Feedback and professional development

Student employment is an opportunity to build professional skills, learn from feedback, and prepare for future employment. Your supervisor will help you understand workplace expectations, recognize your strengths, and identify areas for continued growth.

Demonstrate Professionalism

Professionalism includes how you approach your responsibilities, communicate with others, and respond when challenges arise. Expectations may vary by department and position, but student employees should:

• Arrive on time and be prepared to work.
• Follow the schedule established with their supervisor.
• Complete assigned responsibilities carefully and on time.
• Ask questions when instructions or priorities are unclear.
• Communicate promptly about absences, delays, mistakes, or concerns.
• Treat coworkers, students, visitors, and community members respectfully.
• Use work time, equipment, technology, and information responsibly.
• Protect confidential information.
• Record all hours worked accurately.
• Accept responsibility for mistakes and take appropriate steps to correct them.

Your supervisor should explain any additional expectations related to your department, position, attire, safety, communication, or job duties.

Receive and Use Feedback

Feedback is a normal part of employment. It helps you understand what you are doing well, what needs to change, and how you can continue developing.

When receiving feedback:

1. Listen carefully before responding.
2. Ask questions if the expectation or next step is unclear.
3. Focus on the behavior or work being discussed.
4. Share relevant information without becoming defensive or blaming others.
5. Confirm what you are expected to do differently.
6. Apply the feedback during future shifts.
7. Follow up with your supervisor if you need additional guidance.

You may not agree with every piece of feedback, but you are responsible for listening respectfully and understanding the workplace expectation. If you believe information is missing or inaccurate, explain your perspective calmly and provide specific information.

Ask for Feedback

You do not need to wait for a formal evaluation to learn how you are doing. Consider asking your supervisor:

• What am I doing well?
• What is one area I should work on?
• Am I meeting the expectations for this position?
• Is there a responsibility I am ready to take on?
• What skill would help me become more effective?
• Can we review my progress again in a few weeks?

Regular feedback can help you address small concerns before they become larger problems.

Participate in Reflect & Connect

Reflect & Connect: Making Meaning of Student Employment is Augustana’s framework for student employee feedback and development. Your supervisor may invite you to participate in at least one Reflect & Connect conversation each semester.

These brief conversations focus on what you are learning through your work and how that learning connects with your education, goals, and future employment. They may take place during a regular check-in, after a project or challenge, or near the middle or end of the semester.

Reflect & Connect uses four questions:

1. What are you learning in this role?
2. How are you learning it?
3. Why does this learning matter to you?
4. How will you use this learning in the future?

Before or during the conversation, consider specific examples from your work. These may include a responsibility you have learned, a problem you solved, feedback you applied, a skill you strengthened, or a situation that helped you better understand yourself.

Your supervisor will listen, ask follow-up questions, and help you describe what you are learning. The conversation may also help you:

• Recognize skills you are developing.
• Connect your work with your academic, personal, or professional goals.
• Identify examples to use in a résumé, application, or interview.
  Set a goal for what you would like to learn or practice next.
• Explain the value of your student employment experience to others.

Reflect & Connect is not a formal performance evaluation or disciplinary conversation. Supervisors will continue to provide regular feedback about job performance and address concerns when they occur. Whenever possible, those conversations should remain separate so Reflect & Connect can focus on your learning and development.

When Expectations Are Not Met

Your supervisor will address concerns related to your performance, attendance, timekeeping, or workplace conduct. The response will depend on the nature, severity, frequency, and impact of the concern.

When appropriate, your supervisor may use coaching, a verbal warning, a written warning, a performance improvement plan, or termination of employment. Not every situation requires every step, and some serious conduct may result in immediate disciplinary action or termination.

You are expected to participate in these conversations, ask questions when expectations are unclear, and make the required improvements within the timeframe provided.

College policies, department requirements, and applicable employment laws take precedence over this general guidance. Contact Student Employment or Human Resources if you have questions about the process or do not feel comfortable discussing a concern with your supervisor.

Take Responsibility for Improvement

If you receive a warning or performance improvement plan:

• Review the expectations carefully.
• Ask for clarification about anything you do not understand.
• Identify the specific actions you must take.
• Use the training, guidance, or support provided.
• Monitor your own progress.
• Attend scheduled follow-up meetings.
• Tell your supervisor early if you encounter a barrier to meeting the expectations.

Improvement requires consistent action, not only an explanation or promise to change. If you have questions about a performance process or believe a concern has not been handled appropriately, contact Student Employment or Human Resources.

Questions or Concerns

Begin by speaking with your supervisor when you have questions about expectations, feedback, or your performance. Addressing questions early can prevent misunderstandings and help you make the required improvements.

Contact Student Employment if you:

• Need help understanding the feedback or disciplinary process.
• Have questions about a warning or performance improvement plan.
• Believe workplace expectations have not been communicated clearly.
• Need guidance before speaking with your supervisor.
• Have a concern you do not feel comfortable discussing with your supervisor.

Contact Human Resources for concerns involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation, workplace safety, or other serious misconduct.

Department-specific practices may supplement this guidance. College policies and applicable employment requirements take precedence when they differ from the general information on this page.