Empowering Performance
At Illinois, we believe that every employee deserves transparency and clarity when it comes to their performance. We encourage leaders to engage in regular, meaningful conversations with team members, providing ongoing feedback that fosters growth and development.
We know that understanding how your performance will be evaluated is essential for a healthy supervisory relationship that promotes personal and professional development. Our collaborative approach is designed to empower individuals and teams to thrive.
Our Approach
At Illinois, our vision is to create a culture where performance excellence is the standard and everyone is empowered to succeed. We focus on insightful performance conversations that encompass:
- Clear Expectations: We establish clear expectations from the outset. When everyone understands their role, it cultivates alignment and purpose within the team.
- Goal Setting & Development Planning: Together, we craft meaningful objectives that align with individual, team, and organizational goals.
- Ongoing Feedback: Feedback is a continual process, not a one-time event. We promote regular conversations that celebrate achievements, provide insights, and identify opportunities for improvement.
- Annual Performance Review: This formal discussion and written document allows us to celebrate your progress, evaluate competencies, and align development plans with your aspirations. A key element of the annual review process is often the self-review, which gives you the opportunity to highlight your achievements, assess competencies, and identify areas for growth.
Performance Reviews
Performance review competencies at Illinois are rooted in the values from the strategic plan. To assist the employee and their supervisor, each of the three competency sets suggest some key performance indicators that further define and illustrate desired behaviors. These competencies are intended to promote robust dialogue, celebrate successes, and describe opportunities for growth and goal setting.
Collaboration, Communication, and Dependability
Performance indicators may include skills such as:
- Active Listening: Demonstrates a commitment to truly understanding others by actively listening, asking questions for clarification, and providing feedback to ensure clear comprehension.
- Clear and Concise Communication: Effectively shares relevant information, resources, and feedback with team members to facilitate their work and decision-making. Articulates thoughts, ideas, and information clearly and concisely, adapting communication style to the audience and choosing appropriate channels for effective message delivery.
- Cohesion: Fosters a positive working environment. Effectively addresses disagreements and conflicts, striving to find mutually beneficial solutions while maintaining respect and professionalism.
- Judgment: Acts with integrity and earns the trust of colleagues through reliability.
- Reliability and Attendance: Fulfills commitments and adapts to changes in priorities while maintaining a high level of productivity. Consistently present for work as scheduled and follows appropriate procedures for requesting time off. Reliably present for important projects, tasks, and events.
Empowerment, Initiative, and Job Knowledge
Performance indicators may include skills such as:
- Adaptability: Readily adjusts to changing circumstances, embraces new responsibilities, and maintains a positive attitude even in challenging situations.
- Adherence to Best Practices: Actively seeks opportunities for professional development and continual learning while demonstrating knowledge of and adherence to industry best practices.
- Encouragement of Others: Encourages and supports colleagues in taking initiative and becoming more self-empowered.
- Self-Motivation: Demonstrates a strong work ethic and drive to accomplish tasks without constant supervision. Frequently takes ownership and responsibility to improve processes, solve problems, and contribute to the overall success of the organization.
- Timely and Accurate Task Completion: Tasks and projects are consistently completed within established deadlines, and deadlines are rarely missed. Consistently produces work that is free from errors, omissions, and inaccuracies.
Inclusion, Compassion, and Customer Service
Performance indicators may include skills such as:
- Conflict Resolution and Sensitivity: Resolves conflicts and disputes with sensitivity and compassion, fostering a positive and respectful resolution for all parties involved.
- Continuous Improvement: Demonstrates a customer-centric approach in all interactions. Actively seeks opportunities to enhance the customer experience, whether through process improvements or additional training.
- Embracing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Demonstrates an understanding of the value of diversity, equity and inclusion and actively encourages diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences within the team and organization. Utilizes language and communication that is inclusive and respectful of all individuals, ensuring that no one feels marginalized or excluded.
- Empathetic Support: Supports and champions the well-being and professional growth of colleagues, creating an environment where everyone can thrive. Shows genuine empathy toward colleagues, their concerns, experiences, and needs, and demonstrating a willingness to understand and provide support.
- Customer Satisfaction: Appropriately, timely, and professionally responds to customer concerns that may include quantitative or qualitative data related to client feedback. Anticipates and meets customer needs efficiently and effectively.
Performance Reviews Policy
Illinois has one policy governing staff performance reviews (https://cam.illinois.edu/policies/hr-56/).
