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Manager Hub

Manager Hub is a nine-page intranet site with practical guidance for hiring, one-to-ones, feedback, performance reviews, compensation cycles, temporary cover, conflict, and stay conversations. It helps managers prepare while directing transactions and current rules to approved sources and configured apps.

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Every employee gets a seat — priced per employee in Communications & Intranet, quoted with this template ready.

Rolled out to every employee at AutoZone (125,000), PetSmart (50,000+), A.S. Watson and Raley's (20,000) — and at larger retailers we are not permitted to name.

Built for: Distributed and multi-location employers · Professional services · Technology and software · Retail and frontline operations

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Overview

Manager Hub is a nine-page intranet site for people managers who need practical preparation guidance and a clear route to the system or authoritative source that handles the actual work. Its landing page groups topics under team responsibilities, performance and pay, and changing circumstances. It includes a tasks widget and a job-listings block; these live elements require configured sources and should be verified before launch.

The topic pages provide concrete aids rather than policy substitutes: a hiring sequence from role definition to handoff; illustrative one-to-one pacing and follow-up; feedback based on observable examples; performance-review preparation that separates original outcomes from changed circumstances; and a general compensation-cycle sequence that leaves eligibility, dates, and approvals to confirmed sources. Other pages cover checking written delegation before temporary cover, addressing an early work disagreement, and structuring a stay conversation with a clear follow-up. Fictional Northstar Works scenarios are examples, not company facts.

Use the template when managers need a common orientation and preparation reference across these recurring situations. It is not a transaction system, employee record, legal guide, delegation instrument, investigation procedure, or replacement for local policy. Before publishing, verify the audience and applicability, connect only confirmed app sources, identify an owner and correction route, and establish review triggers. Managers should pause and seek the designated support route when authority is unclear, a matter requires a formal process, or they cannot respond impartially.

Standards & compliance context

Treat the fictional examples as illustrative guidance, not as evidence of legal compliance, company policy, or local applicability.
Confirm hiring, leave, compensation, performance, and employee-relations requirements with authoritative sources for the relevant role and location before managers act.
Use current written delegation and the organization's designated escalation route; this template itself grants no decision-making authority.
Review published pages and connected blocks for WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility, including meaningful headings, keyboard access, and clear link labels.

General regulatory context for orientation only — verify current requirements with counsel or the relevant agency before relying on this template for compliance.

What's inside this template

Manager Hub

Start here to choose a manager topic and understand the difference between preparation guidance and work handled by configured apps.

Manager Hub
A starting point for people managers at fictional Northstar Works. This hub brings together practical guidance for recurring people responsibilities. Use the topic pages to prepare for conversations and understand common handoffs; use the named MangoApps apps for the work they support. The examples are fictional illustrations, not Northstar policy or a statement of local requirements. Managers help set clear expectations, support employees, follow the approved processes for their role and location, and raise questions when authority or the right route is unclear. Confirm local applicability and current process details with your organization's authoritative sources before acting.
Why this hub exists
Chief People Officer (example) Most of a manager's hardest moments are predictable. This hub puts the playbook for them in one place, so you can spend your energy on the conversation, not the paperwork. Lena Ortiz
Go to a manager topic
Choose the task you need to prepare for. Hiring Align role outcomes, interview focus, and evidence. One-to-Ones Choose a useful focus and agree a next step. Feedback Prepare specific, fair feedback and follow-up. Performance Reviews Prepare evidence, context, and discussion questions. Compensation Cycle Find the general decision sequence and app route. Covering for an Absent Manager Check delegation and plan a clear hand-back. Team Conflict Address an early work disagreement fairly. Stay Conversations Listen for what helps an employee stay and thrive.
Your open tasks
Use the app for the work it supports
These app names identify destinations, not features verified by this fictional example. Performance Management Use your organization's configured app for performance review records or transactions it supports. This site is preparation guidance and does not submit or update a review. Check the app for current review instructions and available tasks. Use the Performance Reviews page to prepare for the conversation. Leave Management Use your organization's configured app for leave-related tasks it supports. Confirm applicable rules and approvals for the employee's role and location. Check the app for current leave information and available actions. Do not treat this hub as a leave record or approval. Job Board Use the connected Job Board for current listings where your organization has enabled that source. Applicant records and authoritative hiring decisions belong in the recruiting system. Check the Hiring page for process guidance. Confirm the appropriate recruiting system for candidate records. Compensation Management Use the configured app for current compensation-cycle information and transactions it supports. Cycle dates, eligibility, approvals, and decision rules must be confirmed from authoritative sources. Check the Compensation Cycle page for the general sequence. Use the app for configured cycle tasks, not this site.
Use guidance, then verify the process
This fictional site does not establish company policy, delegation authority, local eligibility, or connected app behavior. Before publishing, confirm the audience and local applicability, connect the relevant app sources, identify a content owner and correction route, and set a review trigger for process or app changes. Choose the relevant topic page to prepare. Check the applicable approved source or MangoApps app for current instructions. If authority or the correct route is unclear, pause and ask through your organization's designated support route.

