Eyes
around the University will be watching a College of Agricultural Sciences pilot
program to recognize and reward outstanding staff employee performance.
Eyes
around the University will be watching a College of Agricultural Sciences pilot
program to recognize and reward outstanding staff employee performance.
This month marks the initiation of the Staff Performance Reward and Recognition Program, ACTS, which stands for Administrative, Coordinator, Technical or Supervisory employees. The program is intended to recognize and reward staff members for outstanding performance. Eligible employees on standing appointments in SPEC grades 18-24 in the College of Agricultural Sciences may participate, but if the program works -- the initiative could be instituted University-wide.
Patterned on the peer review programs in place within the Penn State Cooperative Extension system and the University faculty promotion and tenure program, ACTS allows staff members to advance within ranks and to receive recognition and rewards. The new program addresses a long-standing problem that was revealed through a 1996 opinion survey of University faculty and staff. The problem was also noted in the strategic planning process of the College of Agricultural Sciences.
"The attitude survey and the strategic planning process unearthed an issue that we'd been hearing for a long time: staff do not have a career path or are not recognized within their professional areas very well by the system," said Bill Devlin, director of human resource services for the college. "In our college, the survey showed certain staff employees within grades 18 through 24 felt opportunities for advancement were limited by individual job families or specialties, or by experiences and skills that don't transfer to other divisions, departments or colleges as easily."
These limitations made access to higher paying positions more difficult to attain, according to Devlin, who said the lack of a 'pay-for-performance' program, beyond the annual July 1 salary adjustments, was also an issue.
"Until the approval of this pilot program we did not have a system for recognizing or rewarding professional staff who are very good at what they do," said Devlin. In the early 1980s, Devlin helped institute a peer review and recognition system for extension agents in the college. He and others in the college thought a similar system could be used for other staff, so they took their idea to the top.
"The program is the result of staff involvement, thoughtfulness and a clear understanding of purpose," said Billie Willits, assistant vice president for Human Resources. "We're looking forward to assessing the program and, it's hoped, extending it or a similar program to other areas in the future."
Here's how the new program works. The pilot program creates three ascending ranks within each SPEC job grade: gamma, beta and alpha. Outstanding employees can be advanced through the ascending ranks, with corresponding increases in salary compensation without having their jobs reclassified through the SPEC plan or changing jobs. The University salary schedule for staff will determine the employees' initial rank and University salary administration guidelines will cap certain pay provisions in the program.
The Staff Performance Reward and Recognition Program, ACTS, is based on the following three criteria:
n Effectiveness: the ability to perform and maintain performance expectations of the position responsibilities; continually demonstrates competence and capacity for attaining results, growth and improvement in all aspects of the position.
n Accomplishments: consistent competence demonstrated through performance of stated action plan objectives that result in high-quality output and results. Staff member plans and initiates process improvements and services that contribute to the betterment of the unit's mission.
n Service: participation in University, college, unit or departmental affairs with competence in extending specialized knowledge. The staff member should contribute to the quality improvement of services and support while actively participating in professional societies or organizations.
Because the program evolved from the extension agent model already in place, the College of Agricultural Sciences is now the test bed for this initiative. The program will commence following extensive employee and supervisor training, which has already started, and will be ratcheted up in the early months of 2000.