Performance Management and Appraisal
Columbia University requires that all officers of administration and nonunion support staff receive written feedback about their performance at least once per year.
This policy applies to all Officers of Administration and Non-Union Support Staff of Columbia University.
Officers of Instruction, Officers of the Libraries and Officers of Research should refer to the University Faculty Handbook.
Note: Employees in a bargaining unit are governed by the provisions of their respective bargaining agreement. Employees’ rights and obligations under applicable collective bargaining agreements are not intended to be changed by this policy.
All Columbia University officers of administration, non-union support staff, department administrators and managers should review and understand this policy.
Human Resources representatives should review and understand this policy and contact their Senior Human Resource Business Partner for guidance on implementing the performance management program in their departments. For further information, managers should review the Performance Management section of the Columbia University Human Resources Manager Toolkit.
Officers of Instruction, Officers of the Libraries and Officers of Research should refer to the Faculty Handbook.
Support Staff covered by collective bargaining agreements are governed by the provisions of their respective contract. Support Staff rights and obligations under applicable collective bargaining agreements are not affected by this policy.
The purpose of this policy is to provide Managers with guidelines on the University’s performance appraisal process. Managers are expected to provide officers of administration and non-union support staff written feedback about their job performance at least once per year.
It is recommended that each performance appraisal include a review of the employee’s assigned responsibilities and an assessment of performance in the job, including strengths, achievements and areas in which development and/or improvement is needed.
Employees are expected to work with their Manager to develop a set of measurable and achievable goals that can be worked on over the performance period. Managers are expected to actively engage in providing feedback and coaching based on the employee and his or her current performance for each goal.
Columbia University’s Performance Management program is designed to help managers evaluate employee performance and provide development and coaching that contributes to the employee’s experience and helps departments achieve their strategic goals.
The Performance Management program outlines three elements for successful performance management:
- Planning Performance
- Coaching Performance
- Reviewing Performance
The performance management guidelines, which are published in the CUHR Manager Toolkit, include an online performance appraisal form that can be tailored to meet department goals and competencies and can be used for both officers of administration and non-union support staff. The form is designed to be completed online and, when the process is initiated, it allows an employee to log in to view their individual evaluation.
In addition, CUHR provides in-depth training for Managers on the three performance elements and on how to use the online performance appraisal form. Managers and their Department Human Resources representatives are encouraged to review the Performance Management section of the Columbia University Human Resources Manager Toolkit and contact their Senior Human Resources Business Partner to arrange for performance management training.