UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Human Resources' (HR) Talent Management team sent a mass email to University staff, announcing the upcoming 2021-22 performance review cycle. The review cycle began on Thursday, July 1, 2021, and will run through Thursday, March 31, 2022. On Monday, Aug. 2, Workday will open for staff to enter their goals for the upcoming performance review.
What’s new this year?
In collaboration with Lisette Garcia, assistant vice president for HR Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (DIB), the HR Talent Management team has added a new competency to the template that focuses on behaviors that support a diverse and inclusive workplace. According to Garcia, “Adding the diversity competency to the performance review process is an important first step in helping ensure that we are incorporating diversity and inclusion into all that we do at Penn State.”
More information about how to incorporate this competency into the performance review cycle can be found in the knowledge base article, titled, the Diversity Competency.
The HR Talent Management team has also updated the “goal types” or “category” in the Workday performance management template. You can now choose an “organizational” or “individual development” goal type. Reference the Developing Effective Goals knowledge base article for more information as it relates to the updated template.
Christy Helms, senior director for HR Talent Management, stated, “By updating the template, our intention is to help employees differentiate and acknowledge goals that are focused on personal growth versus a work initiative. Both goal types are important factors in ensuring team success.”
The timeline
The performance year is organized in four phases:
- Prepare (July): During July, employees and managers should be reviewing unit strategic priorities and setting individual and organizational goals that support priorities. The Developing Effective Goals and Setting SMART Goals knowledge base articles provide information for developing goals.
- Setting Goals in Workday (August): During this phase, employees enter their goals into Workday. Once the goals are approved by the manager, they can be edited/updated as needed throughout the performance year. The online module on Setting goals & expectations in Workday provides step-by-step instructions for the employee and manager.
- Manage Goals (August–February): During this time, managers and employees focus on achieving goals, meeting regularly to review goal progress and document discussions. They can use the Activity Stream functionality in Workday. Refer to the Commenting on Goals in Workday knowledge base article for more information on this functionality.
- End of Year (February–March): The end-of-year activities will kick off on Monday, Feb. 14, 2022, and should be complete by Thursday, March 31, 2022. A summary of end-of-year activities with a recommended timeline can be referenced on the HR Performance Management website.
Any questions related to the Performance Review Cycle should be directed to HR Services at 814-865-1473 or by submitting an inquiry.