2009 Performance Appraisal Process
Human Resources is delighted to announce that we have completed our redesign of Bentley’s performance appraisal process. Within the next few days you will be receiving invitations to attend training sessions on the new system. As previously communicated, the new process moves to a competency-based assessment that is more prospective in nature than our previous process and emphasizes employee development. It was developed after evaluating feedback about our current performance appraisal forms, research on effective performance management systems, and input from VPs and Senior Managers, and Academic Department Chairs on the proposed new format. The new system features the following changes:
• Timing
We are decoupling the timing of performance appraisals from merit increases with performance appraisals occurring in January and merit increases occurring July 1.
Please note: Although we will not be offering merit increases this year, we will still be conducting annual performance reviews. Our plan is for employees to write and deliver performance appraisals for the past year during the summer to allow a 3-month window (June through August) to familiarize the community with the new process. We will then ask managers to review and update these appraisals in January 2010 and proceed in the future with annual performance appraisals occurring in January and February.
• Competencies
This competency-based system identifies five (5) core competencies applicable to all Bentley employees – examples include openness to change, communication, success in performance of position responsibilities – and seven (7) targeted competencies applicable to employees within certain job families – examples include service orientation, analytical capacity, leadership, and relationship building.
• Performance Categories
The appraisal describes overall employee performance utilizing four (4) performance categories, each performance category tied into the type of development plan appropriate to the employee. These include Significant Performance Improvement Needed (action = management intervention and the development of a corrective action plan), Proficient (action = the identification of specific opportunities to enhance skills and competencies), Highly Effective (action = the identification of specific opportunities to enhance professional growth and career advancement within scope of position description) and Outstanding (action = the identification of opportunities for retention and expanded influence).
• Self-Appraisal
It offers a more standardized employee self-appraisal, one that addresses new areas such as extenuating circumstances that influenced performance while providing employees with the opportunity to offer suggestions on how his/her manager can promote performance.
• Development Plan
Each appraisal calls for a development plan that ties into department and institutional priorities.
• Rating
A rating system is employed to assist supervisors and managers in assessing employee performance and opportunities for growth. Using a scale from 0 to 10, individuals writing and delivering the performance appraisal are asked to score performance and provide a rationale for the score. Please note a score of 5 represents proficient performance (a person who is fulfilling their position requirements) and should not be interpreted as a 50 out of a scale of 100. Similarly, scores of 9 or 10 should be reserved for consistently exemplary and extraordinary performance, while scores of 1 or 2 should be given to individuals who need to develop to adequately perform with respect to that competency.
We look forward to providing further information at the upcoming trainings.
Sincerely,
The Human Resources Team
