WorkCompass How-to Guide for Employees

Table of contents

1. WorkCompass Performance Plan Process
2. How to log in to WorkCompass
3. How to reset your password
4. WorkCompass Dashboard and Support Channel
5. How to create a performance plan
6. How to update progress for milestones
7. How to review a performance plan
   
   

Intro to the WorkCompass Performance Plan Process

Creating a plan in WorkCompass is a collaborative process between Managers and their direct reports.

The following is a basic overview of the WorkCompass performance review process from start to finish. There are more ways to customize this process, so these are just the basic steps:

1. Create a plan (Draft): Employee creates plan or Manager creates a plan for the Employee. Plan status at this stage is “DRAFT”.
2. Request approval (Draft awaiting approval): Employee asks Manager to provide input on the plan or approve the plan.
3. Approval (Current): Once the Manager approves the plan, the plan enters the review stage. Plan status changes from “DRAFT” to “CURRENT”.
4. Final review Employee (Current): The Employee completes their self-review and clicks on Complete final review button once finished.
5. Final review manager (Archived): The Manager completes their review of the Employee and clicks on Complete final review button. This archives the plan. At this stage, only the Manager or an Admin can reopen the plan.

How to login to WorkCompass 

1. Click the WorkCompass link you’ve received via email to create your password. Make sure to open the link in Google Chrome or Firefox. Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge browsers do not support WorkCompass. You will be logged in automatically after setting your password. 
   
2. The next time you need to log in, click on the link you were sent in your welcome email. 
3. Enter your work email address in the Email field.
4. Enter the password you created in the Password field.
5. Click Sign in. 

How to reset your password 

1. Go to your WorkCompass account  Home page.
2. Click on Forgot your password?
   
3. Enter the email associated with your WorkCompass account.
4. Click Send password reset instructions.
   
5. You will receive an email from WorkCompass with a link to reset your password. 

The WorkCompass dashboard & support channel 

Every time you have to do something in WorkCompass, the system will create a task in your dashboard and it will also send you an email notification. 

If you have any questions or you are not sure how to use the application, you can click the Help tab in the right upper corner and check our Knowledge Base or proceed with Submit Support Ticket. 

In order for you to successfully submit the support ticket, you will need to fill the following information as presented below, and proceed with Submit Support Ticket. 

How to create/edit a performance plan 

1. Log in to WorkCompass and click your name on the right-hand side of the page. 
2. Click on Create a Plan on the right-hand side of the Performance plans section, or open already created plan by clicking on the name of the plan you wish to edit (example Plan 12/31/2022). 
3. Start to type your goals. The AI will help you to create SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Relevant, Timebound).
4. When writing your goal, you will see a drop-down menu of supported goals appear.
   This allows you to link your goal to one of the goals in your division or organization, to make sure your priorities are aligned with those of your division or organization.
5. If you would like to add milestones, adjust the weight, add a note, or attach a document, click on the three dots to the right of the goal. 
   
6. Once you are happy with your goals, click Next to continue. You will notice that the plan quality score in the right-hand corner will go up as you add items to the plan.  
7. Select competencies from the drop-down list. Competencies can be defined as the skills you need to reach your goals. These can be skills that you have already mastered, and need to continuously apply to your role. They can be skills that you already possess, but may need to work on them in order to perform to the best of your ability. The best practice is to select 3-5 competencies. 
   
   
   
8. When you have selected the competencies, click Next to continue. 
9. The next section is for development needs. This is where you can free type your skills' gaps, or what you require in order to be able to reach your goals. The best practice is to enter 3-5 development needs.
   

When you have completed all sections of the plan, click on Ask your manager for input at the bottom right of the screen. Your Manager will get an email notification asking them to review your performance plan. 

Please note: names and numbers of sections (goals, competencies, development needs etc.) may be different from the above depending on your company's configuration.

Plan quality score 

What is the plan quality score? 

The plan quality score measures the quality of the plan. It is meant to be a tool/guide only, and the plan can be approved with any quality score percentage. 

The plan quality score is not a performance rating: it doesn’t measure the performance and the application will not stop your Manager from approving a plan.

The score is only visible on the draft version of plans.

Why to have a plan quality score? 

Quality of the plan is a huge issue for a lot of organizations. When plan quality is low, it's very difficult to accurately measure performance and ratings can be heavily biased and inaccurate. A clear plan helps to ensure that staff members are appraised fairly. 

How to improve plan quality score?

You can improve the quality score by having between 3 to 5 SMART goals, 3 to 5 competencies, and 3 to 5 development needs. 

For example, if you have 2 SMART goals and add a third goal, your quality score increases. If you have 5 competencies and you add another one, the score will decrease. 

 Why 3 to 5 of each? 

Marc Effron’s book “One Page Talent Management” suggests that if you have less than 3 there is not enough challenge in your plan, while a plan with more than 5 goals is more off a  checklist rather than meaningful plan to achieve. 

Plan Quality Score Best Practices

We recommend that users aim for a score between 50-70%, which is already more than 10 times better compared to plans with no artificial intelligence presence while creating their plans. So the idea is not to get to 100%, however, you should be aiming for a higher quality score: 

• 50% and above is good 
• 60% and above is very good 
• 70% and above is great 
• 80% and above is outstanding
• 90% and above is exceptional 

How to open the review page 

When the performance plan has been approved, a review page is automatically created in the system. To open the review page please follow the steps below: 

• Click the tab on your dashboard with the right plan’s due date.

or

• Click My Account, then Profile.

• On the next page, click your name on the right-hand side of the page and then click on Go to review next to the review you wish to see.

How to update progress for milestones

As a best practice, we highly recommend adding milestones to your goals, to help break them down into bite-sized pieces and keep expectations clear throughout the year.

When your milestone is due, you will receive an email notification with a link to your milestone. You will also see a task on your WorkCompass Home page to update progress against the milestone. To update the progress follow the steps below: 

1. Open the review page, either by clicking the link in the email or the task on your Home page. 
2. Update the progress against the milestone by moving the slider toggle (this is a completion slider from 0 to 100%). 
3. Leave a comment on the progress update and save the comment. 
   

Please note that the system will highlight the milestone in green when it is due to, for a better visibility. 

How to get help from the virtual coaching assistant 

When you add a comment on the progress update, the virtual coaching assistant will pop up. 

Click the pop-up window to start a conversation with the assistant, and to get some help to write a progress update to your Manager. 

How to complete a check-in (interim review) 

When it’s the right time to perform a check-in (interim review), WorkCompass will send you an email notification and will also create a task in your dashboard. 

In order to complete a check-in please follow the steps below:

1. Click on the link in the email, or from your WorkCompass Home page click on the task to complete a check-in.
2. Review the performance plan, and leave any comments as necessary, remembering to save them once finished. 
3. Click Complete check-in. 

How to review a performance plan 

When the performance plan has been approved, a review page is automatically generated so the plan is then ready to be reviewed. You will receive an email notification asking you to complete the performance review 28 days before your final review due date. To review a performance plan please follow the steps bellow: 

1. Open the review page. 
2. Update the progress against the milestones if necessary.
3. Rate the goals using the drop-down menu and add comments.
   
4. Rate the competencies and add comments. 
5. Add comments to the development needs. 
6. Rate the overall performance and add comments. 
7. Click Complete final review button at the bottom of the page.
8. Your Manager will complete their portion of the review, which will change the status of the plan from Current to Archived. If you need to reopen the plan, you will need to ask your Manager or a WorkCompass Admin to do it for you.

Please note that comments need to be saved by clicking the Save button. They are not saved automatically by the application.