectives that describe an outcome.
• The method for measurement is clear and understandable to the employee and makes a clear distinction between what would be considered a successful rating and an exceptional rating.
• Standards and measures may change throughout the performance cycle; adjustments to the performance plan are to be made to reflect these changes as necessary.

Step III – Meet with the employee

• Best practice is to meet with the employee to review and edit the performance plan together; to jointly set realistic and attainable goals and measurements; and to agree on priorities and reasonable target dates for outcomes.
• Such activities are likely to encourage commitment from the employee.
• Remember that the most meaningful and successful performance plans are developed collaboratively with the employee.
• However, as the supervisor is responsible for assigning the work, agreement is not a requirement.
• Once the performance cycle begins, the employee will be evaluated/rated on those expectations contained in the performance plan.

Step IV – Track & Coach Performance

• Supervisors need to track an employee’s accomplishments, adjust priorities, and make changes to the performance plan accordingly.
• Rather than focusing exclusively on mid-year and year-end evaluations, focus on employee-centered, ongoing and continuous feedback regarding how their performance is meeting the supervisor’s expectations.
• This will make the required mid-year and year-end process less cumbersome, as ongoing discussions throughout the performance cycle will result in a less labor intensive final overall evaluation. The work will already be done from the continuous, quality feedback provided throughout the performance cycle.
• In addition to knowing what is expected, all employees are entitled to know how they are performing.

Step V – Conduct periodic progress reviews

• Scheduling performance discussions with the employee to assess overall progress throughout the year is beneficial for both the employee as well as the supervisor.

Step vi – final performance evaluation

• Supervisors may ask the employee to bring a self appraisal (informal) and any tracking sheets, notes to files, input/kudos from customers, etc. to the meeting or send in advance and supervisors must consider all information presented by the employee before composing the evaluation and determining the recommended rating.
• The final overall evaluation must be reviewed by the Reviewer (signed and dated) before presenting the final overall evaluation to the employee.
• To finalize the formal evaluation process for the performance cycle, the supervisor should meet with the employee to present the final overall evaluation and rating.
• A final overall rating of Level 1 (Needs Improvement) shall result in a performance improvement plan or a corrective action and a reasonable amount of time to improve.
• A performance improvement plan is not a corrective action, but rather a more informal written communication to the employee about what is expected to improve performance and meet expectations.

Performance evaluations in workday

• The process for Performance Evaluations have remained the same, the only difference is now it will be on our Workday platform and HR will no longer accept the Evaluation Form.
• The initial groundwork for Performance Evaluations will be heavy on the Direct Supervisor, but the information will carry over as the evaluation process continues.

Step 1.

The supervisor will receive the task Manager Evaluation: Professional Personnel Annual Assessment and Planning.

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Step 2.

When the supervisor has clicked Get Started, they will navigate to the Competencies section of the Plan. The supervisor will provide their expectations specific to the position and the Core Competency. Competency definitions can be viewed in the Descriptions column next to the competency.

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Step 2 – Previous Evaluation

Previously, Core Competency expectations were relayed during the in-person planning meeting and the information was not documented. Workday allows for the supervisor and employee to document expectations. Competencies will still be rated during the final evaluation.

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Step 3.

Goals: These are specific goals or job assignments the employee will complete within the evaluation year. The supervisor and employee will have the opportunity to discuss future goals during the in-person meeting and also throughout the evaluation year.

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Step 3 – Previous Evaluation

Previous Evaluation – IPO’s

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Step 4.

Job Specific Responsibilities: Job Specific Responsibilities are derived directly from the duties and responsibilities specified in the job description for the position. Enter the responsibilities in the Response Box as you would have on the previous form.

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Step 4 – Previous Evaluation

Previous Evaluation – Job Specific Responsibility Example

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Step 5.

Supporting Documents: Upload any documents or additional information you would like to include in the Professional Plan.

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Step 6.

• At this point STOP. Schedule the in-person meeting with your employee. In the meeting the supervisor should:
• You will complete the remainder of the evaluation with your employee.
• Review the mission/vision of the department and of the work unit, the business requirements for the work unit, and the position description (PD) of the employee.
• Always review the PD when creating the performance plan, if you do not have a copy available, please contact HR and one will be provided.
• Keep in mind communicating expectations to the employee is a key contributor to an employee performing satisfactorily, all employees are entitled to know what is expected of them.
• Performance plans align with unit and division objectives, which in turn align with the department’s strategic plan.
• Set the Behavior Indicators and review the initial goals with the employee, ask if they have any goals they would like to add. Remember, the supervisor can edit by adding or removing goals.

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Step 7.

• After the supervisor and employee have had their in-person meeting to discuss the plan, the supervisor can then submit the evaluation to the second level supervisor for review and approval.
• When the second level supervisor receives the plan, they are reviewing the information provided. If they do not agree with the information, they have the ability to send the plan back to the supervisor to make the appropriate edits. If they agree with the plan, the supervisor will Approve.

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Step 8.

After the second level supervisor reviews the evaluation, the employee will receive an action item to review a summary of the Plan, acknowledge the Plan and also have the option to provide any comments they feel necessary.

The employee will be able to see the plan but will not be able to make changes.

After reviewing the Summary, the employee will be select Agree and Acknowledge the Plan or Decline to Acknowledge Review.

If the employee disagrees with the plan, they must enter a comment as to why they disagree and schedule a time to sit down with their direct supervisor to discuss the plan further. If an agreement cannot be met, a meeting with the next level supervisor is required.

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You’ve completed the planning portion of Administrative/Professional Performance Evaluations!!

More Information?

• Human Resources: Ary Lopez Ext 7990
• Workday Training Library: https://sites.google.com/adams.edu/workdaytraininglibrary/training-library
• Human Resources – Performance Management: https://www.adams.edu/hr/performance-management/