​Performance Management


Performance management provides employees with clear objectives, ongoing and valuable feedback, professional development, and recognition for work well done. Effective performance expectations align with the institution's goals and objectives to help the institution meet its initiatives.

Achieving high-level performance through employee development is done by
  • Setting clear and clarifying expectations
  • Frequent informal conversations regarding performance (daily/weekly)
  • Annual performance reviews
UW-Stevens Point's performance review process requires an annual formal performance review for University and Academic Staff. Use the resources on this page to support informal and formal performance management.

 Performance Review Policies

 Performance Management Best Practices

This section provides general performance management best practices. For the resources specific to the ePerformance process, see the ePerformance for Employees and ePerformance for Leadership sections on this page.

Use the resources in this section to support effective performance management.

Performance Management Slides

Performance Management Toolkit for Employees

Performance Management Toolkit for Leadership

Leadership Quick Guide: The quick guide supports you to get started, understand resources, and stay organized.

Use the below resources to support informal performance discussions.

  Manage your Reactions during Difficult CommunicationNon-Judgmental Language for FeedbackQuick Tips on How to Receive Feedback BetterEverything You Need to Know About Giving Negative Feedback

 Performance Periods

The ePerformance system is used for non-instructional staff only, and will show the performance period as a calendar year. January 1,[Year] - December 31, [Year]. 

 Performance Review Timelines

Employees hired prior to 2023 need to have a completed performance review sometime during 2023.

The ePerformance system has deadlines within the system. These are set only to keep everyone generally on task/flowing through the process.  

The most important deadline, especially if the performance period is based on the calendar year: The latest deadline to completely finalize a current year's performance in the system is 1/1/24 (fail safe), but our campus deadline is December 31, 2023. 

ePerformance Submission and Performance Review Timelines:

Define Criteria Step Deadline:

For 2023: The deadline for the Define Criteria step to be completely finalized is the end of March 2023.  

Checkpoint 1 Step Deadline:

The recommended deadline for the Checkpoint 1 step is anytime between May 1st and September 1st. 

Finalize Criteria Step Deadline:

The recommended deadline to Finalize Criteria is at least 3 months prior to the end of the individual's performance period. The deadline noted in ePerformance is Sept 30th.

Manager: Schedule Performance Review Conversation(s):

Schedule the performance review conversations to occur about one month prior to when the performance review period ends. This will provide enough time to have the employee do their self-evaluation, for the two of you to meet, for you to finalize the manager evaluation, and for your employee to make comments, if interested, and acknowledge and finalize the performance review.

Self-Evaluation Step Deadline:

If completing the performance review on a calendar year basis, the staff member should complete their self-evaluation by late November/Early December. 

​Have the Performance Management Conversation:

Employees and managers should meet to discuss the performance review. A manager may choose to share their evaluation with an employee prior to the performance review discussion. However, it is not recommended to do so in case there are changes needed after the meeting.

Manager Evaluation Deadline:

Complete the performance review on a calendar year basis, the staff member should complete the manager evaluation by December 22, 2023. Although the system says January 31st, this date includes the timeline for staff to do their additional comments and acknowledgment.

 Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (EDIB) Performance

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (EDIB) should be an integral part of the performance planning and review. The Competency Model explicitly includes a competency for this topic. When using the Goals model, at least one goal should include some element of EDIB performance. The goal can be in the form of professional development. Reference the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (EDIB) Activity Ideas to support performance management and professional development.

For a complete list of activities, actions, and resources, visit the UWSP HR EDIB website.

 ePerformance Resources for Leadership

Use the below resources and the Performance Periods, Performance Timelines, ePerformance Employee Resources, and the UWSP Specific ePerformance Tips and Troubleshooting sections of this page to support ePerformance administration.

UWS Tipsheets and Videos for Managers

ePerformance Tips and Best Practices for Leadership_Pilot Training

Access ePerformance documents via My UW.

All non-instructional staff have a 2023 ePerformance "document". You are encouraged to define criteria and complete the checkpoint 1 steps for new staff to support clear expectations and guidance. 

For staff hired in 2023, please disregard notices to complete the 2023 documents, and no action is needed for ePerformance 2023.

