Click here to view the 8 PDR principles

Performance Development Review | People Development

Manage your preferences

The Leeds Beckett website is designed to enable you to manage your own privacy preferences. By clicking on 'Cookies' below you can manage what data the site collects about your browsing. This will only maintain if you are on your own device or using a synched version of your chosen browser. If you are using a shared or public machine without synching your browser then there is no need to change the preferences.

Our site is built with accessibility in mind and we seek to adhere to the WACG AA levels of compliance for digital accessibility. To support that we have provided instructions on managing animations below.

Cookies

Necessary Cookies
Necessary cookies enable you to use all the different parts of leedsbeckett.ac.uk. Without them services that you have asked for cannot be provided. Necessary cookies can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.
Analytical Cookies
Analytical cookies help us understand how people are using our websites, so we can improve them and provide a better user experience. We also sometimes get our approved partner companies to analyse how people are using Leeds Beckett Websites and they may set their own analytical cookies in order to do this.
Marketing Cookies
Marketing cookies allow us to provide you with online adverts that are the most relevant and useful for you.
For more information please view our Privacy Policy

Animations & Interaction

The Leeds Beckett University website occasionally uses animations to page elements and animated gifs to add impact to pages. If you wish to stop them from playing for accessibility purposes or for personal preference then please see the guidance below. Please note that browsers sometimes change how they operate, so please refer to your browser help files to find their latest information.
How do I turn off animations?

Chrome

Chrome users will need to use browser extensions. Animation Policy from Google will help you set your own preferences.

Microsoft Edge

There is currently no way to disable animations within Microsoft Edge. Users of Edge (Chromium) browser can install the Chrome extensions above and use them.

Internet Explorer

To stop animations on a single page you can just press the 'Esc' key. This will stop the animation on that page. If you wish to restart the animations you need to refresh the page. To permanently disable the playing of animated GIF images, open Internet Options > Advanced tab. Under the Multimedia section, uncheck the Play animations in webpage check-box, click Apply and Exit and then restart your computer.

Firefox

Type about:config in Firefox address bar and hit Enter to open Settings. Search for the image.animation_mode flag and change its value from Normal to None. Once you restart Firefox this will disable animations.

Whatever you do at Leeds Beckett, and whatever you aspire to, your PDR is your time to have a meaningful conversation.

your 2026 pdr

As we launch our new five-year strategy and continue to evolve to meet the changing needs of our students and communities, it is essential that colleagues feel supported, valued and empowered to thrive.

Performance and Development Reviews provide a valuable opportunity to align individual contributions with our new strategic ambitions, while recognising colleagues’ strengths, achievements and expertise. Through meaningful conversations that provide clarity and set expectations, we can support individual success and deliver the best possible outcomes for our students and stakeholders.

PDR Principles

We’re continuing to embed a principle-led approach across the organisation that supports regular and purposeful discussions about progress, performance, and development.

Every colleague has the opportunity, at least once a year, to have a PDR conversation that focuses on their progress, achievements, and challenges over the previous 12 months, future areas of work, development and career aspirations.
PDR conversations are connected to regular 1:1s to discuss areas of priority and progress.
Everyone can see how their work contributes to the overall aims of their school/service and the university.
PDRs are a balance of speaking and listening. A two-way conversation of what has gone well and where development opportunities exist.
Colleagues typically have their PDR with their direct line manager (their reviewer). If not, it should be someone who knows the individual and their work so that the PDR is meaningful.
To do an effective job as a PDR reviewer we know that most cannot manage more than 12, and ideally no more than 8.
PDRs are held during an annual window (September - December 2026) at a time which suits the reviewer and the reviewee. We record that PDRs have taken place.
All reviewers will complete in-house reviewer training on a regular basis to keep their skills up to date and ensure the best possible PDR experience for colleagues. We all carry unconscious bias and need to be mindful of this as reviewers.

Investing time in a meaningful PDR conversation provides space to reflect and plan ahead. The steps below outline our suggested approach to the conversation:

male colleague smiling at another colleague

As with any conversation, prior thinking about the required outcomes can make your PDR discussion even more valuable.

Using the structure of the PDR as a helpful framework (looking back and looking forward), what preparation would help you to make the most of your PDR? What would you like to focus on this year?

Our Preparing for my PDR Guide is aimed at helping you get the most out of your PDR.

