Performance Management

Performance management is a process of communication between supervisor and employee. This communication should be continuous throughout the year while working toward the common goal; accomplishing the strategic objectives at Marshall University. The communication process includes:

  • Explaining  Expectations
  • Setting Goals/Objectives
  • Offering Feedback
  • Assessing Results

Performance Evaluation Types

New Process for Annual Performance Evaluations

For the new annual process we will be presenting information on:

Accessing the System

As mentioned above, you will be completing these evaluations in the Employee Portal of PeopleAdmin, not where you complete positions and job postings. You can access the portal one of three ways:

  1. By the direct link at https://marshall.peopleadmin.com/portal. This link is also located in the “Current Employees” menu on the HR website.
  2. If you are in the PeopleAdmin system, you can go to the top left menu and select the link under the “Other Tools” menu.
  3. The link will also be listed in the system generated emails employees and supervisors will receive throughout the evaluation process.

Steps in the Process

The steps to be performed will vary based on the type of assessment.

  • Supervisor Sets Plan – 
    • Review  Competencies – Discuss and review the core competences for Marshall University
    • Supervisor Sets Goals – The supervisor will set performance goals for the employee for the upcoming year.
  • Mid-Year Check-In – This will be a check in with employee and supervisor for the annual evaluation
  • Employee Self Evaluation – This is where the employee rates themselves on their job performance
  • Supervisor Evaluation – This is where the supervisor rates employee on their job performance
  • Supervisor Meets with Employee – The supervisor will meet with employee to discuss evaluation.
  • Employee Signs Off on Evaluation – The employee will acknowledge the evaluation and sign off.
  • Supervisor Signs Off – The supervisor will acknowledge the evaluation and sign off.
  • Second Level Supervisor Approves – The evaluations will need approval from the second level approver of the employee.

Schedule for 2025-2026

Step

Supervisor Sets Plan

Continuous Feedback

Mid-Year Check-In

Continuous Feedback

Employee Self Evaluation

Supervisor Evaluation

Supervisor Meets with Employee

Employee Signs Off on Evaluation

Supervisor Signs Off

Second Level Supervisor Approves

Open Date

7/1/2024

Ongoing

11/01/2024

Ongoing

04/01/2025

04/01/2025

04/01/2025

04/01/2025

04/01/2025

04/15/2025

Due Date

8/31/2025

Ongoing

03/31/2026

Ongoing

06/01/2026

06/05/2026

06/05/2026

06/15/2026

06/15/2026

06/20/2026

Prerequisite

N/A

N/A

Supervisor Sets Plan

N/A

Mid-Year Check-In

Mid-Year Check-In

Supervisor Evaluation

Supervisor Meets with Employee

Employee Signs Off on Evaluation

Supervisor Signs Off

What you will be Evaluated On and How you will be Scored

Goals

You and your supervisor will need to develop at least 3 goals for expectations of how to become successful and grow professionally during the upcoming year. These goals will be assigned to the employee by the supervisor in the first step (Supervisor Sets the Plan) and become part of both the employee’s Self Evaluation and the Supervisor Evaluation.

  • Goals for probationary evaluations will be the same as before on the paper forms.
  • For annual evaluations in PeopleAdmin, the supervisor will set goals for the employee for the upcoming year.

Competencies Job Accountabilities

The non-exempt performance evaluations consist of Classified Non-Exempt (CN) Employees.

Teamwork

  • Builds strong, friendly, and supportive relationships with coworkers across the university, putting the team first and working hard to help everyone succeed.
  • Encourages others to do their best by showing kindness, care, and respect, while promoting a “We Are Marshall” spirit through shared wins and losses.
  • Communicates honestly and fosters a team environment where people help each other, work well together, and create a space where everyone can learn and grow.
  • Listens actively, accepts feedback, and supports a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring everyone feels included and motivated to contribute.

Quality, Health, and Safety

  • Arrives on time and follows all policies and procedures.
  • Produces high-quality work efficiently while meeting goals and deadlines.
  • Stays focused and persistent when tasks are challenging, solving problems before they escalate.
  • Prioritizes safety by sharing improvement ideas, participating in safety training, and reporting any incidents or hazards immediately.

Customer Focus

  • Resolves issues and supports customers, even when their needs change unexpectedly.
  • Builds positive relationships with all customers—including those who may be difficult—and becomes a trusted, dependable resource.
  • Communicates clearly and respectfully when requests cannot be fulfilled and seeks assistance when needed.
  • Strives to exceed expectations by delivering excellent service to customers, including students, faculty, or clients.

Efficiency and Flexibility

  • Continuously looks for ways to improve work processes and embraces learning new tools or tasks.
  • Manages multiple responsibilities effectively and remains composed during delays or sudden changes.
  • Identifies potential issues early and communicates them promptly.
  • Demonstrates patience and adaptability when plans shift, supporting the team in achieving goals during busy or stressful periods.

Professional Development and Technical Knowledge

  • Possesses strong job knowledge and uses technical skills to deliver outstanding results.
  • Seeks opportunities to learn and stay current with the latest tools, methods, and industry updates.
  • Maintains professionalism and composure when facing difficult or high-pressure situations.
  • Completes all required training and keeps certifications and qualifications up to date.

