ESR FAQs

This option relies on the ESR Supervisor Hierarchy, and Supervisor Self Service access. The Main Appraiser must sit above the employee being appraised. The Main Appraiser must have Supervisor Self Service access. If either of these requirements are not in place you will not be able to add an appraisal.

For full guidance on how to enter appraisals on ESR, check out our resources page.

Is there a digital version of the paperwork that can be uploaded to ESR?

Yes, the new appraisal framework, My Contribution Conversation, comes in three formats, paper, MS Word and ESR Template.

1. Paper version - can be scanned and up-loaded by the appraisee to their personal record on ESR.  Please note that supervisor/appraisers will not be able to view this and so will need to make local arrangements to score electronically in a shared and confidential manager folder.
2. MS Word template – conversations can be recorded using the MS Word template then treated as a. above.
3. ESR template – this is a template built into ESR on the appraisal record so you can complete fully in ESR. If this is your preference this is stored against the appraisee’s record.

 

ESR FAQs for Appraisees

When should I create my employee-initiated appraisal in ESR?

Appraisals should be created during the appraisal meeting, or as soon as possible thereafter. Appraisals can be created in advance, however if the appraisal meeting date is rescheduled the appraisal will need to be deleted and re-input with the correct date.

I have created my appraisal and shared with my main appraiser, but I can no longer make any amendments?

Once an appraisal has been shared with the Main Appraiser the employee/appraisee will not be able to make any amendments to their appraisal unless the main appraiser transfers it back to them. The appraisal should not need to be transferred back to the employee/appraisee as the main appraiser should mark the appraisal as complete.

I have created my appraisal and shared it with my main appraiser, however the details it contains are incorrect. How can I correct this?

Ask your main appraiser to navigate to your appraisal in ESR and delete it by clicking on the bin icon. A new appraisal record must then be created containing the correct details.

I have created my appraisal with the correct information but have clicked the ‘Save and Close’ button. How can I update my appraisal so I can share it with my main appraiser?

Navigate to your appraisal in ESR, your appraisal will be visible in the bottom table. Click on the update pencil icon and then click on the ‘Share with Main Appraiser’ button.

As an employee I wish to create my appraisal in ESR. How do I find out who my main appraiser will be and the date of my appraisal?

Your manager should discuss with you when your appraisal is due to take place and can confirm who your main appraiser will be.

I am struggling to enter my main appraiser's name into ESR. How should I enter this?

ESR stores names in a specific format therefore your entry must conform with o this. Wildcard characters (%) must also be used. When searching for an individual you must enter the surname first, followed by %, then the first name, followed by %. For example if searching for John Smith, enter Smith%John%.

My appraisal has been completed, but when reviewing it on my ESR record it is not showing as complete. How can I change this?

You will need to speak to the individual who is listed as the Main Appraiser. Once created only the main appraiser will be able to mark an appraisal as complete.

What happens if I change roles/manager?

You should ask your existing line-manager to contact workforce@liverpoolft.nhs.uk and request re-assignment to your new manager as supervisor on ESR.  Your new manager will work with you to review any existing objectives or development goals and so ensure you have kept a copy of your last appraisal to share with them.

 

ESR FAQs for managers/appraisers

I am trying to enter my employee’s appraisal date but they are not appearing underneath me as a supervisor on ESR. What should I do?

Entering appraisals as a manger will only work if you have the correct staff underneath you on the ESR hierarchy. You can check your ESR supervisor structure via self-service on ESR. .  Please contact workforce@liverpoolft.nhs.uk to adjust your team hierarchy as needed to accurately reflect team supervisor structure in ESR. 

As well as this, you will also need Supervisor Self Service access linked to your ESR record. You’ll also need to log into this using your smartcard. To access Supervisor Self Service please follow the below steps:

1. Insert your smartcard into the reader.
2. Enter the passcode and you should see a pop up in the bottom right to confirm when you are logged in with your smartcard.
3. Click this link to log into ESR via Smartcard - https://my.esr.nhs.uk/smartcard/. Alternatively navigate to my.esr.nhs.uk and then click on the Login with Smartcard button.
4. You should now be able to see the Manager tab and be able to access the ‘My Team Appraisals’ portal to input appraisal data.

For an easier way to input appraisals, we recommend using the employee-initiated recording option.

When should I create a manager-initiated appraisal for my team member in ESR?

Appraisals should be created during the appraisal meeting, or as soon as possible thereafter. Appraisals can be created in advance, however if the appraisal meeting date is rescheduled the appraisal will need to be deleted and re-entered with the correct date.

Following the manager-initiated approach I have created and saved the appraisal, but I have included the incorrect main appraiser. How can I update this?

Once you have created the appraisal and set the main appraiser, the appraisal will sit with the specified main appraiser. If this is recorded as you then you can amend the appraisal by accessing ESR and navigating to the Manager dashboard, clicking on Manage Appraisals within the Team Appraisals portal, finding the appraisal required and clicking on the update pencil to change the Main Appraiser.

If the incorrect Main Appraiser is not you, you will not be able to access the appraisal as it sits with the Main Appraiser.

They will need to access the appraisal and delete it. A new appraisal will then need to be created.

As a manager I have created an appraisal in ESR. Why is this not being counted against my team's appraisal compliance figures?

Only appraisals which have been marked as completed and submitted will be counted toward compliance figures. Appraisals which have been ‘saved’ or are marked as ‘ongoing with main appraiser’ will not be counted as compliant. Following the step-by-step guidance will ensure that appraisals are marked as complete from the first point of input.

I have a large team to have so manage many appraisal dates. Is there an easy way to manage this?

If you have a large team and have some admin resource, you can set an administrator to have Proxy access to your manager’s ESR account, who will be able to input appraisal dates to ESR. Please note this method should be used with caution and data security awareness, as the proxy will be able to view all employee records for your colleagues. This access should only be used for a time limited period purely for the purpose to input appraisal dates on ESR. Click here for how to guide on setting proxy access.