Open and effective communication is essential when it comes to enhancing performance and achieving goals. The Performance and Staff Development Program (the annual performance appraisal program) provides staff and supervisors with a formal process to enhance communication and promote a productive work environment.

The performance appraisal process provides benefits for both the staff member and the supervisor, such as:

• Providing documented feedback on job expectations, performance, and accomplishments from the past year
• Offering positive reinforcement as well as developmental feedback
• Allowing staff members to participate in goal setting
• Setting performance expectations and goals for the upcoming year
• Encouraging open communication between staff and supervisors
• Promoting discussion of professional development opportunities and the competencies required to be successful in a person’s job
• Ensuring that job performance and accomplishment information is recorded in each staff member’s official personnel file 

Beginning March 15, 2021, staff and supervisors for participating schools and centers may use the Online Performance Appraisal System to complete self-appraisals and annual performance appraisals. Performance appraisals for all eligible regular staff should be completed and entered into the Online Performance Appraisal System by June 1. The Online Performance Appraisal System can be accessed at https://portal.hr.upenn.edu/.

If you are new to Penn’s Performance and Staff Development Program or if you would like to refresh your knowledge, select the links below to register for a virtual workshop in March.

Participating in Performance Appraisals for Staff: March 24, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Join this workshop to understand the performance appraisal process and learn how you can prepare to have a productive review session.

Conducting Performance Appraisals for Supervisors: March 25, 12:30-1:30 p.m. If you are supervising or managing other employees and feel the need to learn more about how to prepare for and conduct performance appraisals, this is the course you’ve been looking for! Join us to find out best practices for this important annual procedure.

Valuable information on the performance appraisal process can be found on the Human Resources website at https://www.hr.upenn.edu/performance-management. These resources will guide you in completing quality appraisals and providing effective performance and professional development feedback.

For more information on the Performance and Staff Development Program, contact your school or center Human Resources professional or the Division of Human Resources at (215) 898-6093.

—Division of Human Resources