Evaluations

The performance evaluation cycle starts with a self-evaluation. You are not required to complete a self-evaluation; however, by doing so, you take an active role in the evaluation process. When preparing to do a self-evaluation, consider the following steps: 

• Conduct a personal evaluation of performance against objectives and behaviors so far. 
• Reflect upon the most important contributions you were expected to make to the university or department’s success. How were the objectives achieved, and how have you demonstrated the appropriate behaviors? When did you go “above and beyond” in a way that enhanced the performance of your department or unit? Were there missed opportunities when your results limited the overall success of others in your department or unit?
• Consider professional development opportunities for the next performance cycle. What strengths can you use more frequently on the job? What competencies might you develop to improve your performance or prepare for future roles? How can your supervisor support your development?

Staff Note: Even if you choose to not complete a self-evaluation, you must log into your review and take action to move the review to your supervisor for their evaluation of you.

In the PageUp Performance Management System, the definitions are provided for rating the Job, Duties, Performance Goals. The definitions provided for use in the Overall Rating are listed below.

• Exceptional: The employee significantly exceeds expectations as noted in job duties and performance goals. They model behaviors that support Virginia Tech’s values and college/unit expectations. The employee's contributions have a consistently positive impact and value to the department and to the organization. This employee is easily recognized as a top performer. 
• Meets: The employee consistently demonstrates effective performance by meeting expectations as defined by job duties and performance goals. They are viewed as someone who gets the job done and effectively prioritizes work. They contribute to the overall objectives of the department and/or the organization.
• Does not meet: The employee does not meet expectations as defined in the job duties and performance goals.  This may be due to being new to a role or new to a specific assignment; it may also reflect outcomes and/or behaviors that need attention and do not meet expectations for the role.  Steps to improvement should be discussed and documented.

A performance review is an evaluation of performance in a given time period, not necessarily on a specific job or role. Things change and stuff happens and it is important to document that. If an employee's position changes in a year, the prior supervisor should provide an interim evaluation. For an employee's self-evaluation, the whole year should be considered, even if the job duties and goals changed.

If an employee disagrees with an evaluation and cannot resolve the disagreement with the supervisor, the employee may appeal to the reviewer for another review of the evaluation. Any appeal process must provide for the appeal to be made in writing to the reviewer and the HR Representative within 10 workdays of the employee acknowledging the receipt of the review.

The reviewer should discuss an employee’s appeal with the supervisor and employee. After discussion of the appeal, the reviewer should provide the employee and the HR Representative with a written response within five workdays of receiving it. The reviewer's response should indicate one of the following:

• the reviewer agrees with the evaluation;
• the supervisor will revise the evaluation;
• the supervisor will complete a new evaluation;
• the reviewer will revise the evaluation; or
• the reviewer will complete a new evaluation.

Evaluations for first year employees are handled in the same manner as a staff evaluation albeit at six months and 12 months of employment. For more information, visit the probationary page.

Employees on leave include those on approved Virginia Sickness and Disability Program (VSDP) leave, sick leave, military leave, workers' compensation, or leave without pay (LWOP).

Supervisors must refrain from using paid leave times in a manner that adversely affects the employee's overall performance rating. Supervisors may consider the length of time that employees perform in their job during the performance cycle, along with how well they perform, in arriving at a LWOP employee's overall rating.

Pay increases for employees on VSDP, sick, military, workers' compensation, or LWOP:

• Classified employees in a paid leave status who are rated 'Meets' and 'Exceptional,' are eligible for any budgeted pay increase provided by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
  
• University employees in a paid leave status who are rated 'Meets' and 'Exceptional,' are eligible for any pay or merit increases provided by the university that are associated with the overall rating on the evaluation.
  
• Pay and/or merit increases will be included in paychecks: 
  • while in a paid leave status.
  • upon the LWOP employee's return to work. 

• In evaluating performance, it is important to always compare actual performance to the performance standards determined during the Plan phase. 
• To be fair and objective, a performance evaluation must be based on the employee’s job-related behavior throughout the performance cycle, not the employee’s personal traits or other factors unrelated to the job. As a reminder, do not mention gender and ethnicity, or include health or medical information in a performance review. 
• It is also important to ensure the evaluation is complete with supporting documentation. 
• A high rating is not motivation to improve performance; it usually provides the opposite effect. 

