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Performance at IU

A culture of conversations

New for 2023, this performance management program is a consistent, collaborative, and ongoing process to help appointed staff achieve their full potential. Four simple conversations will drive the process.

How does it work?

Performance at IU is a uniform program of conversations about performance and development. It sets staff up for success by ensuring: 

  • A clear understanding of expectations for all staff roles 
  • Recurring two-way conversations between staff and leaders 
  • Annual growth and development plans for every staff member 
  • Consistent annual performance conversations with every staff member 

Why build a culture of conversations?

Results from the My Voice at IU Staff Engagement Survey showed that IU has an opportunity to do better in collectively setting expectations with staff and providing related feedback. For staff to succeed and feel engaged at work, they need to understand the expectations of their role and have related conversations about performance and development.

Four guided conversations can create a culture of conversations where role expectations are known, and conversations occur between leaders and employees that guide individual achievement and development.

Four Conversations that Build Our Culture

The Performance at IU program introduces four guided conversations. New participants will adopt a new conversation each quarter of the calendar year. Click a button below to learn about the four conversations that will guide the annual program. (IU Login required)

2023 Rollout: Phase Two

This program will be phased in for appointed IU staff over three years. The process repeats annually, with achievable and measurable quarterly goals centered on four purposeful conversations. In the initial rollout, each quarter will focus on learning how to participate in a new guided conversation. Education, guidance, support, and templates for each conversation are available.

The goal of the second quarter of 2023 is for staff to adopt a simple, recurring, guided “Check-In Conversation” with their leader to establish a frequent two-way dialog where leaders and staff discuss work, successes, barriers, and growth.

The appointed staff and leaders of the units below are officially participating in the 2023 rollout. However, the program’s tools are simple and easy to put into action, so all of IU is welcome to use them.

  • University Administration 
  • Regional campuses
  • IU School of Medicine
  • IUB Jacobs School of Music
  • IUPUI McKinney School of Law
  • IU Police 

Staff members represented by a union will not participate in 2023, with the exception of AFSCME Police.