Cognition Knowledge Base

Write Your Instructions

Once you’ve decided on your Performance Review’s workflow has been created, you can use the Instructions Tab to add in some additional context for your associates and reviewers.

How to Write Your Instructions

The instructions appear alongside every step of the evaluation process, guiding the associate/reviewer as to what part of the process they are on and what needs to be happening next. Think about what each role needs to know in order to complete the step you’re writing instructions for and what questions they might have that you could proactively answer for them. You can even provide tips on how to accomplish each part of the evaluation successfully, and give examples in the instructions as well.

Instructions can be written for every step of the Goals and Performance Workflows and can even be tailored by user role to make sure that they are applicable to the part of the process and the person reading them. If a certain role is not included in your workflow, you do not have to write instructions for that role.

Where Instructions Appear on the Performance Page

There are several places where you will be able to add instructions can appear on the Performance Page:

  • Top of Page: These instructions show at the very top of the page. There are separate fields for the Associate and the Supervisor. This is a useful place to provide any instructions on the broader process.

  • Goal Type: Each Goal Type in your Performance Review will be listed so that you can add instructions to each as needed. To override any default instructions set in Goal Type administration, simply start typing in the field you wish to change and the default text will be removed. There are separate fields for the Associate and the Supervisor.

  • Performance Check-ins: These instructions shows in the Check-Ins section. This is the same for all Goal Setting and Performance Review Statuses.

  • Overall Review (Performance Review Stage Only): These instructions show above the Overall Evaluation section in the Performance Review.

  • Meeting Acknowledgement Verbiage: These instructions control the verbiage that will appear for the associate and the supervisor inside of the acknowledgment signature boxes.

When Instructions Show During the Workflow

Goal Setting Instructions

These instructions will show while the Performance Review is in the Goal Setting process. Instructions here should focus on coaching the Associate on how to set goals or to explain any expectations that the company is setting for assigned goals. Instructions for the Supervisor can focus on any considerations that should be made for approving goals or on how to coach the Associate on creating and achieving their goals.

Statuses

The Goal Setting instructions text you write here will display for the following Workflow statuses:

  • Ready For Goal Setting

  • Goal Setting In Progress

  • Ready For Supervisor Approval


Goals Approved Instructions

These instructions only need to be filled in if the Goals Workflow is enabled. These instructions will appear after the goal is approved. Instructions here should be focused on how the Associate and Supervisor should work these goals throughout the year now that the Associate’s goals are approved.

Statuses

The Goals Approved instructions text you write here will display for the following Workflow status:

  • Goals Approved


Performance Check-Ins

These instructions only need to be filled out if you are using Performance Check-Ins. These instructions should guide Associates and Supervisors on how to work together during the Performance Check-In process.

Statuses

The Goals Approved instructions text you write here will display for all Goal Setting and Performance Review Workflow statuses.


Performance Review Instructions

These instructions show while the Performance Review is in progress, prior to the Performance Meeting taking place. They are broken out by each role in the workflow and should instruct each person on what they need to do while evaluating this goal type. Do they need to leave a comment? Is there anything they should consider? Make sure to include it in these instructions!

If a role listed is not included in the workflow you set up, you can skip adding instructions for it.

Statuses

The Performance Review instructions text you write here will display for the following Workflow statuses:

  • Ready For Associate Review

  • Associate Review In Progress

  • Ready For Supervisor Review

  • Supervisor Review In Progress

  • In Level 2 Review

  • In Level 3 Review

  • In HR Review


Performance Meeting Instructions

These instructions show during the Performance Meeting for ALL roles (the only exception is the Meeting Acknowledgement Verbiage, which can be customized to display different text for the associate and the supervisor). These instructions should provide guidance for discussion between the associate and their supervisor during the performance meeting.

Meeting Acknowledgement Verbiage

These instructions control the verbiage that will appear for the associate and the supervisor inside of the acknowledgment signature boxes.

Statuses

The Performance Meeting instructions text you write here will display for the following Workflow statuses:

  • Ready For Meeting

  • Supervisor Signed

  • Associate Signed

  • Complete


PDF Download

There is an optional PDF version that may be downloaded for an associate’s Performance Review. This PDF will show any evaluation scores and comments from the associate and/or any reviewers.

The following instructions will show above each corresponding section when a PDF version of the Performance Review is downloaded.

Top of Page

This instructions text shows at the top of the PDF Download.

Goals

This instructions text shows above Goals of this Goal Type on the PDF Download.

Overall Review

This instructions text shows at the top of the Overall Review section of the PDF Download.

 

Remember to click Update at the bottom of the page to ensure your instructions are saved!

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Some Cognition features may require additional licensing. If your organization is interested in a feature seen here, please contact Reflection Software for more information.