Performance Review Process - Staff

Due Dates

Performance reviews can be prepared at any time throughout the year, providing that each employee must have a review on file within the last 12 months.

The Supervisor's Role in the Performance Review Process

The performance review process is an important aspect of performance management. Effective supervisors provide guidance, coaching, and feedback to their staff throughout the year on job duties and responsibilities, performance goals and expectations, appraising the performance and future development opportunities. At least once a year, you should summarize these discussions in writing using an Administrator or Staff Performance Review form.

The goal of the performance review is to provide your staff with feedback on their performance and accomplishments for the previous year. As a result of this process, staff members should have an understanding of their job responsibilities and supervisor's performance expectations. Also, through this process specific action plans are determined which will allow the staff member to achieve established performance goals.

90 Day Staff Employee Orientation Review

Successful New Hires

A newly hired employee's first few months on the job are critical. As a supervisor, you've invested time and effort to find the best-qualified individual to fill your open position. For the new hire, this is a time of excitement at starting a new career at Notre Dame, and a time of learning about the University, your expectations, and the duties of the new position. Training and feedback on progress and performance are crucial to a new employee's success.

Action

For staff employees, the first 90 calendar days of employment serve as a formal orientation period. During this time, in addition to regular communication, supervisors are asked to complete a formal review on or around 45 days, followed by another review on or around the 80 th day. The formal Orientation Review form can be found at:

90 Day Orientation Review Form

This form will accommodate your performance comments for both reviews. Once completed, please forward a copy to Julie Boser, 100 Grace Hall or email it to the Office of Human Resources. Retain a copy of the document for your files that has been signed by both the supervisor and the employee.

If You Need Assistance

If there are any performance issues during the orientation period, or you have questions regarding this process, please contact your HR Business Partner in the Office of Human Resources, or phone 631-5900.

Planning for the Performance Review

Before you meet with the staff member, prepare! To ensure timely preparation for the review process, you can use the suggested Performance Review Process Checklist.

Blank review forms can be downloaded by clicking on Performance Review Form: Staff. You can also request a hard copy of either form by contacting the Office of Human Resources.

Advise staff members that performance reviews are being completed, set and communicate the date of when you are planning to meet with them and how you will handle the performance review process.

Provide staff members with a form, the current position description, and direction on completing a self-review.

Complete the staff member's review taking note of items in your departmental personnel file, including:

Documentation or notes of previous discussions
Last year's performance review
Performance expectations and job description
Goals and objectives for the previous year
Letters of commendation (or complaints)
Anything else relevant to the staff member's performance
Sample work products

Review the staff member's performance during the entire year and prepare the appropriate Performance Review form. Ensure you focus on the entire year and not just recent events.

Compare staff member's actual performance to established expectations
and the Position Description
View staff members as individuals
Determine strengths and weaknesses
Use the entire range of ratings
Ensure a clear understanding of the Performance Definitions

Discuss the draft Performance Review with your supervisor, department head, and/or dean, as appropriate. Include any additional input, suggestions, and/or comments. No signatures at this time.

Finalize the draft Performance Review for the upcoming year. This will include changes to the position description, rational for ratings, goals and expectations, development plan ideas.

Meet with the staff member to conduct the performance review discussion on the predetermined date. This should be a two-way conversation starting with the discussion of the position description and ending with the employee's comments. This meeting also includes:

Any additional comments added to your copy of the review as appropriate. These can be handwritten or included in a final draft
Discussion of expectations for the upcoming year
Joint determination of the development plan;
Employee comments and signature to the final version;
Your signature to the review as the supervisor.

Have your supervisor, whoever you discussed the draft review with, sign the final copy.

Send the review to the Office of Human Resources within one week of conducting the review.

Performance Review Process Checklist

Step	Timing	Completed
Determine date to conduct review	1 month prior
Obtain forms:	1 month prior
Blank Review Position Description
Meet with employee to provide form,	3 weeks prior
Position Description and Direction for Self-review
Complete employee review	2 weeks prior
Discuss review with your immediate supervisor for input, suggestions, and/or comments (no signature)	1 week prior
Meet with employee to conduct review Include any additional comments to your copy of the review as appropriate Discuss expectations for upcoming year Jointly determine development plan Finalize by obtaining employee's signature and/or comments Sign the review yourself	Predetermined date
Have next level supervisor sign the review	Within 1 week of review
Provide copy of signed review to employee	Prior to sending to human resources
Send the review to human resources	Within 1 week of concluding review

Completing the Performance Review Form / Step-by-Step

Identifying Information

Please type or print the identifying information. Please use the staff member's full name (no nicknames) and a social security number.
The "Title" is the staff member's official title from the Position Description. If you do not know the correct title, you can look in the Eudora directory.
The "Date of Review" is the actual date that you and the staff member meet to discuss the Performance Review.
The "Immediate Supervisor" and the "Next Level of Supervision" are names only. These are not signature lines.
Indicate "Too New to Evaluate" if the staff member has been with the University for less than six months. Communicate that a review will be conducted when six months of employment has been reached. If the staff member has transferred from another department of the University, they will need to receive a review. Coordinate your efforts with the staff member's former supervisor to provide an accurate review of the previous year.

