A quick-look summary of Employee Performance Review

From June 2010 an enhanced employee review process came into use.

The upgraded process is called EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE REVIEW (EPR)

EPR has retained the best features from the previous OSCR process, and added a number of new features. However the forms have broadly the same overall look and feel as those used previously.

Why change? We have learned a lot from using the OSCR process (introduced in 2002) and it has got us to a point where most employees now have regular, meaningful 2-way conversations with their line manager regarding their performance and development needs, get and give feedback as well as the opportunity to raise issues in an open, constructive manner.

However in order to continue to improve performance as an organisation and maintain our position as one of the best modern universities in the UK, we need to make sure the employee review process can deliver what is needed both to employees and to the organisation.

The new features within EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE REVIEW are:

- From 2010 the review cycle runs from mid-year to mid-year, for all employees

- For all employees there are five core behaviours that help define how you go about your role:
       o Treats people with respect
       o Maintains good working relationships
       o Communicates effectively
       o Maintains a high personal standard of delivery
       o Looks for and implements improved ways of working

   - For employees who supervise other people there are additional behaviours that relate primarily to team leadership

- Although the EPR process does not include a formal rating system, it does include a performance framework that recognises the need to:

1) Identify people who consistently demonstrate exceptional performance

2) Identify people whose performance consistently does not meet the standard expected, and help them achieve the required standard

- For people who line manage other people a simple set of management fundamentals has been introduced that should form part of the objectives for supervisors and managers.

- A stronger emphasis on Personal Development Planning, prioritised in the context of School / Department / Research Institute priorities

- All employee with contracts of 6 months or more, and Ad Hoc (part-time temporary) staff, are now included within the EPR process.