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BT Performance and Appraisal

4 June 2008

BT's ePerformance system has now gone live in BT Operate, BT Wholesale and part of BT Group functions (excluding Fleet and Procurement and Supply Chain). The system is intended to go live on a phased basis across the other Lines of Business with roll out completed by 1 April 2009.

There has now been a meaningful exchange of correspondence between CWU head office and the Company, as well as a productive meeting with the Company on 19 May 2008. As a result of these exchanges the CWU has been given valuable and significant reassurances, in writing, from the Company about the way that performance management and the ePerformance system will operate.

The assurances include:

The intention of ePerformance is to support good performance management practice and not to generate performance managed exits from the Company.
Re-confirmation that the mandatory guidance to managers carrying out performance related discussions with members prior to a formal Performance Improvement Plan (PiP) being awarded will be applied.
Confirmation that receipt of a Generally Satisfactory or NI marking will not automatically lead to the implementation of a formal PiP.
Negotiations will continue on the governance arrangements for QPRs.
The Company will review the operation of the ePerformance system with the CWU in October 2008.

There are still concerns around many issues - particularly on the question of levelling and to what extent BT's actual actions will match these commitments. The CWU Executive believes that there have been important changes since the Branch Forum in April 2008.

Please note that the guidance given on 14 May 2008 has been affected by the letter from BT on 30 May 2008 as follows:

Clarification has been given that an APR score of GS or NI will not automatically lead to the award of a formal PIP.
The 30 May letter qualifies and clarifies the way in which third-party comments will be used.
BT has offered an alternative view of the levelling process which will clearly feature in any ongoing discussions.
There is helpful clarification about the need for managers dealing with disagreements over performance markings to be competent to deal with such matters

It is important to clarify that even though BT's changes are unagreed, our members do not have the right to decline to participate in the use of the ePerformance system. To do so could lead to a disciplinary charge on the basis of refusal to follow a reasonable instruction or insubordination. So while there is an obligation on members to attend, there is a responsibility on BT managers to adhere to the mandatory guidance about how such meetings must be conducted.

BT Performance Management: Guidance (14 May 2008)

BT Performance Management: Background (3 April 2008)