The Performance Management Meeting
Reviewing your performance for the past year
- How are performance management meetings conducted?
- What are the performance and professional development questions?
- What are the performance ratings?
Planning objectives and professional development for the coming year
How are performance management meetings conducted?
You and your performance management supervisor will meet in a confidential, supportive environment that is free from distractions and interruptions. The meeting is a two-way discussion based around your draft Performance Report and the supporting evidence that has been gathered. The discussion is an opportunity for your supervisor to:
- give positive and constructive feedback about your achievements and performance areas that could be improved or enhanced
- clearly explain what is expected of you during the next performance period and check that you understand
- discuss whether the performance objectives and professional development that have been proposed are achievable, appropriate for your classification level or career development aspirations, and relevant to the needs of the School/ Section/Centre and/or Faculty/Division
Note:
By mutual agreement, you or your supervisor may also invite a support person to attend the meeting, but not to act as an adviser, advocate, representative or delegate.
What are the performance and review questions?
The first step is for you and your supervisor to discuss your performance achievements, professional development and evidence for the performance period just ended.
- What did you achieve in relation to the agreed performance objectives?
What factors (if any) prevented you from satisfactorily achieving the agreed performance objectives? - Did you have any significant achievements that were not on the agreed performance plan?
If "yes", please specify. - What professional development activities did you undertake during the performance period?
How did the professional development help you? - (AND for executive staff only:)
How did you contribute to the achievement of CSU’s key objectives?
What factors (if any) prevented you from contributing to the achievement of CSU’s key objectives? - Your supervisor will comment on any current performance issues in relation to:
- the "Generic Responsibilities of CSU Staff" (all staff)
- assigned duties/responsibilities (academic staff)
- duty statement (general staff)
- accountability statement (executive staff)
Notes:
An outcome of the performance management meeting may be a recommendation to review the general staff member’s duty statement or academic staff member’s workload agreement for the next performance period.
What are the performance ratings?
During the meeting, you will discuss your proposed self-rating for your achievements over the past performance period with your supervisor. The supervisor will then discus their recommended performance rating, based on the evidence.
There are five performance rating categories: click here to read online OR download a full copy of the Performance Management Rating Scale [DOC]
In addition, the Guidelines for Assessing Academic Staff Performance [DOC] will assist supervisors to assess the performance of academic staff against agreed performance objectives and the position requirements, and determine an appropriate performance rating.
Writing objectives for next year
The next step is for you and your supervisor to discuss and agree on your performance objectives, professional development activities, resources and support for the next performance period.
The performance planning questions are:
1. What would you like to achieve during the next performance period, given relevant professional development, resources and support? (These are performance objectives). If applicable, outline strategies to achieve these performance objectives.
2. What skills and knowledge would you like to develop during the next performance period? (These professional development objectives should help you to meet or exceed expectations related to your performance objectives/current position and/or to prepare for a future position.)
What professional development activities would you like to undertake in order to develop these skills and knowledge?
3. What resources and support would enhance your performance objectives and professional development objectives?
During the discussion, you will set one or more performance objectives in each of your priority work areas. These performance objectives must be relevant to your classification level, which is found in:
- Executive staff - Accountability statement
- Academic staff - Standards, Expectations and Qualifications of Academic Staff policy
- General staff - Position descriptors
Your objectives should be written in accordance with the following "SMART" principles:
- "Specific" means that objectives clearly specify intended outcomes
- "Measurable" means that it is possible to monitor progress and determine the extent to which objectives are achieved, based on evidence
- "Achievable" means that objectives are challenging but capable of being achieved, and that the people who are to achieve them have the necessary time, skills, resources and authority to deliver results
- "Relevant" means that objectives are aligned with and support the objectives of the School/Section/Centre, Faculty/Division and University and
- "Time-based" means that target dates are set for achieving objectives and completing interim steps
During the discussion your supervisor may also propose and discuss other performance objectives or professional development that would be more appropriate to the needs of the School/ Section/Centre and/or Faculty/Division.
If there are any performance, issues then your supervisor must:
- make sure that one or more of your performance objectives and professional development objectives is focused on improving your performance to help you meet expectations in the identified areas
- discuss what behaviours and results would demonstrate your success in relation to the performance objectives (these performance standards must be appropriate to your current classification level.)
- provide some examples of how these performance standards could be exceeded
Identifying professional development for next year
The professional development activities chosen should assist you to meet or exceed expectations related to your performance objectives/current position or to develop your career. Generally your strategies will fall into one of the following categories:
- External conferences, etc - A short term - or one off - learning program that you attend outside of CSU (and usually attracts a fee to do so).
- Higher Education study - Enrolment in any course of study in a University, TAFE or Registered Training Organisation. This includes courses approved through the CSU Study Time Scheme [general staff], Postgraduate Study Support Scheme [general staff], Coursework Masters Support Scheme [academic staff] and Academic Staff Higher Degrees Training Scheme.
- CSU professional development programs & schemes - Competitive programs/schemes offered by CSU that you apply for entry, eg: Special Studies Program [academic staff], Graduate Certificate in Learning & Teaching, Graduate Certificate in Leadership and Management, Professional Experience Scheme [general staff], Certificate IV or Diploma in Frontline Management, Leadership Development for Women program.
- CSU professional development workshops & forums - Activities that are advertised in the Staff Development Calendar and provided by one of the CSU Professional Development providers eg: Human Resources, CELT, CR>, Finance, Information Technology, Library Services.
- Workbased learning - Activities that you undertake in the workplace. It includes arrangements made to visit other workplaces; receiving instruction; on-the-job training; working in project teams or working parties; shadowing; higher duties; CSU web-based training such as Knowledge Bank /Office Suite, EO and OHS; and committee participation.
- Mentoring or Coaching - Working with a person who assists you to develop skills, knowledge and strategies. The mentor or coach may be a CSU staff member or someone outside the University.
- Secondment - Where you work in another area of CSU for a period of time to develop new skills. It includes working in the Project Services Centre.
- Other - There may be other ways that you identify which will assist you to achieve your objectives. Some of these may not require funding or additional resources, eg: professional reading or developing understanding of work processes and procedures through discussion with your colleagues.
What if we can't agree?
Performance management is a partnership between you and your supervisor. However there may be an occasion where, after discussion, you and your supervisor cannot agree on ratings or objectives. If this occurs, then you supervisor notes this fact and is authorised to make the final decision. If conflict does arise during the meeting, either of you may adjourn the meeting and arrange a third person to attend the reconvened meeting, in accordance with the conflict resolution process.