Performance Management

Education Corner

Employee Resources

Manager Resources

Sign up for a Manager Virtual Training Session

This session takes a closer look at how managers can effectively use Culture Amp to support their teams. From setting and approving goals to facilitating one-on-ones, managing feedback, and completing performance reviews, we’ll explore key responsibilities and best practices. You’ll receive hands-on guidance, practical tips, and ample time to ask questions, enabling you to lead with clarity and confidence. 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Can Culture Amp be customized to fit our department’s specific needs?

    There are portions of Culture Amp that are customizable. Goals and One on Ones are but the annual review timing and questions are not.

  • Who can access employee feedback and performance data?

    Access is role-based. Employees see their own feedback and goals. Managers can view information for their direct reports. Admins have broader access depending on their permissions and configuration.

  • How does Culture Amp maintain anonymity in feedback?

    Responses are anonymized and aggregated to protect confidentiality. This encourages honest, constructive feedback while safeguarding individual identities.

  • What should I do if an employee is reporting to the wrong manager in Culture Amp?

    Admins can manually correct reporting lines within the platform. Notify your administrator if you notice incorrect manager-employee relationships.

  • How often can I request feedback using Anytime Feedback?

    You can request feedback from anyone at any time, whether it’s a peer, manager, or colleague in another team. It’s designed to support continuous development.

  • How does Culture Amp help managers write fair and unbiased performance reviews?

    The platform provides built-in prompts, guidance, and tools like the SBI (Situation-Behavior-Impact) model to support objective and well-rounded reviews. It also flags common biases and provides checklists to support fairness.

  • What if I don’t see a review cycle I’m supposed to complete?

    Contact your admin to confirm you’re included in the correct groups and cycles within Culture Amp.

  • What happens if I accidentally make a mistake in Culture Amp?

    Culture Amp is user-friendly, and mistakes can usually be fixed. Additionally, Culture Amp support is available to assist with any issues.

  • Can a manager see their indirect reports' peer and upward feedback in the directory?

    Yes, managers can see a list of users who provided Peer and Upward feedback to their indirect reports in a performance review cycle. However, they won't be able to see the feedback content itself in the directory, just the list of contributors. Direct managers will be able to see the full content of any peer and upward feedback provided, however.

  • What happens when there’s a change in reporting lines?

    When reporting lines change, any new manager or direct report will automatically appear in your Active conversations. Former direct reports will stay in your Active conversations until you archive them. If a former direct report is no longer an active Culture Amp user, they’ll be marked as 'inactive'.

  • Can I customize parts of 1-on-1s, like check-in questions or reminder notifications?

    While agenda items and notes can be customized by both participants, check-in questions and reminder notifications cannot be changed.

  • Can managers and employees both add and see each other’s agenda items in their 1:1s?

    Yes, both managers and employees can add and view each other’s agenda items and notes.

  • Can I add comments and skill cards when giving Anytime Feedback?

    Yes. When you give Anytime Feedback in Culture Amp, you can include both:

    • Skill cards – Select a card like “Rocking it” or “Getting there” to highlight key behaviors or strengths.
    • Comments – Add open-text feedback to provide context, examples, or encouragement.
  • What does cascading mean?

    Cascading a goal means aligning a new goal under an existing “parent” goal. This helps teams visually connect individual or team goals to broader department or organizational priorities.

  • Who can cascade goals in Culture Amp?

    Typically, group goal admins or leaders with permission can cascade goals to teams or individuals below them in the org chart.

  • If I add a comment to feedback in Culture Amp, who can see it?

    Comments added to feedback (via Anytime Feedback) are only visible to the person who received the feedback.

  • Can we export goals from Culture Amp to include in an employee file or use outside the platform?

    Yes! Goals in Culture Amp can be exported, making it easy to save or share goal data outside the platform. To do this, simply go to the Goals section and click the “Export” tab to download the information.

  • Is there customer service or support available from Culture Amp?

    Yes, Culture Amp offers 24/7 support via email at support@cultureamp.com, along with in-platform chat support for administrators, staffed Monday through Friday for urgent or complex concerns.

  • Whose responsibility is it to schedule 1:1s?

    Scheduling 1:1s should be a shared responsibility between the manager and the direct report. Either person can initiate the meeting, but we encourage both to connect and find a cadence that works best for them. Regular 1:1s support strong communication, goal tracking, and development.

  • Is there a limit on who I can meet with using the 1-on-1 tool?

    You’re not limited to just manager-direct report pairs. You can start a 1-on-1 with any colleague via the “New Conversation” option. However, colleagues' conversations are not included in usage reporting.

  • What’s the difference between a goal and a KPI?

    A goal is the outcome you want to achieve, while a KPI (Key Performance Indicator) is the metric used to measure progress toward that goal.

    Example:

    • Goal: Improve customer satisfaction
    • KPI: Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) reaches 90% or higher

    In Culture Amp, goals help teams focus on meaningful progress, and KPIs provide a way to track if the goal is being met.

  • Can I give feedback anytime, or only during review cycles?

    You can give and request feedback anytime through the Anytime Feedback feature, helping create ongoing development conversations beyond formal reviews.

  • Can documents be uploaded to a 1:1 in Culture Amp?

    No, Culture Amp’s 1:1 feature does not currently support uploading documents directly into the conversation or notes. If documents need to be shared, consider using email or a shared drive alongside Culture Amp.

  • How long does Culture Amp retain 1:1 discussion history?

    There is no time limit. 1:1 discussion history remains available as long as the employee and manager are active in the platform. Past conversations can always be accessed in the History tab of the 1:1 feature.

  • What happens if I do not complete my goals?

    We recommend connecting with your manager to discuss the next steps, as expectations may vary by department.

  • Is using Culture Amp required?

    No, it is not required. However, we encourage teams to explore the tool as a centralized way to support performance, growth, and development.

  • Can managers see their direct reports’ goals even if they are set to private?

    Yes. In Culture Amp, managers can view their direct reports’ goals even if the goals are marked as private. This helps support ongoing coaching, alignment, and development conversations.

  • Do changes made in Culture Amp affect Oracle?

    No. Culture Amp does not sync back to Oracle. Any changes made in Culture Amp, such as updating names, goals, or feedback - do not impact data in Oracle.

  • Where can I find the Project Orion webpage?

    Here is the link: https://www.vanderbilt.edu/pcb/performance-management/. This is your go-to spot for information, links, training materials, and more.

  • Are we still using Feed Forward?

    No, we are moving away from the Feed Forward model. While departments are not required to adopt the new performance management process, we strongly encourage its use. Culture Amp provides a consistent, skills-based framework that supports ongoing feedback, goal setting, and professional growth, while aligning with our institutional priorities. It offers enhanced tools and resources that make it easier for leaders and employees to have meaningful performance conversations throughout the year.

  • What about the performance management toolkit on the Employee Experience webpage? Where did it go?

    For more information about performance management and the resources available here at Vanderbilt, please visit the Orion webpage. Much of the content found on the performance management toolkit will be linked on the Orion webpage.

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