Performance Management Policy

A. Purpose

The John Glenn College of Public Affairs strives to provide an environment where all employees understand the impact their contributions have on the achievement of university, college, and unit goals and are provided the opportunity for ongoing personal and professional growth. The primary purpose of this policy is to enhance communication between supervisors and employees to meet those objectives.

B. Audience

Staff and Staff Supervisors

C. Policy

The JGC performance management system is a continuous process of planning, managing, reviewing and recognizing performance. The process is built upon the following guidelines:

  • All staff employees, including part-time and/or grant funded staff, must receive an annual performance evaluation.
  • Each new employee and his/her supervisor must develop performance goals and submit them to the HR Business Partner within 30 days of hire and annually thereafter by the stated deadline.
  • The annual performance review period is June 1 – May 31. The performance review period may be shorter than this depending on the employee’s hire date. Staff hired after March 1 are exempt from the annual review process that begins in June of that year; however, supervisors should meet with the staff member for a “checkin” meeting to review progress with goals in lieu of the annual performance review meeting.
  • Unit Manager goals consist of unit work plan goals and individual professional development goals.

The John Glenn College of Public Affairs utilizes a four-stage process for performance management.

Staff and supervisors should actively engage in developing an administrative unit work plan and/or research project schedule of deliverables for the annual performance period. After these documents have been approved by the Dean and Chief Administrative Officer, individual employee goals and objectives are set for the performance period using an individual work plan. Individual work plans must be based on the approved unit work plan and/or research project schedule of deliverables and should utilize SMART goal setting techniques (developing goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timebound). Both the supervisor and the employee should be actively engaged throughout the goal setting process. Once individual work plans are developed and agreed upon, they must be signed by both the supervisor and the employee and submitted to the HR Business Partner.

Communication and feedback should take place between the employee and supervisor throughout the performance period through the use of regular check-in meetings. Managers and employees should maintain a record of performance achievements and/or challenges that occur throughout the year and the strategic actions taken by each during that time. Managers should provide coaching and professional development resources to employees as appropriate to assist employees in achieving performance goals. Managers and employees who have concerns regarding the performance or feedback processes should first meet to discuss the issues and to resolve the concerns, if possible. If these discussions do not result in a resolution, the staff and/or supervisor should schedule an appointment with the Administrative Manager as soon as possible to determine next steps.

Midyear Performance Review:
All supervisors must complete a midyear performance evaluation for each employee she or he supervises using the college’s midyear performance review form. Supervisors must review each employee’s performance during the review period according to the established metrics in the employee’s individual’s work plan and meet with the employee to discuss this evaluation. If improvement is needed in the areas of JGC Values, Work Plan Goals & Professional Development, or Duties of the Position, the staff member and supervisor must draft a plan of action to address these needs and submit it with the final midyear performance review form. Both the employee and the supervisor must sign the midyear performance evaluation form. Supervisors must return the form and any documents which support the ratings and comments by the stated deadline to the HR Business Partner. If individual or unit work plan goals are updated during the performance period, a revised individual and/or unit work plan should be submitted for review and approval by the Dean and Chief Administrative Officer prior to completing the midyear performance evaluation for affected employees.

Annual Performance Review:
At the end of the performance period, each employee should complete a JGC Self Evaluation form and submit it to his/her supervisor by the stated deadline. Supervisors should review the employee’s self-evaluation form and other records of performance for the entire review period. Each supervisor must complete an annual performance evaluation for each employee he/she/they supervise(s) using the college’s annual performance review form and ratings. Supervisors must review each employee’s performance during the review period according to the established metrics in the employee’s individual work plan and submit draft evaluations with the employee’s individual work plan (including final metrics), position duties and professional development goal statuses to the HR Business Partner for a compliance review prior to meeting with the employee to discuss the evaluation. Once the final performance evaluation is reviewed by the HR Business Partner, the supervisor and employee should meet to review and sign the evaluation. Supervisors must return the annual performance evaluation form and any documents which support the ratings and comments by the stated deadline to the HR Business Partner. 

If a rating of “Improvement Needed” is identified for any of the JGC Values on the JGC Final Performance Evaluation form, a separate document describing the actions to be taken by both the employee and the supervisor to address these needs is required at the time of submission.

If a rating of “Needs Improvement/Developing” or “Unacceptable” is identified for work plan goals & professional development or duties of the position, a separate document that describes the actions that will be taken by both the employee and the supervisor to address these needs is required at the time of submission.

If an overall performance rating of “Exceptional” is identified, the employee’s supervisor must prepare a statement of justification for this rating and present it to the JGC Unit Heads group for review and confirmation of the appropriateness of the rating. After the majority of JGC Unit Heads and the Dean agree on the appropriateness of the rating of “Exceptional,” the employee’s overall performance rating will be finalized and shared with him or her.

If an overall performance rating of “Unacceptable” is identified, the employee and supervisor must contact the HR Business Partner to develop a Performance Improvement Plan. The Performance Improvement Plan must be developed within 30 days and must utilize the principles and process as described in the university’s Corrective Action & Involuntary Termination Policy 8.15.

During the annual performance review process, each employee’s position description should be reviewed and updated as necessary to reflect the duties performed by the employee. Position description updates should be provided to the HR Business Partner by the stated deadline. The HR Business Partner, Chief Administrative Officer, Dean and supervisor will review the requested position description updates and determine if a reclassification is necessary and appropriate. Reclassifications will be considered based on the needs of the unit and the appropriateness of employee roles and responsibilities as well as the employee’s performance history. During the annual performance review process, if a reclassification is necessary, the university’s reclassification process will be utilized. Reclassifications will be effective September 1 for annual review requests. After an employee receives a reclassification-promotion, another reclassification will not be considered for 3 years unless justified by significant changes in business needs for the unit.

D. Performance Rating Definitions

Successful
Employee consistently succeeds in delivering results that achieve and/or occasionally exceed his or her annual goals and supervisor expectations; deliverables are high quality (sufficiently researched, organized, communicated and presented) and submitted by deadlines; employee participates in special projects outside the scope of his/her position; the employee's contribution to the success of his or her work team is significant and others recognize him or her as being critical to the unit’s success; this rating is given to employees who are knowledgeable experts in their units and are fundamental to the college’s success in that particular area

Exceptional
This rating occurs infrequently and acknowledges the following achievements: work performance and deliverables consistently far exceed supervisor expectations due to exceptional quality in all essential areas of responsibility; employee brings new ideas or processes that result in an exceptional or unique contribution outside the scope of his/her position duties in support of the college’s strategic plan; this rating indicates that the employee is ready to take on more leadership responsibilities, and although used infrequently, is achievable by any employee

Needs Improvement/Developing
Employee’s work performance and deliverables occasionally but do not consistently meet supervisor expectations for his or her annual goals either because employee is still growing in position/duty area or because of performance issues; further development and experience in the position is necessary

Unacceptable
Employee’s work performance and deliverables consistently fail to meet his or her most critical annual goals; deliverables are of unacceptable quality (insufficiently researched, organized, communicated and presented) and/or are not submitted by deadlines; employee does not contribute to the unit’s success in achieving its work plan goals; this rating is given to employees who need substantial improvement in one or more areas in order to successfully perform the required duties of his or her position. A performance improvement plan drafted by the supervisor and Human Resources is required for employees who receive an overall rating of “Unacceptable”

E. Policy Contact

Kim Young
Chief Administrative Officer, Senior Lecturer
young.1807@osu.edu

Matthew Busser
Human Resource Consultant
(614) 247-6256
busser.2@osu.edu

Last updated: 11/17/2021