Performance Management in iO

Continuous Check-ins: Your Guide to Ongoing Performance Conversations

We are excited to announce the next phase of our performance management journey: Continuous Check-ins!

Having successfully completed our goal-setting process, we're now shifting our focus to ongoing, meaningful conversations between managers and their teams. This critical task is all about fostering a culture of continuous growth, feedback, and support for all staff at Rice University.

What are Continuous Check-ins?
Think of continuous check-ins as regular, informal conversations about progress,
challenges, and development. They're designed to:

• Keep you on track, by offering the opportunity to regularly discuss goals, ensuring alignment and progress.
• Provide timely feedback, so success and areas for improvement are addressed as they happen, not just once a year.
• Support employee development by providing moments to identify learning opportunities and discuss career aspirations.
• Build stronger connections between managers and direct reports through open dialogue.

Why are They Important?
Traditional annual reviews often fall short because feedback is delayed and opportunities for real-time adjustments are missed. Continuous check-ins ensure that feedback is timely, relevant, and actionable, which drives:

• Enhanced performance as issues are addressed proactively and successes are celebrated immediately.
• Staff feeling valued and supported in their professional growth, helping to increase engagement and a sense of recognition.
• Fostering a more open and transparent work environment, resulting in improved communications.
• Easily adjusting goals and priorities as organizational needs evolve.

For Managers and Supervisors: Your Role is Key!
Your active participation is crucial to the success of this initiative. What you need to
know:

• Make these conversations a regular part of your routine. They don't need to be long or overly formal; short, frequent discussions are often more impactful.
• Remember, the check-in process is a perfect opportunity to add new goals or adjust existing ones to reflect changing priorities or newly identified needs. Don't feel locked into initial goals if circumstances change.
• Use check-ins to coach your team members, providing guidance, removing roadblocks, and helping them reach their full potential.
• We're providing office hours for all managers, supervisors, and employees to equip you with the skills and confidence to have effective continuous check-ins. See the Office Hours below.

For All Staff: Engage and Thrive!
Continuous check-ins are a two-way street. We encourage all staff to:

• Prepare for conversations, and think about your progress, challenges, and what support you might need.
• Ask for feedback. Don't wait to be told; proactively seek input on your performance and development.
• Share your insights and perspective on your work and goals.
• Own your development. Use these conversations to shape your learning and career path.

Questions? We're Here to Help!
We understand that adopting new processes can bring questions. We are available to meet with teams in person to discuss continuous check-ins further and address any queries you may have. Please reach out to otd@rice.edu to schedule a discussion.

Quarterly Check-in Office Hours

Office Hours

Got Questions? Our Performance Management team is available to assist. Please join us in our office hour sessions (The office hour schedule is updated on Fridays for the following week.)

22 Sep 3:00 - 3:30 PM

23 Sep 2:00 - 2:30 PM

24 Sep 3:00 - 3:30 PM

25 Sep 2:00 - 2:30 PM

26 Sep 1:00 - 1:30 PM

29 Sep 10:00 - 10:30 AM

Zoom Link: Click Here

Executive Communication