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Performance Management Supervisor Resources

This page contains additional resources and trainings for supervisors who are going through the performance management process. Visit the Quick Links section of the Performance Management Overview page for additional resources, including the , external,TTS-only, Performance Management Employee Checklist which Supervisors can use to track the progress of their own performance reviews.

Supervisor performance management checklist

  • Use the , external,TTS-only, Supervisor performance management checklist to guide you through end of year performance reviews and to help establish performance plans for the new fiscal year.
    • NOTE: Items highlighted in green are particularly important steps
    • Duplicate the "Direct Report Name" tab for each of your direct reports

Performance review training sessions

The resources below are still applicable to the current fiscal year performance management closeout and new fiscal year performance plan establishment process.

Union requirements for end of year performance reviews

AFGE Union members & NFFE Union members

There are two requirements for Bargaining Unit Employees under the current contract:

  1. A justification for a summary rating other than Level 3 must be completed in writing and made a part of the employee's performance appraisal file. Each employee will be given a copy of the rating and any related documentation.
  2. The employee's written comments about the final performance plan and the actual signed performance plan, which are placed in the supervisory performance file, will be provided to the employee prior to being placed in the file. Any documents used during the mid-year, interim, or final appraisal, placed in the supervisory performance file, will be shown to the employee at the time of the discussion; the supervisor will notify the employee that he/she will be provided copies upon request.

Please reach out to your , external,TTS-only, Workforce Relations partner if you have additional questions or concerns.

GSA Performance Management Resources

TTS-only, InSite

  • TTS-only, InSite Performance Plan FAQ

  • TTS-only, InSite Performance Management Guide: Provides overall guidance to the performance management program.

    • Workforce Planning Performance Management Guide
    • Managers Guide For Developing Effective Performance Plans
    • How To Set Effective Goals
    • Aligning Individual and Organizational Goals
    • Managers Guide for the Mid-Year Progress Review
    • Managers Guide for Effectively Addressing Poor Performance
    • Soliciting Feedback From Your Manager & Peers
    • Managers Guide End of Year Review & Establishing Expectations
    • Additional Guidance For Special Acts
    • Supervisors Award Guide
    • A Guide To Provide Meaningful Recognition
  • TTS-only, Technical HR Links assistance
    • Instructions if you receive the error message "The document could not be created as the employee is not hired yet. Please contact your system administrator to check the Job record to make sure employee is hired before period begin date of the document."
      • Note: The rating period begin must be set after the hire date in HR Links. It is recommended that the supervisor copy the overall performance comments into HR Links because the comments will then populate on Form 3440 to support the overall rating

Discussing performance expectations with a new direct report

When an employee joins TTS or changes supervisors within TTS, it is important that the supervisor establish new performance expectations with the employee through dialogue and ultimately in the official performance plan. Performance expectations must be developed to describe the expected level of performance at a Level 3 rating; supervisors are encouraged to establish performance expectations for other levels if deemed appropriate.

  • Suggestions of performance expectations that you can discuss and set with your direct report:

    • improvements in effectiveness, productivity, and performance quality
    • cost efficiency
    • timeliness of performance
    • customer service

  • Performance expectations should:

    • align with GSA, business, office, work unit, team goals and objectives
    • be attainable, but challenging
    • be clearly worded and measurable

  • TTS-only, InSite Performance Management Guide

    • Page 19 - Managers Guide End of Year Review & Establishing Expectations

Performance improvement and performance action plans

At any point during the year, if an employee's performance in one or more critical element(s) or sub-element(s) is considered less than Level 3, Fully Successful, the employee should be notified right away.

Reach out to your , external,TTS-only, Workforce Relations partner for guidance.

Please also reference the TTS-only, Supervisor Checklist for Addressing Poor Performance on the TTS-only, Performance Management Resources InSite page.

Verifying your direct reports

In preparation for an upcoming Employee Performance Review cycle, please conduct an audit of your Direct Reports in HR Links by following the instructions in the , external,TTS-only, Direct Report Audit Survey.

1 on 1 performance conversation

This meeting is an opportunity to rate, recognize and give your direct report constructive feedback (formal or informal) regarding the results of their work within the established expectations, goals, and objectives outlined in the performance plan.

