Performance Management
The practice of retaining high-performing staff involves fostering strong working relationships between managers and employees, wherein performance management is approached as an ongoing dialogue, to create an engaged, focused, and productive work environment.
University policy requires that staff receive a written performance assessment by their manager once a year within the Performance Appraisal System. An assessment serves as a mechanism for providing feedback and documenting an employee’s performance over a defined time period. It offers clear communication of job expectations and help in setting goals. Additionally, an assessment can be a constructive tool for mentoring employees, identifying areas for development, and facilitating improvement.
Staff Performance Management and Merit Pay Program
Performance management involves aligning individual performance and development goals with organizational needs and priorities.
Human Resources supports a Staff Performance Management and Merit Pay Program that leverages various talent management strategies to develop organizational capabilities. The program focuses on simplicity without compromising effectiveness, ensuring the goal setting and performance assessment process is transparent and straightforward.
Well-crafted goals balance the interests of employees and the team, as well as overarching organizational goals, to create operational alignment and employee engagement. Goals should cascade from top-level strategic objectives down to individual performance targets.
Timeline of Activity
| Date | Activity |
| December–January | Mid-year goal check-in/review |
| February-March | Training for managers and individual contributors; staff appraisal forms launched |
| March–April | Performance assessments |
| May | Staff appraisal forms due to HR |
| June | Merit allocation |
| July | Effective date for merit increase. Increase reflected in July 15 pay. |
Best practices for goal setting:
- Created jointly by the employee and manager
- Aligned with the job description, goals and mission
- Include performance goals and at least one development goal
- Incorporate competencies for success
- Clearly communicated, written, measurable and action-oriented
- Shared across the organization to support collaboration and alignment
- Frequently revisited and updated with ongoing coaching and feedback
If you need support with setting goals for your team or unit/college, we can provide meeting design and facilitation support.
For additional information, contact the Talent and Organizational Development team at talent-dev@udel.edu.
Resources: Staff Performance Management and Merit Pay Program
Performance and professional development goals are set at the beginning of the performance cycle to align individual goals with annual team and organizational objectives. The specific timeline and process for goal setting are at the discretion of college/unit leaders. Managers should establish a collaborative process with employees to monitor and manage goal progress throughout the year.
Clear, collaborative and productive conversations between employees and managers are the foundation of performance management. Coaching occurs through regular and informal conversations, rather than being reserved for the annual formal assessment. Feedback is a powerful mechanism that supports individual development. To be effective, feedback needs to be timely and specific, descriptive and constructive.
- Midpoint Goal Check-in Guide for Managers
- Midpoint Goal Check-in Guide for Employees
- Coaching in Action for Leaders and Managers -LinkedIn Learning course
- Coaching and Developing Your Employees-LinkedIn Learning course
Managers assess staff performance annually and record it in the University’s performance appraisal form.
The primary focus is the performance discussion, which includes reflection on past performance and its impact on employee, team and organizational success. Agreements about performance and professional development priorities are noted and then carried forward to the goal-setting process, which takes place at the beginning of the new performance cycle.
Appraisal forms must be submitted by the deadline for the employee to be eligible for merit pay.
- Overview of Performance Assessment Process
- Tips for Completing the Employee Self-Appraisal
- Performance Appraisal Form for Staff–Employee Guide
- Performance Appraisal Form for Staff–Manager Guide
- Guidelines for Performance Ratings and Narrative
- Effective Performance Discussions–Manager Checklist
- Effective Performance Discussions–Employee Checklist
- UD’s merit program is based on a pay-for-performance philosophy and anchored in the performance management process. Our merit program aims to reward and recognize the work performed during the performance cycle and supports UD’s commitment to compensate our staff competitively.
- Staff performance will be assessed annually by managers through the performance management process and documented in the appraisal form.
- Individuals will summarize both their accomplishments and professional development achievements on the appraisal form before routing to their manager for their assessment discussion.
- Appraisal forms must be completed to be eligible for merit.
Connect
550 S. College Ave., Suite 201, Newark, DE 19713 hrhelp@udel.edu Phone 302-831-2171