Pcs Dclg Branch Pmr Process and Advice

PCS DCLG BRANCH PMR PROCESS AND ADVICE

Your end-of-year rating must be fair
Your performance must be fairly assessed and rated. Every employee is entitled to a fair assessment of their performance and the award of a performance rating which they have achieved. HR guidance on 'How to undertake a mid or end year assessment' states 'performance ratings are awarded on fact not opinion, with each decision supported by objective examples of performance contained in the Performance Management Report’.

No Surprises

It further states that ‘the end of year assessment should build on all elements of the performance cycle during the year including objective setting, job chats, quarterly review and the more formal mid year review’ and for this reason your end of year rating should not come as a surprise.

Ratings will not be changed or forced simply to fit the distribution guide
Your performance must be fairly evaluated using objective examples against:

the ‘What’ (delivery of objectives) and
the ‘How’ (demonstration of behaviours, competencies and values),

There is no requirement that managers must meet the guide distribution ranges at the end of the year. Managers must NOT co-operate with any local misuse of the guided distribution as ‘box mark quotas’. They must remain objective and base box markings on objective evidence.

1. OVERVIEW OF THE PMR PROCESS

JH = Job Holder

LM = Line Manager

Beginning of the year

JH/LM agree objectives for the coming year.

Throughout the year

JH/LM hold job discussions, review objectives and development and quarterly reviews.
JH continuously gathers evidence on performance over the year.

Quarterly Reviews

JH/LM hold quarterly reviews.
JH writes up the quarterly reviews with line management agreement based on discussions.

Mid/End Year Review

JH completes Mid or End Year self-assessment and forwards to LM with additional evidence e.g. feedback.
JH/LM formally meet to discuss evidence and performance.
JH finalises self-assessment following these discussions and sends to LM.
LM writes up formal assessment based on the self-assessment and evidence produced at the formal discussion and sends to JH.
JH agrees the LM assessment or asks for amendments.

Moderation Process

LM MUST send agreed assessment to JH before moderation.
LM (or other nominated officer) attends the Moderation meeting with all the agreed evidence: JH self-assessment, LM write-up, and other agreed evidence with a provisional box marking.
Moderation Board discuss the evidence and confirm a marking.
LM takes responsibility for the marking and advises JH along with position on the nine box grid.

2. WHAT TO DO THROUGHOUT THE REPORTING YEAR

2.1 Write Up Job Reviews

It is essential that the line manager holds regular discussions with the job holder throughout the year, the job holder should keep an agreed record of these discussions. Check whether your line manager will write up the discussion and if not, produce a written accountyourself; send to your manager for agreement. The note does not need to be long, but should cover the main points including how well you are performing.

If your line manager writes a note that does not properly reflect the discussion or if issues are raised in the note that are not evidenced or are unfair,it is important that you challenge these comments in writing presentingrelevant information where applicable.NEVER LEAVE ANY UNEVIDENCED OR UNFAIR STATEMENT MADE IN A REVIEW NOTE UNCHALLENGED.

2.2 Challenge Unfair Markings at the Time

Challenge any unfair criticism from managers or colleagues as they happen, do not wait until the end of the year. It would be more difficult to challenge a box marking at the end of the year when a job holder has been given an unfair marking during the year and where this was not challenged at the time. If you get an unfair marking during the year, do not assume that your line manager will change it at year end.

2.3 Keep a Record of Achievements

Keep an on-going note of your achievements during the year and where possible ensure these are written up in your quarterly reviews, your mid and end year self assessments and within your line managers assessments.

2.4 Ask for Feedback

If you do a good job at any time, ask for feedback at the time. Do not wait until year end to get your evidence and independent feedback together. Most employees are more likely to respond to requests for feedback when your performance/work is still fresh in their minds and when this is not being sought with the myriad of other requests at year end.

2.5 Seek Timely Advice

Keep a note of any refusal to meet with you or where managers refuse to change comments despite clear evidence supporting this change. If this happens, seek advice from PCS reps at the time and do not leave it to the year end to challenge comments or indicative markings.

