The Performance and Development – Principles and Procedures document describes the annual Performance and Development process for all UTS staff.
Standard templates have been developed to assist with the development of annual workplans and reviews
- Support Staff Performance and Development Workplan and Annual Review Template
- Academic Staff Workplan and Annual Review Sample Template
- SSG Performance and Development Plan Template
The Performance and Development Planning at UTS document illustrates how the planning and Performance and Development process interlink.
Performance and development rationale
The Performance and Development process provides a practical framework in which staff and supervisors work together to:
- plan realistic work that supports the strategic goals of the University, including academic work that is consistent with Faculty workload policies
- clarify expectations about how work will be done
- anticipate and respond to changing priorities
- continuously improve how work is done by applying learning from past experience
- review staff effectiveness and the relevance of the work they do
- ensure all staff receive regular, objective feedback and recognition about what they achieve and how they achieve it
- ensure academic staff receive feedback about student evaluation of teaching
- promote professional growth and career development
- plan for staff to take leave
- manage other factors that may impact on the staff member’s work.
Performance and development cycle
The performance and development cycle complements the University’s annual strategic planning cycle:
- Plan: creating and confirming a Performance and Development Plan (workplan)
- Do: Working towards the objectives, measures and development goals agreed in the workplan
- Review: reviewing work performance and development activities throughout the year and participating in an annual review of performance and development progress
- Improve: continuously improving performance and quality; seeking feedback from supervisors and peers about how to enhance work.
The performance and development cycle has three main phases during the year:
- Workplanning – where the staff member and the supervisor develop an individual workplan which includes objectives for the year, performance expectations, leave plans and development plans.
- Progress reviews – staff member and supervisor meet on a regular basis to review work progress, achievements, changes in priorities, development activities and any concerns. Supervisor provides feedback to the staff member about their performance. The workplan is adjusted if required.
- Annual review - staff member and supervisor discuss how well the staff member has met the past year’s workplan objectives. Supervisor makes a recommendation about incremental progression or performance pay (if applicable).
Timing
- Support staff: Each Faculty and Unit has a Performance and Development cycle of either the calendar year (January – December) or the financial year (July – June). For example, in the calendar year cycle, annual reviews from the previous year followed by workplanning for the year ahead, usually take place between January and March. Staff should check with their supervisors about which cycle applies in their area.
- Academic staff: workplanning usually takes place to coincide with the Faculty’s workload planning for the year ahead. Staff should check with Faculty management or their supervisor about timing in their Faculty.
- Senior Staff: the performance review cycle for SSG staff is January – December. This complements the annual performance and remuneration process, details of which are contained in the SSG Performance and Remuneration Guidelines.
Approvals
Workplans must be signed by the staff member and supervisor and sent to the supervisor’s manager for endorsement. During the workplan period, the original plan should be stored securely in the work unit in accordance with Records Management policy. Both the staff member and the supervisor may keep copies.
At the end of the workplan period, the fully completed workplan and review document is sent to Human Resources Unit for filing on personal files.
For more information see the supervisor's checklist.
