UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State is shifting the annual goal setting and performance review period to begin in July for University staff, based on feedback the University has received from employees. The change — which aligns the annual cycle with the fiscal year — is part of ongoing efforts to positively impact the overall employee experience. The cycle will begin in July, with goal setting within Workday starting at the beginning of August.
The goal setting and review process applies to all full-time, benefits-eligible staff, administrators and executives across Penn State locations and presents an opportunity for managers and staff to discuss and solidify annual priorities in support of the University’s mission.
In the past, the goal and performance review period for staff began in April and ran through March of the following year. The new adjusted performance review schedule aligns the process with the University’s fiscal year and annual salary increase (ASI) timeline, as well as the review schedule for academic administrators and technical service employees.
The adjusted timeline will not change the schedule for ASI. Instead, the change moves the goal and review period closer to the typical time that an ASI would be announced for an employee.
“We’ve been listening to the feedback our employees have been giving us about the performance management process, including how challenging it can be to do performance reviews and goal setting in the middle and end of the spring semester,” said Jennifer Wilkes, Penn State’s vice president for Human Resources and chief human resources officer. “Shifting the staff evaluation period to align with the fiscal year puts everyone on the same page, while also taking some of the pressure off as staff members work to close out the spring semester.”
The 2025-26 performance review cycle begins July 1, 2025, at which point employees should begin to consider their goals and discuss them with supervisors. Workday will open for goal submission on Monday, Aug. 4, and employee goals should be entered by Friday, Aug. 29. For this cycle, it is appropriate to include activities started in April, May and June that are part of a stated goal.
Cascade goals, which can be created by managers and Human Resources personnel to provide the same goal to all or some employees in a unit, should be entered in Workday by Thursday, July 31.
“The updated timeline means that all employees participating in a performance review program are on the same schedule, creating a consistent experience,” said Christy Helms, senior director for talent management. “This change allows everyone at Penn State to follow the same timeline and process in setting and accomplishing their goals.”
The 2025-2026 performance year will cover April 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, to include the months that passed during the adjustment period.
For more information about the updated review timeline, and for materials designed to help managers and employees make the most of each review cycle, visit the performance management webpages on the Human Resources website.
Any questions related to goal setting should be directed to HR Services at 814-865-1473 or by opening an inquiry and selecting “Talent Management/Workplace Learning” from the dropdown menu.