Annual Performance Reviews - Why?

Why do we do APRs? Well, the reasons are many.

You should have regular discussions and/or receive regular feedback about your performance throughout the year. The APR process is simply the method we use to document your performance for a specific period of time.

There should be no surprises during the APR process. This is not a time to save up complaints or compliments. Those should be distributed throughout the year when they are warranted.

The APR process is used to evaluate the previous year and to agree on a work plan for the coming year. It is a process to summarize on one page the overall accomplishments of the individual.

What do we do with the data? After the forms have been reviewed with the agency director, appropriate assistant vice president and the vice president, the APR forms go in your official personnel file at the university. The performance review summary is entered in to IRIS as a part of your official electronic personnel record. Then, when we have an opportunity to give merit/bonus pay, we have documentation to justify our decisions. I know, we have not been able to do that in a while. But, times will get better and we'll be able to provide these cash rewards once again.

So, let's look forward to the process with anticipation, not dread. It should be a positive experience. We are providing training to all supervisors to help improve the process. What do you think of our process?