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Reviewer preparation

The 2025 PDR Process: Whilst everyone should have the opportunity to have a PDR meeting this year, colleagues are encouraged to take a light touch approach.

A comprehensive review of PDR is currently underway and we are working hard to design, pilot and launch the new PDR approach for the 2026 round.

It is important that before the PDR cycle commences, departmental management teams agree departmental expectations, performance standards, and any common objectives etc. This will ensure that reviewers can be confident they are being consistent and fair with their reviewees. It will also ensure that reviewees can be confident of fairness and consistency between reviewers within the same department. So before you commence any PDRs, please ensure that as a reviewer, you have this information. The recommendation to Heads of Department is that this information is shared via a departmental coordination meeting at the start of the review window.

In preparation for individual PDR meetings, gather information that will support discussion. This may be examples of work the reviewee has carried out, and feedback provided by others within and outside the department.

Is it also important to prepare how you are going to approach the PDR meeting. It is important this is a two way dialogue and that you are familiar with the format of the form, the areas you need to cover. This is covered in the following pages.

Performance development review training

This video provides an overview of the PDR process and is particularly useful if you are conducting PDRs for the first time.

https://youtu.be/fPE1_F7NxAs

If you have any questions about the PDR process, please email performance-review@york.ac.uk.

Sources of information

  • Revisit the completed PDR form from the most recent meeting. Familiarise yourself with the objectives and development plans that were agreed.
  • Also consider any broader/longer-term plans that were discussed/recorded.
  • For academic colleagues, look at any broader goals that were recorded as part of a longer term or three-year plan.
  • Revisit the reviewee's job description. Look at the day to day accountabilities and expectations of the role.
  • Look back at notes from one-to-one meetings throughout the year. See if there are areas that should be revisited as part of the discussion. This could be areas of concern or achievements that were discussed earlier in the year.
  • Reflect on the reviewees commentary of their own performance (the reviewee should send the PDR form pre-populated with the comments to you a few days ahead of the meeting).

Open questions

It is important that the discussions in the PDR meeting are open two way conversations.

Open questions are an essential tool to encourage the reviewee to talk through issues in more depth. They cannot answer with a Yes or No and will instead feel encouraged to talk freely and in more detail. Take time ahead of the meeting to familiarise yourself with using open questions.

Open questions typically begin: what, why, where, who, when and how.

You may also find the TED model useful:

  • T - Tell me about...
  • E - Explain...
  • D - Describe...
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