PDR Season is Upon Us!

Performance Development Reviews (PDRs) are not generally something people get excited about, but done correctly, and with a little bit of effort beforehand, your PDR can set you up for a successful and productive year ahead!

It’s an opportunity for you to reflect on the past year’s achievements, set new goals, and ensure that the pathways to professional and career growth are clear. However, it can also be daunting for many. This blog aims to demystify the PDR process, explaining the purpose, benefits, and best practices to help you get the most out of this essential review.

The PDR process – the ‘who’, the ‘when’ and the ‘how’!

PDR is much more than a formal tick-box exercise; it’s a valuable reflection and review of your work and of your development as a researcher over the previous year. The process can be broken down into key components to help you understand who should engage, when it takes place, and how it unfolds.

Who! – All staff, regardless of career pathway or career stage, should be invited to an annual PDR conversation with their line manager (or nominated reviewer), unless they’re currently on probation (which follows its own process). Staff on probation will become subject to PDR following completion of their probation period.

When! – PDRs should take place on an annual basis between the months of February and May. Where there’s been a significant period of absence within the year (e.g., parental leave, research leave, etc.) staff may be exempt from PDR within the normal timeframe. In these circumstances, objectives should be reviewed upon the staff member’s return to work.

How! – The PDR process comprises completion of a self-reflective form, followed by a meeting with your reviewer to discuss the content of that form…

THE PDR FORM – The PDR form is an essential element of the process, designed to help you reflect on your contribution over the previous 12 months, to talk about your wellbeing and anything that might have impacted on your work, and to consider how your professional and career development plans have progressed. The structure of the form will guide the discussion during the meeting and ensure that all relevant topics are covered.

Filling out the form thoughtfully and honestly is critical, as it sets the tone for the review meeting. When doing so, you should consider referring to the objectives agreed at your last PDR, your job description, The Cardiff Academic and Academic Promotions criteria, and the Researcher Development Concordat. The PDR forms, along with further guidance, can be found on the intranet, here. You will need to submit the completed form to your reviewer at least a week before your meeting so that they have time to read and reflect on it properly.

THE MEETING – The meeting is the heart of the PDR process. During this meeting, you and your reviewer will have a two-way discussion about your work activities and development over the previous 12 months, with your reviewer encouraging you to share your thoughts and feedback on this against previously agreed objectives, before discussing with you their own assessment. Together, you will evaluate the progress made, acknowledging your achievements and considering your current work situation (including any extenuating circumstances that may have impacted your work). Any changes in performance over the last year are explored, with feedback, to help you understand what you are doing well or where you might improve. Importantly, the meeting will also give you the chance to plan and discuss future professional and career development activities in line with your aspirations, and to check in on your personal wellbeing.

A good portion of the meeting should be dedicated to devising and agreeing realistic SMART objectives to guide your work over the year ahead, and to documenting any future professional and career development goals that you might have. Be sure to input into these as much as possible! A robust and well-considered set of objectives will provide both you and your line manager with clarity and mutual understanding around role expectations.

And a final note, this discussion isn’t just something that takes place once a year; your PDR conversation should be a starting point for subsequent discussions throughout the year about progress or about evolving priorities and changing individual circumstances. More information about the PDR meeting can be found here.

Getting the most out of your PDR

Before the Meeting

• Reflect on your activity: Reviewees who can summarise their achievements and highlight important issues for discussion are helping their reviewer give more meaningful and useful feedback. Take time to review your accomplishments and to identify objectives you met and any significant contributions you made.
• Prepare evidence: Gather evidence to support your achievements. This could include publications, presentations, grant applications, or positive feedback from colleagues.
• Identify challenges: Be honest about any challenges you faced and think about how they could have been addressed differently.
• Set future goals: Consider your career aspirations and think about realistic goals for the coming year. Align these goals with the SMART criteria (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). Is there anything else you’d like to explore (e.g., a new line of research, a different career pathway). If so, then you may want to ask your reviewer’s advice during the PDR meeting.

During the Meeting

• Be open and honest: Engage in an open and honest conversation with your reviewer. Take the opportunity to speak about your achievements, constraints, issues, and any changes to your personal circumstances since your last PDR, and highlight any workload issues that you may need help in managing. Set and agree objectives that are both realistic and SMART.
• Listen actively: Pay attention to the feedback from your reviewer. Ask for clarification if needed and consider their suggestions thoughtfully.
• Discuss development: Review the impact and effectiveness of learning and development activities you’ve attended and plan future learning and development taking into account your needs and aspirations for the growth of your career. Don’t forget about your Mandatory Training; be prepared to agree a schedule for completion.
• Address wellbeing: Don’t hesitate to discuss your wellbeing and any concerns you may have. Your PDR is an excellent platform to raise any issues and seek support if needed.

After the Meeting

• Review feedback: Carefully review the feedback you received during the meeting. Reflect on how it can help you improve and grow.
• Finalise the paperwork: Agree the objectives and add your thoughts to the ‘Comments’ section of the form (section 2.4), if need be. Then sign and date the forms and return to the reviewer. Keep a copy for yourself, whether digital or physical, for future reference.
• Create an action plan: Follow up on any actions agreed in the meeting. Develop a clear action plan to help you achieve your objectives, identifying the steps you need to take, the resources required, and any potential challenges.
• Follow up: Keep in regular contact with your reviewer to discuss your progress and seek additional feedback if necessary.

The Researcher Development Concordat

The PDR process is closely aligned with the principles of the Researcher Development Concordat, as it aims to foster professional growth and ensure that researchers receive the support they need to thrive. Through the PDR process, institutions can demonstrate their commitment to the Concordat by providing clear support for researchers’ career development and wellbeing, and by creating an environment where feedback and professional growth are encouraged. By actively engaging in your PDR, you contribute to these broader objectives and take ownership of your professional journey.

As a researcher, it is expected that you will make reference to the Researcher Development Concordat as part of your PDR reflections. The Researcher Development Concordat states that, as part of positive engagement with career development review, researchers must:

• Take ownership of their career, identifying opportunities to work towards career goals, including engaging in a minimum of 10 days’ professional development pro rata, per year.
• Maintain an up-to-date professional career development plan and build a portfolio of evidence demonstrating their experience, that can be used to support job applications.
• Seek out, and engage with, opportunities to develop their research identity and broader leadership skills.
• Consider opportunities to develop their awareness and experience of the wider research system through, for example, knowledge exchange, policy development, public engagement and commercialisation.
• Explore and prepare for a range of employment options across different sectors, such as by making use of mentors, careers professionals, training, and secondments.

University Line managers and other PDR reviewers will also have access to information on the Researcher Development Concordat and a link to the relevant section for their responsibilities.

Supporting resources

• Setting objectives and giving feedback– this will help you understand the importance of setting objectives.
• The Cardiff Academic
• Cardiff Researcher Programme

Useful Intranet Guidance for PDR

• About the PDR scheme
• PDR
• How does the PDR work?
  • Completing the PDR forms
  • The PDR meeting
  • Development planning
• Getting the best out of your PDR
• Getting the best out of PDR for researchers
• PDR guidance for managers