Annual performance appraisals are conducted each year for all office, facilities management, and administrative staff. Both the employee and the supervisor participate in the completion of the appraisal form. See Performance Appraisals in the appendices.

Purpose

To manage and assess the performance of each employee by giving constructive feedback on how well an employee has met the specific job requirements and reinforcing the employee’s role in contributing to the mission and vision of Christian higher education as expressed and carried out by Eastern Mennonite University. The appraisal process gives the employee an opportunity to provide ideas for enhancing his or her performance and productivity by setting and assessing goals.

Policy

It is the policy of Eastern Mennonite University to provide annual written appraisals of employee work performance for the purpose of:

• documenting and detailing employee completion of assigned responsibilities and general job performance
• giving feedback to employees about their work and progress within the university
• highlighting achievements or deficiencies for the purpose of affirmation or improvement
• identifying training needs

Procedure

• Training sessions for supervisors are offered annually before annual evaluations and are available on an individual basis if needed by reaching out to the Human Resources office.
• Newly hired employees or employees that transfer into a new position will be reviewed after the first three (3) and six (6) months of employment using the three/six-month performance appraisal.
• The annual performance appraisals are completed during May and June. All annual appraisals are due to the HR office by July 7th. Some flexibility will be considered in scheduling performance appraisals for 9-10 month employees.
• The university reserves the right to conduct unscheduled reviews in the event of drastic changes in performance or for other reasons deemed appropriate by the supervisor.
• Performance Appraisals are available on MyEMU under the “Employee Info” tab.
• The employee’s job description needs to be evaluated and updated so that it accurately reflects any changes in workload, employment hours, specific responsibilities, title, or general editing. An updated and signed job description is to be returned to the Human Resources Office with the completed performance appraisal forms by July 7th annually
• Completed performance appraisals are filed in the respective employee’s personnel file in the Human Resources Office.

Guidelines

• Hiring managers should note on their calendars when three (3) and six (6) month appraisals are due when they hire a new team member. Timeliness of feedback is critical to success.
• Conduct the performance review in private with minimal interruptions.
• Emphasize positive aspects of the employee’s performance.
• Focus your feedback on performance, not on personality characteristics.
• Identify specific, measurable actions the employee can take to improve performance.
• Emphasize your willingness to assist the employee’s efforts to improve performance.
• Ask if the employee needs additional tools or training to be successful in their performance.
• End the evaluation session by thanking the employee for the positive aspects of their performance.

If an employee feels a supervisor has been unfair in the performance appraisal process, and a satisfactory agreement in unattainable between the employee and supervisor, the employee may request the assistance of the director of human resources.

...

Preamble

Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) aims to create a working environment of trust and transparency for all of its employees, in line with the mission and vision of the university. 

The Performance Management Policy is intended to embrace restorative relationships through a non-retributive, supportive environment that helps all employees rise to their best humanity and bring forth their full capacities and gifts through collaborative and integrative strategies that take into account the fuller team within which each employee functions, and the larger EMU context. EMU aspires to create a supportive environment for supervisor training, employee development and talent transfer between departments, if appropriate.

The University, through the Performance Management Policy encourages intentional one-on-one meetings between supervisors and supervisees. The purpose of these regular supervisor-supervisee meetings is to develop employee skills, enhance open communication, increase job fit and satisfaction, provide opportunities for self-improvement within the position, and provide affirmation for the supervisee. This shall also be a place to address shortfalls in performance. The focus shall be on what will enable the employee to thrive within EMU and encourage longevity.

EMU expects that supervisors will center:

• Healthy coaching for highest individual and team performance
• Equity – including equal workload/pay for work of equal value
• Caring for one another with love
• Accountability – both up and down the hierarchy
• Healthy work boundaries and workloads
• A good natured and enjoyable work environment

To this end, the Performance Management Policy, as practice, will aim to ensure:

• Periodic assessment of suitable workloads i.e. regular review of job descriptions and loading, with special attention to recent and/or temporary shifts in workload e. g., examining a ‘temporary’ change within 3 months of the change, to assess whether it becomes permanent (with downsizing another piece of the job) and/or necessitates changes in remuneration.

Created and Adopted March 2021, HR Director and Performance Management Team

Stay Interview Policy

Eastern Mennonite University believes Stay Interviews are a proactive approach to soliciting information with the focus on employee retention and engagement. The experience of open communication is positive and empowering for both employees and leaders to engage in making Eastern Mennonite University an Employer of Choice.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to maintain open communication, engage and retain Eastern Mennonite University employees, and provide clear guidelines and expectations on Stay Interviews.

Scope

This policy applies to all Eastern Mennonite University staff and administration employees.

Procedure

1. Each supervisor should be meeting with each of their employees 1:1 a minimum of one time each month.
2. Each supervisor will use a 1:1 with each of their employees each semester (Fall, Spring, Summer) for the purpose of gathering feedback on how their job can be improved through a stay interview.
3. The tool used is a “Stay Interview” form found on my EMU Employee Info > Employee InfoHome > Faculty and Staff Forms
4. Each supervisor should gather the feedback from their employees and determine appropriate next steps to meet expectations and improve both the performance of the employee and the performance of the department.a.
   1. HR should be leveraged as a resource for guidance if needed5.
5. VPs will meet with their direct reports each semester (Fall, Spring, Summer) using the same forms as in step 2. During this meeting, VPs will review and discuss the feedback collected by each supervisor from their staff. The VP and direct report will discuss any trends identified and develop plans and actions to address identified opportunities.

Revised, HR Director, February 2021

Responsible party

The human resources director is responsible for this policy.

Policy Review

This policy is to be reviewed every three years.

Distribution

Employee Handbook