Questions about Vantage Performance? Post them here. See below for current questions and answers.
On May 1, 2026, all employees were assigned the three standard performance goals in Vantage. This ensures consistency in content and formatting for everyone.
You are encouraged to meet with employees to draft goals together using the 2026-2027 UDOT Employee Development and Performance Discussion Tool. You can then copy and paste agreed-upon goals into Vantage. When you edit goals in Vantage, keep in mind the following rules:
The primary three goal titles must start with 1., 2., and 3. so that UDOT’s tracking systems can detect the right goals. For steps to edit a goal, please visit the Performance Management page of the Grow the Good site which has useful resources.
Dates for each goal must be within the performance year, starting May 1, 2026 through April 30, 2027.
If the employee makes a change to the goal, then the change must be approved by the supervisor before employees see the updated goal in Vantage. Until the supervisor approves the changes, employees will continue to see the original goal.
Because Vantage requires supervisor approval of goals, it is recommended that supervisors edit goals for their employees in Vantage by copying and pasting information from the Discussion Tool. This eliminates the additional step of supervisor approval after editing goals. Employees will be asked to acknowledge the goals under the heading “Self Review” once the goals are entered and approved. The deadline for supervisors to approve goals and for employees to acknowledge them is May 31, 2026.
Required supervisor training will be assigned on May 1 to review the performance management process and walk through the steps of using Vantage. The Performance Management page of the Grow the Good site also has useful resources.
As we all get more familiar with the new Vantage Performance Management system, we are learning a few tips to pass along:
The most reliable way to access Vantage is through the Employee Gateway and click on the middle box labeled “Performance Management” under the photo.
We have also learned that including “https://” in the url makes it more likely to access the site. (https://vantage.utah.gov)
If your computer is not hard-wired to the network for internet connection, you must use VPN to access the system.
We understand that the new system offers a wide range of functionalities. Please note that each state agency will utilize the features in Vantage differently. The Employee Development Team at UDOT will prepare agency-specific training to help you navigate Vantage. This training will focus on how we will use the system in the future to support our Employee Development and Performance Framework. Questions and feedback may be provided to DHRM using this form.
It's important to know that while we are transitioning to a new system, most of our process remains the same. We will still establish goals and expectations at the beginning of the year or when a new employee joins the team. We will still coach and give feedback through the year. And, we will still provide an evaluation of performance at the end of the year.
That said, let's talk about a few things that will adjust in the coming year.
Create goals and expectations for all employees at the beginning of the year or when an employee starts on the team.
Continually coach with quick connects, check ins, and developmental coaching through the year as needed.
In year one - evaluate performance each quarter with a rating using the UDOT Dashboards.
Evaluate performance at the end of the year with a rating.
Streamline our goals from seven to three. The first goal is a combination of our previous behavioral expectations.
Simplifying from four levels of performance to three. We will use 3 = Highly Successful, 2 = Successful, and 1 = Unsuccessful.
In year one, evaluate quarterly performance in Dashboards and Annual performance in Vantage.
This initial phase is crucial for establishing clear expectations. It involves setting measurable, achievable goals that align individual contributions with overall organizational objectives. Vantage allows for collaborative goal-setting, ensuring employees understand "what" is expected of them and "why" it matters to the bigger picture.
Moving beyond annual reviews, this component emphasizes continuous dialogue between managers and employees. Regular check-ins, constructive feedback, and coaching sessions are vital for addressing performance in real-time, celebrating successes, identifying development areas, and making necessary adjustments throughout the performance cycle.
This typically involves a formal assessment of performance against established goals, often culminating in a structured review discussion. Critically, it also incorporates discussions around professional development, identifying training needs, career aspirations, and creating plans for growth. This ensures performance management isn't just about evaluation, but also about fostering continuous learning and maximizing potential.
Why are we changing systems?
When the Utah Legislature passed HB104, no system was available that could accommodate what we needed. UDOT put together a temporary process in the interim while DHRM was working on a long-term solution. Now that long-term solution is here we will transition to using the new system. However, we will still continue to use the dashboards for at least the first year until all new functionality is available.
Will we lose the data in UPM?
No, on June 20th, the data in UPM will become read-only while DHRM makes the transition to the Vantage system. After July 1, we will be able to see all current goals in the new system. All historical data will be available in UPM until at least Dec 31st 2025 and after that, we will likely find it in the new system but we will have more details as the year progresses.
You can still access UPM by going to upm.utah.gov
When will we see the new system?
The new Vantage system will be available on July 1st for all employees and managers.
Who do I go to if I have questions or run into technical issues?
The Employee Development team can help with some technical aspects of the new system. At times we may reach out to UDOT technical teams or to DHRM for additional assistance. You can email at UDOTdevelop-perform@utah.gov. If you need data corrected in the system such as your name, title, employees, etc., please complete this form.
What training will we get?
DHRM created a few online modules for all users but UDOT is planning a more robust training solution with demos and practicing so we can integrate Vantage into our daily work at UDOT. We will communicate broadly when UDOT training is available and assign it through the Learning Portal. In the mean time, please feel free to consult UDOT's Quick Start Guide for what we need to do.