If college or unit HR plans to use an alternate performance management tool or platform, they should submit it for review by Labor and Employee Relations using this form.
Probationary Reviews
For Civil Service Employees, a probationary period of either 6 or 12 months is standard. During this time, supervisors conduct periodic evaluations to determine successful completion of the probationary period and to provide the employee with timely performance feedback.
Tie to Salary Program
To ensure a comprehensive and aligned evaluation process, we recommend conducting performance reviews well in advance of the annual salary program determinations. Performance assessment is a key influencer of salary decisions. But the annual review should also emphasize progress, areas for improvement, and alignment with both unit and employee goals. This holistic approach fosters growth and sets the stage for meaningful discussions about development and compensation.
Resources
For your convenience, we have created the following resources:
Evaluation Instruments
Performance Review Training & Videos
Job Aids
Employee Performance Issues
At Illinois, we prioritize direct and transparent conversations to address performance concerns. Our approach focuses on identifying issues, clarifying expectations, and ensuring accountability to uphold organizational standards. We aim to create an environment where employees understand what is expected of them and have access to the support they need to be successful. Please note that colleges, departments, and administrative units may also have specific bylaws that outline their processes for addressing performance concerns.
Our Process
Supervisors are encouraged to discuss performance concerns promptly. Timely discussions often lead to effective resolutions, as clear communication about issues and expectations are key.
If performance issues persist after initial conversations, supervisors should consider taking appropriate corrective steps as outlined below. Supervisors are encouraged to work with their departmental HR representatives on the best approach.
Labor and Employee Relations (LER) can provide guidance on performance management covering topics such as:
- Management of attendance, productivity, and conduct concerns
- Employee Policy Compliance
- Corrective Action/Discipline
Employee Disciplinary Procedures
Civil Service Employees
The Performance Partnership Program (PPP) is a proactive performance management system for most civil service employees (Police Officers represented by FOP Local 126 are not included in PPP but a separate process detailed in their CBA). The PPP emphasizes recognizing and encouraging good performance will addressing any issues. Key principles of the PPP include:
- Mutual Respect
- Effective Communication
- Constructive Feedback
- Employee Responsibility
- Commitment to High Work Standards
- Positive Reinforcement
PPP fosters a supportive environment where coaching and counseling help employees make meaningful improvement and sustain those changes.
Positive Steps:
1. Positive Contact
2. Positive Recognition
Corrective Actions:
Informal
1. Constructive Contact
2. Performance Improvement Discussion (PID)
Formal
3. Work Performance Reminder (WPR)—Active for 6 months*
4. Written Reminder (WR)—Active for 1 year*
5. Decision Making Leave (DML)—Active for 2 years*
*Provided there is no other formal corrective action during this time period.
Letter of Expectations
A letter of expectations (LOE) is a written document outlining performance concerns and expectations.
If corrective steps do not result in acceptable work performance, employees may be subject to a Notice of Non-Reappointment.
Employees or supervisors needing more information about the LOE process should contact Labor and Employee Relations at ihr-ler@illinois.edu or 217-333-3105.
Graduate Assistants
The employee disciplinary process for graduate assistants is outlined in the collective bargaining agreement for the Graduate Employee’s Organization.
Employees or supervisors needing more information about the disciplinary process for graduate assistants should contact Labor and Employee Relations at ihr-ler@illinois.edu or 217-333-3105.
Visiting Academic Professionals
The employee disciplinary process for visiting academic professionals is outlined in the collective bargaining agreement for the Visiting Academic Professionals.
Employees or supervisors needing more information about the disciplinary process for Visiting APs should contact Labor and Employee Relations at ihr-ler@illinois.edu or 217-333-3105.
Performance Partnership Program (PPP) Resources
- PPP Overview
- PPP Quick Reference Chart
- Performance Improvement Discussion (PID) Procedures
As part of the PPP process, a PID can occur at any time, including during a period when an employee is under formal corrective action. Although a PID is an informal, non-disciplinary discussion, it is formally documented in a written memo. In addition, it requires specific pre- and post-discussion documentation by supervisors. This job aid provides guidance and clarity on that discussion for employees and their supervisors.
Collective Bargaining
Some employees are covered by a collective bargaining agreement (CBA). CBAs may contain specific provisions regarding performance management and performance reviews that must be adhered to.
Collective Bargaining Agreements
Is the employee represented by a union?
Each CBA contains a list of covered classifications.
You can also search the list of Represented Classifications for an employee’s classification. (Press down the CTRL + F keys simultaneously to open the search menu.)