Public and Commercial Services Union

DWP/BB/14/08

Consolidating revised process

Significant changes were introduced in 2007 to improve the delivery of the performance and development system (PDS) following consultation with PCS. These changes included:

• abolition of moderating meetings;
• introduction of descriptions of performance levels;
• distribution ranges as a guide not a requirement.

DWP intends to consolidate these changes during the end of year process for 2007/08 together with the introduction of some further changes.

Changes for 2007/08

The changes for the end of year process 2007/08 include:

• clarification that the description of performance levels should be communicated to employees before their end of year discussion to give them the opportunity to feed into their self review;
• clarification that all employees should have the ability within their post to achieve a top or higher box marking;
• employees promoted during the year to be assessed at the grade/payband that they spent the greater part of the performance year;
• employees who have moved job after 1 January can decide whether their current or previous line manager awards their performance level.

These changes are welcomed by PCS but do not go far enough to meet our policy objectives. Further negotiations are being arranged.

DWP headline news

DWP headline news (24 January 2008) on PDS includes a link to “a reminder of the PDS end of year process” which includes:

• Countersigning managers and line managers will discuss and agree the descriptions of performance levels that are relevant to your work.
• The descriptors will outline the achievements and behaviours that define each performance level i.e. top, higher, majority and lower and should be communicated to employees before their end of year discussion, to give them the opportunity to feed into their self review.

As before, each employee will write a self-review, including evidence, to demonstrate how they have met their objectives and demonstrated competencies. This provides the basis for discussions between employee and line manager.

As part of the performance review discussion, line managers will refer to the descriptions of performance levels so that employees understand how the descriptions relate to them.

After the performance review discussions, line managers will consider the employee’s performance and award a performance level in line with the descriptions of performance levels, after discussion with the countersigning manager to ensure consistent standards.

Transparency of decision making is essential to help safeguard against bias. When assessing which performance level to award, line managers will relatively assess employees against their peers.

This means that managers will consider what each employee has delivered in their objectives and how they have achieved them against the DWP competencies compared to others who are in the same grade and similar job.

Each performance level decision must be justified on the basis of the employee’s achievement of objectives and competencies relative to the descriptions of performance levels set for employees of the same grade/pay band. No one will be placed in a performance level simply to meet the distribution ranges where there is clear evidence to justify not meeting the guided distribution.

Transparency of decisions

Transparency of decision making should be delivered by the use of the descriptions of performance levels for relative assessment.

Employees do not need to know what other employees have achieved in their performance plans for relative assessment purposes but they do need to know the descriptions of performance levels which have been agreed by their line manager and countersigning manager. Once agreed there descriptions are not subject to any variations.

Natural justice required

PDS policy (para 7) requires employees to be treated in accordance with natural justice and in line with the DWP diversity policy; that is, reasonably, fairly and without bias. Relative performance has to be accurately reflected and decisions properly explained. Any issues should be raised with the line manager in the first instance. If they remain unresolved, employees should raise them as a grievance.

Disclosure of performance level at end of year discussion

DWP will not be including any further guidance on disclosing the performance level at the end of year meeting. DWP has consulted with businesses who have confirmed that some line managers already share recommended performance levels. DWP feels this should be a matter for line managers and they should continue to let them have discretion on this issue.

Information and feedback

Line managers will inform employees of their performance level verbally, as soon as possible. They will provide employees with meaningful feedback on why they have been awarded their performance level including areas for further development to support continuous learning (procedures para 6.19).

Problems with PDS intranet links

A link to the PDS procedures will be included from DWP headline news. There are ongoing technical problems with the PDS left hand links on the DWP HR intranet that have now been raised with the EDS contract management team.

Further PCS Guidance

Further guidance for branches and members will be issued during February and March 2008.

PDS decisions must be transparent, justified and accountable.

Current PCS guidance is published on the PCS DWP website.