Performance management process

In the event that a staff member does not uphold the responsibilities of their role the cooperative will follow the following process:  

Stage 1: Informal stage – Conversation and support

• 1: Written statement. Colleague(s) to submit a written statement of concerns of staff members not meeting the requirements of their role to two members of People & Culture Working Group who have had the least amount of involvement with the staff member in question. 
• 2: Conversation or mediation with the staff member. The two members of P&C working group will facilitate a conversation or mediation with the staff member with the outcome of clear agreements and a check in on the agreements scheduled within three months.
  • The P&C working group members may decide to seek external advice to decide at this point if any adjustments are needed
• Potential supports that can be offered during this process:
  • Disability accommodations 
  • Temporary adjustments 
  • Redeployment, i.e. a change in the role/responsibilities of the staff member
  • Additional training or coaching (if funding available)
  • Seek external disability advice
  • Weekly, fortnightly or monthly check-ins

Stage 2: Formal stage

Preparation of a formal Performance management panel and period

• Selection of a Performance Management Panel and a union rep. 
  • If after the three-month check-in, no improvement has been made within this timeline, the two P&C working group members involved will recommend that 3 members of the Performance Management Panel (elected by all TP staff annually – election process below) to take the process forward.
    • The staff member who is being reviewed will have the ability to veto anyone recommended to the panel who they deem to be too biassed. 
    • Performance Management panellists also have the opportunity to recuse themselves if they feel they are too biassed or don’t have capacity.
    • If more than 2 people are rejected or recuses themself then P&C working group will suggest others until a panel with a total of 5 people is confirmed. 

• At this stage the staff member is encouraged to select a union rep or another suitable support person to accompany them in the upcoming Performance Management meetings. 

• Relevant colleague(s) submit updated written statements to the Performance Management Panel. These will include the time period after original written statements were submitted. Dates of absences and specific tasks that were not completed should be included. Statements should focus on the facts and events rather than emotional responses. 
  
• Panel identifies the evidence-based issue to be addressed and summarises the complaint in a document with a timeline of evidence. Panel creates a draft of a three month work plan for the staff member. 
  • Summary document must be very clear for the staff member to understand, with a timeline of evidence of unmet responsibilities and expectations. 
  • Panel must send both the complaint summary and the draft work plan to the staff member one week before the first meeting. 

Formal three months performance management period

• First panel meeting to be attended by all three panel members, staff member and their union rep or support person. Outcomes of the meeting are the following: 
  • (a) Staff understands the complaint filed against them
  • (b) Panel members understand and note down the staff member’s perspective
  • (c) Designate one panel member to be a point person that holds check-in meetings with the staff member on a fortnightly or monthly basis to ensure work plan targets are met. Create a calendar of check-in dates which are mandatory for the staff member to attend. 
  • (d) Set a date for a three-month review meeting to be attended by all panel members, staff member and their union rep/support person. Designate panel member to send calendar invite. 
  • (e) Finalise a three-month performance management work plan that begins immediately after the close of this initial meeting
  • (f) Ensure person being reviewed is aware of the potential supports available to them and can request at any time: 
    • Disability accommodations 
      • Temporary adjustments 
      • Redeployment, i.e. a change in the role/responsibilities of the staff member
      • Additional training or coaching (if funding available)
      • Seek external disability advice
      • Weekly, fortnightly or monthly check-ins
  • (g) Sign an agreement that includes
    • The three-month work plan, including tasks and a calendar of key meeting dates that staff member must attend.
      • Contact details of staff member, union rep/support person, and panel members 
    • Clearly stated consequences if there is little to no improvement during the three-month evaluation period. 

• Staff member completes the tasks and responsibilities outlined in their work plan. Designated panel point person checks in with the staff member on a bi-weekly or monthly basis to ensure they are meeting the targets of the work plan. 
  • Note: If, during the performance management period an external circumstance occurs that means they will not be able to carry out the work plan during the specified time, the staff member must communicate that to the panel members. Panel members may decide to adjust the timeline accordingly. The new timeline must then be signed off by the staff member and the panel members.
    
• Three month panel review to be attended by all panel members, staff member and their support person or union rep
  
• Panel members will review the extent to which the work plan has been complete and determine which category the staff member falls under:
  • Pass: process was successful, improvements made; formal process stops but option of necessary or desired ongoing support and informal reviews for the staff member. 
  • Some improvement:  Panel decides how to move forward and select potential ways to support the staff member and consequences from the options below. 
  • No significant improvement: Panel decides on a combination of supportive options and consequences from the menu below.
    
• Panel determines the outcomes of the performance management period. Depending on the situation the panel may decide on a menu of options: 
• Potential supports: 
  • Disability accommodations 
    • Temporary adjustments 
    • Redeployment, i.e. a change in the role/responsibilities of the staff member
    • Additional training or coaching (if funding available)
    • Seek external disability advice
    • Weekly, fortnightly or monthly check-ins
• Extend review period
  • Reduction in staff hours 
• Block future hours increases
  • Dismissal review (see below for process)

Stage 3: Dismissal

• Dismissal review
  • Performance management panel meets to review all documents related to the performance management process and vote on a dismissal of the staff member. Dismissal requires a 4 out of 5 majority vote. If the panel does not decide to dismiss the staff member, another performance management period will begin. 
• Potential appeal by staff member
  • All staff members have the right to appeal a disciplinary or grievance decision if they believe the decision to be wrong or unjust. 
  • The staff member should submit a letter of appeal within 5 days of receiving their written dismissal letter. 
  • Performance Management Panel will then schedule a meeting to discuss the contents of the letter with the staff member and their union rep which could result in the following ways:
    • Uphold the appeal and keep the staff member on payroll
    • A settlement 
• Potential veto by staff

• A letter signed by at least 51% of staff members can veto the decision of the Performance Management Panel. This letter must be sent to the Performance Management Panel two weeks before the date of the staff member’s scheduled termination.
  • If this happens the Performance Management Panel extend the performance management period by another three months and will work with the staff member to create a work plan for the next 3 month period. 

Annual Elections of the Performance Management Panel

Our Performance Management Panel is elected annually by all staff members. This group has the responsibility of carrying out Performance management processes and, in very rare cases, dismissals. Staff can recuse themselves from being on the Performance Management Panel. 

Election process: 

• Schedule an extended staff meeting
• Nominations to be sent to the Operations and Organisational Development Lead 2 weeks prior to the meeting who then sends all nominations to the Decision Making channel. Each staff member can nominate up to 7 panellists.
  • Criteria for performance management panel candidates:
    • No history of performance complaints for at least two years 
    • Worked for the organisation for at least 6 months
    • 1 place for the Operations and Organisational Development lead to hold the administrative responsibilities of the process
    • Good listening skills, ability to listen without interrupting or jumping to conclusions
    • Impartiality, ability to pull out the facts of a situation and make a decision based on them. Ability to keep personal relationships separate.  
    • Ability to communicate and hold difficult conversations with care
• Elected annually 7 members of staff with 3 taking part in performance management process
  • A Performance Management Process requires 3 out of the 7 members elected. Elected panellists can recuse themself for follow reasons:
    • Planned long term annual leave
    • Lack of capacity (emotional or otherwise) 
    • Have submitted a written statement in relation to the person being reviewed 
• Governance Working Group and the Operations and Organisational Development Lead are responsible for scheduling annual elections