3. MODERATION PROCESS

3.1 What is Moderation?

The official HR guidance states ‘Moderation is the process whereby line managers review the provisional assessments made within a particular group of staff (normally at either Divisional or Directorate level, or within a professional group) to ensure that a consistent approach has been taken for everyone at the same grade. This is normally done through a moderation meeting, and the meeting enables the line manager to reach an agreed final rating for the individual for the performance management year’.

3.2 Evidence Discussed

Moderation meetings should only discuss objective evidence supplied by line managers and seen by employees. This should include the line manager’s assessment, employee’sself-assessment and any additional evidence either side have provided. All evidence MUST have been seen by the employee who should have had an opportunity to comment on it. Any discussion on ‘evidence’ not seen, or discussion on hearsay or personal traits is not allowed and will be a breach of the moderation rules.

3.3 Minutes of the Meeting

To ensure consistency and transparency, the moderation meetings should have an independent chair or a senior member outside of the directorate. There should be a record of the meeting, including details of performance of any employee who was discussed and sufficient details to support all decisions. Employees are entitled to see a copy of the minutes relating to themselves only. It is recommended that employees ask to see this note, as it should include details of what was discussed and reasons for the decision.

3.4 Line Managers Responsibility

Line managers take ownership of the rating from the moderation meeting, even if they have not attended. If ratings have been changed at moderation, it is the direct line manager’s responsibility to ensure it is fair and to discuss the reasons for the marking with the job holder.

4. MID YEAR AND END OF YEAR INFORMATION GATHERING

4.1 Should you receive a PMR marking either at mid or end of year, which is unfair or which you were not expecting, it is important that you engage with your manager as early as possible and collect as much information to enable you to challenge your box marking.

4.2 The following questions are intended to be a helpful guide on lines of enquiries in order to better understand how your PMR process has been followed. The answers to all the questionsare a basic entitlement for all job holders under the various HR guidance pages and should be readily available from line managers.

4.3 Questions relating to JH basic entitlement under the PMR process

a)Please provide a copy of all the evidence that supports my box marking

b) How has the evidence been weighted to produce my box marking? (for example positive evidence against criticism)

c) Please advise my marking on the nine box grid with evidence on the ‘What’ and the ‘How’.

d) As I have not been advised of this box marking before, please advise when my performance deteriorated and provide the evidence during this period?

e) When did the moderation meeting take place?

f) Please provide a list of all the evidence that was presented at my moderation?

g) Who presented my evidence at moderation?

h) Who chaired the moderation meeting?

i) How many people were discussed by grade?

j) Was my assessment discussed at the moderation meeting?

k) In line with section 2.9 of the moderation guidance, please provide the section of the minutes of the meeting that relates to my review and marking?

4.4 Dispute Unfair Ratings

It is imperative that any challenges to box markings are timely. Remember that line managers might delay providing the requested information, so job holders need to ensure that requests are sent promptly and followed up where necessary. Follow this guide to negotiate with your line manager and contact your local PCS representative for advice, support and representation, if required. Any delay might mean that any formal challenge might be out of time.

4.5 Raising a Grievance

If after negotiating with managers, the dispute is not resolved, each employee has the option of raising a grievance. There is a strict deadline for registering your grievance which is within 3 months less 1 day of being notified of your box marking. If at any point during this time, it becomes clear that a grievance may be required do not wait before getting advice, as any delay might mean that PCS reps are not able to guide job holders through this process.

5. LINKS TO MAIN DEPARTMENTAL GUIDANCE

For further reading please refer to the main online guidance below.

How to undertake a mid or end year assessment

How to Moderate Performance Assessments

Moderation Check List

Understand the'What' and 'How'

How to undertake aself-assessment

How to hold regular performance and development discussions

Civil Service Competency Framework

Nine Box Performance Grid

Objective Setting Top Tips

Objective Setting 5 Simple Steps

Grievance Procedure