Printable Version

The exempt performance evaluations consist of Classified Exempt (CX), Non-Classified (NC), and Faculty Equivalent (FE) Employees.

Decision Making and Expense Management

  • Carefully analyzes problems and seeks input from others when necessary.
  • Identifies more efficient, effective, and cost-conscious ways to complete tasks.
  • Gathers accurate information before making decisions and provides advice based on the facts.
  • Helps colleagues work smarter and aims for productive, results-driven outcomes that benefit the department and the university.

Innovation, Flexibility, and Initiative

  • Shares creative ideas to improve processes and collaborates with well others.
  • Shows a strong desire to learn and grow, staying current with new technologies and industry trends.
  • Connects personal efforts to the university’s broader goals and maintains positive relationships with coworkers, students, and external partners.
  • Adapts quickly to changes, embraces new tasks, and remains positive in different situations.

Job Knowledge

  • Demonstrates deep knowledge of their role and efficiently solves problems.
  • Looks for ways to contribute to its success of the University’s future.
  • Understands the college system and recognizes how it evolves over time.
  • Shares expertise by participating in committees and learning about various aspects of the organization.

Teamwork

  • Builds strong, friendly, and supportive relationships with coworkers across the university, putting the team first and working hard to help everyone succeed.
  • Encourages others to do their best by showing kindness, care, and respect, while promoting a “We Are Marshall” spirit through shared wins and losses.
  • Communicates honestly and fosters a team environment where people help each other, work well together, and create a space where everyone can learn and grow.
  • Listens actively, accepts feedback, and supports a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring everyone feels included and motivated to contribute.

Productivity, Quality, and Reliability

  • Plans work carefully, uses time and resources effectively, and ensures tasks are completed with high quality and on schedule.
  • Works independently with minimal supervision and fosters a respectful, flexible work environment.
  • Continuously looks for ways to improve performance, prioritizes needs, and adjusts quickly when requirements shift.
  • Is dependable, meets commitments, takes ownership of results, and willingly handles additional responsibilities when needed.

Customer Focus

  • Strives to exceed expectations by providing excellent service and anticipating customer needs.
  • Builds strong, professional relationships by understanding what customers need and following up promptly.
  • Develops creative solutions that enhance the university’s reputation and leave a positive impression on students, staff, or external partners.
  • Adjusts plans or strategies to meet changing customer demands, always communicating clearly and respectfully.

Printable Version

Scoring

Ranges

  • Value (4) –  Exceptional (3.5 – 4.00)
    Performance far exceeded expectations due to exceptionally high quality of work; producing “game changing” results that completely changed the trajectory of the department, division, or University.
  • Value (3) – Exceeds Expectations (3.0 – 3.49)
    Performance consistently exceeded expectations in all essential areas of responsibility, and the quality of work overall was excellent. Annual goals were met.
  • Value (2) – Meets Expectations (1.76 – 2.99)
    Performance consistently met expectations in all essential areas of responsibility, at times possibly exceeding expectations, and the quality of work overall was very good. The most critical annual goals were met.
  • Value (1) – Needs Improvement (0.00 – 1.75)
    Performance did not consistently meet expectations – performance failed to meet expectations in one or more essential areas of responsibility, and/or one or more of the most critical goals were not met.

 

Feedback Statements by Score

Score 4 – You nailed the bullseye!

  • “You have exceeded expectations by fully understanding your goals and competencies. Your work has positively changed how our department/university functions.”
  • “Your innovative approach and dedication have made a significant impact beyond your daily duties. Keep up the exceptional work!”
  • “You consistently go above and beyond, showing leadership and initiative that benefit the entire team.”

Score 3 – Just outside the bullseye

  • “You consistently take your responsibilities a step further than expected and show strong competence in your role.”
  • “Your performance is very solid, and you regularly contribute more than what’s required. Keep pushing toward the bullseye!”
  • “You demonstrate reliability and a proactive attitude, positioning yourself close to excellence.”

Score 2 – On the outer circle

  • “You are meeting the basic goals and expectations, which is good progress.”
  • “There is room for you to grow by focusing on areas that will bring you closer to exceeding expectations.”
  • “With additional effort and support, you can move closer to the center of the bullseye and deliver even stronger results.”

Score 1 – Missed the board

  • “Your current performance does not yet meet the expectations for your role.”
  • “We want to support you in improving key areas to help you succeed.”
  • “Let’s work together to create an action plan that will help you improve and hit your goals.”

Weighted Values

  • 75% Competencies
  • 25% Goals

Printable Version

Training, Instructions, & Tips

Training

Course Overview

This Performance Management training program is designed to empower you with the essential skills and insights to excel in managing performance effectively. The course introduces the powerful concept of BE + DO = HAVE, emphasizing that who you are (BE) combined with what you do (DO) leads to what you achieve (HAVE). You will learn how to set and agree on expectations upfront, establish SMART goals, engage in meaningful coaching conversations, and align job duties with accountability competencies.

