Performance Assessment Purpose and Ratings

I am writing to inform you that the 2019 Performance Assessment process will begin in April for those in the Professional & Managerial (PM) and Confidential employee groups.

The process for Advancement Professionals (AP), Research Associates and Senior Research Associates will launch in May.

Annual meetings to formally discuss performance are an important opportunity for managers to recognize employee accomplishments in a given year, and to discuss future opportunities for professional development and growth. I encourage both managers and employees to familiarize themselves with the assessment process, including the competency resource tools.

The University expects that most employees should receive a High-Quality Performance rating, where work is of high quality in all significant areas of responsibility. The excellent and exceptional performance ratings are intended to recognize staff who have served in an above-and-beyond capacity, and have achieved significant accomplishments in relation to their divisional and individual goals throughout the past year.

Although this formal process takes place on an annual basis, managers and employees are encouraged to have ongoing conversations throughout the year to not only recognize performance, but also to clarify expectations and focus on priorities as needed.

Further communications for specific employee groups regarding the start of this process will be sent in the coming weeks.

Announcing a Review of the Performance Assessment Process

We have received significant feedback over the past five years regarding the current Performance Assessment process and the associated Halogen software, both informally and through surveys we have conducted with our key stakeholder groups.

While employees and managers will complete this year’s review using the existing Halogen software, I am very pleased to announce that the Division of Human Resources & Equity will be rolling out a new software suite to conduct future Performance Assessment & Goals Setting processes. This software, SuccessFactors: Performance & Goals, is part of a state-of-the-art human resource management system that will begin phasing out the existing Halogen software starting this fall. We anticipate that the new system will fully replace Halogen, for all non-unionized employee groups over the next few years.

This roll out is an important component of our five-year HR Technology Roadmap to modernize our HR systems and launch new tools that create a more cohesive and efficient digital workplace.

In addition to launching this new software, we will be conducting a full review of the performance assessment and goal setting processes with an aim to streamline the annual process and improve the employee experience. We will engage and consult with key stakeholders starting in the fall of 2019.

Additional information will be shared with you as we begin the review process and roll out the Halogen software replacement.