Performance Process Overview and General Information
The purpose of performance management at VCU is to establish a clear, consistent foundation for creating performance goals strategically aligned with university goals, tracking employee progress, providing valuable feedback, and evaluating overall performance. Performance management begins with the establishment of clear expectations and well-defined behaviors that cascade from the university’s strategic priorities and values to the school/unit level and to each employee, providing a direct line of sight from the individual’s goals to the university’s mission and vision. It includes a mechanism for discussing useful and meaningful feedback on accomplishments and competencies, including coaching discussions on career growth as well as rewarding and recognizing high performers.
All University and Academic Professionals and Classified Employees participate in the university’s performance management process. The successful implementation of the performance management process requires engagement of employees, managers, university leadership and human resources staff.
The Employee is responsible for:
- Working collaboratively with the manager on performance planning, including the development, documentation and implementation of performance and career development goals, which contribute to achievement of school/unit goals in support of the university’s mission.
- Having a clear understanding of employee role expectations.
- Discussing concerns and/or questions regarding any part of their job, including their duties and their manager’s expectations, or the performance management process.
- Addressing aspects of performance identified as needing improvement.
- Fully participating in performance discussions and review processes.
- Preparing performance reviews within established deadlines.
- Bringing any questions or concerns about these responsibilities to HR or to their manager.
The Manager is responsible for:
- Understanding and actively supporting the university’s performance management process.
- Participating in developing appropriate and accurate position descriptions.
- Seeking input from and providing support for the employee regarding performance and career development goals and monitoring the employee’s success toward meeting identified goals.
- Communicating and documenting each employee’s performance development plan.
- Engaging in ongoing communication and feedback with the employee to discuss progress toward achieving performance and career development goals.
- Addressing instances of poor performance or other significant performance issues in a timely manner and assisting employees in making the necessary improvements.
- Preparing performance reviews within established deadlines.
- Participating in the salary increase and rewards process.
- Validating work time and certifying absences.
- Bringing any questions or concerns about these responsibilities to HR.
The Vice Presidents, Deans, and Department Heads are responsible for:
- Establishing and communicating organizational goals that align with the university’s strategic priorities.
- Providing the training/resources needed to increase manager and employee effectiveness in the achievement of organizational goals and strategic priorities.
- Ensuring that the organization is complying with performance guidelines and HR policy and that all managers are knowledgeable about the processes and requirements for performance management and are abiding by them.
VCU Human Resources is responsible for:
- Providing HR leadership across the institution and developing policies and programs that ensure understanding and compliance with the performance management processes.
- Providing tools, resources, and training to the university’s senior management to be knowledgeable about roles, processes, and requirements of all HR policies.
- Monitoring and reporting on school/unit compliance with performance guidelines and HR policy.
- Collaborating with school/unit HR Professionals and providing guidance and consultation for a best practice performance management culture.
- Providing training/resources on the performance management process.
- Maintaining records and providing reports as necessary.
The HR Professional is responsible for:
- Providing guidance and assistance to employees within the school/unit as they navigate the performance management process.
- Facilitating HR decision making, task implementation, and transaction execution at the leadership level related to performance management.
- Monitoring and reporting on school/unit compliance with performance guidelines and HR policy.
- Facilitating school/unit level training on the performance process, in consultation with VCU HR, utilizing tools and resources provided by VCU HR.
Exceptional
- Performance: Significantly and consistently exceeds goals
- Competency: Consistently demonstrates exceptional behaviors; serves as a role model and mentor
Advanced
- Performance: Consistently achieves and often exceeds goals
- Competency: Consistently demonstrates effective behaviors and often demonstrates exceptional behaviors
Successful
- Performance: Consistently achieves goals
- Competency: Consistently demonstrates effective behaviors
Developing
- Performance: Proactively making progress in learning and adapting to new responsibilities and goals
- Competency: Demonstrates proactive growth in exhibiting effective behaviors
Needs Improvement
- Performance: Achieves some, but not all goals; needs improvement
- Competency: Demonstrates some behaviors but not others, or uses behaviors inconsistently
Below
- Performance: Rarely achieves established goals; requires significant and immediate improvement
- Competency: Rarely demonstrates competency behaviors; requires significant development
For information on performance management, please view the Talent@VCU performance management guidelines.