Hiring

Run a coordinated, evidence-led hiring process
For managers preparing a role, interview panel, or hiring handoff. Fictional example: Northstar Works is a distributed employer with office and frontline teams. Agree what the role needs to deliver and what evidence will help assess it before arranging interviews. Keep candidate records and authoritative hiring decisions in your organization's recruiting system; this page is guidance, not a live workflow. Use the same role-related expectations when discussing candidates. Record observations tied to those expectations rather than relying on broad impressions. Confirm your organization's recruiting process and any applicable local requirements before proceeding.
Move from role definition to handoff
A practical sequence for coordinating the work. Define the role Agree the work outcomes, essential responsibilities, and useful evidence with the relevant hiring partners before scheduling interviews. Prepare interviewers Agree the panel sequence and each interviewer's focus. Give interviewers the role outcomes and a shared way to record job-related observations. Gather evidence Capture specific observations against the agreed outcomes. Keep candidate information in the recruiting system, not in this guidance page. Discuss the decision Compare the evidence with the agreed role outcomes, identify gaps or different interpretations, and follow the organization's approved decision process. Hand over next actions Record the decision and agreed next actions in the recruiting system, then coordinate the transition with the receiving manager and relevant recruiting partners.
When the process needs adjustment
Return to agreed focus and evidence rather than improvising a new process. The panel spans time zones Agree the sequence and each interviewer's focus before the recruiting partner coordinates scheduling. Share the same role outcomes with everyone involved. Identify which interviewer covers each agreed topic. Send any schedule change through the organization's recruiting process. An interview needs rescheduling Coordinate the change through the recruiting partner or designated scheduling route. Preserve the panel's agreed focus when dates or interviewers change. Confirm which interviews and participants are affected. Update candidate-facing details in the recruiting system. Panel evidence points in different directions Compare specific observations with the role outcomes. Name missing evidence and unresolved questions, then use the approved decision process rather than treating a general impression as a conclusion. Separate observed evidence from inference. Record the decision and next actions in the recruiting system.
Current openings

One-to-Ones

Prepare a useful one-to-one
A flexible conversation aid for managers and employees. Fictional example: Northstar Works is a made-up multi-location organization. Arrive with a clear topic, make room for both perspectives, and leave with an agreed next step. The suggested pacing is illustrative, not a required schedule or a meeting record. If a topic needs a formal process or another decision-maker, agree the appropriate next route rather than trying to resolve it solely in the one-to-one.
An illustrative 30-minute conversation
Check in Ask what feels most important to make time for today. 0–5 min Choose a focus Compare topics and agree which one would be most useful to leave clearer. 5–10 min Explore the topic Ask what has been tried, what is getting in the way, and what support might help. 10–23 min Agree next steps Name what each person will do and when to check back. This sample pacing can be adjusted to the topic and the people involved. 23–30 min
Before, during, and after the meeting
Prepare separately Each person notes one useful outcome and up to two topics. Bring a question or example rather than trying to write a full report. Choose one main topic Compare the topics and agree which matters most today. Park other items for another conversation or a more appropriate route. Agree an observable action Name the action, its owner, and a check-in point. Fictional example: a Service Desk lead shares a draft handoff checklist with the evening team by Thursday, and the manager makes time to review comments at the next one-to-one. Follow through At the next meeting, revisit the agreed action. Note what happened, what changed, and whether another step or support route is needed.
Choose a suitable route for issues beyond the meeting
A one-to-one can surface an issue without being the process for resolving every issue. Clarify what the employee needs and whether the topic can be handled in this conversation. If it needs a formal process, specialist input, or another decision-maker, explain the next route you will check. Agree who will follow up and when the employee will hear an update.

Feedback

Give difficult feedback with care and clarity
Describe behavior and impact; do not turn an observation into a judgment about character. Fictional example: at Northstar Works, two project handoff notes arrived after the agreed 3 p.m. cutoff, delaying the next team's review. This example is invented. Meet privately, use examples you can describe accurately, and leave room for context you may not know. State what happened and why it matters, then invite the employee's view. The goal is a fair discussion of what needs to change and what support or follow-up may help.
Replace a label with a checkable example
Fictional Northstar example; adapt the words to facts you can verify. What was said The last two handoff notes arrived after the agreed 3 p.m. cutoff. You're careless with handoffs. What it helps establish Names two specific instances that the employee can clarify. Labels the person without an example. Work impact The next team's review started the following morning. Does not explain what needs to change.
Prepare, discuss, and follow up
Prepare accurate examples Write down the instances you can describe, the expectation that was agreed, and the work impact. Separate what you observed from what you assume. Open with the purpose Meet privately. Explain the behavior and impact plainly, then say what needs to change without labeling the person. Hear the employee's view Ask what was happening from their perspective and listen for context you may not have. Clarify what you do not yet know. Agree a workable change Describe the expected behavior, identify any support or information needed, and agree an observable next step and a time to revisit it. Follow up Check whether the agreed change happened and whether the support was useful. If the concern continues, consult the designated people-support route.
Know when to use another process
This conversation guide is not a substitute for formal people-support processes. Pause and use the designated people-support route for serious misconduct concerns. Seek support when behavior is repeated or remains unresolved. Do not handle the matter alone if you cannot approach it fairly or impartially.

