This communication provides time-sensitive updates on the UC Santa Cruz 2017-18 performance appraisal call for all staff.
This call for performance appraisals requires the concerted efforts of all campus managers and supervisors of staff employees. We have outlined the key elements below.
Call for Performance Appraisals
The performance cycle runs from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018. We are maintaining the same performance evaluation cycle this year.
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Appraisals for policy covered staff must be completed by Friday, July 27, 2018
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Appraisals for represented staff must be completed by Friday, August 31, 2018.
Questions regarding any additional internal deadlines for your unit/department may be directed to your departmental contact. (To access this link, you will be required to log in with your CruzID and blue password.)
The purpose of performance management is to effectively engage teams in the mission of the university. The key to effective performance management involves a few key elements:
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Crafting goals that are specific, important (mission-based) and measurable.
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Frequent and candid feedback to all team members about their performance.
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Coaching and support for staff to enable them to achieve their goals.
When goals are well formed and feedback is occurring frequently, the annual performance appraisals become a time to summarize communications that have been occurring throughout the year. It is expected that all employees have an appraisal every year and is required as part of the annual pay for performance cycle.
Revised Online Appraisal Form
This year we have revised our online form that replaced the four previous paper-based forms. The new form and process creates efficiencies with an electronic workflow. It is an interim tool for the campus to use until the implementation of the ePerformance module of UCPath, expected in 2019.
Please note: All staff (represented and policy covered) should be appraised using the electronic form. Academic Supervisors, Department Chairs, Principal Investigators need to use the online appraisal form to evaluate their staff employees. If you are a supervisor of staff, you will need to use this online form for the 2018 appraisal call.
Managers and supervisors are encouraged to keep appraisals succinct. It is not necessary to report each and every detail of performance. The appraisal is a summary of performance of key expectations including goals and core job responsibilities. It should focus on the impact of performance with a few examples and explanation of the overall rating.
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Access to the online form: https://appraisals.ucsc.edu
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Log in with your CruzID and blue password.
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Please review the “help and tutorials” linked in the left hand navigation for step by step instructions designed to guide employees through the process.
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Help is available by emailing appraisals@ucsc.edu.
Staff HR provides consulting and training to support managers and supervisors in completing appraisals. Your Employee Relations (ER) analyst can provide you with advice and assistance in discussing pay for performance with your staff and in writing performance appraisals. As a reminder: when reviewing a performance issue that may warrant the rating of “improvement needed,” or “unacceptable ,” please engage with your ER analyst for assistance prior to delivering the performance appraisal.
Training on Performance Management
“Thanks again for a very thorough and meaningful training - it took away a lot of guesswork on how to effectively manage the online system!”
- Margaret M. McGuire
Trainings will occur May 7th through June 20th on subjects including Tool Training, Goal-Setting, and Divisional Approver Signature Input. If you are interested in participating in any trainings, please sign up using this linked Google Sheet. Please note that sessions are separated by location on two different tabs, and arranged by date.
Custom training/consulting within your organization is available upon request. Please see below for contact information.
An online, self-paced e-course, titled UC Conducting Performance Appraisals, is available through the UC Learning Center. Average completion time: 90 minutes.
Contact Adrienne Harrell at harrell@ucsc.edu for training related questions. If you have enrollment questions, please contact Elizabeth Hammond at eahammon@ucsc.edu.
For further information regarding the performance appraisal process or pay for performance, please contact your Employee Relations (ER) analyst to arrange an in-person consultation with your division/unit.
Thank you,
Steve Stein, Grace McClintock and The P4P Workgroup
