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Following the recent report of the Administrative Working Group (AWG) on
communications and culture, Dartmouth is implementing recommendations that will
strengthen the College's institutional responsibility and accountability at the
divisional, departmental, unit, and individual level. "The committee heard
from many employees (through public meetings, e-mails, and the staff survey),
that they would like to see greater accountability at every level, more
transparency around goal setting, regular performance reviews, and a
compensation program more clearly based on merit," reads the report.
As a result, the AWG committee provided four recommendations to help
establish what they refer to as "a culture of accountability." The
four recommendations are: managers and officers increase their responsibility
for performance; the Office of Human
Resources provide training for managers on accountability; the College
strive for 100 percent participation in performance reviews; and a merit-based
compensation program should continue to be applied.
In response, the College expects all performance reviews to be completed
annually. This year, they are due July 1, 2007. "Each year, the College
expects supervisors in all divisions to conduct and complete performance
reviews for their employees," says Traci Nordberg, chief human resources
officer. "These reviews are a vital part of the ongoing two-way
communication process. They provide opportunities for feedback, support,
goal-setting, and professional development discussions. In the end, they
connect employees' work with Dartmouth's mission and vision."
The objectives of the performance evaluations should not only be to evaluate
performance, according to the AWG report, but also to initiate a dialogue about
what an employee might need to be successful. "An important aspect of
performance reviews is the ongoing discussion between supervisors and employees
in establishing clear expectations, tools, and training to succeed, and
opportunities for growth," reads the report.
To assist managers delivering the evaluations, human resources is offering a
training workshop this month that covers evaluation methods, best practices,
competencies, and the importance of accurate job descriptions. The workshop
will be held Wednesday, April 11, from 3 to 4 p.m. in the human resources
training room. It will feature scenario enactments and offer suggestions for
linking personal performance to departmental objectives.
A separate workshop for employees receiving evaluations will be held on
Thursday, April 5, from 9 to 10 a.m., also in the human resources training
room. To register, contact call 646-3411 or e-mail Human Resources. There
may also be an opportunity to arrange additional sessions outside these April
dates.
Performance evaluation forms are available on the human resources Web
site.
By JAMES BURGER AND STEVEN J. SMITH
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