65. Professional Staff Performance Management Scheme

Preamble

65.1 Performance management at Monash University encourages the development and maintenance of a culture of continuous improvement within a productive, positive and harmonious work environment, where staff and supervisors work in partnership to achieve personal and professional goals aligned with the strategic and operational objectives of the University.

65.2 This scheme is applicable to all professional staff (full-time or part-time, but excluding casual staff) inclusive of those at the top of the incremental scale.

65.3 The objectives of the performance management scheme are as follows;

To ensure role clarity and reach agreement on annual goals of the position;
To link individual performance and development planning to the goals and priorities of the work unit/department and the University more broadly;
To provide feedback to the staff member and supervisor on a regular basis throughout the annual performance and review cycle (hereafter "annual cycle");
To determine appropriate training in relation to the position and for career development purposes;
To formally review, at least annually, achievement of agreed goals and provide feedback on performance based on self-assessment and discussion with the supervisor and/or the Head of Administrative Unit;
To provide the basis for evaluative judgments to be made in relation to incremental progression;
To plan performance goals and staff development/training activities for the next annual cycle; and
To ensure that the workload is reasonably manageable and consistent with the continued health and safety of the staff member.

65.4 Prior to undertaking supervisory responsibilities of the performance management scheme, each supervisor should complete training in the scheme and methods of giving feedback.

Incremental Progression

65.5 Incremental progression will be based on an assessment of satisfactory performance in accordance with the provisions of clause 65.9 or 65.12.

Initial meeting - establishing the performance and development plan ("the plan")

65.6 The staff member and the supervisor will meet to agree on manageable goals and objectives to be pursued during the forthcoming annual performance and review cycle. The goals, against which to assess whether or not satisfactory progress has been made, and method of assessment will be documented in "the plan" and a copy kept by the supervisor and the staff member.

Regular discussion and ongoing, informal feedback

65.7 The supervisor and staff member will meet regularly during the annual cycle to discuss

the progress in achieving the goals and the support required;
where necessary, any updated goals to reflect the changes to the work unit/department's plans and priorities. The method of establishing satisfactory progress toward them will also be updated to take into account the shortened timeframe available.

Where applicable, changes to the staff member's performance and development plan will be noted, including reasons for any changes required and a copy kept by the supervisor and the staff member.

Formal review meeting

65.8 At least three months and no more than six months before the increment of a staff member falls due, or the anniversary of the last incremental advancement in cases where the staff member has reached the top of the incremental scale for his/her classification level, the supervisor will convene a meeting at a mutually agreeable time to review the staff member's performance over the past review period against the Plan.

65.9 Where the staff member has made satisfactory progress, this will be noted in writing and a copy provided to both supervisor and staff member at the conclusion of the interview and the increment will be paid at the due date.

65.10 Consideration will be given to granting accelerated increments within the staff member's classification level in cases where it can be clearly demonstrated by the supervisor that the staff member has consistently exceeded the agreed performance level. Administrative units must have the capacity to fund such payments from within existing resources.

65.11 Where the staff member has not made satisfactory progress towards meeting the goals of the plan for reasons which are within the staff member's control, the supervisor will identify in writing the factors which have not been satisfactorily met. The report will specify the improvement required to achieve the goals and objectives, or satisfactory progress towards them, within the remaining timeframe and a copy will be provided to the supervisor, the Head of the Administrative Unit and the staff member within five working days of the interview.

65.12 One month before an increment falls due, a staff member in receipt of advice under clause 65.11 above, will again meet with his/her supervisor to confirm whether or not the performance factors set have been met. Where they have, the staff member will be advised that the increment will be paid at the due date. Where they have not, the staff member will be advised in writing of the reasons that an increment will be withheld. A copy of this advice will be forwarded to the head of the Administrative Unit and the Divisional Director, Human Resources.

65.13 A recommendation to withhold an increment may only be made by a supervisor or Head of Administrative Unit who has received training in performance management.

Review of the performance management process and the decision to withhold an increment

65.14 Where a disagreement arises between the supervisor and staff member about the setting of aims and objectives and this disagreement relates to workload, the process referred to in clause 56 may be accessed.

65.15 The staff member may seek a review of the decision to withhold an increment by written application to the relevant Divisional Director or Dean. A nominee each of the relevant Divisional Director or Dean and of the President of the Monash University NTEU Branch will consider the merits of the case. Persons ineligible for nomination will include the staff member concerned, the staff member's supervisor or Head of Administrative Unit or any staff member subject to the direction of that supervisor or Head of Administrative Unit, practising barristers or solicitors, or any person not a staff member of the University.

65.16 An increment is not to be withheld other than by utilising these procedures, subject to clause 54. Nor will it be withheld in circumstances where a staff member can demonstrate that he/she has been denied staff development and/or training necessary to achieve the goals or objectives agreed to be satisfactory performance in the position.

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