Performance Reviews

Prepare a balanced performance review
Use agreed outcomes, specific evidence, relevant context, and questions for discussion. Fictional example: Rowan, a project coordinator at Northstar Works, is preparing for a review. Start with the outcomes discussed for the period and note any changes in priority, scope, or timing. This page supports preparation; use your organization's Performance Management app for the review transaction and current instructions. This sample does not define performance standards or submit or update a review. Follow the approved process that applies to your role and location.
Prepare the conversation
Recall agreed outcomes List the goals, deliverables, or responsibilities discussed for the period. Separate the original aim from work that became important later. Note what changed Record changes in scope, priority, or timing and the context that explains them. Do not treat a revised plan as if the original plan never existed. Choose specific evidence Select examples that relate to each outcome. Explain what the evidence shows and what it cannot establish on its own. Consider relevant context Note dependencies, changed circumstances, or unfinished work that should be discussed. Avoid assuming the reason for an outcome before hearing the employee's perspective. Bring questions Prepare questions that invite discussion of results, obstacles, learning, and useful next steps. Complete the review in Performance Management according to the configured process.
A fictional example of changed work
Use the distinction between original outcomes and later context in your own preparation. Original outcome Rowan's fictional goal was to coordinate an onboarding handoff for a planned project launch. Keep the original goal visible. Identify the outcome that was expected at the time. Changed circumstances When the fictional launch schedule shifted, Rowan reorganized the handoff around the revised sequence. Describe what changed and when. Discuss the revised work without erasing the original plan.
Complete the review in Performance Management
This page is a preparation aid, not a review record or transaction. Check Performance Management for the current configured review task and instructions. Use the app for the review transaction and required record. Confirm local process questions with the appropriate authoritative source.

Compensation Cycle

Understand the compensation cycle
A general orientation to merit and promotion decisions—not a statement of Northstar policy. This fictional example does not establish cycle dates, eligibility, amounts, decision criteria, approval authority, or local applicability. Follow your organization's approved compensation process and current instructions in Compensation Management. Merit and promotion considerations are not interchangeable. Their meaning, criteria, and approval steps depend on the organization's confirmed process; do not promise an outcome based on this overview.
A generic cycle sequence
Illustrative stages only. Confirm the actual sequence, dates, and handoffs before relying on them. Check the configured cycle Review current instructions, applicable population, timing, and required inputs in Compensation Management or the authoritative source designated by your organization. Prepare supported inputs Gather only the information requested through the approved process. Check that it is accurate and relevant; do not infer eligibility or decision rules. Use the approved review and approval path Submit or discuss inputs through the configured process. Follow the actual approval steps and authority for your role and location. Communicate confirmed outcomes Share outcomes only when the authorized process permits it and the information is confirmed. Use the organization's communication guidance. Complete the cycle Finish any assigned actions in Compensation Management and follow the current instructions for unresolved items or corrections.
Merit and promotion are different considerations
These descriptions are general; the organization's approved process defines the actual criteria. Merit consideration A merit decision may consider contribution or performance under the organization's approved rules. This example does not state what evidence is required or guarantee an increase. Check the confirmed criteria and applicable population. Do not promise a result before the authorized decision. Promotion consideration A promotion decision concerns a change in role or level under the organization's process. This example does not define career criteria, eligibility, or approval requirements. Check the authoritative role and approval process. Do not present a compensation-cycle discussion as a promotion commitment.
Use Compensation Management for current cycle details
Dates, amounts, eligibility, approvals, and local applicability require confirmation. Check Compensation Management for the configured cycle and tasks available to you. Confirm the current timeline and approval path with the authoritative process owner. If an instruction or decision is unclear, pause and seek clarification through the designated route.

Covering for an Absent Manager

Check the approved delegation before acting
Follow the current approved delegation for your role and location. If your authority is unclear, pause the decision and consult the next-level manager through your organization's designated route.
Keep decisions moving within your authority
Check scope and end point Read the current written delegation. Confirm what decisions it covers, its limits, and when the delegated authority ends. List open decisions Record what decision is needed, when it is needed, what information is outstanding, and who owns the next step. Identify relevant support Note the next-level manager and any specialist owner relevant to the decision. Consult them when the delegation requires it or the situation is unclear. Keep a concise decision record Track decisions made within the approved authority, the relevant rationale, open items, and agreed next steps using the organization's approved record. Hand responsibility back At the agreed end of cover, summarize decisions, open work, owners, and deadlines for the returning manager. Confirm any unresolved authority questions.
Scope of this guidance
This fictional Northstar example concerns temporary cover for delegated management decisions. It is not a routine shift handoff and does not monitor an absence or indicate that someone is ready to act. The current approved delegation—not this page—sets the authority you may exercise. Before publication, provide the authoritative delegation source and the real escalation route. No working link or contact is supplied here because those destinations have not been provided.
If authority is not clear, pause
Do not assume a decision is covered because another manager is away. Check the current approved delegation for your role and location. Ask the next-level manager or designated authority for clarification before acting. Record the open decision and next owner in the approved work record.

