It is time for the annual employee interviews. These are a part of targeted management and employee development. Therefore, the annual, systematic and mutually prepared personal conversations are between an employee and the immediate superior. All employees who have a main position at UiB must have employee interviews. This also includes fellows. For employees with a 10-20% position, the manager can agree with the employee that it is not necessary.

New this year is that it is not enough that the employee interviews are offered – they must also be carried out. Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, I think a phone call or digital meeting can be fine in cases where for various reasons it can be difficult to complete the call with physical attendance.

Employee interviews are an important arena for clarifying expectations for performance, providing mutual feedback, and insight into each other’s work situation and addressing the work environment and conditions at the workplace. The conversation will be linked to K2’s strategic plans and be a real and results-oriented management tool for achieving set goals.

Elements related to life phase can be addressed as a theme. The conversation will also be used to uncover competence needs, change and development. The content of the employee interview must be focused on matters the manager and employee can do something about.

It is important to communicate what you want to achieve in the employee interview and facilitate the confidentiality needed for the interview to have added value for both parties. This can be a gradual process that can take some time to develop.

For foreign employees, it is important to be aware of their need to understand overall strategies and goals for the university, the importance of a good and inclusive work environment, and the individual’s opportunities for contribution to the community. Relevant topics can also be their social network, trust vis-à-vis the manager and colleagues, experience of belonging, and in some cases facilitation and integration also outside the workplace.

As a natural part of the performance appraisal and clarification of expectations, conversation about salary conditions is included as part of the employee interview. It is then important to remember that we have established systems for wage negotiations.

As Head of Department, I am responsible for ensuring that all employees conduct annual employee interviews and am responsible for ensuring that the results of the interviews are included in K2’s plans and budget. It is not possible to carry this out for all K2’s employees, hence the conduct of the interviews is delegated. I have employee interviews with the research group leaders, while they in turn are responsible for their group members. When it comes to administrative staff, head of administration Julie Stavnes is responsible.

Time is short and suddenly it’s Christmas. It is therefore a good idea to start the employee interviews as soon as possible. Good luck!