Performance Review

Objectives of PRD

Objectives of PRD THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW AND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS (PRD) is a system of performance management that is a mechanism to provide ongoing interaction, recognize good performance, and offer training and development opportunities.  The PRD process was developed using input from representative groups of employees at all levels to assure that UM’s needs and desires for a sound performance review process were met.  The objectives of the Performance Review and Development process (PRD) are:

• to provide an effective, fair system of performance management for all non-faculty employees at UMD;
• to strengthen employees’ performance and develop career potential through training and development;
• to support University and unit goals.

Components of PRD

There are five major components of the PRD process, including at least three required meetings and ongoing feedback over the course of the year-long review cycle.  The PRD cycle continues from April until March of the following year.

Expectation Setting: The supervisor and the employee discuss and document the priority duties and most important aspects of the employee’s job. They also determine what level of performance would meet or exceed expectations.

Ongoing Feedback: The supervisor will provide informal feedback on employee performance throughout the review period. Expectations should be discussed and may be revised or restructured according to needs.

Self-Assessment: The employee will conduct a Self-Assessment on their performance throughout the review period. This self-appraisal is conducted twice a year, before the Midway Feedback Session and before the final Performance Review. The information serves as a discussion point during both appraisal sessions.

Midway Feedback: The supervisor and employee meet and discuss the employee’s performance to date. The employee receives a “mock” evaluation and an informal midway performance rating. The supervisor and employee also discuss strengths and weaknesses and a development plan to improve areas of concern.

Annual Performance Review: The supervisor and employee meet formally to discuss the employee’s performance during the review period. With employee input through the Self-Assessment, performance is rated and training and development plans are discussed. When the final review is completed, the supervisor and employee begin the next cycle by conducting an Expectation-Setting meeting for the upcoming review cycle.

The PRD Rating Scale

The rating categories allow the supervisor to rate the employee’s performance in relation to the performance expectations set for that particular area, as well as assign an overall rating at the end of the review period.  The definition of “Meets Expectations” should be discussed with the employee in a meeting at the beginning of the review cycle.  The five rating categories are defined below:

Outstanding: Exemplary performance in all areas of the job.

Exceeds Expectations: Surpasses the standards and established performance expectations in many important areas of the job.

Meets Expectations: Good performance. Consistently meets standards and established performance expectations in important areas of the job. Performs duties at an expected level.

Below Expectations: Performance does not meet expectations in some important areas of the job; below expected levels of performance. Improvement needed.

Unsatisfactory: Performance falls below expectations in many areas of the job; substantial improvement critical.

Philosophy of PRD

The philosophy of PRD and the principles of the process are based upon research in the performance management field.  This research indicates that performance systems work best if they accurately distinguish between different levels of performance and are viewed as fair processes by the supervisor and the employee.  PRD is based on the following principles:

Fairness: Fairness is important to employees at all levels of an organization.  All employees are concerned that the process used to evaluate their performance is a fair one, yielding an assessment that accurately represents how they have performed in the specified period.

Expectations: In part, the fairness of the review process requires that employees know what is expected of them at the beginning of the evaluation period and receive ongoing feedback on how they are performing.

Employee Input: Employees want the opportunity throughout the performance management process to be heard.  Their input provides valuable information that contributes to the effectiveness and the fairness of a performance management system.

Support Goals: An effective performance management process is supportive of organizational goals.  Therefore the PRD process supports UM’s goals by facilitating the progress of UM initiatives.

Why Use PRD

UMD needs a Performance Review and Development process to:

Coordinate Work Efforts: Different divisions, departments and units, and individual employees can work toward common strategic goals and objectives.

Provide Employee Feedback: People need feedback on how they are performing in order to maintain their motivation, continue to develop their strengths, and focus on improving their weaker areas.  PRD offers a process for providing feedback to employees and assists them in planning for future development.

Make Administrative Decisions: Accurate information about employee performance is required in order to make administrative decisions about work assignments within a department.  This ensures units are working toward common goals, and that high performers are rewarded.  The documentation, informal feedback, and formal feedback inherent to the PRD process provides this information.

Document Performance: PRD provides performance information needed to document supervisory actions that might be subject to legal challenge, such as performance evaluations and ratings, salary action, promotion decisions, disciplinary actions and/or dismissals.