Team Conflict

Address an early work disagreement
Start with what happened, hear each perspective, and agree what happens next. Fictional example: two Northstar Works coordinators disagree about who owns open items during a shift handoff. This is an invented work scenario, not an employee account or company policy. This guide is for an early disagreement that can be discussed fairly as a work matter. It does not replace formal processes or investigations. If the concern may involve serious misconduct, repeated unresolved behavior, or a situation you cannot handle impartially, pause and use your organization's designated people-support route.
Describe observations, not assumptions
Fictional handoff example: use wording that can be checked and clarified. What was noticed The Tuesday handoff notes were missing two open items. You never follow through. What is not yet known I do not know whether the items were missed, recorded elsewhere, or assigned differently. You do not care about the next shift. A useful question Can we compare how each of us understood ownership for those items? Why are you making this so difficult?
Work through the disagreement
Describe the specific event State what you observed and when. Separate the facts you can verify from assumptions about intent. Hear each perspective Give each person room to explain what they understood and what information they had at the time. Clarify the work expectation Compare how ownership, handoff timing, or follow-up was understood. Identify any missing or conflicting instruction. Agree next actions Name the action, owner, and time to check back. For example, agree where open items will be recorded for the next handoff. Follow up or escalate Check whether the agreement worked. If the issue repeats or cannot be addressed fairly, use the designated people-support process.
Use the designated support route when needed
This early-conversation guide is not an investigation or a replacement for formal processes. Use the designated people-support route for serious misconduct concerns. Seek support for repeated unresolved behavior. Pause if you cannot handle the situation impartially.

Stay Conversations

Make space for an honest stay conversation
Ask what is working, listen for what could improve, and close the loop. At fictional Northstar Works, managers use a stay conversation to understand what is working for an employee and what could make the experience better. Explain why you are meeting and make clear that the employee can choose what to share. Listen first, explore one useful change, and agree how you will follow up. This is a conversation aid, not a promise that every request can be granted. Be clear about what you can take forward and what needs another decision-maker or more information.
Four moves for a useful conversation
Invite participation Explain the purpose and ask what would make the conversation useful. Make clear the employee can choose what to share. Ask and listen Use open questions about what is working and what gets in the way. Pause, listen, and ask for a specific example before offering solutions. Explore a feasible change Ask what difference a change would make. Separate actions you can take from requests that need another decision-maker or more information. Close the loop Summarize what you heard, agree the next action or conversation, and explain how you will update the employee if an answer is pending.
An illustrative 30-minute conversation
Purpose and choice Explain the purpose and ask what the employee would like to focus on. 0–5 min Experience Ask what is working well and what has been harder than it needs to be; listen for examples. 5–15 min Possible change Explore one improvement and what would need to be true to try it. 15–23 min Summary and follow-up Agree an action or next conversation and how the employee will receive an update. This example pacing is adaptable, not a required schedule. 23–30 min
Make the follow-up clear
A request may need review beyond the manager's authority. Name the action you can take and when you will take it. Identify any request that needs another decision-maker or more information. Tell the employee when and how you will update them, including when an answer is still pending.

How to use this template

Clone the site and review the navigation tree, preserving the topic groups that match your managers’ tasks.
Replace or explicitly retain the fictional Northstar examples only after process owners verify audience, scope, and local applicability.
Configure the tasks widget and job-listings source through the site's available setup, then test that each connected block shows the intended current content.
Assign a content owner and add confirmed authoritative sources and correction or escalation routes where managers need them.
Publish the hub to its intended manager audience and direct managers to the relevant topic page before they begin the related task.
Review pages and connected destinations when processes, app configuration, or delegation changes, and correct stale guidance promptly.

Best practices

Keep the landing page as an orientation hub and use the existing navigation groups instead of creating a second menu in page content.
Label Northstar Works scenarios as fictional until replaced with examples approved for your organization.
Keep candidate records, review transactions, compensation inputs, and other authoritative records in the systems designated for those tasks.
For feedback and conflict examples, describe observable events and work impact rather than assigning motives or character labels.
For temporary cover, direct managers to the current written delegation and make the pause-and-clarify route explicit when authority is uncertain.
Keep sample meeting timings clearly illustrative so managers do not mistake them for a required cadence.
Verify the job-listings and tasks sources after setup; do not describe a block as live or current until its connection is confirmed.
Use concise headings and accessible link text, and check the published pages for WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility.

What this template typically catches

Issues teams running this template most often surface in practice:

Fictional Northstar examples are published without clear labeling or validation, making sample wording look like company policy.

Managers mistake preparation guidance for an official review, hiring, leave, or compensation transaction.

A task widget or job-listings block has no configured source, or shows content that is no longer current.

The hub has no named content owner or correction route, so stale process details remain unaddressed.

