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Glossary

The Signify performance management module allows the use of field aliases, meaning you can rename certain system objects to match the terminology used in your company. Find here a list of standard terminology and the meaning Signify attaches to each.

 

Contract, Performance Agreement and Assessment/Review Period

The best way to explain the Signify definition of the three interconnected concepts of

  • Contract,
  • Performance Agreement, and
  • Assessment Period,

is by referring to the following diagram.

There are one or more assessment periods (also called review periods) in a performance agreement.  An employee's performance agreement contains his/her objectives.  If other components (e.g. a 360 degree survey) are added to the employee's performance agreement, we refer to the combination as a performance contract.  Thus, when referring to a performance contract it implies the performance agreement, but the performance agreement does not include the additional components - it only refers to the performance objectives.

image-1645432710573.png

 

Performance Year / Cycle

A performance year, or cycle, usually lasts for 12 months.  A company's performance cycle could e.g. run from January up to December, or from July to June of the next year.  One of the considerations in deciding your performance cycle might be to synchronise it with your salary increases negotiations.

 

Assessment Frequency

A performance year is usually divided into one or more time periods - called review or assessment periods.  The number of assessment periods in a performance year is called the assessment frequency.  See below for the most used assessment frequencies.

  • Annual (there will be 1 review or assessment, 12 months in duration)
  • Bi-annual  (2 reviews, usually 6 months each)
  • Quarterly  (4 reviews, usually 3 months in each)

 

Contract Weight Item

 

Contract Status

 

Phase Status

 

Objective

An objective is a goal to be achieved.  In Signify a KPA's KPI, a Stretch Target KPI, a Company Value, a Leadership Behaviour and a Key Competency are all called objectives, or goals, which an employee should achieve and will be measured against.

Objective Setting (Phase)

In the beginning of a performance year, for a certain time period, the employee and their manager will engage to determine what the appropriate objectives will be for the employee's performance agreement.  That is, what performance goals are set for the employee.  This is called the objective setting phase of a performance contract.

Section Weight

 

 

Check-ins

Rating / Score

Personal Development Plan (PDP)

Perspective / Pillar

Key Performance Area

Key Competencies

Stretch Targets

Leadership Behaviours

Values and Behaviours / Company Values

Employee

Manager / Performance Manager / Line Manager

Pre-moderation Rating / Final Rating

Moderation / Calibration

Submit vs. Approve vs. Modify

Dual Approval

 

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