Male and Female colleagues smile whilst sat at laptop / taking notes

PDRs require us to review progress against objectives that were set last year, both in relation to work and your development. They are an opportunity to celebrate progress and acknowledge achievements.

Consider the areas that you want to discuss and reflect upon. What are you particularly proud of? What values have you demonstrated or found challenging? What did you achieve in last year’s objectives? What feedback would you like to share?

Colleagues enjoy a coffee in social space

A set of objectives that are connected to current and future team/service or school aims should be agreed at PDRs.

What do you see your main areas of work being for next year? How do these connect to your school/service plan? What might be changing next year? How can our values help to shape how we do things?

This is also an opportunity to discuss what needs to happen to continue to support and enhance your wellbeing.

PDRs also focus on development needs and career aspirations. What needs to happen to support and enhance both performance in your current role and also future career aspirations and opportunities?

Three colleagues chat around a small table whilst taking a meeting

PDRs are more effective when regular meetings are scheduled to review your progress, or check-ins connected to your objectives are built into your more regular one-to-ones.

You should also continue researching your options for meeting development needs and keep your personal development plans up to date throughout the year.

Our values influence how we plan, deliver, and review our work. The PDR window is an ideal opportunity to connect individuals with the values and the associated behaviours that are important to how we work at Leeds Beckett.

This could enhance conversations around your wellbeing, reflecting on achievements, giving or receiving feedback, or how objectives are shaped.

To support you, we’ve built guidance throughout our resources to make our values a helpful – not pedantic - part of your PDR discussions.

As with any conversation, prior thinking about the required outcomes can make your PDR discussion even more valuable.

Using the structure of the PDR as a helpful framework (looking back and looking forward), what preparation would help you to make the most of your PDR? What would you like to focus on this year?

Our Preparing for my PDR Guide is aimed at helping you get the most out of your PDR.

A set of objectives that are connected to current and future team/service or school aims should be agreed at PDRs.

What do you see your main areas of work being for next year? How do these connect to your school/service plan? What might be changing next year? How can our values help to shape how we do things?

This is also an opportunity to discuss what needs to happen to continue to support and enhance your wellbeing.

PDRs also focus on development needs and career aspirations. What needs to happen to support and enhance both performance in your current role and also future career aspirations and opportunities?

This could enhance conversations around your wellbeing, reflecting on achievements, giving or receiving feedback, or how objectives are shaped.

To support you, we’ve built guidance throughout our resources to make our values a helpful – not pedantic - part of your PDR discussions.

WHAT HAPPENS AND WHEN

PDR Process Flow Chart

The positive impact of pdr on colleagues

Our 2025 Colleague Survey highlighted that colleagues who have had a PDR in the last 12 months are more likely to hold positive views:
Colleagues who have had a PDR are 39% more likely to say they receive regular and developmental feedback on their performance than those who have not had a PDR (62% who’d had a PDR agreed vs just 23% of colleagues who’d not had a PDR).
Colleagues who have had a PDR feel more supported to develop in their role (63% vs 34%), are more likely to feel able to speak openly and honestly with their manager (79% vs 53%), whilst also feeling a stronger sense of belonging to the University (64% vs 52%).
Our overall colleague engagement score for those who’d had a PDR was 72%, compared with a 62% score for those who had not, indicating that colleagues who have had a PDR are more engaged.

Helpful PDR Resources

The links below will take you to a range of resources within MyDevelopment, which have been revised for this year's PDR window.
For reviewees:

However long you’ve been working at LBU, we recommend taking the time to explore these resources and identify which ones will help you to get the best out of your PDR conversation.

PDR Reviewee Guidance
For reviewers:

Whatever your level of experience – whether you’re new to PDRs at LBU or you already lead PDR conversations with confidence - taking the time to explore these resources will support our principle of keeping all reviewers’ skills up to date.

PDR Reviewer Guidance

frequently asked questions

PDR FAQs

Recording your PDR Discussion Date

All colleagues are expected to use iTrent Employee Self-Service to record their PDR discussion date.

The simple form, called ‘PDR Lifecycle’, is used annually to record the PDR discussion date. Our short 'How to Record your PDR Discussion Date' document provides a step by step guide for reviewees.

The separate Objectives section in iTrent then provides the ability to set, share and update progress on objectives throughout the year. Use of the objectives section is optional.

A range of short written guides are available below.

Word document PDR form

In addition to recording your PDR discussion date in iTrent, this Word document PDR form can be used to record your PDR discussion outcomes and objectives.

PDR Form