Access Settings for Performance

BambooHR® Performance Management is available for customers on BambooHR Pro. Click here to get an overview of the Pro plan or to schedule a demo.

How do I grant users access to performance information?

Purpose: This guide will discuss what access a user automatically has for performance information and how you can grant custom access level users access to view specific employees' performance information.

Table of Contents

Employee access level users

Employee access level users have automatic access to their Performance tab, but the information shown on this tab depends on how you configure Performance settings in Settings > Performance.

  1. Goals: You will need to determine which employees can create, view, and edit their goals. Navigate to Settings > Performance > Goals. On the Goals tab, select one of the following options: None, All Employees, or Only Some Employees.
    • If you select Only Some Employees, you can filter the employee group by the fields of Department, Division, Employment Status, Job Title, and Location.
  2. Assessments: Employees can view most of the information available on their completed assessments. 
  3. Feedback: Employees do not have access to the Feedback tab.

If an employee access level user has direct and indirect reports, they will automatically have access to the Performance tab for all employees in their reporting line.

By design, determining access to performance information is not available when creating an employee access level in Settings > Access Levels. This is because employees already have access to the Performance tab.

Reports: Individuals cannot share performance reports with employee access level users.

Manager access level users

Employees who have direct and indirect reports will automatically have access to their direct and indirect reports' performance information. This access includes all information on the Performance tab on their employee profiles (Goals, Feedback, and Assessments). The employee does not need to be in a manager access level* to receive this access.

*We always recommend that managers have manager access level access to see basic information about employees who directly report to them. However, this access is not required for managers to see performance information. Access to the Performance tab for direct or indirect reports automatically grants to managers. By design, access to performance information is not an option when setting up a manager access level.

Reports: Individuals can share performance reports with manager access level users. These users will be able to view the information regarding who they have access to view performance information for.

Custom access level users

You can allow your custom access level users to set up review cycles under What Can People with this Access Level Do? > Settings > Performance.

Custom access level users do not have automatic access to performance information unless they have direct and indirect reports. When setting up a custom access level, you can give users access to information on the Performance tab for employees. 

Access settings vary for each section (Goals, Feedback, and Self and Manager Assessments) of the Performance tab. You can choose a specific access setting for each section by selecting View Only, Edit, or No Access. 

Reports: Individuals can share any performance reports with custom access level users. They can see the information of who they have access to view Performance for in BambooHR.

Account Owner and Full Admins

The Account Owner and Full Admin users have access to all performance information.* This access includes the following:

  1. Review cycles and goals in Settings > Performance
  2. All information (goals, feedback, assessments) on the Performance tab for all employees 
  3. All Performance Management reports
    • Employee Performance
    • Company Performance
    • Goals Status
    • Feedback Status
    • Assessment Progress

*Exception: The Account Owner and Full Admin users do not have access to the top two manager assessment questions or feedback about themselves. Only their manager will have access to this information.

Performance access FAQ

  1. Can managers access their indirect reports' Performance tab and data?
    • Yes, Managers can always see the Performance tab of their direct and indirect reports, regardless of their access level settings, but you can do this more easily by having the manager access level settings include direct and indirect reports. 
      • If set to Direct and Indirect Reports, the manager can go to indirect report's employee profile to see all the information they have access to view, including performance data. On the indirect report's Performance tab, the manager can add and change goals as well. Managers cannot submit assessments on the indirect report, but a direct manager can ask them to provide feedback.
      • If set to Direct Reports, managers can still go to their direct reports' employee profiles. If they click on a indirect report in their reporting line, they will only be able to view the Performance tab and no other tabs.
  2. Can I configure access levels to allow specific users view Performance Management data in BambooHR?
    • Yes. Managers with direct and indirect reports have automatic access to complete tasks associated with performance management. Click here to learn more.
  3. Can non-employee users access an employee's Performance tab and data?
    • Yes, as long as you give them access through a custom access level.

 

Who can view what in Performance?

Full Admin and Account Owners have access to all aspects of Performance: assessments, feedback, and goals. An exception to this is if they are the one being assessed (first two questions on manager assessment) and given feedback on.

Type Who can view Who cannot view
Assessments
  • The direct report (employee) 
  • The direct report's manager 
  • Manager’s manager

Assessments are double-blind. Managers must submit a manager assessment on their direct report before they can view the direct report's self-assessment.
  • Employees outside of direct report, manager, and manager's manager
Feedback (known as "peer feedback" in the Pro package)
  • The direct report’s manager
  • The manager’s manager
  • The employee who submitted feedback (viewable under Sent > Feedback in their inbox)
  • The direct report receiving the feedback
Impromptu feedback
  • The direct report’s manager
  • The manager’s manager
  • The requester (if outside of the manager/direct report line)
  • The employee who submitted feedback (viewable under Sent > Feedback in their inbox)
  • The direct report receiving the feedback
Upward feedback (Pro package ONLY)
  • The manager’s manager
  • The direct report who submitted feedback (viewable under Sent > Feedback in their inbox)
  • The manager receiving the feedback
Goals
  • The direct report
  • The direct report’s manager
  • The manager’s manager
  • Other team members, unless a user shares a goal with them

Managers can always view the Performance tab of their direct and indirect reports, regardless of their access level settings. Managers can add and edit goals for both direct and indirect reports. Managers cannot submit a manager assessment on an indirect report, but they can provide feedback if requested by the indirect report's manager.