Position Description

The purpose for the position description (PD) review is to focus the discussion on the responsibilities of the staff member. What is required in the position is in the PD, so it is a good starting point for discussion on the performance of those requirements. This is also an opportunity to make any necessary changes to the document based on changes in the position responsibilities.
This is a two-way discussion. Please be open to what the staff member contributes. He/she may have changes that you are not aware of. Note any changes in the position requirements in this section. If the changes are significant, submit a revised PD to the Office of Human Resources. If there are no changes, note that the current PD was discussed.
To obtain a current copy of a PD, contact the Office of Human Resources at 631-5900.
Staff members should have a copy of their current PD.
The review of the PD as part of the performance review sets a baseline of expectations and performance above and beyond the PD responsibilities should be taken into account when completing the criteria rating of the Performance Review Form.
Indicate on the review form, by checking the appropriate box, whether or not a revised PD will be sent to human resources for review.

Summary of Performance

The performance definitions are as follows:

Outstanding Performance is superior on a consistent and sustained basis
Exceeds Expectations Performance exceeds normal job requirements
Meets Expectations Performance meets position requirements
Needs Improvement Performance meets some position requirements, objectives and expectations
Unsatisfactory Performance does not meet position requirements, objectives and expectations and immediate attention to improve is required
Not Applicable Criteria does not apply to this position

Click here for further clarification of these performance definitions.

There are two different sets of criteria, one for administrators and one for staff. The criteria and corresponding definitions can be viewed for the Staff Performance Review Form. These criteria are broad in scope to cover a range of positions.

Ensure that only one rating is indicated for each criterion.

Carefully consider the criterion definition and be able to sight examples that supports the rating.
- Avoid confusing activity with accomplishment
- Rate performance, not personality
- Avoid the tendency to rate a person the same on all criteria
- Rate the performance realistically
Take into consideration input from anyone the staff member supports
Documentation is necessary for "Outstanding," "Needs Improvement," and "Unsatisfactory" ratings.
Position-specific criteria can be added to the criteria being evaluated. This additional criterion should be communicated to the staff member prior to the review period.
Comments and supporting documentation should correspond with the ratings. These comments should affirm or reinforce positive behaviors and coach/counsel the staff member on areas in which improvement is required.
Determining the word or phrase that most accurately describes a staff member's performance is at times difficult. For some ideas, you can go to How to Describe That Performance.

Development Plan

The development plan for the staff member should be a joint effort.
Be realistic in terms of budget and time constraints. Don't promise something you will not be able to follow through on.
The development plan can be utilized in three ways:

To define the necessary actions to bring about improved performance in areas that need improvement or are unsatisfactory.
Outline activities or objectives that allow the staff member to more fully contribute to the mission of the work unit.
Focus on developmental assignments or activities that enhance current performance or prepare the staff member for greater challenges or career advancement.

The development plan provides the supervisor the opportunity to follow-up with the staff member and give feedback and direction throughout the year.
The specific area for performance improvement, contribution, or assignment should be stated. Then, list the specific activity(ies) to be carried out by the staff member. Finally, indicate a date or time frame for the activity(ies) to be completed.

Overall Rating

The purpose for the performance review is to summarize the staff member's performance over the review period. It also sets a base for performance expectations and standards. This base is then used when evaluating past performance and in the development of future expectations.
The overall rating is the sum of the individual criterion ratings, the supporting documentation and items covered during the performance discussion with the staff member. All three of these areas need to be considered when determining the overall rating.
Take into consideration the importance or weight of a specific criteria and the impact that criterion has on the position. For example, if "Safe Work Practices" does not have as much impact on a position as "Quality of Work", then the rating should not have the same amount of influence in determine the overall rating.
If the overall rating is "Needs Improvement" or "Unsatisfactory," contact the Office of Human Resources for direction on formulating a specific development plan for the staff member prior to the discussion meeting.

Employee Comments

Employee comments are optional
The employee can either submit comments during the discussion meeting or within a few days of the review being conducted. Additional pages may be used for comments and included with the final review form. If comments are submitted after the discussion meeting, they should be discussed with the staff member.
If the staff member indicates he/she would like to discuss the review with the next level of supervision or with the Office of Human Resources.