​General Tips:

  • If the most current step you are trying to complete is not editable in HRS, ensure the prior step is 100% completed. If it is not, complete the prior step fully.
  • If an employee informs you that they are "locked" out of a step and you want them to be able to edit the step, click the Release to Employee button on the top right side of the page.
  • See theUWS Tipsheets and Videos for Managers as needed to complete the steps generally.

Define Criteria Step:

  • Decide which model (Goals or Competencies) your staff member(s) should use for the performance review.
  • Have your staff complete this step. While it may seem helpful to complete it on their behalf, you will find that you create an extra step for yourself as once they have reviewed it, you will need to approve the step. Therefore, instead of one step for yourself, you have created two steps.
  • If you choose to complete the Define Criteria step for your staff, see the ePerformance for Employees Resources section to complete this step.
Administrative Tips for ePerformance:

Check-In Point Step:

  • Meeting to do an informal performance discussion is the best practice. However, it is not required. If you and your staff member discuss performance informally, make notes in the system to document the discussion(s).
  • If an informal discussion did/does not occur, you may still update the criteria or make other notes and then submit the step.
    • If no informal discussion occurs and no updates to the criteria are needed, you may choose the Skip Checkpoint button on the right top of the page to skip this step completely.

Finalize Criteria Step:

  • If no edits are needed for the goals or competency details, click Approve in the right top corner to complete this step.
  • If edits are needed, have the staff member update the details needed and then share/forward the step to you. Review and approve the updates. If further edits are needed, you are able to send the step back to the staff member.
  • If you get an error/warning about your percentages, reference the General Tips up above within this section.
  • If you receive an error/warning about your percentages, see the Administrative Tips for ePerformance topic listed above within this section.

Completing the Manager Evaluation:

  • Do not submit the manager evaluation until the employee has submitted their self-evaluation. If you submit it before their self-evaluation is complete, the system will remove and/or lock the staff member's self-evaluation.
  • Draft and save your evaluation ratings and comments in Word or through some other method. Copy your comments into the system when you are ready to submit them.
    • Save the draft/document until the review is fully completed.
  • If your staff submitted their self-evaluation to you, then have updates, there are a few options to have your staff member make changes:
    • If you have not shared the manager evaluation with the employee yet, email hr@uwsp.edu to have the self-evaluation step re-opened.
    • If the manager evaluation step is completed, the staff member can add their changes/additions within their acknowledgment step.
  • Rating your staff: There are two definitions for when someone is meeting expectations/goal.
    • Fully Successful is defined for assessing a goal and/or a competency. See the ePerformance rating scale definitions for details.
    • Developing is only applicable when:
      • The rating is used for newer staff when performance has not been observed long enough to be rated fully. The general assessment indicates on track to meet a(n) expectation/goal/competency. Time in the role is less than 6 months and/or the quality of work is too early to assess. Or
      • Expectations, goals, and/or a development plan are in place to monitor and measure progress for new expectations/goals that were implemented mid-performance cycle.
  • After doing the manager evaluation for the model you use (goals or competencies), to "finalize ratings" and avoid system errors:
    • If you use Goals: Rate each competency to Fully Successful/Developing. In the comment section, you may type N/A or something such as "See goals". The system will ignore the competency ratings since the competency tab is set to 0% weight.
    • If you use Competencies: Rate the "null" goal as Fully Successful/Developing. In the comment section, you may type N/A or something such as "See competencies".

 ePerformance Employee Resources

​Foundational Resources:

Performance Management Help for Employees page

Video: Performance Management - Employee

Access ePerformance documents via My UW.

General Tips/Notes:

  • The ePerformance will send Automated Emails to remind you and your manager to complete each step. The reminders are based on the ePerformance due dates for each step in the system. The system sends reminders to both the employee and manager for incomplete steps. This occurs even if you as the employee have completed your portion of a particular step. Finally, the system will send an email for the next step even if the previous step is not complete.
  • You can only complete the "next" step within the process once the previous step is fully complete. If you need to complete a new/the next step and are unable to access it, speak with your manager as they most likely need to approve the previous step.
  • At any step, if the system says you are "locked" out to make edits and the step does not show as completed, it means the step is "waiting" for your manager to do an action. Your manager can "release" the step back to you. Speak with them to request this. In some situations, your supervisor may prefer to make the edits themselves.
  • For staff hired in 2023, please disregard notices to complete the 2023 documents, and no action is needed for ePerformance 2023.

