Focus Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

When will Focus launch?

2 December 2024, for the 2025 annual cycle. On 2 December each active eligible employee (continuing and fixed-term) will receive an email advising that their 2025 Focus document is ready to start drafting during the first stage of Goal Setting. Focus documents are accessed via an employee’s HORUS account. 

Any existing Performance Development Review (PDR) or Focus Word document that hasn’t yet been completed should be completed by 31 December 2024. 

Is the annual cycle for professional and academic employees?

Yes. The annual cycle applies to both professional and academic employees. All active employees with a continuing or fixed-term appointment should complete a Focus document. 

What about probationary employees?

Existing employees who are currently on probation as of 2 December 2024 will fall into one of two categories:

1. Those probationary employees who have a probation end date of 28 February 2025 or earlier will have a standard annual cycle Focus document created (either academic or professional as relevant); or
2. Those probationary employees who have a probation end date of 1 March 2025 or later will have a Focus probationary document created (either academic or professional as relevant), in place until their current probation end date. If the probation end date is confirmed during: 

• March-August 2025 the employee would then go on a standard Focus document until 1 December 2025; or
• September-November 2025 the employee would prepare to join the next standard annual Focus cycle from 1 December 2025.

New employees that have commenced at ANU post 2 December 2024:

• Employees that have commenced at ANU (not an internal transfer) will be on probation, and in the onboarding process will be allocated the relevant probation template (created in their HORUS account) for their type of employment. This probation template will be the same content and approach for the standard Focus annual document, with the only main difference being that the duration of the employee's template will be aligned to their specific start date until the end of their probation period. 
• Once the employee has their probation confirmed, during January-August, they would have a standard Focus template created on the 1st of the month following their probation date. If the probation end date falls within September-November the employee would prepare to join the next standard annual Focus cycle from 1 December 2025. 

Why is ANU introducing a the Focus performance process?

The March 2023 ANYOU survey highlighted opportunities to improve our performance development approach. In the survey:

• 65% of respondents agreed that their job performance is evaluated fairly;
• 58% of respondents indicated that they receive appropriate recognition for good work; and
• Only 28% of respondents agreed with the statement ‘When it is clear someone is not delivering in their role we do something about it’.

Survey respondents also provided relevant written comments, highlighting issues such as never having completed a PDR at ANU (or not for several years) and supervisors not being equipped to provide useful feedback. This feedback is consistent with findings and recommendations from an external review of the Performance and Development Review (PDR) undertaken in 2019.

Additionally, eForms, where PDRs are housed, will be discontinued at ANU from 2025 onwards.

Why is the Academic cycle the same as the Professional cycle?

The ANU Focus process is developed so that all employees have an equitable experience of role, performance and career discussions, and frequency of how these are recorded - Focus is a tool to record discussions and progress at least every six months, with emphasis on regular discussions outside of using Focus. 

I am a supervisor with a large number of direct reports, how can I manage processes within the new cycle?

For supervisors each stage of the Focus cycle will be open for an extended period to give supervisors more time to conduct meetings with their employees:

• Stage 1 (Goal Setting) will be open from 1 December to 31 March (4 months);
• Stage 2 (Checkpoint) from 1 June to 31 July (2 months); and
• Stage 3 (End of Cycle Reflection and Evaluation) will be open from 1 October to 31 December (3 months), with the ability to combine reflection and goal setting during December as one discussion.

Note: there is a step between Stage 2 and Stage 3, in practice to be completed during October, to review set goals. This step is an opportunity for the employee and supervisor to review all created goals, and if necessary, add in any additional goals that may have occurred since the Checkpoint. At Stage 3, the Final Reflection and Evaluation, there is no ability to add any further goals. 

How do I complete Goal Setting?

Goal Setting is the first stage of the Focus annual cycle. This should be led by both the employee and the supervisor, with an initial discussion between both parties to commence drafting goals, and a meeting before the Goal Setting stage is completed by the supervisor. The Goal Setting stage is a period of four (4) months from 1 December through to 31 March. 

There is key information on how to successfully set goals, including some short videos - a LinkedIn Learning module and a TED talk - under Goal Setting on the Focus Sharepoint site.

How much time should be allowed for the Goal Setting meeting?

It’s recommended that supervisors allocate an hour per employee to allow plenty of time for discussion and finalising goals. 

How should I input goals into my Focus document?

When adding a goal into your Focus document you’ll notice that there is a Goal, Description and Measurement section for each goal that’s added.

• Goal: add in a high-level title for the goal e.g. Deliver and launch Focus system by 1 December 2024
• Description: give a general description of what the goal is, and include any key details of the goal e.g. Deliver Focus performance system by 1 December; research and consultation, ITS and HR Systems collaboration, testing, communications, education and training, implementation, feedback and monitoring etc. 
• Measurement: include detail of what success might look like e.g. Deliver and launch Focus system by 1 December 2024. Employee engagement with Focus. 

For Goal Description, include further detail as needed, specific to the goal that is being set. For academic employees an example could be:

• Research Goal: publications
• Research Goal Description: include the number and type of publications expected to be completed in that calendar year (or beyond)
• Reseach Goal Measurement: completion/acceptance of all intended publications in that calendar year

Can goals be copied over?

Yes, goals can be copied over from one document to the next. Supervisors also have the option to copy selected goals from one employee in their team to another, in the event that these employees share common goals. 

Can goals be changed after the Goal Setting stage?

