The Performance Development component is designed to emphasize the importance of Performance planning. Performance planning is the process by which supervisors and employees work collaboratively to:

• Identify job-related priorities and goals;
• Identify job-related skills and behaviors (Job Success Factors) that impact overall job performance;
• Determine resources needed for the employee to be successful;
• Engage in a two-way dialogue to assess on-going progress; and
• Document each Performance Development Cycle’s discussions through the Performance Plan, Checkpoint Reviews, and Performance Review.

• Supervisors are expected to play an active role in the performance planning process by:
  • Identifying job priorities;
  • Determining expectations for successful performance;
  • Allocating appropriate resources;
  • Supporting employee performance and professional development; and
  • Encouraging employees toward successful outcomes.

• Employees are expected to participate in the development of their Performance Plan by:
  • Participating in discussions regarding performance expectations;
  • Identifying areas for improvement; and
  • Suggesting opportunities for growth.
  
  
• Supervisors and employees share the responsibility for ensuring that the performance planning process occurs in a timely and appropriate manner and that the Performance Plan is clear and understood by both parties.

The Performance Development Cycle is established by the Board of Regents and through collective bargaining. It dictates the time parameters to complete Performance Plans, Checkpoint Reviews, and Performance Reviews. Each biennium includes two cycles.
Check with your campus HRS/PPS office for timelines applicable to your campus.

At the beginning of each Performance Development Cycle, supervisors are expected to initiate a discussion with each employee for the purpose of collaboratively writing a Performance Plan. This process involves the following six steps:

1) Review University's Mission and Goals:

• This review of the University’s mission statement and goals helps supervisors collaborate with employees to establish goals that support the overall mission and goals of the University.

2) Discuss Departmental Mission and Goals:

• Establish a context for how the departmental mission and goals link to the University's mission and goals. This review and discussion ensures goal alignment throughout the organization.

3) Review Employee's Role Description:

• Focus on the most important functions the employee is expected to perform. This is the basis for setting goals and discussing relevant Job Success Factors. If appropriate, revise the Role Description. Send the revised Role Description to your campus HRS/PPS office for filing. Note: simply revising the Role Description will not automatically change an employee's job title or pay.

4) Discuss Job Success Factors:

• Job Success Factors help supervisors and employees to focus on the important skills and behaviors necessary for successful performance. Specific performance goals are established in order to enhance one or more Job Success Factors.
• Each of the Job Success Factors can be applied to all types of positions.
• It may be determined that one or more of the Job Success Factors warrant greater focus for a particular position or individual employee. If so, that Job Success Factors may carry more weight in the Performance Review. This expectation must be clearly understood by both parties.

Job Success Factors include the following:

Continuous Improvement/Customer Focus: includes measurable improvement made in systems and processes; attention to, and focus on, customer satisfaction, system efficiency, and effective and appropriate relationships with customers; innovation and creativity; and a commitment to generating new solutions and new ideas.

Interaction with Others: includes demonstrated communication skills; openness to different viewpoints; respect and civility shown to others; collaboration on joint projects and decisions; and candid and helpful feedback.

Resourcefulness & Results: includes working effectively in a variety of situations; demonstrating good work habits, flexibility, and initiative; using multiple resources to achieve desired results; seeking input and assessing risks when making decisions and taking action; and a commitment to getting things done.

Leadership: includes modeling desired behaviors; being a catalyst for change through positive energy; articulating goals and objectives and their value; appropriate delegation of responsibility and authority; and where appropriate, accepting accountability for others.

Expertise: includes possessing the requisite skills for the position; sharing expertise and supporting others in learning, skill building, and pride in work; improving skills and proficiency; and broadening knowledge through professional development. 5) Writing the Performance Plan using SMART Goals:

The supervisor and the employee are expected to work together to develop three (3) to six (6) goals that are aligned with the departmental and University missions.

Setting goals collaboratively allows for a discussion of applicable priorities for each position.

Goals do not always need to be “above and beyond” regular duties or constitute an increased workload. Overall workload needs to be given consideration when establishing goals.

Campus HRS/PPS offices are available to assist the employee and supervisor in establishing a Performance Plan.

To make goals SMART, follow these tips:
S = Specific: state specifically what is going to be accomplished (quantitatively or qualitatively).
M = Measurable: state how achievement of the goal will be measured.
A = Attainable: state how the goal can be attained given current resources, time, departmental organization or state what additional resources or accommodations are needed to achieve the goal.
R = Relevant: state how the goal impacts the employee and/or the department.
T = Time-Bound: state when the goal will be completed, breaking it down into milestones if appropriate.