Managers cannot find the right topic because the navigation labels or groupings do not match their tasks.

Temporary cover guidance is read as permission to act without checking the current delegation.

A one-to-one or early conflict guide is used in place of a formal process or designated people-support route.

Long guidance or unclear links make it difficult to find the immediate action or authoritative source.

Common use cases

People manager preparing a hiring panel

Use the Hiring page to align interviewers on role outcomes, focus, and job-related evidence before interviews. Keep candidate records and the final decision in the organization's recruiting system.

Team lead preparing a review discussion

Use Performance Reviews to organize agreed outcomes, changed priorities, evidence, and questions. Complete the review task and record through the configured Performance Management process.

Manager temporarily covering a colleague

Use the cover page to check the written delegation, track open decisions, and plan a hand-back. If authority or the escalation route is unclear, pause and consult the designated authority before acting.

Frontline supervisor addressing a handoff disagreement

Use Team Conflict to distinguish observations from assumptions, hear both perspectives, and agree an observable next action. Route serious, repeated, or impartiality-sensitive concerns through the organization's formal support process.

Multi-location employer orienting new managers

Use the landing page and topic navigation to help managers find preparation guidance across recurring people responsibilities. Confirm local requirements and configured app destinations before presenting the site as an operational resource.

Frequently asked questions

What manager responsibilities does this template cover?

The nine pages cover hiring, one-to-ones, feedback, performance reviews, compensation cycles, covering for an absent manager, early team conflict, and stay conversations. The landing page groups these topics and distinguishes preparation guidance from work handled in configured apps. It is a starting point for people managers, not an exhaustive employee-relations or HR policy library.

Does the guidance apply to every location and employee?

No. The example explicitly says its fictional Northstar Works content does not establish policy, authority, eligibility, or local requirements. Before publishing, confirm the audience and applicability for each page with authoritative organizational sources. Add local variations only when they are verified and clearly scoped.

Who should own and maintain the Manager Hub?

Assign a content owner who can verify the manager guidance and coordinate with the owners of the relevant processes and apps. The template asks the publisher to identify a correction route, but does not supply a real contact or support destination. Make ownership and escalation details visible once your organization confirms them.

How often should the pages be reviewed?

The template sets no fixed review interval. Review a page when its authoritative process, app configuration, delegation, or applicable guidance changes, and establish a routine review cadence with the content owner. Check linked destinations and connected sources at the same time so managers are not sent to stale instructions.

Does the template establish legal or regulatory requirements?

No. It offers general preparation and conversation guidance, not legal advice or a statement of local employment requirements. Confirm applicable law and internal policy with the organization's authoritative sources, especially for leave, hiring, compensation, formal performance action, and employee-relations concerns. The accessibility of the published pages should also be checked against WCAG 2.1 AA.

What is a common mistake when adopting this hub?

A key pitfall is treating a preparation page as the official record, transaction, or approval route. The template repeatedly directs managers to the recruiting system, Performance Management, Compensation Management, or another approved source for work those systems support. Another risk is publishing fictional examples or unverified local assumptions as company policy.

What should we customize before publishing?

Replace or clearly label the fictional Northstar Works examples, confirm the intended manager audience, and validate every process description against current sources. Add only confirmed support routes and destinations, then connect the apps and job-listings source through the available site setup. Name a content owner, define how corrections are submitted, and set review triggers for process or app changes.

What integrations or live content does the site include?

The landing page contains an embedded tasks widget, and the Hiring page has a job-listings block configured to show up to five current openings with dates. Their availability depends on the relevant sources being configured for your organization; the fictional example does not verify those connections. Other app references are guidance about where work may belong, not proof of a live integration or workflow.

How does this compare with ad-hoc manager documents?

The site brings related topics into one navigable hub, uses repeatable preparation sequences, and points managers toward the appropriate authoritative process or app. Ad-hoc documents can fragment guidance, obscure ownership, and leave readers unsure which version is current. The hub still needs a real owner and maintained destinations; cloning it alone does not keep content current.

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Rolled out to every employee at AutoZone (125,000), PetSmart (50,000+), A.S. Watson and Raley's (20,000) — and at larger retailers we are not permitted to name.

9 pages Manager Hub Hiring One-to-Ones Feedback Performance Reviews Compensation Cycle Covering for an Absent Manager Team Conflict Stay Conversations

