Loading...
Performance Management 6-4-14 CITY OF SCHERTZ EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK Performance Management PREPARED BY: Human Resources APPROVED BY: City Council DATE APPROVED: 6/3/2014 EFFECTIVE DATE: 6/4/2014 REPLACES VERSION: 5.4 Purpose The purpose of the Performance Management Policy is to outline the City’s performance management system for documenting employee performance. Performance management ensures constructive communication between employees and supervisors in the interest of productivity, quality, and fairness. The supervisor of an employee must specifically document in quantitative and qualitative terms whether or not, and to what degree, performance standards have been met. In order to ensure that all employees receive regular feedback on their performance, supervisors should evaluate the job performance of all employees working for them on a regular basis, but in every case, no less than twice a year. Performance evaluations establish a performance history with the organization and are used to help supervisors make decisions regarding performance standards, promotions, transfers, and merit increases. Performance evaluations also provide management with a tool for assessing individual and organizational productivity. All original performance evaluations are maintained by the Human Resources Department. Applicability This policy applies to all regular part-time and regular full-time City employees. Definitions Evaluation Period – The period beginning immediately after each employee’s annual performance evaluation and ending immediately prior to the following annual performance evaluation. Demotion – To reduce to a lower pay grade or position with decreased responsibility Key Performance Indicators or KPIs – A set of quantifiable measures used to evaluate job performance in terms of meeting strategic or operational goals. Promotion – Advancement in pay and position with increased responsibility Transfer – To move to an equivalent position with comparable responsibility and pay CITY OF SCHERTZ EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK Policy The City will provide a uniform and equitable process of communicating to employees the performance expectations, their actual achievements, and recommendations for improving performance. Performance management processes are critical because employees need to know areas in which they are having success as well as areas in which improvement is necessary to meet performance standards, expectations, and goals. Performance for regular full-time and regular part-time employees will be evaluated at least twice per year. Annual performance evaluations shall serve as the basis for any performance-based salary increases depending on the annual budget and merit goals. Temporary, seasonal, or contract employees, including interns, are not eligible to receive evaluations or merit increases. Performance Management Process The performance management process is used to set expectations, set goals, document performance, provide periodic feedback on performance, and to identify areas where improvement is needed. The performance management cycle includes the following activities: 1. In conjunction with each annual performance evaluation, supervisors and employees should discuss Key Performance Indicators, competencies, performance standards, goals, expectations, and employment development needs for the following Evaluation Period. These performance standards and expectations will provide a method of measuring job behaviors. 2. In conjunction with each annual performance evaluation, supervisors and employees will collaboratively create a performance plan for the employee, which identifies employee training and developmental needs to enhance and improve future performance and enhance career opportunities for the employee. It is also used to prepare employees for lateral and/or vertical career changes. Through the performance management process, goals can be set for acquiring new skills, improving and/or correcting current employee performance, and for acquiring new knowledge and skills to make career changes. Employee goals and expectations should be consistent with the City’s vision, mission, goals, and core values. 3. Upon completion of 1 and 2 above, employees shall sign an acknowledgment of expectations, indicating their supervisor has evaluated their performance expectations and goals with them and that the employee understands the expectations placed upon them for the following Evaluation Period. This documents the communication of performance expectations between the CITY OF SCHERTZ EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK employee and the employee’s supervisor. It also serves as a management tool for ensuring that overall organizational goals and objectives are addressed. 4. New employees and employees who have been promoted, transferred, or demoted shall be evaluated as outlined in the Probation Policy. 5. During the Evaluation Period, the City encourages each supervisor and employee to have periodic discussions to review and document the employee's progress toward achieving the performance standards outlined in the employee’s performance plan. 6. During the Evaluation Period, performance evaluations for employees may be performed on a quarterly basis or as needed for feedback purposes per the Department Head. 7. During the Evaluation Period, supervisors shall conduct with each employee at least mid-year performance evaluations and annual performance evaluations, documenting actual achievements, assessing employees’ knowledge and skills, and providing input into each employee’s performance plan. The performance evaluation provides documentation of an employee’s achievements toward meeting performance standards and expectations related to KPI’s and outlined in the employee’s performance plan. It is the responsibility of the evaluating supervisor to provide clear and specific feedback to his or her subordinate employees. All scores in the evaluation process shall have specific, written explanations. In the performance evaluation with employees, the supervisor should be able to expound and give specific examples and feedback as to why he/she is giving a particular score to any KPI in the evaluation. Types of Performance Evaluations There are several types of performance evaluations: Employee Self-Assessment Prior to the annual performance evaluation, each employee is given an opportunity to assess his or her own performance and achievement during the Evaluation Period, and to identify developmental needs. The employee’s comments provide information that may be relevant to the reviewing supervisor. The employee’s input also provides the basis for discussion between the supervisor and employee regarding future expectations, training, and career development opportunities. CITY OF SCHERTZ EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK Mid-year Performance Evaluations The mid-year performance evaluations will be conducted half-way through the performance Evaluation Period. The mid-year performance evaluation shall not serve as a basis for merit increases but will provide an opportunity for the employee and supervisor to discuss the employee’s progress toward meeting performance standards and competency development outlined in such employee’s performance plan. The mid-year evaluation stands independent from the annual performance evaluation. Scores from the mid-year performance evaluations shall not be incorporated with the annual performance evaluations. Annual Performance Evaluations An annual performance evaluation is held to review and discuss the supervisor's evaluation and the employee's self-assessment. The evaluation provides an opportunity for the supervisor and employee to review the employee’s performance plan and to make adjustments