L&S Performance Management in Workday
Performance management is carried out through Workday tasks for most employees, which guide employees and supervisors through goal setting, feedback, and performance evaluations in a consistent and transparent way.
Why Performance Management Matters
- Aligns employee behaviors and actions with organizational goals.
- Clarifies expectations so employees understand how their work supports the university’s mission.
- Recognizes high performers, reinforcing positive behaviors and engagement.
- Addresses performance issues early to maintain accountability and support improvement.
- Identifies developmental needs to help employees grow and advance in their careers.
- Supports a workforce that is both high‑performing and well‑supported.
- Gives employees ongoing feedback that strengthens performance and career growth.
Note: University Staff, Non-Instructional Academic Staff, and Limited employees will use Workday to complete their performance evaluations. Instructional Academic Staff will use Performance Management Development Program (PMDP) to complete their performance evaluations.
Participants Defined
Role |
Annual Review Activity |
|---|---|
| Talent Administrator - Human Resources |
|
| Manager |
|
| Employee |
|
Performance Reviews: Probation, Annual & Midpoint
The performance review cycle begins when a worker joins the Universities of Wisconsin in a performance-eligible position and gathers performance evaluations throughout probation and annually thereafter. The cycle restarts if a worker transfers to a new performance-eligible position.
- New Employee Goals and Expectations
- Probation Midpoint Evaluation
- Probation Final Evaluation > Continues with Midpoint or Annual thereafter
- Midpoint Evaluation Staff
- Annual Evaluation Staff
Probation
L&S follows UW-Madison policies regarding probation and evaluations for staff.
- Evaluation Periods for Academic Staff Appointments (UW-5017) (OHR)
- Probationary Periods for University Staff (UW-5016) (OHR)
Probation Type |
Length of Probation |
Midpoint Evaluation |
Final Probation Evaluation |
|---|---|---|---|
| University Staff | 6 months | 3 months | 6 months |
| Academic Staff - Professional | 12 months | 6 months | 12 months |
Review Activity |
Takes Place |
|---|---|
| New Employee Goals & Expectations | First 30 days |
| Probation Midpoint Evaluation | At end of first half of probation period |
| Probation Final Evaluation | At end of probation period |
After Probation is complete, employee continues with Midpoint and Annual evaluations thereafter. Whichever comes first.
Tasks are launched about 45 days prior to the probation midpoint and final dates by the Talent Administrator - Human Resources.
Note: Run the Employees on Probation (UW) report to identify the date that a midpoint should occur.
Annual & Midpoint
Annual performance evaluations rate performance for the previous 12-month period (fiscal year: July 1 - June 30). Completion is expected 90 days after initiation for both Midpoint and Annual Evaluations.
Review Activity |
Takes Place |
|---|---|
| Annual Review Period begins and Annual Evaluation task is launched | July 1 |
| Manager and Employee discussion. Ratings for Annual Evaluation | July 1- September 30 |
| Annual Evaluation Due | September 30 |
| Midpoint Evaluation task launched | January 1 |
| Manager and Employee discussion. Rating for Midpoint Evaluation | January 1 - March 31 |
| Annual Review Period closes | June 30 |
Task Details
The Performance Management steps and titles are the same for probation, midpoint, and annual evaluations. The task is considered complete only when all 6 steps have been successfully submitted.
Resources:
- Manager Tasks in Performance Reviews (OHR)
- Performance Review Tasks - Employee (UW System)
- L&S Performance Management Task Details.pdf.
Performance Ratings
Overall Performance Ratings should accurately reflect the employee performance as a whole and be supported with clear evidence and examples.