Manager Hub Manager Hub A starting point for people managers at fictional Northstar Works. This hub brings together practical guidance for recurring people responsibilities. Use the topic pages to prepare for conversations and understand common handoffs; use the named MangoApps apps for the work they support. The examples are fictional illustrations, not Northstar policy or a statement of local requirements. Managers help set clear expectations, support employees, follow the approved processes for their role and location, and raise questions when authority or the right route is unclear. Confirm local applicability and current process details with your organization's authoritative sources before acting. Why this hub exists Chief People Officer (example) Most of a manager's hardest moments are predictable. This hub puts the playbook for them in one place, so you can spend your energy on the conversation, not the paperwork. Lena Ortiz Go to a manager topic Choose the task you need to prepare for. Hiring Align role outcomes, interview focus, and evidence. One-to-Ones Choose a useful focus and agree a next step. Feedback Prepare specific, fair feedback and follow-up. Performance Reviews Prepare evidence, context, and discussion questions. Compensation Cycle Find the general decision sequence and app route. Covering for an Absent Manager Check delegation and plan a clear hand-back. Team Conflict Address an early work disagreement fairly. Stay Conversations Listen for what helps an employee stay and thrive. Your open tasks Use the app for the work it supports These app names identify destinations, not features verified by this fictional example. Performance Management Use your organization's configured app for performance review records or transactions it supports. This site is preparation guidance and does not submit or update a review. Check the app for current review instructions and available tasks. Use the Performance Reviews page to prepare for the conversation. Leave Management Use your organization's configured app for leave-related tasks it supports. Confirm applicable rules and approvals for the employee's role and location. Check the app for current leave information and available actions. Do not treat this hub as a leave record or approval. Job Board Use the connected Job Board for current listings where your organization has enabled that source. Applicant records and authoritative hiring decisions belong in the recruiting system. Check the Hiring page for process guidance. Confirm the appropriate recruiting system for candidate records. Compensation Management Use the configured app for current compensation-cycle information and transactions it supports. Cycle dates, eligibility, approvals, and decision rules must be confirmed from authoritative sources. Check the Compensation Cycle page for the general sequence. Use the app for configured cycle tasks, not this site. Use guidance, then verify the process This fictional site does not establish company policy, delegation authority, local eligibility, or connected app behavior. Before publishing, confirm the audience and local applicability, connect the relevant app sources, identify a content owner and correction route, and set a review trigger for process or app changes. Choose the relevant topic page to prepare. Check the applicable approved source or MangoApps app for current instructions. If authority or the correct route is unclear, pause and ask through your organization's designated support route. Hiring Run a coordinated, evidence-led hiring process For managers preparing a role, interview panel, or hiring handoff. Fictional example: Northstar Works is a distributed employer with office and frontline teams. Agree what the role needs to deliver and what evidence will help assess it before arranging interviews. Keep candidate records and authoritative hiring decisions in your organization's recruiting system; this page is guidance, not a live workflow. Use the same role-related expectations when discussing candidates. Record observations tied to those expectations rather than relying on broad impressions. Confirm your organization's recruiting process and any applicable local requirements before proceeding. Move from role definition to handoff A practical sequence for coordinating the work. Define the role Agree the work outcomes, essential responsibilities, and useful evidence with the relevant hiring partners before scheduling interviews. Prepare interviewers Agree the panel sequence and each interviewer's focus. Give interviewers the role outcomes and a shared way to record job-related observations. Gather evidence Capture specific observations against the agreed outcomes. Keep candidate information in the recruiting system, not in this guidance page. Discuss the decision Compare the evidence with the agreed role outcomes, identify gaps or different interpretations, and follow the organization's approved decision process. Hand over next actions Record the decision and agreed next actions in the recruiting system, then coordinate the transition with the receiving manager and relevant recruiting partners. When the process needs adjustment Return to agreed focus and evidence rather than improvising a new process. The panel spans time zones Agree the sequence and each interviewer's focus before the recruiting partner coordinates scheduling. Share the same role outcomes with everyone involved. Identify which interviewer covers each agreed topic. Send any schedule change through the organization's recruiting process. An interview needs rescheduling Coordinate the change through the recruiting partner or designated scheduling route. Preserve the panel's agreed focus when dates or interviewers change. Confirm which interviews and participants are affected. Update candidate-facing details in the recruiting system. Panel evidence points in different directions Compare specific observations with the role outcomes. Name missing evidence and unresolved questions, then use the approved decision process rather than treating a general impression as a conclusion. Separate observed evidence from inference. Record the decision and next actions in the recruiting system. Current openings One-to-Ones Prepare a useful one-to-one A flexible conversation aid for managers and employees. Fictional example: Northstar Works is a made-up multi-location organization. Arrive with a clear topic, make room for both perspectives, and leave with an agreed next step. The suggested pacing is illustrative, not a required schedule or a meeting record. If a topic needs a formal process or another decision-maker, agree the appropriate next route rather than trying to resolve it solely in the one-to-one. An illustrative 30-minute conversation Check in Ask what feels most important to make time for today. 0–5 min Choose a focus Compare topics and agree which one would be most useful to leave clearer. 5–10 min Explore the topic Ask what has been tried, what is getting in the way, and what support might help. 10–23 min Agree next steps Name what each person will do and when to check back. This sample pacing can be adjusted to the topic and the people involved. 