Colleagues encouraged to take a light touch approach

New PDR approach coming in 2026

We appreciate that the current PDR process is in need of a change and a comprehensive review is currently underway. Over 500 colleagues responded to our survey, and our 4 follow-up focus groups provided fantastic insight into what PDR could like at the University. We are working hard to design, pilot and launch the new PDR approach for the 2026 round. Find out more about the PDR review project.

Plans for the 2025 PDR cycle

While the current process is imperfect, it can still provide a valuable opportunity to recognise performance, discuss development areas, and consider career aspirations and progression. It is also important from a wellbeing perspective as it provides individuals with an opportunity to pause, take stock and have a reflective conversation. Therefore all colleagues should still have the opportunity to have a PDR meeting this year.

  • Everyone is encouraged to reduce the administration around the PDR process in 2025. HR will not request ratings data, but departments may still wish to hold coordination meetings in advance of the cycle to agree on who is reviewing whom.
  • The recommendation is that meetings happen during the usual window of July to October 2025. However, reviewers may agree on a different month with their reviewees, if that is more convenient with workloads.
  • The standard PDR forms are a helpful prompt to structure PDR discussions. Colleagues may choose to just capture key headlines, the focus should be on a quality two way conversation, rather than doing a comprehensive written record on the form.
  • There is no requirement for reviewers and reviewees to assign, discuss or submit ratings*, unless both individuals agree this is a valuable part of the discussion.
  • As part of our commitments to the Technician Commitment Action Plan and the Researcher Development Concordat, early career researchers, postdocs and technicians have ten days per PDR year to engage in development activities, we would recommend including these in your discussions.

We encourage managers to take the best approach for the needs of their team while taking a supportive, but administratively light touch, approach.

Detailed PDR guidance for reviewers and reviewees can be found on the HR webpages.

* Arrangements for colleagues in the Senior Management Pay Group are still being finalised for the 2025 cycle. We will communicate directly with this group following the meeting of the Remuneration Sub-Group to advise on the approach to ratings.