1.1 This policy establishes a structured and transparent framework for evaluating employee performance, providing constructive and developmental feedback, and aligning individual contributions with the Organization's strategic objectives. The performance review process is designed to recognise and reward high performance, identify areas for improvement, support professional growth, and inform decisions relating to compensation adjustments, promotions, role changes, and succession planning. The Organization is committed to a performance management approach that is fair, consistent, evidence-based, and free from bias or discrimination.

1.2 This policy applies to all permanent full-time and part-time employees who have completed their probationary period at the time of the review cycle. Employees currently serving their probationary period shall be evaluated under the Organization's Probation Period Policy, with probation review outcomes feeding into the first annual performance review where applicable. Contractors, consultants, and temporary staff are not covered by this policy but may be subject to separate performance evaluation arrangements as specified in their engagement agreements. The policy applies equally across all departments, business units, and geographic locations of the Organization.

1.3 The HR department shall be responsible for administering the performance review process, including establishing and communicating the annual review calendar, providing standardised tools, templates, and rating scales, training managers and employees on the review process and effective feedback techniques, monitoring completion rates and escalating non-compliance, calibrating review outcomes across departments to ensure consistency and fairness, maintaining performance records in the HR information system, and reporting aggregate performance data to the executive leadership team. The HR Business Partners shall work closely with department heads to support the review process and address any challenges or disputes that arise.

2.1 The Organization shall conduct formal performance reviews on an annual basis. The review period shall run from 1 January to 31 December, and all reviews shall be completed, documented, and submitted to HR no later than 31 March of the following year. The annual review process shall consist of four phases: goal setting in January, a mid-year check-in in June or July, self-assessment and manager assessment in January of the following year, and a formal review discussion and documentation in February or March. Managers who fail to complete reviews by the deadline shall be notified by HR and may have the delay reflected in their own performance evaluation.

2.2 A mandatory mid-year check-in shall be conducted between June and July for all employees covered by this policy. The mid-year check-in is a structured conversation between the employee and their direct manager that serves to review progress against goals and objectives set at the beginning of the year, provide interim feedback on performance strengths and areas for improvement, identify and address any barriers to goal achievement, make necessary adjustments to goals or priorities in response to changing business needs, discuss development activities and learning opportunities, and reinforce alignment between individual work and team or organizational objectives. The mid-year check-in shall be documented using the Organization's standardised template and stored in the HR information system.

2.3 Prior to the formal annual review meeting, each employee shall complete a self-assessment using the Organization's standardised self-assessment form. The self-assessment shall invite the employee to reflect on their key achievements and contributions during the review period, progress against goals and objectives, challenges encountered and how they were addressed, skills and competencies developed, areas where they would like additional support or development, and career aspirations and preferred development activities for the coming year. Self-assessments shall be submitted to the employee's direct manager at least 10 business days before the scheduled review meeting to allow the manager sufficient time to incorporate the employee's perspective into their assessment. The self-assessment is a developmental tool and shall be considered alongside the manager's assessment but shall not override the manager's evaluation.

3.1 Employee performance shall be assessed using a standardised five-point rating scale with the following levels: Exceptional (5) — consistently exceeds expectations across all performance dimensions and makes extraordinary contributions; Exceeds Expectations (4) — frequently exceeds expectations and delivers above-standard results; Meets Expectations (3) — consistently meets the requirements of the role and delivers reliable, quality work; Needs Improvement (2) — partially meets expectations and requires focused development in specific areas; and Unsatisfactory (1) — consistently fails to meet minimum performance standards. Clear behavioral indicators and examples shall be defined for each rating level and each competency or performance dimension. The HR department shall publish a rating guide to support consistent interpretation of the scale across the Organization.

3.2 Following the completion of initial manager assessments and before final ratings are communicated to employees, department-level calibration sessions shall be conducted to ensure rating consistency, fairness, and alignment with Organization-wide standards. Calibration sessions shall be facilitated by the HR Business Partner and attended by all managers within the department or business unit. During calibration, managers shall present their proposed ratings and supporting evidence, the group shall review the distribution of ratings to identify potential inconsistencies or outliers, ratings at the extremes (Exceptional and Unsatisfactory) shall require additional justification and supporting documentation, and the facilitator shall ensure that ratings are applied consistently using the defined behavioral indicators. Adjustments to ratings following calibration shall be discussed with the affected manager and documented with rationale. The calibration process is designed to reduce bias and ensure that high and low performance is recognised equitably.