23–30 min Before, during, and after the meeting Prepare separately Each person notes one useful outcome and up to two topics. Bring a question or example rather than trying to write a full report. Choose one main topic Compare the topics and agree which matters most today. Park other items for another conversation or a more appropriate route. Agree an observable action Name the action, its owner, and a check-in point. Fictional example: a Service Desk lead shares a draft handoff checklist with the evening team by Thursday, and the manager makes time to review comments at the next one-to-one. Follow through At the next meeting, revisit the agreed action. Note what happened, what changed, and whether another step or support route is needed. Choose a suitable route for issues beyond the meeting A one-to-one can surface an issue without being the process for resolving every issue. Clarify what the employee needs and whether the topic can be handled in this conversation. If it needs a formal process, specialist input, or another decision-maker, explain the next route you will check. Agree who will follow up and when the employee will hear an update. Feedback Give difficult feedback with care and clarity Describe behavior and impact; do not turn an observation into a judgment about character. Fictional example: at Northstar Works, two project handoff notes arrived after the agreed 3 p.m. cutoff, delaying the next team's review. This example is invented. Meet privately, use examples you can describe accurately, and leave room for context you may not know. State what happened and why it matters, then invite the employee's view. The goal is a fair discussion of what needs to change and what support or follow-up may help. Replace a label with a checkable example Fictional Northstar example; adapt the words to facts you can verify. What was said The last two handoff notes arrived after the agreed 3 p.m. cutoff. You're careless with handoffs. What it helps establish Names two specific instances that the employee can clarify. Labels the person without an example. Work impact The next team's review started the following morning. Does not explain what needs to change. Prepare, discuss, and follow up Prepare accurate examples Write down the instances you can describe, the expectation that was agreed, and the work impact. Separate what you observed from what you assume. Open with the purpose Meet privately. Explain the behavior and impact plainly, then say what needs to change without labeling the person. Hear the employee's view Ask what was happening from their perspective and listen for context you may not have. Clarify what you do not yet know. Agree a workable change Describe the expected behavior, identify any support or information needed, and agree an observable next step and a time to revisit it. Follow up Check whether the agreed change happened and whether the support was useful. If the concern continues, consult the designated people-support route. Know when to use another process This conversation guide is not a substitute for formal people-support processes. Pause and use the designated people-support route for serious misconduct concerns. Seek support when behavior is repeated or remains unresolved. Do not handle the matter alone if you cannot approach it fairly or impartially. Performance Reviews Prepare a balanced performance review Use agreed outcomes, specific evidence, relevant context, and questions for discussion. Fictional example: Rowan, a project coordinator at Northstar Works, is preparing for a review. Start with the outcomes discussed for the period and note any changes in priority, scope, or timing. This page supports preparation; use your organization's Performance Management app for the review transaction and current instructions. This sample does not define performance standards or submit or update a review. Follow the approved process that applies to your role and location. Prepare the conversation Recall agreed outcomes List the goals, deliverables, or responsibilities discussed for the period. Separate the original aim from work that became important later. Note what changed Record changes in scope, priority, or timing and the context that explains them. Do not treat a revised plan as if the original plan never existed. Choose specific evidence Select examples that relate to each outcome. Explain what the evidence shows and what it cannot establish on its own. Consider relevant context Note dependencies, changed circumstances, or unfinished work that should be discussed. Avoid assuming the reason for an outcome before hearing the employee's perspective. Bring questions Prepare questions that invite discussion of results, obstacles, learning, and useful next steps. Complete the review in Performance Management according to the configured process. A fictional example of changed work Use the distinction between original outcomes and later context in your own preparation. Original outcome Rowan's fictional goal was to coordinate an onboarding handoff for a planned project launch. Keep the original goal visible. Identify the outcome that was expected at the time. Changed circumstances When the fictional launch schedule shifted, Rowan reorganized the handoff around the revised sequence. Describe what changed and when. Discuss the revised work without erasing the original plan. Complete the review in Performance Management This page is a preparation aid, not a review record or transaction. Check Performance Management for the current configured review task and instructions. Use the app for the review transaction and required record. Confirm local process questions with the appropriate authoritative source. Compensation Cycle Understand the compensation cycle A general orientation to merit and promotion decisions—not a statement of Northstar policy. This fictional example does not establish cycle dates, eligibility, amounts, decision criteria, approval authority, or local applicability. Follow your organization's approved compensation process and current instructions in Compensation Management. Merit and promotion considerations are not interchangeable. Their meaning, criteria, and approval steps depend on the organization's confirmed process; do not promise an outcome based on this overview. A generic cycle sequence Illustrative stages only. Confirm the actual sequence, dates, and handoffs before relying on them. Check the configured cycle Review current instructions, applicable population, timing, and required inputs in Compensation Management or the authoritative source designated by your organization. Prepare supported inputs Gather only the information requested through the approved process. Check that it is accurate and relevant; do not infer eligibility or decision rules. Use the approved review and approval path Submit or discuss inputs through the configured process. Follow the actual approval steps and authority for your role and location. Communicate confirmed outcomes Share outcomes only when the authorized process permits it and the information is confirmed. Use the organization's communication guidance. Complete the cycle Finish any assigned actions in Compensation Management and follow the current instructions for unresolved items or corrections. Merit and promotion are different considerations These descriptions are general; the organization's