An overview of the different ratings and identifiers can be found on Performance Ratings in Workday (OHR)
A table on ratings including example sentence starts and comments are in Performance Ratings Cheatsheet.pdf
Avoid Overusing “Exceeding Expectations” Ratings
Use “Exceeding Expectations” sparingly because inflated ratings reduce fairness, clarity, and the motivational value of performance reviews. When top ratings are overused, they stop reflecting true exceptional performance and make it difficult to distinguish between solid, reliable work and genuinely above-and-beyond contributions. Research shows that performance systems become less effective when ratings are inconsistent or overly positive, leading to employee confusion, perceptions of bias, and weakened accountability.
Overuse also undermines the credibility of the review process. Employees may feel ratings are unrelated to real expectations or measurable outcomes, which reduces trust and devalues the impact of meaningful recognition. Evidence-based guidance emphasizes the importance of linking feedback to specific behaviors and measurable results—criteria that should be met before assigning the highest rating.
In short: If everyone is rated “Exceeding,” then no one truly is—making the rating less meaningful and the feedback less actionable.
Frequently Asked Questions - Performance Management
When do I involve HR for performance management concerns?
Always reach out to HR regarding any questions around Performance Management. If an employee is not meeting expectations, please reach out as soon as possible so we can partner with you to create a plan that supports the employee’s improvement.
My employee went through a title change. Do they need to complete probation again?
No. The employee will continue on with the midpoint and annual evaluation cycles. The cycle restarts if a worker transfers to a new performance-eligible position. Please review their current goals and align them with their new position.
Frequently Asked Questions - Workday
Who can check the status of the task for an employee?
- Talent Partner (Supervisory) - L&S HR Staff Team
- Employee
- Employee's Manager and above
- Any manager and above for a Secondary position
As an employee, how do I check the status of the task for myself?
- Open Workday, click on View Profile.
- Click Performance tab to review “Status” and “Awaiting “columns.
- Once complete, the task will move from "In Progress" to "Completed" status.
Step 1: Open Workday. Click on View Profile.
Step 2: Click Performance to review “Status” and “Awaiting “columns.
Step 3: Once complete, the task will move from "In Progress" to "Completed".
As a Manager, how do I check the status of the Performance Management process for my employee?
- Type the name of your employee in the Workday search bar and click on their name. This opens their Workday profile.
- Click Performance tab to review “Status” and “Awaiting “columns.
- Once complete, the task will move from "In Progress" to "Completed" status.
Step 2: Click Performance to review “Status” and “Awaiting “columns.
Step 3: Once complete, the task will move from "In Progress" to "Completed".
Who can edit Performance Management goals?
- Employee's Manager
- Any manager for a Secondary position
As a Manager, how do I change or add goals throughout the year?
- Open the employee's Workday Profile
- Click Performance, then click on "Goals"
As a Manager, what do I do if I have a task assigned to me for an employee I no longer supervise or I have a task assigned to me for an employee who has terminated or retired?
Please email Michael Kulisch (Michael.Kulisch@wisc.edu) and Amanda Riemenapp (riemenapp2@wisc.edu) who will work with OHR for support.
My employee has multiple jobs. How is Performance Management completed?
Performance reviews in Workday is for the primary position and the process is conducted between the employee and the primary position manager.
Optional: The annual review process will include an additional task to any employee with more than one performance-eligible position that allows the employee to request feedback from all non-primary job managers. This feedback (including an overall rating of the non-primary position) will be included in the annual evaluation.
If the primary position is instructional, the employee would only do one review through PMDP
Resources and Links
- L&S Performance Management Development Program (PMDP)
- Evaluation Periods for Academic Staff Appointments (UW-5017) (OHR)
- Probationary Periods for University Staff (UW-5016) (OHR)
- Performance Management for Managers and Supervisors (UW-5018) (OHR)
- L&S Performance Management Program Guide
- Performance Reviews Overview (OHR)
- Manager Tasks in Performance Reviews (OHR)
- Employee Tasks in Performance Reviews (UW System)
- Performance Ratings in Workday (OHR)
- Manager Writing Guide for Performance Review Comments (OHR)
For questions, contact Michael Kulisch at michael.kulisch@wisc.edu