Performance Appraisal Policy Purpose Effective management of people is a fundamental aspect of running any successful organisation. At Amity University [In] London this responsibility is taken seriously, particularly with regard to ensuring employees get the guidance, support and feedback to be fully effective in their jobs. Employee reviews is an integral aspect of the task of building effective interpersonal relationships. Underpinning the employee review process are management fundamentals how people are generally managed, supported, guided and developed. Everyone who manages or supervises people, directly or indirectly, has a responsibility to: Ensure that everyone understands their role and what is expected of them, knows who their manager is and gets regular feedback concerning their performance. Discuss personal development expectations and needs with each employee and agree short term development actions that fit with longer term objectives. Ensure they are visible and engaged with their teams on a regular basis so that people feel supported, included and valued. Ensure that their teams understand the wider context of decisions being made and are involved in the process of decision making. Communicate with their teams in a regular, clear and concise manner (face-to-face whenever possible). Consequently employee review is part of the overall task of managing people effectively. The underpinning principles of effective employee review are: To create an effective link between individual objectives, the strategic priorities of the school / unit objectives. To develop an effective working partnership between line managers and staff and gain commitment to agreed objectives. To give the opportunity to staff to participate in objective setting and progress review meetings. To ensure that Heads of School reviews and develops staff within a framework of agreed strategic priorities. Performance appraisal at Amity University [In] London falls within two areas: 1) Administrative 2) Teaching (Academic Faculty).
Policy Every employee has the right to an employee review, and conversely the school expects all employees to participate in the employee review process. The Head of School will ensure that the arrangements for annual appraisal are carried out in the school. All appraisers will be expected to familiarise themselves with their appraisee's work. The timing of appraisal meetings will be at the discretion of the parties. If problems arise in the appraisal process the issues should be brought to the Head of School. Definitions Performance Expectation: A quality/quantity level of performance established with an employee at the time of employment regarding each significant aspect of the employee s job description. Performance Appraisal: A continuous process in which an individual's achievement of the performance expectations is assessed. This process is documented at least once a year on the Performance Appraisal Form. Performance Standard: The level to which an employee has met the performance expectations of each element of their job description. This standard is identified by an overall performance evaluation of: Exemplary, Distinguished, Competent, Marginal or Unacceptable. 1) Administrative Staff Purpose The purpose of administrative staff appraisal is to establish a system for the appraisal, development and documentation of all administrative staff employee performance. The goals of performance appraisal are: To help ensure that the quality and quantity of work performed by Amity University [In] London administrative staff members best meets the school's needs; To allow for continuous communication between supervisor and employee about job performance; To offer the supervisor and employee the opportunity to develop a set of expectations for future performance; To provide the opportunity for the supervisor and employee to assess the employee's past performance; To provide for future development of the employee and To provide supporting documentation for pay decisions, promotions, transfers, grievances, complaints, disciplinary actions, and terminations.
Procedures All administrative employees have regularly scheduled performance appraisals at the end of their probationary employment period and annually thereafter. The Head of School may decide that a performance appraisal may be required in addition to these scheduled sessions. Each staff employee is required to have a current approved job description in their possession and on file. The Head of School is responsible for providing each new staff employee with a current job description at the time of their employment. The Head of School will review the job description for each employee that he or she supervises prior to appraising their performance. At the time of the appraisal, both the employee and the Head of School must certify that the job description for the employee s job is current and accurate and this is to be documented on the performance appraisal form. The Head of School has the responsibility to set the performance expectations for each duty to be appraised. However, the Head of School is encouraged to work with the employee to set the expectations for each duty. How well the employee met the standards of the previous appraisal periods may be helpful in setting expectations for the current appraisal period. The Head of School will have the duty of ensuring that each employee is aware of all performance expectations. Note: It is possible during the course of the appraisal cycle that the pertinent duties within a position could change, as well as the performance standards related to those duties. It is the responsibility of the Head of School to communicate with his or her employees about these changes when they occur, not during the appraisal interview. At least one week before the appraisal interview, the Head of School will ask employees to evaluate themselves before the appraisal interview. Note: The annual performance appraisal interview is only one element of the total performance appraisal system, which should include constant feedback, coaching, planning, and other communication designed to make the employee more effective. The Head of School will rate the employee on the Performance Appraisal Form according to the expectations set for each duty. The Head of School will arrange to meet with the employee in a private setting to discuss the ratings. During the course of the interview, it is important that the employee be told of concrete examples of work behaviour that contributed to his or her rating. Feedback should consist of observations and descriptions rather than opinions and judgment. The Head of School should spend part of the interview listening to the employee. Ratings assigned should reflect the Head of School's awareness of incidents that occurred during the year that may have had a negative impact on the employee's performance, but were beyond the employee's control.
