Why, How and When to document performance for myPLAN
Why:
The Cornerstone Performance Management system makes it easy to document progress on your goals and key responsibilities. It is important to regularly update your progress throughout the year. Here are some reasons why:
Provides Focus
By checking on and updating your own progress you are reminded of the priorities and intentions set by you and your manager. This can help you get back on track if you are falling behind in progress. This can also help you identify when a goal may no longer be a priority due to changing needs in your area. This gives you the opportunity to modify, cancel or add a new relevant goal.
Improves Performance and Processes
Describing your work on a key responsibility or goal helps you identify what is working well, where you have strengths, or where you have room for improvement.
Enhances and Documents Communication
While ideal, frequent conversations between managersand direct reports are not always possible in a busy work environment. Documentation will help managers see, at a glance, how you and your colleagues are progressing. And it can remind you of important events, challenges and accomplishments to discuss when you do meet with your manager. Lastly, the commenting tool provides a date-stamped record of updates and feedback.
Supports Decision Making
When it comes time to identifying needs for resources such as equipment,supplies, time or staffing, developing budgets or plans, or making changes to anaccepted practice, better decisions can be made at all levels of an organizationwhen there is documentation supporting the needs and choices.
Lays the Groundwork for Self-Review/ Annual Review
Keeping good documentation throughout the year provides an effective record ofactivities,accomplishments, contributions, discussions, events, and learning. Without this regular documentation it will bedifficult to recollect and describe what influenced the actions of the previous year. If progress is well-documented, the annual self-review should be easy to write.
Relationship Building
“Employees don’t quit jobs, they quit managers.” Manager feedback is a key variable in employee satisfaction, engagement and retention. Performance conversations are a mechanism for ensuring regular communication is occurring.
Developmental
Being deliberate about reflection on work can improve the work, build evidence that employees are capable of expanded roles and identify areas for growth and development.
Legal
Employers have to have documented evidence of performance should there be a need for performance intervention.
How:
There are three resources you can use to document your progress:
- The progress bar
- Commenting tool
- Attachments
These tools are easy to use. See the User Guides for directions(they are located on the myPlan web page and in the Help Resource Center tab when logged into Cornerstone).Deciding how and when to use them, however, may not be obvious. Here are some answers to common questions:
Q. When do I update the Goal Progress bar?
Expressing goal progress is subjective but you can think about your progress in one, or combination, of the following ways:
- If your goal has distinct steps or stages, your progress can be shown as a percentage of steps completed (eg. 3 of 5 steps would equal 60% complete).
- If your goal has a quantifiable objective your progress can be shown as a percentage of your target quantity (eg. 250 of 500 records transferred equals 50% complete).
- If your goal is to sustain a project over time your progress can be shown as a percentage of total time (eg 5 months elapsed in a 7 month project equals 71%).
Q. What should go in the comments section when I update goal progress?
You can use the commenting tool to:
- Reflect on any notable challenges or successes you experience. Will you remember these at the end of the year? If you document them as they occur you will have narrative of your progress at the end of the year.
- Document any significant milestones or decision points on the road to completing the goal.
- Document any feedback you received. You can paste in a copy of an email. (You can also ask that the feedback be submitted via Feedback in your profile page.)
Q. How do I update progress and comments for a Key Responsibility that is a routine activity I do all the time?
Remember: Key Responsibilities receive the most weight in the annual review. It is important to document your work. You can update the progress bar according to …
- Time: You can show your progress as a percentage of the performance year. For instance, April 1st was the mid-point of the 2015-16 performance year. The progress bar, therefore, can be set at 50%).
- Quantity: If your Key Responsibility has distinct steps or stages, or quantifiable objectives, it can be documented by the percent of those stages or objectives completed.
You can use the commenting tool to:
- Reflect on any notable challenges or successes in carrying out the key responsibility. For instance, did you use a new technique, process or system?
- Document any feedback you received. Note anything that reflects the quality of your work.
- Note any challenges or opportunities you foresee then discuss these with your manager.
Q. How often should I update?
This will vary depending on how quickly goal-related milestones occur or how often you and your manager want to review progress. At the very least, you should update and comment on progress frequently enough that you do not forget to document notable activities, accomplishments and challenges. Consider blocking time on your calendar to reflect on and document progress at least once a month.
Q. Who sees the comments?
Employees and their managers can. Comments can also be seen from the annual review form. If well documented, there may be little to add to annual review comment box.
Q. What if I want to upload more than three attachments?
To work around the limitation of three attachments you can combine files into one attachment (merge word files, or combine files in a PDF).
Q When should I change my goal description (edit the goal)?
When there is a change in end date, a significant change in deliverable or a significant change in how the goal will be accomplished. Managers must approve edits. Document your changes in the comments section.
Q When should I cancel a goal?
When it is no longer relevant or a priority for the current performance year. Managers must approve cancellations. If only part of goal can be accomplished, and it is agreeable with your manager, you can edit your goal to change the scope of the deliverable rather than cancel it. Document your changes in the comments section.