Performance Engagement

Performance Engagement includes three core elements:

Recurring Check-ins

Managers schedule at least one 30-minute one-on-one per month. One session each quarter focuses on a detailed performance review to align on goals and progress.

Quarterly Performance Check-ins

At the end of each quarter, employees and managers complete a brief check-in in Workday. This facilitates ongoing dialogue and prevents the gaps created by annual-only reviews.

Annual Engagement Survey

Staff complete a short, anonymous survey on leadership effectiveness, team dynamics, culture, and development support. The HR Performance Engagement team analyzes results and provides leaders with actionable summaries.

Tasks launch one month before quarter-end. Employees have one month to submit their check-in; managers then have one month to complete and return theirs in Workday, including holding the one-on-one conversation.

1st Quarter

• March 1: Q1 performance check-ins launch
• March 31: Q1 individual performance check-ins due to managers
• April 1: Incomplete check-ins mass advanced to managers
• April 30: Q1 manager performance check-ins & 1:1s due

2nd Quarter

• June 1: Q2 performance check-ins launch
• June 30: Q2 individual performance check-ins due to managers
• July 1: Incomplete check-ins mass advanced to managers
• July 31: Q2 manager performance check-ins & 1:1s due

3rd Quarter

• September 1: Q3 performance check-ins launch
• September 30: Q3 individual performance check-ins due to managers
• October 1: Incomplete check-ins mass advanced to managers
• October 31: Q3 manager performance check-ins & 1:1s du

4th Quarter

• December 1: Q4 performance check-ins launch
• January 8 (2027): Q4 individual performance check-ins due to managers
• January 11: Incomplete check-ins mass advanced to managers
• January 31: Q4 manager performance check-ins & 1:1s due

Annual Engagement Survey

The annual engagement survey typically launches in early June and closes at the end of the month. Survey invitations are emailed to participants, and results are shared with leaders and their teams by the end of August.

The four questions in the Quarterly Performance Check-In form in Workday include:

1. What are 1-2 accomplishments you are most proud of from this past quarter?
2. What are 1-2 accomplishments you will focus on next quarter?
3. What support do you need from your manager next quarter to be successful?
4. How would you evaluate your/this person's individual achievements, collaboration with team members, and overall value contribution to the organization in the past quarter? (5-point rating scale)

Quarterly performance check-ins use a 5-point rating scale:

1. Unsatisfactory
2. Inconsistent
3. Effective
4. Highly Effective
5. Exceptional

Leaders should discuss performance expectations with their teams and calibrate ratings as appropriate. Success most often depends on three key performance areas:

1. Individual Achievement: Reflects an employee's ability to complete tasks, meet goals, and deliver results independently
2. Team Collaboration: Measures how well an individual works with colleagues to support a productive and positive team environment
3. Organizational Impact: Captures the broader impact of an employee's work on UVA and its internal or external stakeholders

Use the Performance Rating Rubric to help with assessing your own or your team's performance in these areas.

Appealing a Quarterly Performance Check-In

If you wish to appeal, you must submit a written request to your primary reviewer within 10 workdays of receiving your review. For more information, visit the Appeals of Annual Performance Evaluations webpage.

Completing the Quarterly Performance Check-In

To complete your self-evaluation or manager evaluation portion of the check-in, navigate to your Workday inbox and open the task. If you need to reference goals from a previous check-in, follow the steps in the next section: "Viewing a Completed Performance Review."

Managers: You can search and run the "Quarterly Performance Report" or "PM Dashboard" to check the status and details of reviews. Manager evaluations are completed by opening the task in your Workday inbox (their self-eval must have been submitted or push forward to appear in your inbox).

Viewing a Completed Performance Review

Through Your Workday Profile:

1. Click your profile picture in the top-right corner
2. Select "View Profile" from the drop-down menu
3. Click "Performance" in the left-hand menu
4. Select the "Performance Review" tab at the top of the page
5. Click "View" next to your previous performance review

Managers: Open an employee's profile by selecting them from your Team Org Chart or searching their name, then follow steps 3–5.

Resources:

• Goal Setting Resources
• Feedback Resources
• Guide to Writing & Conducting a Performance Review/Check-In
• Guide to Regular Performance Conversations

PM Services

We offer in-person training, lunch-and-learns, 1:1 consulting, and coaching for managers, teams, and individuals upon request. Email AskHR@virginia.edu with "Performance Management" in the subject line, and a member of the performance team will reach out to you.

Required

Use only UVA-approved AI tools.

Do not upload university work information to unapproved AI platforms. UVA-approved, enterprise-protected tools for Generative AI have the added privilege of enterprise security, meaning what you tell it and upload stays within UVA.

Appropriate vs. Inappropriate AI Use in Performance Management

Appropriate AI Uses:

• Refining goals and vision: Sharing your organization, department, or team vision along with your initial goals, then asking AI to suggest edits or brainstorm refinements.
• Improving feedback delivery: Drafting feedback you plan to give someone, then asking how it may be received or for tips on delivery.
• Enhancing clarity: Creating bullet points of accomplishments and development areas, then asking AI to improve clarity, conciseness, or flag subjective language.
• Checking alignment: Providing rating criteria alongside your written summary, then asking where the language appears to align.
• Getting permission: Asking your employee or colleague if they are OK with you uploading their created work to AI (self-evaluation, goals, feedback), or transcribing a conversation with AI.
• Transcribing 1:1 notes: Using MS Teams Transcription and Recap features to automatically generate meeting notes.
• Verifying accuracy: Asking AI to provide sources and verify the accuracy of its responses.

Inappropriate AI Uses:

• Copy-pasting generic content: Asking AI to write your vision, purpose, or goals, then copying and pasting them as your own.
• Sending unreviewed feedback: Asking AI to draft feedback and sending it directly to an employee or colleague.
• Generating generic reviews: Asking AI to generate a generic performance review about someone.
• Gaming the rating system: Uploading a rating rubric and asking AI to produce a review that matches a specific rating.
• Violating privacy: Uploading someone's self-evaluation or other created work, or transcribing a conversation, without their permission or knowledge.
• Trusting without verification: Assuming AI output is accurate and appropriate.

AI is a tool to enhance clarity and efficiency but should complement authentic, thoughtful input. For questions regarding AI use specific to performance management (reviews, goals, feedback), contact the PM team at AskHR@virginia.edu.