DoD has issued new fact sheets on three aspects of its national security personnel system, including an overview of the performance management elements of the system and two related aspects, writing job objectives and writing self-assessments.
The performance management overview document stresses that under NSPS, supervisors — with input from employees–must develop performance plans that include measurable job objectives, as well as how the employee is to achieve the results — “contributing factors,” in NSPS lingo — during the appraisal cycle. Regular ongoing monitoring activities are expected, as well as a more formal interim review midway through the performance cycle during which plans should be adjusted if necessary.
Employee ratings are based on what was accomplished, on a 1 to 5 scale, and whether the contributing factors should increase or decrease that rating; the change can be no more than one point. Supervisors then will recommend the number of shares the employee is to receive from the payout pool, within predetermined limits. For example, a rating of 5, the highest level, would be good for either five or six shares, a rating of 4 either three or four, and a rating of 3 either one or two. Those rated as 1s or 2s are ineligible for performance payouts.