See below for how to prepare for this meeting.

Preparing for 1 on 1 performance conversation

Gather emails, written performance counseling, customer feedback, survey results, supervisory notes, database/spreadsheets, and/or work samples about the employee’s performance that you observed within the current rating cycle. Prepare feedback for your direct reports that's backed with specific data points and examples, regardless of whether it will be constructive criticism or praise. When providing constructive criticism, it is recommended that you have clear examples of the desired behavior.

Here’s a pre-feedback checklist you may want to consider:

  • Have you prepared a balanced list of key strengths and development areas to discuss?
  • Were any of the current developmental areas discussed previously? If so, how are you incorporating that into the upcoming feedback session?
  • Is your feedback fair, accurate, and directly applicable to the employee’s performance requirements?
  • Do your comments focus on single behaviors that direct the employee’s attention to specific and important improvements?
  • Are you prepared to share specific examples of each strength and/or development area?
  • Can you describe actions or behaviors the individual can change?
  • Are your comments straightforward without adding caveats?
  • Do you have a plan for regular check-ins to ensure consistent and ongoing development and improvement?

For instances when a direct report is not assigned to their first line supervisor in HR Links or their supervisor doesn't have HR Links manager access, there are two primary options for the first line supervisor to be able to contribute to the evaluation:

  1. The first line supervisor should have a 1:1 performance conversation with their direct report and then email their evaluation to the second line supervisor who will submit the evaluation in HR Links on the first line supervisor's behalf.
  • NOTE: If the employee has submitted a self-assessment in HR Links, the second line supervisor should email or print a copy for the first line supervisor to review prior to the 1:1 meeting.
  1. The second line supervisor can nominate the first line supervisor as a participant reviewer so that the first line supervisor can submit an evaluation for their direct report in HR Links after the 1:1 conversation.
  • NOTE: The nominated supervisor's feedback is not automatically included as a comment in the employees performance review. HR Links creates a separate document, so it is recommended that the second line supervisor cuts and paste the feedback into the summary comments.

Approving/Denying a level 1 or level 5 summary performance rating

If an employee has received a Summary Rating of Level 1 or 5, the evaluation will automatically be routed to the employee’s 2nd level supervisor (the supervisor of the employee’s supervisor) for approval. To approve or deny a Summary Rating of Level 1 or 5, the employee’s 2nd Level Supervisor must follow the instructions below:

The only time a supervisor may want to cancel an evaluation is when an employee separates and evaluation cannot be completed or it’s not necessary. Only and HR Admin can cancel “submitted” evaluations. Please contact your , external,TTS-only, Workforce Relations partner to initiate this process.

A supervisor may need to approve an employee performance plan or employee evaluation on behalf of their employee if the employee is unable to (i.e. on vacation) or refuses to do so (i.e. does not agree with the evaluation).

Leveraging diversity performance measure

All supervisory performance plans must include the “Leveraging Diversity” measure. , external,TTS-only, Guidance on adding this to supervisory plans.

Acquisition Critical Element

All CORs on active delegation must have the new Acquisition Critical Element on their Performance Plan. , external,TTS-only, Guidance on adding this critical element to performance plans.

Additional training

Courses include, but is not limited to the following:

  • Create & Submit a Performance plan
  • Approve a Performance plan
  • Complete a Mid-Year Progress Review
  • Submit Employee Evaluation

, external,OLU Performance Management Program

Courses include, but is not limited to the following:

  • Performance Management Overview – Refresher and introduction of the performance management program.
  • Performance Planning Cascading Goals – Learn the importance of cascading goals to align with organizational performance to support organizational success.
  • Performance Planning Establishing SMART Performance Plans – Learn the importance of writing measurable plans to support organizational outcomes.
  • Self-Assessments – Learn to write an effective self-assessment to support the promotion of accomplishments.
  • How to Manage Difficult Conversations – “Newly added” Learn to how to prepare and conduct conversations regarding poor performance.
  • Recognizing and Diagnosing a Performance Problem – Learn the importance of recognizing and managing poor performance timely.
  • Planning an Effective Appraisal - “Newly added” Learn to how to prepare and conduct an effective appraisal of performance.
  • Awards – Learn about the available awards within GSA.
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