Overall Rating is based on the Rating Descriptions. In this area, describe the overall performance rating and summarize the details of the job duties and goals. Add specific examples that are related to the overall performance cycle in this section. 

Note: Form P142: Notice of Improvement Needed for Unsatisfactory Performance: This form (or a written notice) is required before a staff employee can be given an overall "Does not meet" rating on the annual performance evaluation. This must be noted in the review. Before a P142 or written notice is issued to an employee, the supervisor must work in partnership with their HR Representative.  

The final comments should include both information about the overall rating summary and their growth and development.

• Let the employee talk.  Aim for the employee to speak for more than half of the time.
  
• Be open and receptive.  One of the goals of a performance evaluation is to align goals and expectations with actual performance.  For this to occur, it is important for the evaluator to communicate what is expected of the individual.  This includes how accomplishments will be measured (i.e. quality, quantity, timeliness) and what factors have influenced performance (i.e. unexpected staffing decreases, new regulatory requirements).  The annual evaluation is a global discussion of overall performance as it was evidenced during the year. Although there may have been specific areas of concern, generally conduct-related issues such as a failure to follow a workplace rule (whether written or unwritten) or tardiness and/or absenteeism would have been dealt with in the form of an individual communication that specifically addresses that particular issue.  
  
• Demonstrate respect and dignity. It is important to demonstrate respect and dignity by maintaining confidentiality, and by not sharing what you have discussed with others who do not have a need to know. Listening carefully, being careful to be perceptive beyond what is said, and seeking clarification, which will demonstrate your interest in understanding what the other person is saying and how it can help you as an evaluator.  Avoiding argument and recognizing individual perceptions and opinions will likely lead to a more productive discussion. It may be helpful to recognize the mutual goals of improving performance and focusing on opportunities for professional development. Be careful not to concentrate too closely on minor issues or to become too highly critical on any particular item unless that item is essential to the successful performance of the job.
  
• Ask questions. Use single open-ended questions to prompt the employee to speak openly. An example is, "What has given you the most satisfaction this year?"
  
• Reinforce the employee's main points. Reinforce their main points by rephrasing what the individual has said as an open ended question such as, "So Jane, the thing that gave you most satisfaction from your role was..?"  This reinforces that you have heard and understood what was said. Ending on a question provides the employee the chance to correct you if you have misunderstood.
  
• Praise and recognize good performance. Ensure the employee understands the positive impact their good performance has had on business results. Give the employee clear examples of negative performance. With those examples ask questions such as, "What happened..? Why..? How did the difficulties begin?"
  
• Seek feedback. Learn how you have managed the individual. One helpful question would be, "What could I have done to help you more?" You will need to listen to the replies calmly and attentively and not become defensive if you feel you are being criticized as a supervisor. If you felt you had provided support, this should be explored through open questions to the individual.
  
• Summarize the review. Re-examine specific goals, standards of performance, and offer training opportunities for the next review period.

• If the supervisor leaves their position during an employee’s performance cycle, the departing supervisor should complete an interim evaluation of the employee’s performance.
• If there is less than two months to the beginning of the Evaluation phase, the year should be fully evaluated.
• If there is more than two months, the new job duties and goals should be added as comments summarizing the evaluation of the old expectations and outlining the new.
• The overall evaluation ratings should be indicative of the entirety of that performance cycle.

Within 10 workdays of the employee acknowledging receipt of a performance review with an overall rating of "Does not meet," the supervisor, in collaboration with the HR Representative, is required to create a performance re-evaluation plan in the PageUp Performance Management System. This plan will outline performance expectations for the subsequent three months. 

• Even if the employee is in the process of appealing the evaluation, the performance plan must be developed and include a development plan.
• The supervisor must discuss with the employee specific recommendations for meeting the minimum performance measures contained in the re-evaluation plan during the re-evaluation period.
  
• If the employee transfers to another position during the re-evaluation period, the re-evaluation process will be terminated. Regardless of the employee’s movement to another position during this re-evaluation period, the employee will not be eligible for a performance-based pay increase.