PDR Reviewers
The PDR meeting
During the PDR meeting Reviewers will discuss the Reviewee’s performance and development over the past 12 months. This should be a two way conversation where both parties are open and honest.
Structuring your PDR meetings
The recommended, step by step, meeting structure below will help ensure that your PDR meetings run smoothly and are effective overall.
Reviewers should start PDR meetings by outlining the steps below so Reviewees know what to expect.
Review performance since previous PDR
- Use the meeting to discuss the successes and challenges experienced by the Reviewee, in terms of both performance and development, over the previous 12 months.
- Ask the Reviewee for their feedback. You should consider how they are assessing their own performance and whether it’s the same assessment that you have made.
- It is important to have an open mind as the person may well share information with you that challenges your assumptions or changes the way you perceive the outcomes they have had.
Specific Guidance for Academic Reviewers
Please ensure that your conversations with Reviewees are in line with the University's REF Code of Practice which reads as follows:
"The University legitimately uses output quality assessment in recruitment, probation, reward and promotion processes as well as in the annual performance and development review (PDR) exercise. The scoring element of output quality assessment is also used to support output selection for REF but the University is clear that matters specifically associated with REF will not be used in recruitment, probation, reward, promotion, PDR or other related processes. Such matters include whether an individual has been submitted to the REF and the number of REF outputs associated in any way with an individual."
Agree performance and development objectives
- This should be a significant portion of the meeting as it focuses on the future.
- Clear and measurable objectives need to be agreed.
- The Reviewee should leave with a written action plan that is achievable and valuable to both parties – including deadlines.
- Performance objectives are related to the specific duties or tasks included in the Reviewees current role. Setting these objectives means Reviewee's know what is expected of them in their role, and Reviewers know they are prioritising the right things, as required by the School or Professional service.
- Objectives set will form the basis of the PDR, for the following year, so it is important to allow enough time to ensure these are correct, effective and most importantly agreed.
Summarise and sign off
- Wrap-up the conversation by recapping the key discussion points, thanking the person for their participation, and showing your support for them.
- This may also be a good point to ask the Reviewee to give you some feedback. Find out if you’re providing valuable support. Ask for suggestions on ways you can improve and if there is any other support they feel they need from the wider School or Professional Service.
The documents below contain some useful tips on how to conduct an effective PDR meeting.