OVERVIEW OF THE
PERFORMANCE REVIEW
AND DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM
(PRDS)
Prepared By
The PRDS Unit
Objectives
1
OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this session you
will be able to:
 Define performance management and
discuss its rationale
 Define the Performance Review and
Development System (PRDS);
 Discuss the objectives and benefits of the
PRDS;
Objectives (cont/d.)
2
OBJECTIVES (cont/d.)
 Identify the steps in the
process/cycle of the PRDS.
Background
3
PRESENT APPRAISAL SYSTEM
What should
I write on
this
person?
Present system is
ineffective. Then
what?
Rationale
4
RATIONALE FOR THE PERFORMANCE
REVIEW AND DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM
It is an initiative of the public sector
reform effort:
 The White Paper on Public Sector
Reform identified the development of
an effective performance appraisal
system as a critical element of our
public sector reform effort.
Rationale (cont/d.)
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RATIONALE (CONT.)
A review by the Ministry of the Civil Service
exposed a number of inadequacies:
 High levels of subjectivity displayed by
some reporting officers when conducting
and completing the annual appraisal;
 Submission of incomplete information on
appraisal forms;
 Appraisals were not done on a continuous
basis;
Rationale (cont/d.)
6
RATIONALE (CONT.)


That the period of a year was too long
for a meaningful assessment to be made,
especially when supervisors and staff
often are changed during that time;
Performance appraisal was perceived at
times as a chore, to be disposed of
quickly or as a threat, to be carried out
at the opportune time against the
employee; and
Rationale (cont/d.)
7
RATIONALE (CONT.)
The perception that the previous
appraisal system was used for
punitive, rather than for
developmental purposes.
What is performance
management?
8
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
DEFINITION
A planned system designed to
assess employee performance by
providing continuous feedback on
actual performance, in relation to
agreed and clearly defined
performance standards.

Rationale for performance
management
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PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
RATIONALE
Staff should know …..
 The performance standards expected
of them;
 How they are performing;
 What assistance is available to help
them attain the expected performance
standard;
Rationale (cont/d.)
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PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
RATIONALE (cont’d)
 The
rewards for attaining and
exceeding the performance
standards; and
 The
sanctions for continuous
poor performance.
The PRDS
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Features of a Good Performance
Management System
A good performance system should
be:
 Transparent;
 Non-discriminatory;
 Based on measuring important job
elements, rather than traits /
behaviours that are irrelevant to
job performance
Functions
FUNCTIONS OF A PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
It ….
 ensures employees know and are
committed to achieving individual
and team performance goals
 assists employees in developing their
on-the-job skills and abilities through
constructive feedback, coaching and
training
Functions
FUNCTIONS OF A PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (cont/d.)
It…
 improves communication among
managerial, supervisory and
operational staff
 improves management’s knowledge
of employee’s capabilities and
training needs.
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THE PRDS


…is a means of measuring an
employee’s work performance.
…is an annual cycle of planning,
objective setting, coaching,
review and feedback.
PRDS Cycle
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PRDS: AIM

…to develop a culture of
“renewed professionalism”
in the Public Service by…
PRDS: Objectives
PRDS OBJECTIVES
OBJECTIVES:
(a) Linking individual performance to
the key tasks and key results for
each Ministry/Department;
(b) Improving work planning;
(c) Clarifying authority, responsibility
and reporting relationships in order
to ensure accountability and
transparency;
Objectives (cont/d.)
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PRDS OBJECTIVES (cont/d.)
(d) Identifying employee competencies and
allowing the prioritising of training and
development needs;
(e) Providing opportunities for improved
dialogue between managers/supervisors
and employees;
(f) Identifying unsatisfactory performance
and developing employee performance
improvement plans;
Objectives (cont/d.)
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PRDS OBJECTIVES (cont/d.)
(g) Recognising and rewarding good
performance through incentives
and opportunities for career
development; and
(h) Appraising the performance of all
employees in an open, objective,
fair and consistent manner.
Basic features
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HOW
IS
THE PRDS
SUPPORTED?
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PRE-REQUISITES

Strategic Plan/Programme Budget
Document;
-Unit Plans
-Individual Work plans

Organisational Charts;
Job descriptions; and

Operational/Procedures Manuals

Prerequisites
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HOW
DOES THE PRDS
WORK???
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PRDS ANNUAL CYCLE
Planning, setting and
agreeing on
performance measures for
appraisal period
(March/April)
Evaluation and annual
appraisal on work performance
agreed to at beginning of period
(March the following year)
First progress meeting
(July/August)
Second progress meeting
(Nov./Dec.)
Prerequisites
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PRDS ANNUAL CYCLE

STAGE 1: March / April
PLANNING MEETING – Development of
the Individual Work Plan.
Supervisors and employees discuss,
agree on and set performance targets
or objectives for the appraisal period.
Stage 2
PRDS ANNUAL CYCLE
STAGE 2: July / August
FIRST PROGRESS MEETING –
Supervisor gives feed back on the
work performance of the employee as
he/she tries to attain the agreed
objectives and rates performance.

