Performance Review

These steps assume that Key Performance Measures (also known as key performance indicators or KPIs) have been previously agreed between the manager or supervisor and the staff member for the review period. 

A manager or supervisor and the staff member will get the most value from the performance review discussion if they are both well prepared.  Each can consider the following questions in preparation for using this tool in the review discussion:

• How are you going at work?
• What are your strengths? 
• What have been your key achievements during the review period?
• What needs to be done differently?
• What learnings have you taken from your experiences in the role over the review period?

• prepare in advance by thinking about your work over the review period;
• try and think of specific work examples that demonstrate both achievement, and any areas for development.

• Have you scheduled the review meeting well in advance to allow enough time for both of you and your staff member to prepare?
• Have you reviewed your progress notes from the review period in preparation for your discussion with the staff member?
• What key points would you like to capture with regard to the staff member’s achievements?
• Is the staff member meeting the capabilities/requirements for the role?
• What other areas arose during supervision that are relevant to the review discussion?

• only undertake a performance review as the direct supervisor;
• schedule the review meeting well in advance to allow preparation.

Managers or supervisors generally prefer to review the staff member’s performance against the specific expectations/performance measures agreed for the role and then determine an overall assessment for each key responsibility area.  These assessments provide the basis for the overall performance review outcome.

A five-step approach to assessment can be used – e.g. Outstanding (5), Superior (4), Fully Competent (3), Improving (2), or Marginal (1) - which allows the manager or supervisor and the staff member to exercise judgement on differing levels of performance that has been demonstrated across the range of job responsibilities.  It also allows the manager or supervisor to assess and provided feedback on differing levels of performance more fairly across the team.

Some organisations have specific procedures to follow, including for rating different standards of performance, in their organisational policy statements on performance reviews.

• balance feedback on poor performance in a particular aspect of the job with feedback about things that have gone well
• use work examples from the review period that substantiate the performance that has been achieved (records kept from supervision discussions and other reviews/assessments during the period will assist).

The manager or supervisor and the staff member can consider the following questions in preparation for the development planning component of the review discussion.

What support, learning, development, etc. do you want/need to meet the requirements of your role?

What are your career development goals?

Remember to:

• focus primarily on the learning and development you need to build your skills to meet the requirements of your job.

What are the priority areas for learning for the staff member based on their performance in the role?

Is there a career development pathway that meets the staff members’ interests and can be supported?

Remember to:

• focus primarily on the development required to build the staff member’s capabilities to meet the requirements of their current job.

Many managers and supervisors will conduct all their reviews with team members before finalising their comments and the overall performance review outcome for each staff member.

Remember to:

• follow-up after the review discussion by completing documentation requirements for the review.