Signatures

All signatures are obtained after the review discussion.
The staff member does not have to sign the Performance Review Form. The signature indicates that the review has been discussed with him/her, not that he/she is in complete agreement.
If the staff member declines to sign the review, write "Declined to sign" and the date on the Employee Signature line of the form. The review still becomes a part of his/her personnel record.
The supervisor signs during the meeting with the staff member, then the Next Level of Supervision signs.
A copy of the review should be given to the staff member, a copy should be kept for department record, and the original should be sent to Human Resources. A Human Resources Generalist will review for consistency and sign the form.

What Happens Next

The overall rating is entered into the human resources database and the form is filed in the staff member's personnel file.
If you have any questions on the Performance Review Process you can contact the Office of Human Resources.

How to describe that performance…

Provided are some ideas to get you started. The criteria are based on the staff and administrator performance review forms.

Performance Reviews for Staff Members

Criteria	Sample Comments
Quality	recognizes the importance of quality in providing a competitive edge performs with unusual accuracy, thoroughness and effectiveness displays pride in work demonstrates accuracy, thoroughness and orderliness in performing work assignments
Quantity	organizes work well is orderly and systematic is methodical in planning and performing completes assigned tasks and seeks additional work
Individual Effectiveness	shares ideas and techniques gets along well with others works effectively with others receives and carries out tasks in a cooperative manner handles situations in a calm, objective manner is tactful in conflict situations accepts constructive criticism
Initiative	is a self starter excels in identifying new areas of opportunities continuously finds new and better ways of performing job requires minimum supervision keeps informed of developing problems effectively solves problems at early stages
Communication	communicates clearly and concisely excels in communicating with individuals and groups makes a strong impact at meetings is an empathetic listener demonstrates proper telephone techniques and etiquette promptly responds to requests develops and maintains two-way communications keeps other departments informed of developments affecting their functions excels in dealing with the public is assertive without being overly aggressive
Service Focus	attains results through positive actions promptly responds to requests seeks creative alternatives fosters a pleasant and welcoming environment conveys a positive personal image builds positive rapport understands and knows how to get along with internal and external customers displays positive energy
Judgment& Decision Making	draws sound conclusions makes thoughtful determinations effectively diagnoses situations or conditions makes decisions with confidence can be relied on to make sound decisions foresees the consequences of decisions concentrates on developing solutions
Job Knowledge	clearly understands purposes, objectives, practices and procedures of department thoroughly understands all aspects of job shares knowledge for the benefit of coworkers
Ongoing Skill Improvement	consistently seeks higher levels of expertise often makes valuable suggestions for improvement displays a willingness to discuss weaknesses and make improvements seeks opportunity for self-improvement continues to grow and improve
Dependability	displays industriousness, conscientiousness and diligence in performing tasks utilizes all available resources to achieve results can be counted on to achieve results in emergency situations displays a strong personal commitment to successfully completing all projects is always fully prepared can be trusted to provide support
Safe Work Practices	takes proper measures to avoid spills is careful to follow proper storage procedures closely follows all safety regulations is very safety conscious takes prompt action to eliminate unsafe conditions

Printing Performance Reviews

To print the completed performance review for employee and supervisor signatures you may click on the PRINT button found at the bottom of the performance review. Or, you may click on the File menu option, then Print.

Saving Performance Reviews

If you plan to save the performance review you will have to use the Microsoft Word version.
Staff Performance Review Form (Word97)

Guidelines for Orientation Review Process

The first 90 days of employment serve as an orientation period for staff employees. During this period a minimum of two evaluations are recommended. The orientation review form.

The supervisor should complete the first half of the form on or around the 45th day of the individual's employment. Fill in all personnel information on the top of the form. Indicate either S for satisfactory or U for unsatisfactory in the rating column for each category. Include a statement supporting the rating for each category under review comments. Specific examples of strengths and areas for development should be noted in the next section. Any additional comments regarding the employee's overall job performance should be added in the last section.

The supervisor should discuss the review with the employee, offering the employee recommendations for improvement and highlighting the employee's strengths. No signature is required after the first discussion. Save the document for the next evaluation.

The second evaluation should be conducted on or around the 80th day of employment. Again indicate the rating of S for satisfactory or U for unsatisfactory. The supervisor should again meet with the employee and have a discussion of strengths and areas of development. The supervisor should discuss the employee's progress from the first evaluation and indicate recommendations for continued improvements.

If the employee's performance is satisfactory, obtain appropriate signatures and forward the review form to the Office of Human Resources. If the employee's performance is unsatisfactory and an extension of the orientation review period is necessary or termination is required, please call your HR Business Partner in the Office of Human Resources or e-mail askHR@nd.edu.

Quick Links

Navigation