Documentation is required for each Performance Level on the Performance Appraisal Form that receives a rating below a rating of three, which is meets all job responsibilities in this area. The documentation must be included with the Performance Appraisal Form. Documentation is required to substantiate an individual s non-compliance with policies, procedures, work rules or inappropriate work-related behavior. The documentation must be included with the Performance Appraisal Form. Ratings and scores are not final until after the performance appraisal interview. An employee who is not available for the interview because of an extended period of absence due to sickness or leave without pay must still be appraised. The Head of School should complete the appraisal form, assigning a tentative score, attaching a memorandum explaining why the employee is unavailable. When the employee returns to work the interview should be conducted and a final score assigned. The Head of School and the employee will sign the Performance Appraisal Form. The employee's signature does not signify agreement with the appraisal, but that he or she participated in an appraisal interview and is aware of the right to appeal. If the employee refuses to sign the form, a witness will be brought in to sign the form. Within 5 working days of the appraisal interview, the employee will receive a final copy of the Performance Appraisal Form. The original will be placed in the employee's personnel file. 2) Teaching Staff 2.1) Academic Faculty Purpose The teaching appraisal procedures at Amity University [In] London are designed: To improve the quality of education for students, by helping instructors to realise their potential and to carry out their duties more effectively; To help instructors to recognise their achievements and help them to identify ways of maintaining high quality or enhancing their professional skills, performance and job satisfaction; To assist in planning the in-service training and professional development of instructors individually and collectively; To identify the potential of instructors for career development, with the aim of helping them through in-service training and where appropriate, through a change of duties; To provide help to instructors who wish to improve their performance, through appropriate guidance, counselling and training and To enhance the overall management and development of the school. Responsibilities The Head of School will ensure and oversee the teaching appraisal of all tutors in the school whether or not they also have administrative responsibilities.
The teaching appraisal process for academic personnel is carried out by the employee s Academic Director. All tutors are required to take part in the appraisal procedures determined by the Head of School and the Academic Director. Appraisal will operate and be seen to operate fairly and equitably for all instructors. The Academic Director will ensure that all teaching personnel are aware of the performance expectations (see definitions above) of the position. Procedures New tutors are to be appraised within their first academic term and annually thereafter. A copy of their Teaching Performance Appraisal Form is to be kept in their personnel file in Human Recourses. The Academic Director may decide that a performance appraisal is required in addition to these scheduled sessions. A successful Teaching Appraisal Form must be the basis for future contractual arrangements with any teacher. Each teaching employee is required to have a current approved teaching contract detailing their responsibilities in their possession and on file. Their Academic Director is responsible for providing each teacher with a current teaching contract at the time of their employment and placing a copy of that contract in the teachers personnel file. The Head of School will ensure that every new teacher attends a New Teacher Induction during which the teacher s responsibilities are explained and discussed. During this session the Head of School has the responsibility to set the performance expectations for each teaching duty to be appraised. However, the Academic Director is encouraged to work with the teacher to set the expectations for each duty. How well the teacher met the standards of the previous appraisal periods may be helpful in setting standards for the current appraisal period. The Head of School will have the duty of ensuring that each teacher is aware of all performance expectations. All teaching appraisals must include at least one In class observation and this observation should form the greatest part, but not the only part, of the appraisal process. This observation must be concluded prior to the appraisal interview. All teaching appraisals must also include an appraisal interview and this interview should include feedback on the observation as well as a discussion regarding the administrative preparedness of the teacher. At least one week before the appraisal observation and interview, Academic Director will ask teachers to evaluate themselves before the appraisal interview. Note: The in class observation is only one element of the total teaching appraisal process, which should include constant feedback, coaching, planning, and other communication designed to make the teacher more effective. The Academic Director will rate the standards a teacher achieves on the Teaching Appraisal Form according to the expectations set for each duty and will arrange to meet with the teacher in a private setting to discuss the ratings. During the course of the interview, it is important that the teacher will be told of concrete examples of work behaviour that contributed to his or her rating.
Feedback should consist of observations and descriptions rather than opinions and judgment. The Academic Director should spend part of the interview listening to the teacher. Ratings assigned should reflect the Academic Director's awareness of incidents that occurred during the year that may have had a negative impact on the teacher s performance, but were beyond the teacher s control. If a teaching appraisal results in an unsatisfactory evaluation on the Teaching Appraisal Form a second appraisal may be requested. A second unsatisfactory appraisal will result in the replacement of the teacher and non-renewal of their teaching contract. Documentation is required to substantiate an individual s non-compliance with policies, procedures, work rules or inappropriate work-related behaviour. The documentation must be included with the Teaching Appraisal Form. Ratings and scores are not final until after the Teaching appraisal interview. The teacher and the Academic Director will sign the Performance Appraisal Form. The teacher's signature does not signify agreement with the appraisal, but that he or she participated in an appraisal interview and is aware of the right to appeal. If the teacher refuses to sign the form, a witness will be brought in to sign the form. Within 5 working days of the appraisal interview, the teacher will receive a final copy of the Performance Appraisal Form. The original will be placed in the teacher's personnel file. Appeal & Review Procedures The employee may, within 10 working days of receipt of the final copy of the Teaching or Performance Appraisal Form, ask for a review of the results of an appraisal to the Head of School if he or she disagrees with how their performance has been appraised. The Head of School will then review their appraisal decisions and respond to the employee within 5 working days. Usually this response should include a meeting with the employee to explain the appraisal reasoning and consequent decisions.