approved process defines the actual criteria. Merit consideration A merit decision may consider contribution or performance under the organization's approved rules. This example does not state what evidence is required or guarantee an increase. Check the confirmed criteria and applicable population. Do not promise a result before the authorized decision. Promotion consideration A promotion decision concerns a change in role or level under the organization's process. This example does not define career criteria, eligibility, or approval requirements. Check the authoritative role and approval process. Do not present a compensation-cycle discussion as a promotion commitment. Use Compensation Management for current cycle details Dates, amounts, eligibility, approvals, and local applicability require confirmation. Check Compensation Management for the configured cycle and tasks available to you. Confirm the current timeline and approval path with the authoritative process owner. If an instruction or decision is unclear, pause and seek clarification through the designated route. Covering for an Absent Manager Check the approved delegation before acting Follow the current approved delegation for your role and location. If your authority is unclear, pause the decision and consult the next-level manager through your organization's designated route. Keep decisions moving within your authority Check scope and end point Read the current written delegation. Confirm what decisions it covers, its limits, and when the delegated authority ends. List open decisions Record what decision is needed, when it is needed, what information is outstanding, and who owns the next step. Identify relevant support Note the next-level manager and any specialist owner relevant to the decision. Consult them when the delegation requires it or the situation is unclear. Keep a concise decision record Track decisions made within the approved authority, the relevant rationale, open items, and agreed next steps using the organization's approved record. Hand responsibility back At the agreed end of cover, summarize decisions, open work, owners, and deadlines for the returning manager. Confirm any unresolved authority questions. Scope of this guidance This fictional Northstar example concerns temporary cover for delegated management decisions. It is not a routine shift handoff and does not monitor an absence or indicate that someone is ready to act. The current approved delegation—not this page—sets the authority you may exercise. Before publication, provide the authoritative delegation source and the real escalation route. No working link or contact is supplied here because those destinations have not been provided. If authority is not clear, pause Do not assume a decision is covered because another manager is away. Check the current approved delegation for your role and location. Ask the next-level manager or designated authority for clarification before acting. Record the open decision and next owner in the approved work record. Team Conflict Address an early work disagreement Start with what happened, hear each perspective, and agree what happens next. Fictional example: two Northstar Works coordinators disagree about who owns open items during a shift handoff. This is an invented work scenario, not an employee account or company policy. This guide is for an early disagreement that can be discussed fairly as a work matter. It does not replace formal processes or investigations. If the concern may involve serious misconduct, repeated unresolved behavior, or a situation you cannot handle impartially, pause and use your organization's designated people-support route. Describe observations, not assumptions Fictional handoff example: use wording that can be checked and clarified. What was noticed The Tuesday handoff notes were missing two open items. You never follow through. What is not yet known I do not know whether the items were missed, recorded elsewhere, or assigned differently. You do not care about the next shift. A useful question Can we compare how each of us understood ownership for those items? Why are you making this so difficult? Work through the disagreement Describe the specific event State what you observed and when. Separate the facts you can verify from assumptions about intent. Hear each perspective Give each person room to explain what they understood and what information they had at the time. Clarify the work expectation Compare how ownership, handoff timing, or follow-up was understood. Identify any missing or conflicting instruction. Agree next actions Name the action, owner, and time to check back. For example, agree where open items will be recorded for the next handoff. Follow up or escalate Check whether the agreement worked. If the issue repeats or cannot be addressed fairly, use the designated people-support process. Use the designated support route when needed This early-conversation guide is not an investigation or a replacement for formal processes. Use the designated people-support route for serious misconduct concerns. Seek support for repeated unresolved behavior. Pause if you cannot handle the situation impartially. Stay Conversations Make space for an honest stay conversation Ask what is working, listen for what could improve, and close the loop. At fictional Northstar Works, managers use a stay conversation to understand what is working for an employee and what could make the experience better. Explain why you are meeting and make clear that the employee can choose what to share. Listen first, explore one useful change, and agree how you will follow up. This is a conversation aid, not a promise that every request can be granted. Be clear about what you can take forward and what needs another decision-maker or more information. Four moves for a useful conversation Invite participation Explain the purpose and ask what would make the conversation useful. Make clear the employee can choose what to share. Ask and listen Use open questions about what is working and what gets in the way. Pause, listen, and ask for a specific example before offering solutions. Explore a feasible change Ask what difference a change would make. Separate actions you can take from requests that need another decision-maker or more information. Close the loop Summarize what you heard, agree the next action or conversation, and explain how you will update the employee if an answer is pending. An illustrative 30-minute conversation Purpose and choice Explain the purpose and ask what the employee would like to focus on. 0–5 min Experience Ask what is working well and what has been harder than it needs to be; listen for examples. 5–15 min Possible change Explore one improvement and what would need to be true to try it. 15–23 min Summary and follow-up Agree an action or next conversation and how the employee will receive an update. This example pacing is adaptable, not a required schedule. 23–30 min Make the follow-up clear A request may need review beyond the manager's authority. Name the action you can take and when you will take it. Identify any request that needs another decision-maker or more information. Tell the employee when and how you will update them, including when an answer is still pending.