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NC Department of Health and Human Services

Managing Employee Workplans

 

        


        

      
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Writing the Original Workplan
      
		
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General Information:

	
Workplans may already be established for your employees.
	However, if you have a new employee who will have unique duties or an employee whose work duties have changed significantly, 
	you may want to start with a blank form to begin creating 
	the workplan. You may access a blank workplan form to complete as a Word document or printed form. 

	
The following instructions and examples will give you all of the information you will need to complete a new workplan. 
	You may also want to refer to these instructions when you are updating work plan sections for current or new employees.

	
By using these complete instructions, you can make sure that your employees' workplans are thorough and manageable.
	

	
	
Making It Work:
  
	
Workplans contain "Performance Expectations" that you and the employee discuss. 
	The expectations spell out what employees should accomplish 
	and what behaviors, skills, or competencies they need to accomplish 
	those expectations in a work cycle. (These are listed as "Results Expectations" and "Behavioral Expectations" on the form. You'll find specific instructions on these components later in this guide.)

	
 Workplans should focus on the results rather than individual tasks. As you go through the specifics of creating or reviewing workplans, you'll learn 
	that it is not possible or desirable to list every task an employee may do during the cycle.
	Often, the specific tasks are covered in operations manuals or other documents.  
	You may also find that it is impossible to include all elements of the 
	job description in the workplan. To make the workplan a useful planning and evaluation tool, strive to make it short 
	enough to be manageable. Long workplans are difficult to track and hard to document.

	

	
Workplan Cycle:

	calendar
The workplan generally covers a work cycle of one year from July 1st to June 30th. (This July 1st to 
	June 30th cycle may be officially modified within your division or agency, so check on this if you need to by contacting your Performance Management Coordinator.
	 Your employees' 
	work cycles must match the cycle used in your division or agency.)





There are 3 factors that affect how and when you review your employees' performance. Because of these related policies, you may have to complete more frequent reviews for some employees. The following paragraphs summarize the 3 factors that affect the work cycle and reviews, and the examples that follow may help you 
"put it all together."



Eligibility for Certain Pay Raises


money

The Office of State Personnel Policy requires that an employee 
must be on the payroll in a permanent position for 8 months of 
the work cycle to qualify for "Career Growth" or "Performance Bonus" 
pay increases that may be granted by the legislature.  
This policy exception affects: 

    

  • new employees,
    • 

  • employees 
returning to work after extended absences due to illness,
 
worker’s compensation, or leave without pay, etc.
    • 

  
(See Career Growth Recognition Reward in the state policy manual for a full explanation.) 




Probationary Periods 
 

Most employees will have a 9-month probationary period. Check with your division or institution HR office if you are unsure what probationary period applies to your employees. 





8 to 12 Month Workplan Cycles


DHHS requires at least an 8-month work cycle for all employees (including our new employees). 
Your goal is to eventually get your new employees on the same 12-month cycle as the rest of your staff.




calendarExamples


Below are three examples of how you could adjust the cycles of employees to accommodate the 8-month requirement and eventually get them on the same 12-month cycle as the rest of your employees.







	

        
        
	

	EXAMPLE 1:
	

		

	
George is a new employee with the "Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing" Division.  He began work on December 1.  His division’s work cycle ends on June 30, but at that time he will have completed only 7 months of a work cycle.  
	He needs to work one more month to complete the Department’s minimum cycle of 8 months.    

	His supervisor will evaluate him at the end of July when he completes his 8th month of work in the division. (If the permanent employees received legislative increases effective July 1st, George may receive only the "cost of living allowance" portion at that time. He will receive the "career growth" or "performance bonus" portions of the 
	pay increase effective August 1st, after he completes his 8 months required for pay increase entitlement.) 

	George will begin his new work cycle August 1 and it will run through June 30th so he can be on the same schedule as the rest of the work unit. (See illustration below.)
   		
	

	
	
	

	George's First Two Work Cycles:
	

	

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	Probationary Work Cycle
8 months		
	Next Work Cycle
11 months		
	



	

	EXAMPLE 2:
	

	
	
	

	
Marilyn is a new employee in the same division who started on October 1st, two months before George came to work for the division. Her probation will run for 9 months since that will allow her work cycle to end on the same June 30th date as the rest of the work unit. In Marilyn's case, limiting her work cycle to
	8 months is not necessary since the potential pay raise will include anyone who is on permanent status by June 30th. (See illustration below.)