The Focus cycle is intended to be flexible with the ability to add goals up until the Final Reflection and Evaluation stage during 1 October-31 December. Already created goals in the cycle can’t be edited or deleted (after Goal Setting stage 1), but adding goals is possible up until the final stage of the cycle. Both employee and supervisor also have the opportunity to provide comment during the Checkpoint stage and the Final Reflection and Evaluation stage. 

What is the difference between work goals and development goals?

Work goals are directly related to the priorities (i.e. projects, programs, courses, business as usual etc) identified by the work area to be achieved during the calendar year. These goals would normally be broken down into more detailed tasks and activities to be worked on by the employee on a daily/weekly/monthly basis.

Development goals are any activity (e.g. training, skill builders, experiences etc) identified by the employee to develop skills or improve their current and/or future work performance. These goals can also relate to future career aspirations (e.g. undertaking a course to gain qualifications in a particular skill or area).

What is a stretch goal?

Stretch goals are part of the Focus online system. A stretch goal is an additional goal that can be added as an aspirational goal, something that may be somewhat ambitious to achieve, but possible where an employee, and their team are already performing well. A stretch goal can help to inspire and motivate an employee.

It is ok if a stretch goal is not met, but in the case where it is, it is a great way to inspire an employee to get out of their comfort zone.

If there is a goal that is a priority or critical outcome this should not be recorded as a stretch goal, and instead needs to be recorded as a work goal. 

What is the difference between the academic and professional Focus template?

The academic and professional Focus templates are very similar. The main difference is that the academic template includes specific sections for academic workload distribution, research, education and service goals (all work goals), instead of the one work goals section that is on the professional template. 

Both templates include information about ANU Work Health and Safety (WHS) practices and ANU Code of Conduct policy. Where applicable, there is the functionality to add in an additional WHS responsibility, for example, in the case where an employee might be working with hazardous chemicals. 

What happens after I have set and agreed my goals with my supervisor?

The next formal stage in the Focus performance cycle is the Checkpoint which happens in 1 June – 31 July.

Why does my preferred name show on Focus email notifications but my legal name shows on HORUS?

In developing the Focus templates there is functionality to send Focus email notifications using your preferred name (as indicated on your HORUS account). 

For the HORUS account overall, for many functions of HORUS, e.g. payroll information, leave requests, training registrations, the default is legal name. We are working towards your preferred name being displayed on HORUS. 

What will happen with the University’s policies and procedures linked to PDRs?

The University’s policies and procedures which make reference to the PDR process will be steadily updated over the course of 2024 and into 2025.

Does the Focus system have functionality to send messages at key times?

Yes. 

Will there be reminders?

Yes, two (2) weeks out for Goal Setting and Mid-Cycle Check-In, and four (4) weeks out for Evaluation, for those who haven’t yet completed these steps. Prompts will also apply to probation templates.

Can the document be exported?

Yes, the document can be exported to PDF at any stage of the process. 

What happens when an employee changes supervisor?

As the Focus online platform sits within HORUS (which is directly linked to the ANU HR management system), employment changes such as a transfer or new supervisor will take place automatically with no separate process required.

Where the change of supervisor is a permanent arrangement, the new supervisor will have access to the employee’s Focus document for any employee reporting to them.

Where there is a temporary change of supervisor (for example as part of a short-term transfer) the temporary supervisor will be able to see the employee's open Focus document for the transfer period. Depending on the length of the transfer, the employee and supervisor can discuss whether any additional goals should be set or adjustments made to existing goals.

Will a previous supervisor be able to comment in the document?

Yes, during a current Focus cycle, and if the previous supervisor is still at ANU, the current supervisor may invite the previous supervisor to provide comment. This should only be done in consultation with the employee. 

Will the employee be able to view comments from former supervisor?

Yes.

How will Focus records be stored?

All Focus documents are accessible via HORUS. 

• For an employee a current Focus document will show in the Focus (Performance) tile within HORUS.
• For a supervisor, a current Focus document for an employee that reports to them will show in Focus – Team Performance tile.
• Completed Focus documents can be accessed by clicking on the Include Historical Documents section (and clicking Search) on the left hand side of the Focus home page within HORUS.

What will happen to old PDR eforms?

Old PDR eForms will continue to be stored in HORUS and subject to the University’s data governance and retention requirements. 

• Professional employees can access old PDRs via the Historical eForm PDRs tile on their HORUS account. 
• Academic employees can access old PDRs via the Academic Workload Summary tile. Academic employees can also view and update their academic workload distribution via this tile in HORUS. 

How is workload distribution confirmed for academic employees?

Academic employees can view and update their academic workload distribution via the Academic Workload Summary tile in HORUS. There is also a prompt within the academic Focus document for the employee to review their academic workload distribution.

Any change to the academic workload distribution needs to be updated by the academic employee via HORUS, which will trigger an email to the supervisor for approval. 

Where can I find further information about Focus?

More information about Focus is available on the ANU Focus Peformance website and the Focus Sharepoint page.

What training is available for supervisors and staff?

Information about training and other resources is available on the Focus Sharepoint page.

How will we measure the impact of Focus on employees at ANU?

The ANYOU engagement survey conducted in March 2023 set a benchmark for employee experiences of the performance process at ANU, and highlighted opportunities for improvement. The same questions will be asked in future surveys to measure the impact of moving to Focus on the employee experience.

Questions can be directed to HRD.Development@anu.edu.au or your local HR Business Partner.