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.
Participants Defined
Role |
Annual Review Activity |
|---|---|
| Talent Administrator - Human Resources |
|
| Manager |
|
| Employee |
|
Performance Reviews: Overview
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 (start of probation)
- Probation Midpoint Evaluation
- Probation Final Evaluation (end of probation) > Continues with Midpoint or Annual thereafter
- Midpoint Evaluation Staff
- Annual Evaluation Staff
Probation Evaluations
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 |
Note: After Probation is complete, employee continues with Midpoint and Annual thereafter. Whichever comes first.
Goals and Expectations Task
The Goals and Expectations task can be accessed via your Workday inbox. The initial expectation and goal-setting conversation should be had within 30 days from when your new employee begins work.
Prior to or during this conversation, the goals and expectations identified in this meeting must be documented and provided to the employee. The discussion should cover:
- major duties of each position,
- work priorities,
- how successful performance will be evaluated,
- developmental needs and strategies to meet these needs.
Here are the Goals and Expectations task details. The task is considered complete only when both steps have been successfully submitted.
Step |
Task Owner: Pending Action By |
Step Title |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Supervisor | Complete Manager Evaluation for Performance Review |
| Step 2 | Employee |
Performance Evaluation Employee Acknowledgement
|
Midpoint and Final Probation Evaluations
The Midpoint Conversations and Summary Probation Evaluation tasks will be based on the goals and responsibilities set up in the New Employee Goals and Expectations task. The evaluations are considered complete only when all 4 steps have been successfully submitted.
Note: Instructional Academic Staff will not receive a midpoint or final probation evaluation, but will instead move to the regular performance management cycle at the next appropriate evaluation.
Step |
Task Owner: Pending Action By |
Step Title |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Supervisor | Complete Manager Evaluation for Performance Review |
| Step 2 | Employee |
Employee Self Evaluation |
| Step 3 | Supervisor |
Manager Evaluation
|
| Step 4 | Employee |
Performance Evaluation Employee Acknowledgement |
Resources:
Annual & Midpoint Evaluations
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 Summary Evaluation task is launched | July 1 |
| Manager and Employee discussion. Ratings for Summary Evaluation | July 1- September 30 |
| Summary Evaluation Due | September 30 |
| Midpoint Conversation task launched | January 1 |
| Manager and Employee discussion. Rating for Midpoint Conversation | January 1 - March 31 |
| Midpoint Conversation Due | March 31 |
| Annual Review Period closes | June 30 |
Non-Instructional Academic Staff
Task Details
The Performance Management task steps are the same for Midpoint Conversations and Summary Evaluations. The tasks are considered complete only when all four steps have been successfully submitted.
Step |
Task Owner: Pending Action By |
Step Title |
|---|---|---|
|
Step 1 |
Supervisor |
Set Content |
|
Step 2 |
Employee |
Employee Self Evaluation
|
|
Step 3 |
Supervisor |
Manager Evaluation
|
|
Step 4 |
Employee |
Performance Evaluation Employee Acknowledgment |
Resources:
Instructional Academic Staff
Instructional Academic Staff are now reviewed in Workday on the fiscal year performance cycle. Tasks will follow the timing for our annual review period, though 9-month employees will not be expected to complete their evaluations until they return in August.
Instructional Academic Staff are not rated on goals and responsibilities. Instead, they are evaluated on the following three topics:
- Teaching Activities and Effectiveness
- This section should reflect the employee's performance around classroom teaching, student interactions, student evaluations, classroom observations, etc.
- Professional Activities
- This section should discuss the employee's involvement with internal and external partnerships, serving on committees, holding roles in academic associations, participating in teaching conferences, leading non-credit workshops, etc.
- Service Activities
- This section should discuss the employee's engagement around administrative roles within the unit, serving on committees within the department and university, providing additional mentoring and advising to students, etc.
Step |
Task Owner: Pending Action By |
Step Title |
|---|---|---|
|
Step 1 |
Employee |
Employee Self Evaluation
|
|
Step 2 |
Supervisor |
Manager Evaluation
|
|
Step 3 |
Supervisor |
Performance Discussion
|
|
Step 4 |
Employee |
Performance Evaluation Employee Acknowledgment |
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.