			
	



	

	Marilyn's First Two Work Cycles:
	

	

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	Probationary Work Cycle
9 months		
	Next Work Cycle
12 months		
	


	

	EXAMPLE 3:
	


	

	
And finally, Rhonda, is the "oldest" new employee who started on June 1st. Her first work cycle must be at least 8 months, and this works out best to get her work cycle in sync with the rest of the unit as quickly as possible, so it will end on Jan. 31st. 
	Her next work cycle must be from 8 to 12 months, so the 8-month period is the best choice again, ending on Sept. 30th. Then for her third work cycle, the supervisor can finally adjust it to coincide with the other permanent employees' June 30th ending date, making it 9 months. (See illustration below.)

	

	

	

	Rhonda's First Three Work Cycles:
	

	

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	Probationary Work Cycle
8 months		
	Next Work Cycle
8 months		
	Next Work Cycle
9 months		
	


	






 
	
	

	

	
Standard Workplans:

	
If you have a group of 5 or more employees who do the same work, you should use a "Standard Workplan" for all of them. This Standard Workplan must be developed following specific guidelines and approved by your manager and the Department Performance Management Program Coordinator.  
	The information in this section applies to the Standard Workplans, also, so it is best to read through this general 
	information first if you need to create a Standard Workplan. Read Step 1 (Identify KRRs) through Step 6 (Workplan Review) in the sections that follow to learn how to develop all of the components of a valid workplan. 
	Then go to Standard Workplan Development in the Reference Section for a full explanation of
	how to set up a Standard Workplan that applies to a group of employees. 


	
employeeNew Employees:

	
If you have a new employee whose duties will be the same as other employees in your work unit, use the 
	all of the same KRRs, Result Expectations, Dimensions and Behavioral Expectations for the new employee. (This may be part of a Standard Workplan that applies to a group of your employees.) 
	

	
Even though a new employee may take some time 
	to reach an acceptable performance level on the expectations that are reasonable for your permanent employees, do not write a "lower" set of expectations 
	for the new employee. Instead, at the time of the probationary employee's performance evaluation, if you feel that the employee is on the right track, 
	you can make notes concerning any reasonable or expected 
	"learning curve" that may keep the new employee from working "up to speed" or "with greater accuracy" in meeting all expectations.   


	
You will find more information on evaluating new employees' performance and some examples in the Performance Appraisal section of this guide.
	

	
	
	
	
        		
        


        


	

	



	

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Print Version of the guide.

        
        		
        
        

        

      
        spacer
Overview		
        Original Workplan
        Interim Review
        Improvement Plan
        Development Plan
        Performance Appraisal
        References
        


        

      
        
        Step 1: 
Identify KRRs		
        Step 1: 
Preparation		
        Step 1: Planning
        Step 1: 
Asessment		
        Step 1: 
Preparation		
        Workplan Form 
        
[Word Template]
or
[PDF Format]		
        




         

      
            
        Step 2: 
Results Expectations		
        Step 2: 
Data Review		
        Step 2: Documentation
        Step 2: 
Planning		
        Step 2: 
Rating KRRs		
        

        DHHS Performance Management Policy
(Formerly DHHS Directive 34) 
HTML 
	or PDF 

	
Performance Rating Dispute Process 
(DHHS Directive Number III-9, formerly DHHS Directive 33a) 
HTML  or PDF
	

        



         

        
        Step 3: 
Selecting Dimensions		
        Step 3: 
Interim Review		
        Step 3: 30-Day Review
        Step 3: 
Documentation		
        Step 3: 
Combine Ratings		
        Rating Scale
and

        State Policy Manual		
        


        

      
        
        Step 4: 
Writing Behavioral Expectations		
        Step 4: 
Documentation		
        
        
        Step 4: 
Summary Rating		
        STAR Tool
        




        

      
        
        Step 5: 
Tracking Performance		
            
        
        
        Step 5: 
Signatures & Dispute Rights		
        Dictionary of Dimensions
        
        



        

        
        Step 6: Workplan Review
        
        
        
        Step 6: 
Submit Ratings		
        Standard Workplan Guidelines
        
        





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