The purpose of this Health Sciences Center Operating Policy (HSC OP) is to establish the philosophy and policy governing our team members’ performance management and development.
This HSC OP will be reviewed by December 1 of each odd-numbered fiscal year (ONY) by the Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer.
PHILOSOPHY: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) recognizes all team members as essential to the university strategy and our overall mission. By fostering a supportive, values-based work environment, team members are empowered to utilize their strengths and talents, excel in performance, and pursue ongoing personal development, contributing to the institution’s growth and success.
Managers support this philosophy through ongoing performance management efforts, including enabling team member growth and development, encouraging values-based behaviors, communicating clear expectations, providing regular feedback on job performance, and acknowledging accomplishments.
In alignment with the institution’s mission and vision, TTUHSC is dedicated to retaining a highly qualified and exceptional workforce that exemplifies our values-based work environment. This policy aims to standardize the method and frequency of the team member performance evaluation process and identify programs and events that support their development.
All steps in this process shall be administered by the manager without regard to a team member’s race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status, in compliance with the laws and regulations of the State of Texas, Regents’ Rules, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Texas Tech University System Regulation 07.10, and all other applicable federal laws.
1. Values-Based Work Environment
Through its values-based work environment, TTUHSC is committed to cultivating an exceptional workplace community situated within a positive people-first environment. Accordingly, the defining behaviors of TTUHSC’s shared values shall serve as the prevailing code of conduct for all team members, regardless of location.
The TTUHSC values and guiding behaviors should be interpreted in a manner that is consistent with all federal and state laws and regulations, Regents’ Rules, and TTU System regulations, as outlined in HSC OP 10.00, Operating with Values.
2. Performance Evaluation Policy and Procedure
a. Provisions
i. Performance Evaluations are an essential component of performance management strategies to support personal growth and professional success. Annual Performance Evaluations allow team members and managers to reflect, set goals, highlight accomplishments and strengths, and identify potential areas of improvement. Performance Evaluations must contain objective, measurable, and consistently applied criteria.
ii. One (1) performance evaluation is required for all non-student (“S” position class) team members each fiscal year (September 1 – August 31) and submitted by August 31. This ensures consistency in the frequency and standards by which team members are evaluated.
Direct reports of the President have a due date of November 1.
Human Resources may grant extensions for approved FMLA absences or other extenuating circumstances.
Evaluations should ideally occur in August, but no earlier than April, to capture the team member’s full fiscal year performance.
iii. No other performance evaluations shall be issued in place of the TTUHSC Performance Evaluation for staff.
iv. Faculty members may have alternative or additional evaluative procedures and policies related to their appointments, as outlined in HSC OP 60.01, Tenure and Promotion Policy, and HSC OP 60.03, Performance Evaluation and Dismissal Procedures for Tenured and Non-Tenured Faculty.
v. Managers are encouraged to meet with new team members within the first month of employment and before the end of their first six months, to discuss performance expectations, individual goals, development opportunities, and values-based behavioral goals as part of their training plan.
vi. Team members may access the Performance Evaluation system through the WebRaider portal: http://webraider.ttuhsc.edu/
vii. Departments may not create, develop, or implement separate performance evaluation tools that differ in format or frequency from the official TTUHSC Performance Evaluation.
b. Procedure
i. Team members have the opportunity to complete a Self-Evaluation that allows them to share their accomplishments, how they are living our values, growth areas, and work-related goals for the next year.
ii. Once the Self-Evaluation form has been completed, a copy will be electronically available to the manager and team members. The manager should read and consider the information submitted in the Self-Evaluation before completing the Performance Evaluation form.
iii. A rating of the individual’s work performance and feedback is completed by the manager for the following areas:
· Core Competencies;
· Functional Competencies;
· Compliance Competencies;
· Leadership Competencies (for people leaders);
· Goal achievement and progress; and,
· New goals.
iv. This annual process does not replace the importance of ongoing and regular interactive communication to clarify job duties, expectations, and accomplishments, and to support the successful performance of the team member.
v. The annual Performance Evaluation process does not replace formal corrective actions governed by Texas Tech University System Regulation 07.07. Any questions related to performance or conduct concerns shall be directed to Human Resources.
vi. The Performance Evaluation discussion should be conducted in a manner that is considerate of the sensitivity of the evaluation. Only those in a management oversight role of the employee should be present, with exceptions approved by Human Resources. Team members shall not bring guests to the discussion.
vii. Once the Performance Evaluation is finalized, it is submitted to the team member's file for retention. A team member's signature is preferred, but a refusal to sign does not prevent the evaluation from being considered finalized. It is part of the team member's record once issued by the manager.
3. Development
Team member development is a collaborative effort between the team member and the manager. Managers are encouraged to develop their teams to ensure professional growth, furthering the institution's mission, vision, and values.
a. New Team Member Orientation
i. All new team members are required to complete Human Resources’ asynchronous New Team Member Orientation (NTMO) within five (5) days of their first day of hire. This orientation discusses benefits, TTUHSC, time reporting, and other pertinent resources to help team members acclimate quickly, but it is not the only onboarding training required of new hires.
b. New Team Member Experience
i. Team Member Experience (NTME) is a crucial part of the developmental learning process for new team members at TTUHSC. NTME is an in-person program designed for all full-time team members that reinforces TTUHSC’s values-based work environment and cultivates a sense of connection to the University. All full-time team members based in Lubbock are required to participate within their first 15 business days of employment. Full-time team members affiliated with a TTUHSC location outside of Lubbock – as well as full-time remote team members – are expected to participate within their first 30 business days of employment. All new full-time team members will receive an invitation to attend within their first 5 business days from the Office of the President to allow them to make necessary arrangements to participate.
The Office of the President and the Office of People and Values facilitate this regularly scheduled program for all new 1.0 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) team members, introducing the importance of engaging in our TTUHSC values-based work environment and the significance of each role in advancing university strategy.
All new full-time team members will be expected to participate in the in-person NTME program on the Lubbock campus. Team members’ home departments shall facilitate appropriate arrangements that streamline their participation, to include approving release time and coordinating with the program facilitators to ensure appropriate travel reimbursement, where applicable. To minimize out-of-pocket expenses incurred by participating team members traveling to Lubbock for NTME, travelers shall be supported in obtaining and using a TTUHSC-issued travel card for approved travel expenses following established Travel Policies. Supervisors and home departments are responsible for assisting new team members in navigating the applicable travel authorization to participate in NTME.
Travelers who are unable to obtain approval for a travel card may follow the established process of utilizing a Business Travel Account (BTA) to facilitate lodging arrangements.
The program is delivered on a recurring basis to facilitate appropriate planning for the department and for new team members.
ii. Exceptions to program completion within the first 15 or 30 business days of employment may be considered by the Vice President for University Strategy & Chief Experience Officer for extraordinary circumstances.
c. Employee Training and Development
i. TTUHSC recognizes the importance of promoting lifelong learning, enabling eligible team members to acquire job-related knowledge, behaviors, and skills. TTUHSC may designate funding and other resources for team members to participate in training courses, education, or developmental learning experiences at no cost to the team members. This may include, but is not limited to, short courses, workshops, seminars, conferences, technical or professional training, and higher education courses.
ii. TTUHSC provides additional training and development opportunities for all team members through the Office of People and Values, Human Resources and HSC OP 70.14.
4. Right to Change Policy
TTUHSC reserves the right to interpret, change, modify, amend, or rescind this policy in whole or in part at any time without prior notice to or consent of employees.