Virginia Tech® home

Performance Management

 

Performance management is a team effort, designed to elevate both your individual success and the entire team's achievements.  Regular Touchpoints give you a chance to set clear goals, celebrate wins, address challenges, and pave the way for growth. This framework, with ongoing feedback, fosters a positive work environment, boosts productivity, and enhances job satisfaction. Here's how it empowers both employees and supervisors:

  • Shared Goals: Collaborate to align your work with the big picture, ensuring everyone sees how their efforts make an impact.
  • Continuous Feedback: Open communication keeps you on track, helps you improve, and allows your supervisor to provide timely guidance.
  • Empowerment and Trust: Take ownership of your development, get the resources you need, and feel confident your contributions are valued.
  • Learning and Development: Use both successes and challenges as chances to learn, fueling your ongoing professional growth.

Learn more about Touchpoints

 

Staff Annual Performance Process

The performance process provides opportunities for supervisors and employees to discuss throughout the year and assess how well an individual’s performance meets the requirements of the job and goals agreed upon.

2024 Staff Performance Dates and Quick Overview

All staff performance plans should be in Touchpoints at this time. All 2023 staff performance evaluations should be complete.

The following tabs include an overview of the performance process along with the staff annual performance dates for a typical plan year. Check the performance plan for specific dates.

The Plan stage lasts from November 1 through January 15 on an annual cycle.

The Plan stage is crucial to the process so the employee and supervisor know the expectations and the metrics for the Evaluation stage. Having clear, measurable job duties and goals are key. The Plan stage includes Planning, where job duties and goals are editable, and Plan Approval, where job duties and goals are locked for editing in the view-only mode. Both the employee and supervisor have access at this time. 

  • Employees and supervisors should review job descriptions as part of the performance planning process. 
  • Performance planning provides the foundation for a successful performance year. 
  • Employees and supervisors should work together on establishing goals for the year.

For more information, visit the planning and setting goals page.

The Touchpoint stage lasts from January 16 through July 30 on an annual cycle.

The Touchpoint stage is where supervisors support employees working towards completing their job duties and goals. Both the employee and supervisor have access to the performance plan at this time. The system provides opportunities for supervisors and employees to document progress through the year as discussed in their Touchpoint conversations. 

  • It is important that supervisors set these regular check-in discussions with their employees.
  • Regular Touchpoints conversations provide an opportunity for supervisors and employees to work together to ensure performance remains on track throughout the year and that employees are tracking their progress toward job requirements and goals.

For more information, visit the continuous performance management page.

The Evaluation stage lasts from August 1 through October 14 on an annual cycle.

An annual performance review is a joint effort between the supervisor and employee to help the individual reflect on their progress over the past year. This is a vital time where every voice should be heard. Access in the system is limited to who is the evaluator at the time.

  • An employee self-evaluation is suggested to help the employee prepare for the performance review conversation with their supervisor.
  • Supervisors should review the employees' self-evaluation in addition to preparing their supervisor  evaluation on the employee and share it with the reviewer for approval.   
  • The supervisor should schedule a meeting with the employee to discuss the evaluation. Once the conversation concludes, the employee should have an opportunity to add comments to the evaluation and should acknowledge they have received it.   

For more information, visit the evaluations page.

Resources

For more information about the performance cycle, planning, evaluations, and other helpful links visit the Resources page for PageUp Performance Management System (PFM).

Faculty should contact their dean's or administrator's office for specifics regarding their college’s process and schedule. 
illustration of VT pylons and a check list

North End Center, Suite 2300 (0318)
300 Turner Street NW
Blacksburg, VA 24061

Hours 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Phone 540-231-9331
Fax 540-231-3830
Email hrservicecenter@vt.edu

If there are any questions regarding the performance system or process, contact the HR Performance Partner for the senior management area.