Electronic Performance Assessment Review

(ePAR)

2019-2020

Agenda

• Performance Management Guidelines

• ePAR Process – Cycle, Timeline, Meetings

• Building ePAR Content– Initial ePAR – Setting Goals, Responsibilities, Criteria

– Interim & Final ePAR – Assigning Ratings, Justifications, Development Plan

• Facilitating the ePAR Meeting

Performance Management

Guidelines

What is the Point of Performance Assessment?

• Set clear expectations between supervisors and employees

• Designated time to discuss performance and goals

• Hold employees accountable for their job responsibilities

• Curb or redirect non-productive activities

• Recognize and acknowledge exceptional performance

What is Performance Management?

The ongoing process of goal-setting, communication, observation, and evaluation to

support, retain, and develop exceptional employees for organizational success.

Set Goals

ObserveEvaluate

Communicate

Common Mistakes of Raters

• Basing evaluation on hearsay and not on first hand knowledge and documentation

• Reserving performance feedback until ePARmeeting

• Avoiding conflict with difficult employees

• Using ePAR as a threat or punishment

• Not involving employees in the process

• Poor preparation

The ePAR Process

The ePAR Cycle

Initial ePARWhat is the job?

What standards should be met?

Due: Oct 31

Final ePARHow well was it done

the entire year?Due: Sept 30

Interim ePARHow well was it done

during the first six months?Due: April 1

Setting Expectations

Explain and Assign Ratings, Feedback, Development Plan

Ratings, Feedback, Development Plan

Continuous Monitoring & Ongoing Feedback

ePAR Language

• Ratee: person being reviewed

• Rater: immediate supervisor of ratee

• Reviewer: rater’s supervisor

Dashboard

The Initial ePAR

Setting Job Expectations

• Outline Major Goals of Unit/Work Group

• Establish Major Goals of Ratee

• Determine Major Job Responsibilities (6-10)– Set Specific, Measurable Essential Criteria

• Review Performance Factors and identify their application to the Ratee’s role

Major Goals of Unit

• Work Unit or Group’s overall purpose as relates to/supports the overall mission of the University

• List the Unit/Work Group’s goals• Should be the SAME for all employees in the department

Major Goals of Ratee

• Identify the individual goals of the Ratee that support the Unit/Work Group’s goals/purpose

• How does the Ratee’s job contribute to the Unit/Work Group’s accomplishment of goals?

SMART Goals

S – Specific

M – Measurable

A – Achievable?

R – Realistic?

T – Time Bound

ART Goals

A = Action Word

R = Result

T = Time or frequency

ART Goals

Action Word Result Time/Frequency

Deliver

A three-minute presentation on communication skills to my team

by 9/15/2019

ImplementFive or more ways to increase positive motivation on our team

by 12/1/2019

Action Word Result Time/Frequency

CreateTraining checklist for new employees

by 1/3/2020

DecreaseTurnaround time on application completions

to two business days or less

Realistic & Achievable

• Is this goal attainable?

• Does the goal reflect work that Ratee has control over (responsibility, authority, resources to act)?

ART Goals

Action Word Result Time/Frequency

BuildA comprehensive online New Employee Guide

by 3/1/2020

LearnThe OUCampus web management system

and

Begin servingAs point person for all edits, changes, and updates to the HR website

by 12/1/2019

Major Job Responsibilities & Essential Criteria

Job Responsibilities Essential Criteria• Approximately 6-10 broad duties

which must be accomplished to achieve the Unit/Work Group’s and individual’s goals

• Critical to the job, done often, and comprise a large portion of the role

• Accurately reflects the Actual Work over which the Ratee has control (responsibility, authority, resources to act)

• Provide specifics and detail as to how the responsibilities should be completed

• Statements of what should be done to successfully complete a responsibility

• At least one criteria required for each responsibility

Job Responsibilities Example Facilities Supervisor

Job Responsibility Essential Criteria• Ensure all bathrooms in assigned

building are cleaned thoroughly by staff

• Train new employees on appropriate cleaning procedures

• Inspect all bathrooms each evening: floors, sinks, toilets, walls, replace supplies. Provide feedback to staff.

Job Responsibilities Example Non-supervisory Clerical

Job Responsibility Essential Criteria• Type all departmental

documents• Type all documents that are

received within 24 hours of receipt

• Review each document to ensure spelling & grammar checked, prior to submission to requestor

Major Job Responsibilities & Essential Criteria

Major Job Responsibilities & Essential Criteria

Face-to-Face Meetings

• Ratees and Raters are required to meet to discuss the ePAR

• Raters should set up a meeting at a mutually convenient time

• Ratees can and should review the ePAR before the meeting and come prepared with questions/comments

• Raters will make necessary edits to the ePAR after the meeting

• Raters will confirm the meeting in the ePAR system

Conducting the Initial ePAR Meeting

• Review the goals, job responsibilities, and essential criteria in detail

• Review the job factors and elements the employee will be rated on in future ePARS

