Performance Management (P.M.).

Important Resources

The most important thing to remember when it comes to P.M. is that it isn’t always negative. Whilst its purpose is to compare an employee’s performance against our GRIND expectations, it offers the opportunity for an employee to reach their full abilities and work closely with you, their line manager. Furthermore, it aims to develop and train a specific area of skill, knowledge or behaviour, and offers an alternative solution to disciplinary action. Within P.M., you will find the Performance Improvement Plan (P.I.P.). This is simply the paper trail that monitors performance over a measured amount of time and is extremely useful for record-keeping purposes
(stored on Selima). 

Common reasons for P.M. implementation:

●      Multiple accounts of lateness

●      Failure to meet Steps of Service post three-month probation

●      Difficulty working in a team environment post three-month probation

●      Inability to follow instructions post three-month probation

Before making the decision to place an employee on performance management, you will need to ensure that the employee has received feedback (and read the handbook) on several occasions highlighting the areas of performance that can be improved. Remember, PM is designed to be used when informal discussions do not lead to the employee improving their performance to an acceptable level. 

A written record of all meetings conducted under this procedure will be made, either by the person holding the meeting or by an additional person arranged by the organisation to take notes. These noted will need to be uploaded onto selima available for self-service (employee access).

Stage 1 – Performance wellbeing Chat – Notice & Needs

When an employee is struggling to meet GRIND performance expectations despite receiving feedback on multiple occasions, you will need to informally sit down with your employee. This is a good opportunity to make sure that they are okay on both a personal & professional level. Who knows what’s going on outside of work? There may be problems at home or in their life that are impacting their ability to perform at work and sometimes a simple “Are you okay?” check is all you need to provide. 

Following discussion of the problem, the manager may choose to:

●      Take no further action;

●      Issue guidance to the employee by implementing PM and the PIP; or

●      Refer the matter for investigation under the disciplinary procedure

 

Stage 2 Performance Review meeting for PM or Investigation Meeting

The purpose of a Performance Review meeting is to discuss the employee's performance and carry out a Performance Improvement Plan, with a view to securing the required improvement in the employee's performance. The meeting will be conducted by the employee's manager. 

The employee will be given an opportunity to respond and to put forward any explanation that will be considered and discussed by the line manager.

Performance Improvement Plan (P.I.P.)

A performance improvement plan is a series of measures designed to help improve the employee's performance. Each measure will ideally be agreed with the employee, although the organisation reserves the right to insist on any aspect of the performance improvement programme in the absence of such agreement – you will find a template if your PM Folder to use. Remember to upload this onto the employee’s Selima profile for access.

Each action will be tailored to the particular situation, but will contain the following elements:

Timescale - The overall timescale in which the necessary improvement must be achieved will be set out, together with the timescale for reaching individual milestones where appropriate - We usually advise 1,2 or 3 months. (Timekeeping)

Targets -The performance improvement plan will specify the particular areas in which improved performance is needed and set out how, and on what criteria, the employee's performance will be assessed. 

Measures - The performance improvement programme will specify what measures will be taken to support the employee in improving performance. 

Feedback - As part of the P.I.P., the employee will be given regular feedback from yourself helping to monitor and track improvement.

If, at any stage, you feel that the P.I.P. is not progressing in a satisfactory way, a further meeting may be held with the employee to discuss the issue. As a result of such a meeting, you may amend or extend any part of the timescale.

Review - At the end of the P.I.P., the employee's performance will be reviewed by you. If satisfactory progress has been made, the employee will be notified of this fact in writing. However, if you feel that progress has been insufficient, you may extend the plan or alternatively refer the matter to a disciplinary meeting.

Stage 3 – Need for Disciplinary Action

If the P.I.P. has not led to sufficient improvement in the employee's performance, the employee will be invited (via letter – template in disciplinary procedures folder) to attend a formal disciplinary meeting. Please get in touch with the People Team at this point for support and refer to the disciplinary procedures folder.

At the meeting, the employee will be given an opportunity to respond to any criticism of his/her performance.

The outcome of the meeting may be a decision to:

●      take no further action;

●      refer the matter for investigation under the disciplinary procedure;

●      institute another performance improvement programme; or

●      issue a formal warning to the employee.

A formal written warning will be issued if the meeting concludes that reasonable steps have been taken that should have allowed the employee to perform to an acceptable standard, but that these measures have not worked. The warning will explain the nature of the improvement that is required in the employee's performance and state that the improvement must be immediate and sustained. It will also explain that, if the necessary improvement does not take place, the employee may be dismissed.

The warning will remain live (on Selima) for a period of 12 months, after which it will cease to have effect. Where an employee is issued with a formal warning in accordance with this procedure, they will have a right of appeal.