Guidelines For Executing Performance Reviews For Staff Members

Department chairs and program directors (CPDs) are obligated to complete yearly performance reviews for their administrative assistants (AA) and any staff members who report to them directly; the annual due date is May 31.  The HR website provides an overview of the standard Annual Performance Review process and offers helpful resources, although CPSs may deviate somewhat from the HR guidelines in the specific ways outlined below.

Because most AAs in Academic Affairs support more than one department or program, they have more than one supervisor.  Ideally, the supervisors will confer and one individual will take the lead in collating the supervisors’ perspectives; engaging in the performance conversation with the AA; and writing and submitting the final document(s), to be signed by all supervisors.  Alternatively, however, or if circumstances require it, each supervisor may undertake a separate review.  Note that in all cases, HR’s template/form for the annual performance review is required.  

The general steps in the process are as follows:

• The AA provides a self-evaluation (Annual Employee Performance Review Form) to the supervisor(s).
• Supervisor(s) and AA meet to discuss. The conversation should help refine the final employee performance review form may be amended as a result. 

Once the performance review conversation has taken place and the AA and supervisor(s) have signed the final employee performance review form, it should be submitted to HR.

While we recognize that CPDs often have minimal supervisory experience and may initially be uncomfortable reviewing an employee, it may help to remember that a performance review enables the following:

• Reaffirms a staff member’s status as both a professional and a team member whose work is taken seriously.
• Offers an opportunity to praise those aspects of the job that are done well.
• Provides a written map for the future. Expectations are clearly documented, allowing the staff member to improve and/or pivot as required.