Focus Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How do I/my team opt into Focus?
Supervisors and employees can opt into the ANU Focus performance cycle at any point from now by using the Word template available on the ANU Performance web page and the Focus Sharepoint page. From December 2024 the ANU Focus online system will be available.
2. I have an existing PDR, how do I transition to Focus?
Employees with an existing PDR in eForms
Employees with no existing PDR
Probation
3. Why is ANU introducing a new Performance process?
The March 2023 ANYOU survey highlighted opportunities to improve our performance development approach. In the survey:
- 65% of respondents agreed that their job performance is evaluated fairly;
- 58% of respondents indicated that they receive appropriate recognition for good work; and
- Only 28% of respondents agreed with the statement ‘When it is clear someone is not delivering in their role we do something about it’.
Survey respondents also provided relevant written comments, highlighting issues such as never having completed a PDR at ANU (or not for several years) and supervisors not being equipped to provide useful feedback. This feedback is consistent with findings and recommendations from an external review of the Performance and Development Review (PDR) undertaken in 2019.
Additionally, the current PDR form and process has to be replaced as the platform supporting the current form (eForms) will be discontinued at ANU from 2025 onwards.
4. Do I/my team have to use Focus?
2024 is a year of transition from the PDR eform to the Focus performance cycle. From 2025, all employees on a continuing or fixed term contract of 12 months or more will be expected to use Focus.
5. Where do I find the Focus template documents?
The Focus template documents for Academic and Professional staff are available on the ANU Peformance web page and the Focus Sharepoint page.
6. Can I keep using the PDR eform?
The PDR eform will be available until December 2024. Any open PDR processes should be closed out before then to allow records to be transferred to ERMS in a timely manner.
7. How will probation be addressed within the Focus cycle?
For Professional/Technical employees a separate probation template will be available on the online Focus system. In the meantime supervisors should use the PDR eform for new employees during probation.
For Academic staff with a longer probation period, the regular Focus Academic cycle will be used for goal-setting and to provide feedback during probation.
8. What happens with new starters in 2024?
Supervisors should use the PDR eform to set goals and review progress as part of probation in 2024.
9. How will employees transition from probation to the regular Focus cycle?
Depending on when probation finishes during the calendar year, the staff member may complete a shorter Focus cycle to cover the gap between probation and the regular Focus cycle commencing in December. If probation finishes close to the end of the year (e.g. from October onwards), the supervisor and employee should wait until December to commence the next regular Focus cycle.
10. Why is the Academic cycle the same as the Professional cycle?
The ANU Focus process is developed so that all employees have an equitable experience of role, performance and career discussions, and frequency of how these are recorded - Focus is a tool to record discussions and progress at least every six months, with emphasis on regular discussions outside of using Focus.
11. I am a supervisor with a large number of direct reports, how can I manage processes within the new cycle?
For supervisors each stage of the Focus cycle will be open for an extended period to give supervisors more time to conduct meetings with their employees:
- Stage 1 (Goal-setting) will be open from December to March (4 months);
- Stage 2 (Mid-cycle check-in) from June to July (2 months); and
- Stage 3 (End of Cycle reflection) from October to December (3 months), with the ability to combine reflection and goal-setting during December as one discussion if preferred.
12. What will happen with the University’s policies and procedures linked to PDRs?
The University’s policies and procedures which make reference to the PDR process will be steadily updated over the course of 2024 and into early 2025.
13. What system will be used for the Focus online platform?
The Focus online platform will sit within the University’s existing Human Resources Management System (HRMS), which will be accessed by employees via their HORUS account.
14. Will there be automated reminders from the new system?
The new online Focus system will feature automated reminders to assist supervisors and employees in managing the process.
15. What happens when an employee changes supervisor?
As the Focus online platform sits within HRMS, employment changes such as a transfer or new supervisor will take place automatically with no separate process required.