• Solicit input from the Ratee

The Steps

Initiating ePAR:

ePAR cycle launches

October 1

Rater inputs Goals & Job Expectations

Face-to-face meeting with Ratee

Rater completes any necessary edits and confirms face-to-face meeting

Optional pre-meeting with Ratee to establish goals and

job expectations

Ratee signs ePAR and inputs any desired

comments

Rater reviews and signs

Reviewer reviews and signs

Continuous Monitoring and Feedback

Notes

• Added by Rater

• Not seen by Ratee

• Not part of official review

• Automatically deleted at the end of review cycle

Significant Events

• Used throughout the review cycle

• Recording of positive/negative items

• Record changes to the ePAR

• Events can be edited

• Ratee signs to acknowledge event

Interim & Final ePAR

Interim & Final ePAR6 Month & Full Year Review

• Determine evaluation points and rating justification

• Recognize and document positive contributions and areas needing improvement

• Determine job performance gaps or opportunities and action plan to close gaps or leverage opportunities

Interim Rating: first 6 months Final Rating: the entire year

Interim & Final ePAR

• Assign Ratings

– Job Achievement Factors

– Job Related Factors

• Input Justification

• Development Plan

ePAR Ratings

1-3

▪ 1: Unsatisfactory▪ Failed to achieve most or all essential quality criteria.

▪ 2: Successful▪ Achieved or occasionally exceeded all essential

quality criteria.

▪ 3: Exceptional▪ Significantly exceeded essential quality criteria.

ePAR Rating FactorsPAR Section Competency Factors for Non-

Supervisory EmployeeCompetency Factors for Supervisory Employee

Job Achievement Factors (Results of doing the job)

Job Related Factors(How Ratee did the job)

• Communication• Conscientiousness• Customer Service• Flexibility• Job Knowledge/Skills• Problem Solving &

Analytical Skills• Safety• Self-Management• Teamwork• Decisiveness

• Communication• Customer Service• Job Knowledge/Skills• Managing Resources• Planning, Organizing, &

Evaluating• Problem Solving &

Analytical Skills• Safety• Self-Management• Teamwork• Decisiveness

• Goal Achievement• Quality of Work• Quantity of Work• Timeliness

Rating Calculations

Justification Guidelines

DO:• Give reasons, both positive and negative, that

substantiate the overall rating

• Review the “Fact Sheet of Significant Events” and all documentation to prepare the justification

• Provide validation of rating by citing specific examples

DON’T:• Include issues unrelated to job performance

• Simply repeat the rating – “Sadie’s performance is exemplary.”

Development Plan

• Recommended but not required to be completed regardless of the rating assigned to the Ratee

• What areas, skills, or competencies should the Ratee improve or strengthen and how should they get assistance to make these improvements?– Specific area(s) identified for development

– Specific action to be taken by Ratee

• Work together to develop a plan of action

Conducting the Interim and Final ePAR Meetings

• Review rating system

• Depending on meeting, review goals and ratings already recorded

• Let the Ratee talk

• Stay focused on performance and away from judgments

The Steps

ePAR Interim Review:

Rater inputs Rating assignments and rationale

Face-to-face meeting with Ratee

Rater completes any necessary edits and confirms face-to-face meeting

Optional pre-meeting with Ratee to review Rating

assignments

Ratee signs (agree or disagree) ePAR and inputs any desired

comments

Rater reviews and signs

Reviewer reviews and signs

The Steps

ePAR Final Review:

Rater inputs Rating assignments and rationale

Face-to-face meeting with Ratee

Rater completes any necessary edits and confirms face-to-face meeting

Optional pre-meeting with Ratee to review Rating

assignments

Ratee signs (agree or disagree) ePAR and inputs any desired

comments

Rater reviews and signs

Reviewer reviews and signs

New Employee?

• Initial ePAR– Complete immediately; discuss expectations, role,

responsibilities

• Interim ePAR– Complete after the employee has been in the role 4-6

months

– Employees have a 4 month working test period – within that time frame no evaluation should be done (other than the evaluations that are part of the probationary period)

ePAR closeout

Remember!• The Rater is responsible for monitoring the progress of the

ePAR and ensuring it is submitted on time

• The ePAR is not considered complete until the Reviewer has signed

• If an employee transfers to another department or is promoted to a new position the Rater must close out their current ePAR

• If you hire an employee, regardless of the time of year, you need to create an Initial ePAR

Next Steps

• Double check access to ePAR system in MyNewJersey portal

• Begin preparation of Job Expectations (Goals,

Job Responsibilities, & Essential Criteria) for each Ratee

• After Oct 1:

– Confirm correct list of Ratees in ePAR system (Tristan can make corrections)

– Begin initiating ePARs for each Ratee (due Oct 30)

StocktonResources & Support

• Your Manager/Supervisor

• HR Staff –– Tristan & Heizel – technical & navigation

– Christy – navigation & building content

• HR website – PAR page

– https://stockton.edu/human-resources/par.html

StateResources & Support

• ePAR User Guide

• ePAR Frequently Asked Questions

• My New Jersey Portal

• ePAR Help Desk

– 609-777-2225