The number of Performance Levels should be determined during the initial setup before appraisals are in the process however, there may be times when you need to modify this setting after you have started using the system.
In the article How to Configure the Performance Level on Performance+?, we shared how you can change your performance levels, yet, when you modify the number in Performance+ from the default of five, you may be asking, how do Performance Levels Adjust?
Continue reading to know more:
1. First, it is highly recommended that you wait until all current appraisals are completed because if you changed the number of Performance Levels and then discovered there were appraisals in process at the time, these appraisals will need to be reviewed by the appraiser to ensure any scores already given transferred to the desired Performance Level. No data will be lost, but it's possible the scores may need to be adjusted.
2. The Performance Level number chosen determines the levels in the following areas:
- Core Values
- Competencies
- Goals
- Final Scores/Ranges
3. Once there are no appraisals in process, this setting may be adjusted without affecting pending documents. Hence, we advised running a report to help determine if there are appraisals in the process for reference. (Reports > Performance Assessments > Cycle Status).
4. If you choose less than five Performance Levels, the descriptions will automatically adjust to fit your number of levels and you won't need to create any new content. Keep in mind that you can always customize any of this information. The levels will move as follows:
Four Levels
Competencies- The "Unacceptable" default level is removed when you move from 5 to 4 levels. You are left with:
High Performer
Valued Performer
Contributor
Needs Improvement
Goals - The "Not Addressed" default level is removed when you move from 5 to 4 levels. You are left with:
Exceeded
Complete
Progress
Incomplete
Final Scores - When changing from 5 to 4 levels, the Final Score Descriptions will read:
High Performer
Valued Performer
Contributor
Needs Improvement
Three Levels
Competencies- The "Unacceptable" and "Valued Performer" default levels are removed when you move from 5 to 3 levels. You are left with:
High Performer
Contributor
Needs Improvement
Goals - The "Complete" and "Not Addressed" default levels are removed when you move from 5 to 3 levels. You are left with:
Exceeded
Progress
Incomplete
Final Scores - When changing from 5 to 3 levels, the Final Score Descriptions will read:
High Performer
Contributor
Needs Improvement
Two Levels
Competencies- The "Unacceptable," "Valued Performer," and "High Performer" default levels are removed when you move from 5 to 2 levels. You are left with:
Contributor
Needs Improvement
Goals - The "Complete," "Not Addressed," and "Exceeded" default levels are removed when you move from 5 to 2 levels. You are left with:
Progress
Incomplete
Final Scores - When changing from 5 to 2 levels, the Final Score Descriptions will read:
Contributor
Needs Improvement
Choosing More than Five Performance Levels
If you choose more than five levels, you will need to create additional Competency Level Descriptions, Goal Level Titles/Descriptions, and Final Score Descriptions where indicated.
Six Levels
Competencies- When changing from 5 to 6 levels, the Competency Descriptions will read:
6-High Performer
5-Valued Performer
4-blank
3-Contributor
2-Needs Improvement
1-Unacceptable
You will need to create a new description for level 4.
Goals- When changing from 5 to 6 levels, the Goal Descriptions will read:
6-Exceeded
5-Complete
4-blank
3-Progress
2-Incomplete
1-Not Addressed
You will need to create a new title/description for level 4.
Final Scores- When changing from 5 to 6 levels, the Final Score Descriptions will read:
6-High Performer
5-Valued Performer
4-blank
3-Contributor
2-Needs Improvement
1-Unacceptable
You will need to create a new description for level 4.
Seven Levels
Competencies- When changing from 5 to 7 levels, the Competency Descriptions will read:
7-High Performer
6-blank
5-Valued Performer
4-blank
3-Contributor
2-Needs Improvement
1-Unacceptable
You will need to create a new description for level 6 and 4.
Goals- When changing from 5 to 7 levels, the Goal Descriptions will read:
7-Exceeded
6-blank
5-Complete
4-blank
3-Progress
2-Incomplete
1-Not Addressed
You will need to create a new title/description for level 6 and 4.
Final Scores- When changing from 5 to 7 levels, the Final Score Descriptions will read:
7-High Performer
6-blank
5-Valued Performer
4-blank
3-Contributor
2-Needs Improvement
1-Unacceptable
You will need to create a new description for level 6 and 4.
Eight Levels
Competencies- When changing from 5 to 8 levels, the Competency Descriptions will read:
8-High Performer
7-blank
6-Valued Performer
5-blank
4-Contributor
3-blank
2-Needs Improvement
1-Unacceptable
You will need to create a new description for level 7, 5, and 3.
Goals- When changing from 5 to 8 levels, the Goal Descriptions will read:
8-Exceeded
7-blank
6-Complete
5-blank
4-Progress
3-blank
2-Incomplete
1-Not Addressed
You will need to create a new title/description for level 7, 5, and 3.
Final Scores- When changing from 5 to 8 levels, the Final Score Descriptions will read:
8-High Performer
7-blank
6-Valued Performer
5-blank
4-Contributor
3-blank
2-Needs Improvement
1-Unacceptable
You will need to create a new description for level 7, 5, and 3.
Nine Levels
Competencies- When changing from 5 to 9 levels, the Competency Descriptions will read:
9-High Performer
8-blank
7-Valued Performer
6-blank
5-Contributor
4-blank
3-Needs Improvement
2-blank
1-Unacceptable
You will need to create a new description for level 8, 6, 4, and 2.
Goals- When changing from 5 to 9 levels, the Goal Descriptions will read:
9-Exceeded
8-blank
7-Complete
6-blank
5-Progress
4-blank
3-Incomplete
2-blank
1-Not Addressed
You will need to create a new title/description for level 8, 6, 4, and 2.
Final Scores- When changing from 5 to 9 levels, the Final Score Descriptions will read:
9-High Performer
8-blank
7-Valued Performer
6-blank
5-Contributor
4-blank
3-Needs Improvement
2-blank
1-Unacceptable
You will need to create a new description for level 8, 6, 4, and 2.
Ten Levels
Competencies- When changing from 5 to 10 levels, the Competency Descriptions will read:
10-High Performer
9-blank
8-Valued Performer
7-blank
6-Contributor
5-blank
4-Needs Improvement
3-blank
2-blank
1-Unacceptable
You will need to create a new description for level 9, 7, 5, 3, and 2.
Goals- When changing from 5 to 10 levels, the Goal Descriptions will read:
10-Exceeded
9-blank
8-Complete
7-blank
6-Progress
5-blank
4-Incomplete
3-blank
2-blank
1-Not Addressed
You will need to create a new title/description for level 9, 7, 5, 3, and 2.
Final Scores- When changing from 5 to 10 levels, the Final Score Descriptions will read:
10-High Performer
9-blank
8-Valued Performer
7-blank
6-Contributor
5-blank
4-Needs Improvement
3-blank
2-blank
1-Unacceptable
You will need to create a new description for levels 9, 7, 5, 3, and 2.
For some ideas on titles and descriptions, you may check the examples of performance level descriptions that are different than the defaults. These are meant to give you some ideas on other phrases that could be used.
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