Inside HR

Within the first 30 days of employment, the manager and employee meet to discuss and clarify performance expectations and training/development plans. 

Following the meeting with the manager within the employee’s first month at VCU, the employee enters the first year performance goals into Talent@VCU and sends them to the manager for approval. 

First-year employees are required to have the standard goal applicable to all first-year VCU employees: Throughout my first year, I will integrate and familiarize myself with the VCU community, its strategic plan, VCU’s culture of diversity and inclusion, university and department policies and procedures, and my position expectations and standards. I will actively and regularly engage in discussion with my manager and management team about positional and personal expectations and milestones.

The manager has the option to request an extension to the probationary period if there are performance, training, or behavioral concerns/issues up to the 10th month of employment. The manager must contact their HR Professional and VCU Employee Relations (emprel@vcu.edu) to request an extension to the employee’s probationary period. HR may not grant a request for an extension of the probationary period for any employee after the employee has been employed for at least 9 months, unless there are circumstances warranting the extension of the probationary period that did not exist previously, i.e. credentialing, extended leave of absence situations such as FMLA and short-term disability, changes in behavior, changes in training/job duties, etc.

Probationary periods for employees who use short-term disability during their first year of employment and/or have an approved extended leave of absence during their probationary period should have their probation extended. Managers should be able to evaluate an employee’s entire year’s work. Managers should contact their HR Professional or Employee Relations at (804) 828-1510 or emprel@vcu.edu to request extension of the employee’s probationary period to reflect a full 12 months of work.

• The manager observes the employee and provides regular and frequent coaching and feedback on progress toward the performance goals and development plans.
• During the fourth or fifth month of employment, the manager receives email notification to prepare the required 6-month progress review in Talent@VCU.
• At 6-months of employment, the manager and employee meet to discuss the 6-month progress review and confirm expectations for the remainder of the probationary period.
• Following the meeting with the manager, the employee acknowledges receipt of the 6-month review in Talent@VCU. 
• The manager observes the employee and continues to provide regular and frequent constructive  coaching, training, and feedback to assist the employee to successfully meet expectations.
• At 9 months of employment, a review need not occur in Talent@VCU.  However, it is highly recommended that the manager and employee meet to discuss progress of performance goals and expectations, especially if the employee is demonstrating performance, training, or behavioral concerns. 

• During the tenth or eleventh month of employment, the manager receives an email notification to prepare the required 12-month performance review in Talent@VCU.
• During the 12th month, the manager and employee meet to review the employee’s performance during their first year of employment. If the employee has met the performance, development, and behavior expectations for the probationary period, the manager and employee meet to discuss goals and expectations for the remainder of the performance cycle.  
• The manager completes the 12-month end-of-probationary period review in Talent@VCU, utilizing the Talent@VCU user guide for managers of first year employees and the employee follows instructions to enter/update performance goals in Talent@VCU as they transition to the regular performance cycle.