Where the change of supervisor is a permanent arrangement, the new supervisor will have access to open Focus cycles for any employee reporting to them.
Where there is a temporary change of supervisor (for example as part of a short-term transfer) the temporary supervisor will be able to see the employee's open Focus cycle for the transfer period. Depending on the length of the transfer, the employee and supervisor can discuss whether any additional goals should be set or adjustments made to existing goals.
16. How will Focus records be stored?
Once the online Focus system is in place, records will be stored within HRMS which complies with the University’s data governance requirements.
For employees who use the Word template in 2024, we recommend that you and your manager retain a copy of the signed document once finalised. If preferred, the signed Word template can be saved in the staff member’s ERMS file by the supervisor or their local HR Business Partner.
17. What will happen to old PDR eforms?
Old PDR eforms will continue to be stored in ERMS and subject to the University’s data governance and retention requirements.
18. Where can I find further information about Focus?
More information about Focus is available on the ANU Peformance web page and the Focus Sharepoint page.
19. What training is available for supervisors and staff?
Information about training and other resources is available on the Focus Sharepoint page .
20. How is workload distribution confirmed for Academic staff?
The Academic Focus template includes a section where staff member and supervisor can document their discussion about percentage of workload distribution for the review period.
Any change to the workload distribution needs to be updated by the staff member via HORUS, which will trigger an email to the supervisor for approval.
21. How do I complete the goal-setting section of the template?
A short video on how to complete the goal-setting stage in 2024 is available under Goal Setting on the Focus Sharepoint page.
22. How much time should be allowed for the goal-setting meeting?
It’s recommended that supervisors allocate an hour per employee to allow plenty of time for discussion and finalising goals.
23. Can goals be changed after the goal-setting stage?
The Focus cycle is intended to be flexible with the ability to edit goals and document feedback outside the formal stages. The online process will allow for goals to be amended after the goal-setting stage, with approval from both employee and supervisor.
24. What is the difference between work goals and development goals?
Work goals are directly related to the priorities (i.e. projects, programs, courses, business as usual etc) identified by the work area to be achieved over the coming 12 months. These goals would normally be broken down into more detailed tasks and activities to be worked on by the employee on a daily/weekly/monthly basis.
Development goals are any activity (e.g. training, skill builders, experiences etc) identified by the staff member to develop skills or improve their current and/or future work performance. These goals can also relate to future career aspirations (e.g. undertaking a course to gain qualifications in a particular skill or area).
25. What is a stretch goal?
Stretch goals will be part of the Focus online system.
A stretch goal is an additional goal that can be added as an aspirational goal, something that may be somewhat ambitious to achieve, but possible where an employee, and their team are already performing well. A stretch goal can help to inspire and motivate an employee.
It is ok if a stretch goal is not met, but in the case where it is, it is a great way to inspire an employee to get out of their comfort zone.
If there is a goal that is a critical outcome this should not be recorded as a stretch goal, and instead needs to be recorded as a work goal.
26. When do I need to set goals for 2024?
If you are opting in to the Focus performance cycle for 2024, goals should be set using the Word template by the end of April.
27. What happens after I have set and agreed my goals with my supervisor?
The next formal stage in the Focus performance cycle is the mid-cycle check-in which happens in June-July.
28. What happens if a staff member changes supervisor?
The Focus online platform will sit within the University’s Human Resources Management System and employment changes such as a new role or supervisor will feed through automatically to the platform. Guidelines will be developed on how to manage the Focus process where there is a change of role or supervisor, whether temporary or permanent.
29. How will we measure the impact of Focus on staff at ANU?
The ANYOU Engagement Survey conducted in March 2023 set a benchmark for staff experiences of the performance process at ANU and highlighted opportunities for improvement. The same questions will be asked in future surveys to measure the impact of moving to Focus on the staff experience.
Related links
Contact
- Talent & Capability - Supporting Development
- Send email
Page Owner: Human Resources