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MD.360.9.7, PER - Mid-Year Performance Reviews Due by April 30, 2009Maryland Bulletin: 360-9-7 Purpose. To provide guidance on conducting and documenting performance reviews for all employees within NRCS Maryland Expiration Date. September 30, 2009. Background. Monitoring performance includes conducting progress reviews and providing ongoing feedback. Monitoring and documenting employees’ work efforts are critical to managing and evaluating performance. Supervisors are encouraged to provide performance feedback regularly to their employees throughout the performance year and to promote an environment that encourages performance discussions. The monitoring process includes conducting at least one formal progress review during each appraisal period at approximately midway through the rating cycle to discuss the employee’s current level of performance. Policy for the Performance Management System can be found in the General Manual, Title 360, Part 409, Performance Management Systems, in the eDirectives System at http://directives.sc.egov.usda.gov/. Requirements. Supervisors are required to conduct at least one formal progress review during the performance appraisal period. By April 30, 2009, supervisors are required to conduct a mid-year progress review with each of their employees. The progress review should include a discussion of the employee’s performance against the objectives and standards documented in the employee’s performance plan. Supervisors should use the mid-period process as an opportunity to make changes to the performance plan, as appropriate. Plans may be revised to reflect new organizations goals, outside influences beyond an employee’s control that make the original goals and standards unachievable; changes in work assignments; or new organizational or management priorities. For example, performance plans may be adjusted to hold the appropriate employees accountable for managing stimulus initiatives for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Supervisors might also want to adjust plans based on the results of the Annual Performance Management Compliance Review. These changes might include making alignment or linkage clearer or adding balanced credible measures. Changes to alignment and linkage enhance the existing performance plan with no changes to the existing performance standards. If you make changes to the performance objectives or corresponding standards within an element, employees must be given the opportunity to perform under the modified standards for at least 90 days before they can be rated against the modification. Changes to alignment and linkage enhance the existing performance plan with no changes to the existing performance, thus the 90 day period does not apply. Employees would be rated for the entire performance appraisal period for any standards that did not change. Changes can be made to the performance standards for this performance appraisal period until June 30, 2009, in order for employees to receive their summary rating in the performance appraisal by September 30, 2009. The employee must be informed of all revisions made to the employee’s performance plan. If you plan to make any changes to a 2009 Performance Plan, you should make the changes to the Performance Plan in EmpowHR prior to initiating Progress Reviews in EmpowHR The supervisor should prepare a written narrative outlining the employee’s accomplishments against the standards. The narrative should be documented in EmpowHR, be brief and specific, and include examples of performance, where appropriate. See Attachment A, “Tips for Writing Performance Narratives,” and Attachment F, “Documenting Progress Reviews in EmpowHR.” The employee and the supervisor must note in EmpowHR that the progress review has been conducted. Mid-year Progress Review Process Monitoring performance is the process of observing an employee’s performance results and collecting data on those results during the appraisal period. At a minimum, supervisors are required to evaluate employee performance against the elements and measurable standards in each of their employees’ performance plans during a mid-year progress review and the year-end summary rating. See attachments B and C for the steps for preparing for and conducting the mid-period review. Feedback on performance should be an ongoing process that communicates expectations and what employees should continue doing, stop doing, do less of, or start doing. The feedback process gives supervisors the opportunity to make changes to unrealistic or problematic measurable standards. It also allows supervisors to identify unacceptable performance at any time during the appraisal period. When focusing on performance management as an ongoing, year-round process, the focus shifts from “justifying a rating” at the end of the year to continually improving performance. See attachment D for tips on providing effective feedback. Feedback should be objective and fact-based. When providing feedback, avoid making judgments that inhibit impartiality, such as the use of subjective criteria and rater bias. See Attachment E, “Tips for Recognizing Rater Bias.” The local Human Resources Servicing Office is responsible for monitoring the completion of mid-year progress reviews which includes generating weekly management reports beginning April 3, 2009 and providing timely follow-up with rating officials to ensure the reviews take place. These reports should be provided weekly to Agency leadership for tracking progress and should continue until all employees have received a progress review or there is a valid explanation for all exceptions. Contact. If you have any questions regarding this bulletin, please contact Holly Marken, Human Resources Manager at 443-482-2938. /s/JON F. HALL Attachments:
Attachment A - Tips for Writing Performance Narratives |
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