3.3 Performance ratings shall be determined based on a holistic assessment of the employee's performance across multiple dimensions, supported by documented evidence. Assessment criteria shall include achievement of goals and objectives set at the beginning of the review period, weighted according to their strategic importance; demonstration of role-specific competencies and technical skills as defined in the employee's job description; behavioral alignment with the Organization's core values and cultural expectations; quality, timeliness, and impact of work output; contribution to team performance, cross-functional collaboration, and knowledge sharing; and for managers, effectiveness in leading, developing, and engaging their teams. Ratings shall be based on observable, documented evidence rather than subjective impressions. Managers shall maintain performance notes throughout the year to support evidence-based assessments and shall avoid reliance on recent events (recency bias) or isolated incidents.

4.1 The formal annual review meeting shall be a structured, two-way conversation between the employee and their direct manager, lasting a minimum of 45 minutes and conducted in a private setting. The meeting agenda shall include a review of the employee's self-assessment and the manager's assessment, discussion of key achievements, strengths, and areas for improvement, delivery of the overall performance rating with supporting evidence and examples, discussion of the employee's career aspirations and development interests, agreement on goals and priorities for the coming review period, and agreement on a development plan with specific actions, timelines, and support needs. The manager shall deliver feedback in a constructive, specific, and respectful manner, focusing on behaviors and outcomes rather than personal characteristics. The employee shall be given the opportunity to respond, ask questions, and provide additional context.

4.2 As part of each annual performance review, the manager and employee shall collaboratively create or update an individual development plan (IDP) that identifies the skills, knowledge, and competencies the employee needs to develop to perform effectively in their current role and progress toward their career goals. The IDP shall include a maximum of 3 to 5 development objectives for the coming year, specific learning activities and resources for each objective, including formal training, on-the-job assignments, mentoring, coaching, and self-directed learning, milestones and timelines for each activity, the support required from the manager, the Organization, or external providers, and a review date for assessing progress, typically aligned with the mid-year check-in. The HR department shall provide a catalogue of available learning resources and development programs to support IDP planning. Completion of IDP activities shall be tracked and discussed during mid-year and annual reviews.

4.3 Employees who receive an annual performance rating of 'Needs Improvement' (2) or 'Unsatisfactory' (1) shall be placed on a formal Performance Improvement Plan (PIP), as detailed in the Organization's Performance Improvement Plan Policy. The PIP shall be developed collaboratively by the manager, the employee, and the HR Business Partner, and shall include specific, measurable performance goals that the employee must achieve, the timeline for improvement, which shall typically be 60 to 90 days, the resources, training, and support the Organization will provide, the frequency of progress review meetings, typically weekly or fortnightly, and the consequences if the required improvement is not achieved within the PIP period, which may include reassignment, demotion, or termination. The employee shall acknowledge receipt of the PIP in writing. Managers shall document all PIP-related meetings, feedback, and outcomes and provide copies to the HR department.

5.1 Employees who believe their performance rating is inaccurate, unfair, or not supported by evidence may submit a written appeal to the HR department within 15 business days of the formal review discussion. The appeal shall state the specific grounds for disagreement, including which aspects of the rating the employee contests and the evidence supporting their position. The HR Business Partner shall review the appeal, consult with the employee's manager and the calibration records, and may interview the employee, the manager, and other relevant parties. A decision on the appeal shall be communicated to the employee in writing within 20 business days of receipt. If the appeal is upheld, the rating shall be adjusted and the amended review documentation shall replace the original in the employee's record. The appeal decision shall be final unless the employee identifies procedural violations warranting further review by the HR Director.

5.2 All performance review documentation, including self-assessments, manager assessments, calibration notes, development plans, and appeal records, shall be treated as confidential personnel information and stored securely in the Organization's HR information system. Access to performance review records shall be restricted to the employee, their current direct manager, the next-level manager, the HR Business Partner, and authorised HR administrators. Performance data may be used in aggregate, de-identified form for organizational analytics, workforce planning, and program evaluation. Individual performance information shall not be disclosed to parties outside the Organization except as required by law or with the employee's written consent. When an employee transfers to a new manager, the outgoing manager shall provide a professional handover of relevant performance context.

5.3 This policy shall be reviewed at least annually by the HR department in consultation with department heads, the executive leadership team, and employee representatives. The review shall consider feedback from employees and managers on the review process gathered through post-review surveys, the effectiveness of the rating framework and calibration process, trends in appeal volume and outcomes, alignment with the Organization's evolving strategy and competency requirements, best practices in performance management from industry research and benchmarking, and changes to applicable employment legislation. Proposed amendments shall be approved by the HR Director and Chief Executive Officer. Significant changes to the review cycle, rating framework, or process shall be communicated to all employees at least 60 days before the start of the next review period and shall be supported by updated training for managers.