Under the Managing Employee Work policy, supervisors are responsible for:
- Making sure team members understand job expectations, agency values, and the skills they need to thrive.
- Aligning employee goals with their responsibilities and agency priorities.
- Having regular, timely conversations about performance that cover progress, concerns, opportunities, and accomplishments, and documenting these discussions.
- Creating an environment that supports growth by providing mentoring, addressing issues promptly, and encouraging long-term career development.
The information below highlights best practices and timely information managers can use to support their employees' performance.
Annual Cycle Timeline
Phase | When | Your Actions |
|---|---|---|
1. Preparation & Planning | Start of cycle |
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2. Continuous Feedback | Throughout year |
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3. Annual Progress Review | End of cycle |
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Key Deadlines
45 days: Work plan must be in place
30 days: Response time to employee feedback request (if 30+ days since last conversation)
Quarterly: Required check-ins for new employees
Mid-year: Required feedback for employees with Needs Improvement rating or active disciplinary actions
Required vs. Recommended
Required | Recommended |
|---|---|
Work plan within 45 days | Quarterly check-ins for all employees |
Goal calibration | Use the Continue/Stop/Start framework |
Rating calibration BEFORE sharing with employees | Modify goals when priorities change |
Quarterly feedback for new employees | Document successes AND development areas |
Ratings
- Outstanding Performer (3): Consistently performed above expectations
- Successful Performer (2): Accomplished goals and values
- Needs Improvement (1): Needs to improve to complete goals and values
- Unavailable to Evaluate (U): The employee is on LOA at the time of the Annual Progress Review
- Insufficient Time to Evaluate (T): The employee has been employed by the agency for less than 90 calendar days at the end of the annual work cycle.
If Needs Improvement is rated on any goal or value employee must successfully complete assigned goal(s) and values(s).
Continue/Stop/Start Framework
During feedback conversations, feedback should be specific, actionable, and focused on development and growth. To make feedback discussions productive, OSHR recommends this simple guide with three questions:
CONTINUE: What's working? Keep doing.
START: What new opportunities? Begin doing.
STOP: What should change? Do differently.
Goal Requirements
- 3-5 goals per employee
- At least one development goal
- Clear, measurable, aligned with agency priorities
- Document changes before implementing
Documentation Tips
Policy requirement: "Comments must be based on measurable and observable evidence."
- Include specific examples with dates
- Include quantifiable results (numbers, percentages, etc.)
- Include observable behaviors
- Avoid vague impressions
- Avoid unverified hearsay
- Avoid personality traits alone
Calibration Checklist
Calibration is the process where managers come together to compare their assessments - either goals or ratings - across similar teams to ensure fairness, consistency, and appropriate standards. Before conducting calibration meetings, review this checklist.
- No feedback conversations in 30+ days and employee requests one
- Outstanding rating with any Needs Improvement on goal/value
- Rating shared before calibration meeting
- Work plan missing at day 45
- New employee not receiving quarterly feedback
Immediate Action Needed
- No feedback conversations in 30+ days and employee requests one
- Outstanding rating with any Needs Improvement on goal/value
- Rating shared before calibration meeting
- Work plan missing at day 45
- New employee not receiving quarterly feedback