Are performance evaluations required if the appointment is less than one year?
If an appointment is less than a year, it is expected that a Goals and Expectations task is completed to create alignment for the role. However, a midpoint and final probation evaluations are not required. If the manager or employee would like one, or if there is a plan to extend the appointment, an evaluation task can be manually launched.
Frequently Asked Questions - Workday
Why don’t the evaluation dates reflect the entire evaluation period?
In Workday, evaluation tasks will display the same date for both the start and end of the evaluation period. For example, the Goals and Expectations task will show first day of employment – first day of employment. Although the dates may look unusual, they are correct and align with how the process is designed in Workday.
Where is the performance management evaluation task found in Workday?
If the task is pending action from you, it will appear in your Workday inbox on their Workday homepage.
Who can check the status of the performance management evaluation 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 my performance management evaluation task?
- 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 evaluation task for my employee?
- Write the name of the 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 Reviews to see“Status” and “Awaiting “columns.
Step 3: Once complete, the task will move from "In Progress" to "Completed".
How can I view the content in an evaluation while it is in progress or completed?
- Write the name of the employee in Workday search bar and click on their name. This opens their Workday profile.
- Click Performance tab.
- Click View or Create New PDF to view content.
How far into the evaluation can edits be made?
Edits can be made up through the Complete Manager Evaluation for Performance Review step (Step 3). Once Step 3 is submitted, the evaluation can no longer be edited. If edits are needed after submission, please email Michael Kulisch (Michael.Kulisch@wisc.edu) and Meghan Janikowski (mjanikowski@wisc.edu). They will coordinate with OHR for support.
Can supporting documents be uploaded as part of the performance management evaluation?
Yes. Supporting documents can be uploaded during the Complete Manager Evaluation for Performance Review step (Step 3). If an employee would like documentation included, they should provide the document to their manager for upload at this step. If documentation needs to be added after Step 3 has been submitted, please email Michael Kulisch (Michael.Kulisch@wisc.edu) and Meghan Janikowski (mjanikowski@wisc.edu), who will coordinate with OHR for support.
As a manager, how do I upload supporting documents?
On the Complete Manager Evaluation for Performance Review step (Step 3), there is a Supporting Documents (Optional) option. You can select the files and attach then.
As a manager, what should I do if I upload an incorrect supporting documents?
If the incorrect supporting documents was added in error, please email Michael Kulisch (Michael.Kulisch@wisc.edu) and Meghan Janikowski (mjanikowski@wisc.edu), who will coordinate with OHR for support.
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 for my employee throughout the year?
- Open the employee's Workday Profile
- Click Performance, then click on "Goals"
My employee is paid via lump sum. Are performance management evaluations required?
No. Employees who have appointments that are paid via lump sum do not need to complete performance management evaluations.
Because this job category requires annual and midpoint evaluations under UW–Madison’s performance management policy, these tasks will automatically launch each cycle. If the task needs to be canceled, please email Michael Kulisch (Michael.Kulisch@wisc.edu) and Meghan Janikowski (mjanikowski@wisc.edu), who will coordinate with OHR for support.
My employee is paid via lump sum. Because performance management evaluations are not required, why does the task keep appearing in my Workday inbox every evaluation cycle?
Because this job category requires annual and midpoint evaluations under UW–Madison’s performance management policy, these tasks will automatically launch each cycle. If the task needs to be canceled, please email Michael Kulisch (Michael.Kulisch@wisc.edu) and Meghan Janikowski (mjanikowski@wisc.edu), who will coordinate with OHR for support.
As a Manager, what do I do if a task assigned to me for an employee I no longer supervise or the employee has terminated or retired?
Please email Michael Kulisch (Michael.Kulisch@wisc.edu) and Meghan Janikowski (mjanikowski@wisc.edu) who will work with OHR for support.
My employee has multiple jobs. How is performance management completed?
Performance reviews in Workday are 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.
Resources and Links
- 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)
- Employee and Manager 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 or Meghan Janikowski at mjanikowski@wisc.edu.