The process

Your reviewer will arrange a one-to-one meeting with you within the PDR period, which runs from 1st January until 31st March. Everyone will need to have completed their PDR meeting and the associated documentation within this timeframe.

Preparing for your meeting

You will need to complete your PDR documentation through the online system and share it with your reviewer in advance of your meeting.  The online system will be available from 6th December 2023.

Your PDR meeting

Your meeting with your manager or reviewer will enable you both to reflect on the previous twelve months (as a guide, 20% of the discussion should focus on this) and have a meaningful conversation about the coming year. This should cover what you’re expected to achieve, how you should go about it and any development you may need to achieve it. The conversation should focus on where you are heading in terms of your performance, your development, your general wellbeing and future career aspirations. It is expected that 80% of your PDR discussion will focus on the coming year.

Objective setting

You will agree objectives as part of the PDR discussion for both your performance and your development. The objectives will typically follow the SMART method, which means they should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timebound. More information on SMART objectives is available on the PDR website. Setting effective SMART objectives at the start of the year, with clear success measures, makes it much easier to consider whether an objective has been achieved.

When you’re considering the development you might need in the coming year, think broadly. Often a training course or workshop is not the best method. Consider opportunities that help to stretch you in your daily work – for example, acting as a mentor to others, or taking on new activities that help you to develop new skills. 

After your PDR meeting

Throughout the year you should refer back to your PDR objectives to self-assess how you are progressing against these and whether you have made arrangements to progress your development objectives.

More broadly, each area has a Senior Review Group (SRG). The SRG will meet in April 2024, guidance for staff who are members of their SRG is available online.