The main purpose of appraisal is to nurture and develop talented individuals no matter what their seniority and position within the University. It is an opportunity to reflect on the personal contribution made by individuals during the last 12 months and to look forward to the coming year.
The process should consider the value individuals bring to their current position and discussion about career progression. In addition, it should include the identification of development individuals require to progress and flourish.
It also provides an opportunity to discuss any on-going performance issues that need to be addressed.
Using a formal appraisal process also allows the University to:
- ensure every individual has a clear understanding of their objectives and how their contribution supports delivery of the University’s strategic priorities
- develop knowledge and agreement of what is expected of individuals, removing any barriers to achieving this
- review potential development needs and to predict the employee's future capabilities and how these can be developed
- review progression and to assess the employee's eligibility to achieve promotion
- develop individuals so that job satisfaction and job performance is maximised, thus increasing effectiveness and efficiency resulting in the provision of an improved service to colleagues and students
- ensure the workforce is used in the most effective way.
You can find information on how to conduct an appraisal within the online appraisal guide.
Appraisal window
Dates for 2023/24 completion of appraisals:
- 15th May - 1st July 2024 for SLT/SLRM members
- July - August 2024 for all other staff
- Calibration/Succession Planning meetings: August - September 2024.
Before the appraisal
It is important that managers are not going into an appraisal meeting unprepared. After all, the benefits of undertaking this process will be detrimentally affected if it is not carried out appropriately.
In advance of all appraisal meetings, managers are encouraged to ask employees to carry out self-evaluation by completing the online appraisal form. This self-evaluation needs to be returned to the line manager in sufficient time in advance of the meeting so that this can be fully read and reviewed. It may be a good idea to write down questions or points that need clarifying during the appraisal meeting.
It is likely that managers will need to spend time considering the following before the appraisal meeting:
- evidence or knowledge of areas that the employee is performing well in
- areas of concern or failures to perform at the required standard
- the objectives agreed and whether the employee has reached these or not
- any feedback about the employee’s performance from others
- future needs or areas that the employee's performance can be improved in.
The manager will also need to prepare the documentation that is needed for the appraisal so that this is available in the meeting and no interruptions are needed to gather documents. Necessary documents will include:
- the employee’s pre-appraisal evaluation form
- a blank performance appraisal form
- the personal development plan containing the employee’s objectives for the previous appraisal period
- a blank performance objective review form
- a blank personal development plan
- the performance appraisal policy (if necessary).
The benefits of appraisals
An appraisal process creates benefits for both the employee and the organisation by:
- helping to improve the employee’s future job performance through identifying strengths and weaknesses, including determining how strengths can best be utilised and how weaknesses can be overcome
- helping to reveal problems which may be restricting an employee’s progress and causing inefficient work practices
- encouraging regular dialogue between employees and their line manager about their work performance which will result in improved communications and clearer direction
- developing a greater degree of consistency by ensuring that employees and line managers meet formally and regularly to discuss performance and potential
- assisting succession planning and determine suitability of employees for promotion.
The interests of the University are best served by a workforce which, as individuals and a team, are carrying out their tasks to the most effective performance level. This is what performance appraisals are seeking to achieve and why they can have an impact on employees and the University's performance.
If you need any help or guidance with putting appraisals online please contact hrhelpdesk@stmarys.ac.uk.
Succession Planning
We have implemented a Succession Planning module onto PeopleNet (online) to enable improved identification of talent and potential. Our aim is to create a culture of high performance and an environment where staff feel motivated, engaged and capable of delivering future success.
For 2023/24 please note that succession planning will be rolled out to members of UEC, their direct reports and the direct reports of these managers only. This will consist of undertaking a calibration exercise using the nine box grid to facilitate conversations about individual’s performance and potential. During the conversation individuals are given a final mapping against one of the nine boxes.
View the nine box talent grid
The horizontal axis of the grid indicates growth potential, referring to an individual's potential to grow within the ranks in a managerial or professional capacity.
The vertical axis represents an employees' current overall performance, identifying whether the employee is currently below, meeting, or exceeding performance expectations.
HR and MaxPo
We recommend speaking to your HR Business Partner for further guidance about succession planning.
What is the Maximising Potential (MaxPo) Conversation?
MaxPo enables the review of individuals against performance, behaviour, ambition, and potential to move onwards and upwards. By looking at where individuals sit on these scales it helps bring an understanding of how best to support them in their development to reach their full potential at St Mary’s.
The key element to any successful approach in maximising an individual’s potential is when open and constructive conversations can be had around their potential; where they are now, where they want to be, and how they can be supported to get there.
Who is the MaxPo Conversation Tool for?
Maximising Potential should consider all individuals at St Mary’s. It should cover the development they require, the value they bring, and the role(s) that best suit their skills currently and into the future in their career journey.
Talent and career development and maximising their potential is necessary for the retention of individuals no matter what their role within the organisation; whether that is for example:
- an individual who wants to maintain their CPD to maximise their potential in their current role and use their expertise to develop others around them
- an individual who needs support to reach their potential in their current role
- a new staff member who has just started in a role and needs targeted support to reach their potential in their new role
- a ‘role model’ individual who has mastered their current role and shows high potential to make a step change to the next path in their career.
Last year we undertook a paper soft launch and this year it will be online and will include members of UEC, their direct reports and the direct reports of these managers only. This will consist of undertaking a calibration exercise using the MaxPo Conversation Tool (nine box grid) to facilitate conversations about individual’s performance and potential. During the conversation individuals are given a final mapping against one of the nine boxes.
Recording MaxPo conversations
It is important that the outcomes of departmental level calibration exercise are recorded centrally by HR which is why they are being put online.
Following the conversation line managers must meet with individuals to ensure that any identified career development activities are discussed, this is likely to be a continuation of the conversation from the appraisal conversation and ensures that we proactively support staff development and career progression.