Performance Management

colleagues grouped together around a computer

Performance management provides FAS staff and managers dedicated time to reflect on progress, clarify expectations, and discuss priorities and potential career paths. Performance management is intended to foster staff member’s individual success, to engage managers in the development of their staff, and to support the priorities and goals of the FAS.

Performance management is comprised of two basic parts:

The What: Continuous coaching conversations throughout the year
The How: Tracking of highlights of continuing conversations, to set priorities and goals, and summarizing themes at the end of the academic year.

FY24 Performance Management Timeline

The FY24 performance management timeline extends from August, 2023 through July, 2024. This includes goal setting, an annual summary conversation, and regular coaching conversations throughout the year. The timeline is included below, and can be viewed as a PDF as well.

FY24 performance management timeline infographic

Performance Management Ratings

Ratings are a required part of the performance management process in FY24. Managers can add in preliminary ratings by navigating to PeopleSoft and selecting Manage My Team > Team Performance > Enter Preliminary Ratings. From there, there is a drop down to select a rating for each employee. Below are the descriptions for each rating. 

Rating 

Definition 

Application Guidance 

Exceptional Impact 

  • Contributions have significant and consistently exceptional impact and value to the department and/or the organization.
  • Makes unique, often one-time achievements that measurably advance progress towards organizational goals and/or result in major improvements.
  • Easily recognized as a role model by high-performing peers.
  • Viewed as an excellent resource to provide expertise, guidance, advice, mentorship or support to others.
  • Demonstrates a range of high-level competencies and actively takes on higher levels of responsibility. 
  • Should be seen as ‘the exception’ to a staff member’s regular work.
  • The employee went above and beyond in specific, measurable ways over the last year.
  • The employee should not be expected to perform in this capacity year after year.
  • This is the level of work or contribution you would potentially want to acknowledge as part of a local- or FAS-wide recognition program. 

Full/Consistent Impact 

  • Consistently demonstrates meaningful impact through accomplishments and contributions.
  • This level of impact is reflective of a fully qualified, competent and experienced individual in this role.
  • Viewed as someone who gets the job done and effectively prioritizes work and produces strong results.
  • Contributes positively to the overall objectives of the department and/or the larger organization.
  • Achieves valuable accomplishments in several important areas of the job and/or on assigned projects. 
  • Staff member delivers work in a way that’s reliable and maintains a high level of quality.
  • This is the kind of work you’d want to see them accomplish during a regular year. 

Learning/Building 

  • Needs to gain proficiency and/or productivity in the position to achieve consistent impact.
  • May achieve some, but not all goals. Stronger or additional knowledge, skills and abilities need to be demonstrated for consistent success in the roles. 
  • This rating is recommended for use when an employee is still coming up to speed with their job responsibilities based on limited tenure in the role.  
  • Staff member is developing in their role.
  • Some aspects of the work may be of higher quality than others.
  • They may be in the process of learning some aspects of their role, depending on their hire date or changes that have occurred for the position. 

Needs Improvement 

  • The quality of performance is below expectation for the role.
  • Knowledge, skills, abilities and/or productivity have not been demonstrated at the appropriate levels. 
  • The work is not at the level that you would expect or need for this position.
  • This is not reflective of someone who is new to their role and needs time to learn the appropriate skills. 

 

Performance Management in PeopleSoft

As in previous years, the performance management process, including goal setting and annual reviews, will be documented in PeopleSoft. To access performance management materials in PeopleSoft:

  • For staff access: From the PeopleSoft dashboard, click on the My Performance tile, and then select "Annual Review." Click on the different tabs--InstructionsPrioritiesOngoing ConversationSummaryCompetencies, and Feedback--to familiarize yourself with the available options. Enter your goals in to the Priorities tab.Use the Summary tab to write your self-assessment.
  • For manager access: From the PeopleSoft dashboard, click on the Team Performance tile, and then on the staff member’s name.

Annual Performance Reviews

The FY24 review process will be similar to previous years:

  • Employees set goals/priorities in PeopleSoft.
  • Managers and employees continue to have regular coaching conversations.
  • Employees complete a self-assessment in PeopleSoft.
  • Managers (virtually or in person) meet with individual employees for annual summary conversations.
  • Managers document this conversation in PeopleSoft.
  • Managers assign a final year-end performance rating for each employee.

For annual summary conversations, managers should set aside some time to have one-on-one conversations with each of their employees about their work over the past year. What worked? What could be improved? How can staff members develop in their current role and in their career? What kinds of things do they want to accomplish over the next year?

Managing Performance from a Distance

Many FAS employees are now working remotely or on a hybrid schedule. Communication between managers and staff members is more important than ever in this changing work enviroment. Here are some things to keep in mind as you manage performance from a distance:

  • Continue to have regular check-ins. Communication is more important than ever as we get used to a remote work environment. Maintain regular contact with your staff members via Zoom, email, Microsoft Teams, or other resources that work for your team. Regular contact will help you address any new problems that arise and to manage any recurring issues.
  • (Re)set expectations. Clearly communication any new expectations you have for your employees. There shouldn’t be any surprises during the annual summary conversation. Tools like Microsoft Teams can help managers and staff members keep track of projects and maintain accountability.

More resources on managing performance remotely can be found here.

Performance Management Resources

We understand that you may need additional guidance about the performance review process. With that in mind, we've developed the Resources for Managers and Staff webpage, which will help you manage all the steps of the performance review process.

If you have questions or need additional information, please reach out to your HR Consultant.