Provide assistance as needed e.g. coaching,
counselling, mentoring, training, etc.
Stage 3
PRDS ANNUAL CYCLE

STAGE 3: November / December
SECOND PROGRESS MEETING –
Supervisor gives feed back on the
work performance of the employee as
he/she tries to attain the agreed
objectives and rates performance.
Provide assistance as needed e.g.
coaching, counselling, mentoring, training, etc.
Stage 4
PRDS ANNUAL CYCLE

STAGE 4: March the following year
EVALUATION AND ANNUAL APPRAISAL on
the work performance agreed to at
the beginning of the appraisal
period. The final grade is given;
supervisor and employee signs the
form. Necessary follow-up action is
taken.
Performance Improvement Plan
WHAT IS A PIP?
A Performance Improvement Plan
(PIP) is a:
 …specific course of action developed
jointly by the employee and the
manager / supervisor to help the
employee improve his/her work
performance.
Please refer to page 12 of the PRDS Guidelines
Definition of PIP (cont/d.)
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SOME BENEFITS OF THE PRDS



Offers improved communication,
career planning and development;
Acts as a framework for fair and open
discussion between supervisor and
employee;
Identifies performance standards and
key performance indicators;
Benefits (cont/d.)
34
SOME BENEFITS OF THE PRDS
(cont.)




Provides a basis for objective, fair and
transparent performance appraisals in the
Public Service of Barbados ;
Reviews actual performance against
established objectives;
Focuses on the expected results /
performance and development; and
Seeks to reward performance objectively.
Assistance to improving
performance
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REWARDS AND THE PRDS
The PRDS has now become the
instrument by which
ministries/departments identify
those officers who merit
performance related rewards.
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ASSISTANCE TO IMPROVE
PERFORMANCE
Assistance includes:
 Performance Improvement
Plan;
 Coaching and mentoring;
 Counselling (EAP); and
 Training.
Dealing with continued poor
performance
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COPING WITH CONTINUED
POOR PERFORMANCE
Sanctions include:
 Reprimand;
 Discipline; or
 Dismissal.
Please refer to the Code of Discipline in the
Public Service Act 2007-41.
Employer's responsibility
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WHAT IS YOUR PART IN THE PROCESS
Ensure that you know:
 The objectives of your organization;
 What your job requires you to do;
 What are your job performance
standards; and
 Your targets for the appraisal period.
Current status
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UPDATES
The Public Service Act
40
PRDS and the
Public Service Act, 2007- 41
The Public Service Act,
2007- 41 has now afforded
the Performance Review
and Development system
legal status within the
Public Service (Section 10A)
41
PRDS and the
Public Service Act, 2007- 41
Section 10 (a) of the First Schedule
(Recruitment and Employment Code)
reads:The Commission shall ensure that:“Effective performance review and
development instruments for measuring
competence, performance and productivity
exist to facilitate appointment on merit.”
42
PUBLIC SERVICE
COMMISSION’S DIRECTIVE

With effect from April 2007, the Public
Service Commission started using
information gleaned from the PRDS
forms, for human resource decisionmaking (i.e. appointments,
promotions, transfers) in relation to
the agencies that are using the PRDS.
Contact information
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IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY
The system will be implemented in phases sequenced as
follows:
Sensitisation of officers;
 Training (ALL officers must be trained):
Senior Managers/ Managers/Supervisors NonSupervisors/Training of Trainers;
 Preparation of prerequisites (technical assistance);
 Implementation (progress meetings);
 Monitoring and Evaluation.

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CONTACT INFORMATION

For further information, please contact:
The PRDS Unit, Personnel Administration Division
E. Humphrey Walcott Building
Cnr. Culloden Rd and Collymore Rock
St. Michael
Tel. nos.:
467-4500 (PBX)
PRDS Unit – 467-4554/4555/4556/4557/4558
Fax. No. 429-5169
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THANK
YOU!
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