In Year Ongoing Performance & Development Review
Once performance objectives have been agreed at the beginning of the year it is important to monitor and asses the appropriateness of these objectives throughout the year to ensure objectives remain relevant and good progress is being made.
It is important for organisations that line managers have the right skills to hold meaningful performance management conversations and the time to do so are important elements to building an effective performance management culture. Departments and agencies should therefore invest time and resource in supporting line managers to effectively manage employee performance.
Guidance
From an organisational view point it is important that organisations:
- Ensure the organisational design maximises the potential for effective performance management by not overburdening line managers with too many direct reports.
- Allocate sufficient time throughout the year for regular one-to-one performance conversations.
- Identify the outcome of the performance conversation and recognise when it has been achieved.
- Ensure line managers have the right skills to execute the process effectively. For example in setting stretching objectives, providing meaningful feedback, coach individuals to succeed and having difficult conversations.
- HR give appropriate and effective support and challenge by providing tools, processes, learning and development, role modelling and shifting their organisational culture away from risk aversion if it is getting in the way of effective performance management.
During the in year review managers should:
- Assess both what performance has been delivered against objectives and how behaviours are being demonstrated using the leadership framework.
- Discuss, with the jobholder, the objectives originally agreed and whether they should be revised in light of changing circumstances. If this is the case, the original objectives should not be changed; the revised objectives should be recorded alongside them. This ensures that end-year performance assessment can take matters fully into account.
- Managers may want to give and record feedback, and manager and individual may want to agree corrective action. Again, this ensures that end-year performance assessment can take matters fully into account.
- Managers work with their staff to identify ways in which each individual could demonstrate the behaviour outlined in the organisations’ competencies and improve people management within their area of responsibility, and perhaps beyond.
- Managers make time to discuss development needs, longer-term career aspirations and options. While it is important to deal with these issues as part of performance planning and assessment, it can be helpful to do this during the year when more time is available. Conclusions are recorded and, again, this ensures that end-year performance assessment can take matters fully into account.
- If a jobholder is performing poorly, it is vital that this is dealt with at the time and not left to year end. Managers should explore any reasons for dips in performance and provide support and opportunity to restore good performance levels again. If poor performance is ongoing, formal procedures may need to be undertaken.
Tools
MoJ objective setting and measuring.
MoJ Annual Staff Performance Report – A reporting proforma used by the Ministry of Justice to assess individuals performance against set objectives.