for the future as appropriate. The performance evaluation relates to the performance of the employee for that Evaluation Period. Department Heads are responsible for ensuring consistency of ratings within their department. Evaluating supervisors should route the evaluations to the next level supervisor for review and approval prior to submitting the evaluations to the Department Head for approval. Once the Department Head has approved the evaluation, the evaluating supervisor will then review the performance evaluation with the respective employee. Probationary Evaluations for New Employees and Employees Promoted, Transferred, and Demoted New employees and employees who have been promoted, transferred, or demoted shall be evaluated as outlined in the Probation Policy. Eligibility for Merit Increase Annual performance evaluations will serve as the basis for merit increases. The mid-year performance evaluations will not be calculated into the annual performance evaluation. There should never be any expectation for an annual merit increase. Any wage or salary increase will be dependent on the City’s budget. An employee will not be eligible for a merit increase if that employee received an increase in pay due to an annual merit raise or promotion within six months of the time annual performance evaluations are initially due. Employees who receive an increase in pay due to a cost of living adjustment (COLA), a market adjustment, or a pay adjustment approved by the City Manager shall maintain their eligibility for the subsequent annual performance merit. CITY OF SCHERTZ EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK Employees who have left their employment and have not received their annual performance evaluation before annual merit increases are issued should not have any expectation of receiving a merit increase. Review of Evaluations As a check and balance, the supervisors within the respective employee’s chain of command should collaboratively review each employee’s annual performance evaluation conducted by the direct supervisor. Once the Department Head has reviewed and approved each employee’s evaluation, the supervisor of the employee under review shall then discuss the employee’s evaluation with the respective employee. With regard to an employee who reports directly to the City Manager, the Human Resources Director will collaborate with the City Manager on such employee’s review before the City Manager discusses the evaluation with the employee. All annual performance evaluations shall be reviewed by at least two (2) reviewers. Departments that have only one reporting step shall be required to have their respective Executive Director review the employee evalu ations for that department. For employees who report directly to the City Manager, the Human Resources Director shall also review each employee’s evaluations. Department Heads have final approval for all evaluations in their respective departments and have the authority to request reviewing supervisors to make changes to employee evaluations for any reason. Employee Appeal of Evaluation If the employee cannot understand the rationale behind the scoring or does not agree with his or her evaluation, the employee may challenge the results of such evaluation. The purpose of an evaluation appeal is to record the employee’s disagreement with the supervisor’s evaluation of his/her performance. If an employee does not agree with the supervisor’s assessment of the employee’s performance, the employee must state that he/she does not agree with his/her evaluation. The employee shall then have the opportunity to issue a written statement in a space provided on the evaluation, expressing in detail why he/she disagrees with the evaluation. In this case, the evaluation will be returned to the Department Head, who will begin a mediation process between the employee and the employee’s line of supervision, including the employee’s direct supervisor. At the conclusion of the mediation, the Department Head will decide whether or not edits are to be made to the evaluation. The evaluation will then be resubmitted to the employee for review, with or without changes. In cases where an employee is vindicated, he/she will receive a revised annual performance evaluation and, if applicable, back pay for any lost wages relating to a merit increase due to the revised annual performance evaluation. In cases where the employee does not agree with the evaluation after the Department Head review, the evaluation will be reviewed by the HR CITY OF SCHERTZ EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK Department, the respective Department Head and the respective Executive Director. The outcome of this review is final and will be sent to the employee. Employees can submit comments and/or exceptions to their final evaluation review. With regard to employees who report directly to the City Manager, such employees may appeal to the Human Resources Director. The employee shall provide a written statement in a space provided on the evaluation, expressing in detail why he/she disagrees with the evaluation, to the Human Resources Director, who will begin a mediation process between the employee and the City Manager. At the conclusion of the mediation, the Human Resources Director and the City Manager will decide whether or not edits are to be made to the evaluation. The evaluation will then be resubmitted to the employee for review, with or without changes. The outcome of this review is final. Employees can submit comments and/or exceptions to their final evaluation review. In cases where an employee is vindicated, he/she will receive a revised annual performance evaluation and, if applicable, back pay for any lost wages relating to a merit increase due to the revised annual performance evaluation. With regard to employees who report directly to the Human Resources Director, such employees may appeal to the Chief of Staff. The employee shall provide a written statement in a space provided on the evaluation, expressing in detail why he/she disagrees with the evaluation, to the Chief of Staff, who will begin a mediation process between the employee and the Human Resources Director. At the conclusion of the mediation, the Human Resources Director and the Chief of Staff will decide whether or not edits are to be made to the evaluation. The evaluation will then be resubmitted to the employee for review, with or without changes. The outcome of this review is final. Employees can submit comments and/or exceptions to their final evaluation review. In cases where an employee is vindicated, he/she will receive a revised annual performance evaluation and, if applicable, back pay for any lost wages relating to a merit increase due to the revised annual performance evaluation. Tracking and Record Keeping Original employee performance evaluations are maintained in the personnel files in Human Resources. Human Resources will conduct an administrative audit to ensure the document is complete. Distribution of copies After all required signatures on an employee evaluation are obtained, the employee evaluation is distributed as follows:  original to Human Resources;  copy to employee CITY OF SCHERTZ EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK Unless otherwise provided by State law, access to an employee's performance evaluations is limited to:  the employee;  Human Resources staff;  Legal staff;  a designated representative of the employee;  supervisors in the employee's line of supervision or;  an organizational hiring authority who is considering the employee's record in relation to an actual job posting Retention Employee personnel files are maintained in accordance with State laws and regulations. Related Policies Probation Transfers, Promotions, and Demotions Progressive Discipline and Disciplinary Appeals