6) Document Plan:

• Use the Performance Plan form to document the agreed upon goals. (Forms are available on the web at: www.montana.edu/ map or from your campus HRS/PPS office).
• Both supervisor and employee should retain a copy of the completed, signed document. Forward the original to your campus HRS/PPS office for tracking and filing.

Throughout the Performance Development Cycle, it is critical that supervisors and employees set aside time to meet periodically to review the original Performance Plan and assess progress to date. When these discussions are documented, they constitute a Checkpoint Review. These discussions may result in updating the Performance Plan to a dd/delete/modify existing goals. The following questions are offered to assist in this process:

• Is progress being made on development of the Job Success Factors?
• Are priorities and goals determined earlier being accomplished?
• Have there been changes in department or University priorities and goals that require changes to be made in the Performance Plan?
• Does the employee need any assistance in order to succeed?
• Has the supervisor provided adequate support to the employee?
• Has the employee been responsive to the coaching offered by the supervisor?
• Are there overall performance issues that need to be discussed?

The annual Performance Review is conducted at the end of the Performance Development Cycle. This process helps the supervisor and the employee:

• Reinforce open communication
• Review employee performance objectively to assess accomplishment of goals, demonstration of Job Success Factors, and overall job performance; and
• Determine eligibility for Achievement Pay.

• The supervisor will meet privately with each employee for a formal performance discussion.
• The supervisor is responsible for initiating the meeting and scheduling a time convenient for both supervisor and employee.
• The supervisor must elicit and listen to the employee’s perspective as well as be prepared to provide specific constructive feedback about the employee’s accomplishments and overall performance.

• The employee shares responsibility for a productive meeting and is expected to come to the meeting prepared.
• The employee is encouraged to look at the optional Employee Progress Report form (available at www.montana.edu/map or from your campus HRS/PPS office) prior to the meeting and be prepared to address each of the discussion points.
• The employee must engage in a two-way dialogue to help ensure that an effective discussion is achieved.
• If the discussion is unclear, the employee is encouraged to ask questions for clarification and to take advantage of this opportunity to make any appropriate comments.

The supervisor might ask for or the employee might volunteer a summary of accomplishments for the year. (Employees may use the optional Employee Progress Report form available at www.montana.edu/map or from your campus HRS/PPS office). This can be submitted prior to or during the meeting.

• Discuss results achieved compared to agreed upon goals. Since there has been on-going dialogue throughout the Performance Development Cycle, there should be no surprises.
• Review Job Success Factors identifying those that have been strengthened, those that can be developed over time, and any problem areas.
• Review overall job performance.
• Begin discussing development of the employee’s next Performance Plan.

• The supervisor finalizes the Performance Review Form (available at www.montana.edu/map or from your campus HRS/PPS office) after considering the employee's input during the performance discussion.
• The employee will be offered an opportunity to provide written remarks on the Performance Review Form.
• After the supervisor and employee finalize their input, both should sign the form and forward it to the next supervisory level for final review and signature. The original signed form is then forwarded to your campus HRS/PPS office.

MAP affects all non-union classified employees as well as classified staff represented by unions that have adopted the program through collective bargaining. Eligible employees cannot opt out of MAP.

Newly Hired Employees:

• An employee whose first day of employment falls after the commencement of a Performance Development Cycle will not be eligible for Achievement Pay until the next full Performance Development Cycle. However, the employee will be expected to participate in the Performance planning process. Within three (3) months of hire, the supervisor will work with the employee to complete a Performance Plan. Contact your campus HRS/PPS office for training information and schedules.

~For employees hired in the six (6) months prior to commencement of a Performance Development Cycle, the Performance Plan may incorporate the next Performance Development Cycle. As such the plan could conceivably cover up to eighteen (18) months.

~For employees hired more than six (6) months prior to the beginning of a Performance Development Cycle, the Performance Plan shall typically cover the period of time remaining in the current Performance Development Cycle.

• Supervisors and employees are expected to develop a Performance Plan within thirty (30) working days of an employee's promotion to a new position within the same department or transfer to a different department.
• If the promoted/transferred employee has not held the new position for at least three (3) months prior to the Performance Review phase of the Performance Development Cycle, the prior supervisor will complete the Performance Review and determine Achievement Pay. In addition, the new supervisor will provide to the employee a written summary of the employee's performance in the new position.

• In the event there is a change in the supervisor's position, the new supervisor will meet with the employee(s) to review existing Performance Plan(s) within two weeks.
• Such meeting will be considered to be a Checkpoint Review thereby allowing appropriate changes and/or modifications.

• Temporary and fixed term employees are not eligible for MAP.
• Permanent, part-time employees working half time or more must participate in MAP.
• Permanent, part-time employees working less than half time may participate in accordance with campus policy.

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