Annual Performance Review Steps in ePerformance:

There are 5 staff member steps within the annual review process.

1. Define Criteria: This step is where you set your goals or set a weight for each competency.

Tips for this step:

  • The summary weight for either goals or competencies should be set to 100%. If your supervisor prefers other total weightings they may choose to do so.
  • If you need to make edits to your criteria after your manager approves, edits can be made in a later step(s).
If You Use Goals:
  • Set at least 3 goals and no more than 5. Make sure the total of your goals' weights adds up to 100%.
  • Reference the Performance Management Best Practice resources to create effective goals.
  • Use the Goals Model Weighting Guide to weigh your goals and have the system "ignore" the competency model/tab for your performance rating.
If You Use Competencies:
  • The default weight for each competency is set. The best practice is to leave it as is.
  • Goals may be used to support outcomes and/or professional development. However, they do not have to be weighted towards performance.
  • Use the Competency Model Weighting Guide to weigh your competencies and have the system "ignore" the goals model/tab for your performance rating.
2. Check-In Point: This step is for an informal performance discussion. An informal discussion is best to occur about halfway through the performance period.

Tips for this step:
  • Meeting to do an informal performance discussion is best practice. However, it is not required. If you and your manager discussed performance informally, make notes in the system to document the discussion(s).
  • If an informal discussion did/does not occur, you may still update the criteria or make other notes and then submit the step.
  • If you are unable to complete the Check-In Point step in any way in the system, speak with your manager as your Define Criteria step is most likely not approved by them yet.

3. Finalize Criteria: This step allows you and your supervisor to make any final edits or additions to your goals or competencies and change any weighting.

4. Complete Self-Evaluation: This is the step which allows you to document your assessment of your performance for the performance period.

Tip:

  • Draft and save your evaluation ratings and comments in Word or through some other method. Copy your comments into the system when you are ready to submit them.
    • Save the draft/document until the review is fully completed.

Tip for this step: Complete and share this step [with your supervisor] prior to meeting with your supervisor for the performance review discussion.

5. Review Manager Evaluation: This step should be completed after the performance review discussion with your supervisor has occurred. Once your supervisor has shared their assessment of your performance formally, this step allows you to review, provide additional comments, and acknowledge that the performance review occurred.

 UWSP Specific ePerformance Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting: 

  • When doing Competencies: If 0% is listed for the null goal weight and 100% for the goal summary weight, there will be a system error since both the goals and competency tabs are set to 100% weight.

    • How to correct if you encounter this: The null goal should be 100% and the goal summary weight should be 0%.
  • When doing Goals: When doing the self-eval or manager eval, the system provides an "error" notice if not all of the competencies are rated.
    • How to correct if you encounter this: Rate the competencies all as Fully Successful/Developing. The system will count the ratings at long as the summary weight for competencies is set to 0%

 Strengths-Based Focus

Strengths-Based Model

Use this as an additional resource to create an exceptional performance management experience.

 Paper Forms

If you are intersted in still using or accessing the paper forms to then upload into the ePerformance system, you may do so. These forms cannot be submitted to HR, they must be uploaded into the ePerformance system to submit the review.

Competency Model

The competency model allows individuals to reflect and review prescribed competencies that are founded on UW-Stevens Point's mission, vision, and values.

Note: If this model is chosen, 1-2 growth/development goals are best practice.

Goals Model

The goals template allows the leader and employee to document, track, and evaluate employee goals. Performance Review - Goals Template

 Performance Improvement Plan

A Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) gives an employee the opportunity to improve while being held accountable for performance. The PIP is meant to be pre-emptive to disciplinary action. However, in some cases, informal or formal disciplinary action may occur at the onset of a PIP. If performance does not improve during a PIP or the performance declines after the PIP, disciplinary action may be necessary.

Before implementing a PIP, contact Human Resources.

PIP Template

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