Penn Performance Appraisal Program
The University of Pennsylvania is committed to staff development and believes that the performance appraisal and planning process is an integral part of that development. This process is designed to improve job understanding, promote more effective job performance, and establish future goals for career growth.
The goal of the performance appraisal process is to provide staff members with feedback on their performance and accomplishments for the year. This program should also assist staff members in understanding their job responsibilities and supervisors' performance expectations. Performance goals and specific plans to help staff members meet those goals should also be established through this process.
The third component of the appraisal process is to give the staff member feedback on professional development goals (including competencies established, if applicable) and set professional development goals for the upcoming year.
Quick Links
Workday for Performance Management
Workday performance management tools are now available for staff and supervisors to share feedback and goals. Visit the Workday Performance Management Guide for tip sheets, videos, and other helpful how-to guidance.
Tip Sheets with Step-by-Step Instructions
- Performance: Performance Management for Managers and Employees
- Performance: Goals and Check Ins
- Performance: Performance Review for HR Partners
- Performance Introductory Review for HR Partners
- Performance Introductory Review for Managers and Employees
The Performance Review Cycle
The performance review cycle requirements include two performance reviews per year, one in the fall, known as the mid-year performance review, and one in the spring, also called the year-end performance review. The spring review requires an overall performance rating as well as proficiency ratings for competencies. The performance review with the rating is conducted and completed shortly before the annual merit process launches.
Overall Performance Rating:
- Does not meet expectations — Did not meet most goals and/or often fell short of standards for timeless, quality, and/or resource utilization.
- For example, failed to meet most goals; was consistently late on meeting them; provided low-quality work product or results; and/or exceeded budgets/allocations for expenditures, time, effort, or people resources.
- Meets some but not all expectations — Acceptable performance overall, though did not meet some goals or sometimes fell short of standards for timeliness, quality, and/or resource utilization.
- For example, met most but not all goals; was occasionally late on meeting them; provided inconsistent quality work product or results; and/or exceeded budgets/allocations for expenditures, time, effort, or people resources in a number of instances.
- Fulfills expectations — Successfully met all goals, consistently meeting standards for timeliness, quality, and/or resource utilization.
- For example, met all goals; consistently on time with meeting them; provided quality work product or results; worked within budgets/allocations for expenditures, time, effort, or people resources.
- Exceeds expectations — Successfully met all goals and regularly surpassed standards for timeliness, quality, and/or resource utilization.
- For example, met all goals; was on time meeting each of them; consistently exceeded quality expectations or notably enhanced quality of work product or results; saved notable expenditures, time, effort, or people resources.
Workday Check-ins
Workday check-ins are an optional but highly recommended feature. They provide managers with a tool to engage their staff direct reports in continuous, informal coaching and career conversations on topics they choose. Check-ins can supplement and support formal staff mid-year and end-of-year reviews.
Information on how-to enter a Workday Check-in is in the Workday tip sheet, Performance: Goals and Check Ins.
Recommended best practices for using check-ins:
- Schedule a minimum of two check-ins per year, from July to September and from January to March. These are the times between the mid-year review period in the fall, and the year-end review period in the spring.
- Identify your check-in topics. Topics can include work in progress, recent accomplishments, challenges, or opportunities. Managers can use their discretion.
Workday Goals
Goal setting is an important part of your work performance. Now you can enter your goals into the Workday system to help you track and share your accomplishments. By entering goals into Workday, staff members can prepare for the mid-year and year-end performance reviews.
Staff or managers can create a new goal or edit existing goals in Workday at any point in the performance review cycle. When you create or edit your individual goals, your manager will receive a Workday notification to review and approve them. You can
also enter goals in Workday outside of the performance review process to track objectives and primary responsibilities throughout the year.
For guidance on writing goals, visit the Effective Performance Management webpage. For step-by-step instructions on how to enter, edit, restore, and archive goals, review the Performance: Goals and Check Ins tip sheet.