Deep Dive I Key Learning Objectives

  • Setting and Agreeing on Expectations: Understand the importance of clear expectations and learn strategies to set them collaboratively with your team.
  • SMART Goals: Master the art of creating Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals that drive performance.
  • Coaching Conversations: Develop skills to conduct effective coaching conversations that inspire and motivate employees.
  • Accountability Competencies: Learn how to align job duties with accountability competencies to ensure everyone knows their role and responsibilities.
  • BE + DO = HAVE: Explore the principle that combining the right mindset (BE) with the right actions (DO) leads to achieving desired outcomes (HAVE).

What You’ll Take Away

By the end of this course, you will be equipped with practical strategies to set clear expectations, create achievable goals, and engage in productive coaching conversations. You will understand how to align job duties with accountability competencies and apply the BE + DO = HAVE concept to drive both personal and team success.

Deep Dive II

  • Share Successes: We’ll begin by discussing what has been going well in your check-ins with employees. Recognizing these successes is key to maintaining a positive and productive work environment.
  • Addressing Challenges: We’ll also explore areas that haven’t been going as smoothly. Identifying these challenges will help us develop strategies to overcome them and improve your effectiveness.
  • Coaching for Improvement: Finally, we’ll provide targeted coaching to help you enhance your approach to performance evaluations. You’ll gain practical tips and strategies to support your team’s growth and development.

To register for a Dave Beam training session, please go to our Training site at https://www.marshall.edu/human-resources/training/training-schedule/

This training will be available in the upcoming week. Recommend taking this training prior to David Beam training

  • Online training (The Fundamentals of Performance Evaluations)

To register for a training session, please go to our Training site at https://www.marshall.edu/human-resources/training/training-schedule/

Instructions

As mentioned above, you will be using the Employee Portal to process the annual evaluations, not the traditional PeopleAdmin system.  You can access the portal one of three ways. Once you are in the system, you can use this guide to help you navigate the system.

  1. By the direct link at https://marshall.peopleadmin.com/portal. This link is also located in the “Current Employees” menu on the HR website.
  2. If you are in the PeopleAdmin system, you can go to the top left menu and select the link under the “Other Tools” menu.
  3. The link will also be listed in the system generated emails employees and supervisors will receive throughout the evaluation process.

Best Practice: Tips and Examples

FAQs

As mentioned above, if your employee has been at the university less than 6 Months they would be considered a probationary employee.

  • We are still using paper evaluation forms located on the HR Forms site, but will be converting to a Dynamic Form in the upcoming months.
  • You will complete their evaluations at the end of the month following following their first work date anniversary in Banner. (ex. If your employee was hired 1/1/2025, their 3-month evaluation would be due May 31st and their 6 month evaluation would be due August 31st).

If your first work date in Banner is after December 31st, you will not be included in this years evaluations. Your evaluation will need to be processed on paper.

If your employee is on paid leave, you as the supervisor will need to begin the evaluation process as normal (supervisor sets the plan). If the employee returns to work, you will complete the evaluation. If the employee does not  return to work the supervisor will not complete the evaluation and allow the system to close. HR will know the employee is on leave and there is not enough information to provide a sufficient rating.

If your employee is still active by June 5th,  you still need to provide an evaluation.

If your employee left Marshall University and has now returned, they would be considered a new employee. This means that they would not do their evaluation in PeopleAdmin. They would need to be completed on paper until the next evaluation cycle.

When an employee transfers to a new position within the university, their “user profile” in the performance management module (orange screen) transfers to the new supervisor. It is not possible to “split” the employee’s performance actions to allow the previous manager to complete the evaluation, AND allow the new supervisor to contribute. As a result:

  • If an employee transfers positions before March 1st (before the red line), the new supervisor will complete the evaluation.
  • If an employee transfers positions on or after March, the old supervisor must complete the evaluation (i.e. all 8 steps) before the employee transfers to their new position.

To reopen step 1 to begin the evaluation as a transfer, contact performance-evaluations@marshall.edu. You as the supervisor will need to work with the employee to determine appropriate goals for the evaluation. You can also keep previous goals listed, add to them, or remove and add new.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When an employee’ position type changes due to reclassification, FLSA, etc., how does the performance evaluation proceed?

  • You will proceed with the evaluation process as normal. If the classification changes after the process has begun, you will complete the evaluation in the current classification. You will start a new evaluation in the new classification, the next cycle.

Please see the scoring language above.

Step 6 in the evaluation process is “Employee Signs Off on Evaluation”.  This is where you “acknowledge” that you and your supervisor have met and discussed the evaluation. You can make a comment in the box such as

  • I have reviewed my evaluation with my supervisor, and I do not agree with this performance assessment.

PLEASE NOTE: Selecting the “acknowledge” button does not mean you agree with the evaluation of your work performance. Disagreement may be documented in the comments field. You can then contact your departmental Director or VP to discuss further.

Please complete the Banner Employee Data Corrections Request Form and select the update supervisor option.

Yes. Throughout the evaluation steps, there is a feature called Progress Notes. This allows you to add notes and attachments and store within the system. This is located in the top toolbar of the employee portal.

Yes. In the instructions, there will be documentation that explains how to print an evaluation.