Welcome to our Autumn 2021 Release Preview!
NOTE: The release notes are subject to change. We will update this article to reflect any updates to the release.
If you follow the Release Notes section and received an email update, please note that you may not see the images in the email; please click through to the article to view any images.
We'll be going over new features, updates, and improvements to Reflektive below. These features will be available to test on your Demo Accounts upon request starting October 7, 2021.
Below is a table of contents of all topics related to our Autumn 2021 Release. Click any of the links below to jump directly to that topic for more information.
> General Availability
Reviews
Review Report Cover Page Update
When enabled, the manager name will not appear on a released report cover page.
Who does this affect?
This feature will be of interest by request to customers that have co-managers in their organizational structure.
Why the update?
Some companies have a structure that allows for an employee to have more than one manager. But on the cover page of released reports, only the primary manager's name can appear. This option suppresses the manager name on the cover of released reports since more than one manager can review employees.
Figure 1: Report Cover Page
Reviews API Enhancements
Enhanced Reviews API endpoints to allow incremental updates (changes) and also a more complete set of fields sent in the API.
Added the following fields to existing Reviews API endpoints:
- created_date filter keys: filter[created_date][from] , filter[created_date][to]
- created_date filter will be considered only if filter[created_date][from] and filter[created_date][to] are present in a call with proper values.
- value for these keys must be in the form of 'yyyy-mm-dd HH:MM' i.e, '2020-09-04 06:55'
- always 'from' should be less than or equal to 'to'
- This is only applied to Reviews Answers API endpoint: _GET /companies/{company_id}/cycles/{cycle_id}/questions/{question_id}/answers
- edited_date filter keys: filter[edited_date][from] , filter[edited_date][:to]
- See also created_date rules above
- edited_date filter will be considered only if filter[edited_date][from] and filter[edited_date][to] are present in a call with proper values.
- This is only applied to Answers endpoint: GET /companies/{company_id}/cycles/{cycle_id}/questions/{question_id}/answers
- status - review status stored at reviewee level (employee receiving feedback)
- These are the Review Status (Status) values:
- reviewers_not_selected = Step 0 -Reviewers Not Selected: Employee has yet to select any feedback providers (only in a 360)
- reviewers_selected = Step 1 -Reviewers Selected: Employee has selected, but not submitted peer reviewers (only in a 360)
- pending_reviewers_approval = Step 2 -Approve Reviewers: Manager needs to approve a Direct Report’s peer reviewers (only in a 360)
- in_progress = Step 3 -Reviews in Progress = Employees are writing reviews
- completed = Step 4 -Completed = Direct Report has received the released review from their Manager and can view their review report electronically; review is DONE
- This is only applied to Reviewees endpoint: GET /companies/{company_id}/cycles/{cycle_id}/reviewees
- These are the Review Status (Status) values:
- status - review status stored at reviewer level (employee giving feedback)
- These are the Review Status (Status) values:
- in progress = reviewer has either started form and left some draft feedback or employee has not started the form and there is no feedback (null)
- submitted = reviewer has submitted the form
- declined = reviewer has declined to write a review on employee. This is configured on cycle level in the Review design builder. This is only applicable to peer reviewers and manager reviewers but not for direct report reviewers/ upward feedback providers.
- This is only applied to Answers endpoint: GET /companies/{company_id}/cycles/{cycle_id}/questions/{question_id}/answers
- These are the Review Status (Status) values:
Who does this affect?
Customers using the Reviews API who want to pull changes only and/or are looking for these additional fields in the API.
Why the update?
To enable our customers to be able to only pull review data that have been updated since the last set of reviews data were pulled for a specific cycle. Delta/incremental pulls of data are more efficient. Additionally, this change provides more data on employee progress and review completion status in a cycle.
Reviews API Endpoint Optimization
Improved performance on Reviews Answers and Reviewee API endpoint for bulk pulls across all employees for a cycle. (Max Cursor Pagination Limit – 500)
Who does this affect?
This will be of interest to Reflektive customers that are currently pulling reviews data into an external data warehouse at scale.
Why the update?
To provide a quicker and more efficient way to pull reviews data into an external data warehouse.
Feedback and Recognition
Improvements to Feedback 2021
Many improvements have been made to Feedback 2021. Specifically:
- Have “Recognition” in the View Post page (redirected from email) take user to the Homepage or Recognition page depending on company configuration.
- Prevent feedback request respondents from deleting their feedback, which would leave the request in limbo (they should retract and decline instead).
- Share with “Recipients and their managers” when writing recognition, available based on the hide_wall and private_pos_visibility settings.
- Quicker load times for feedback feeds.
- Feedback administrators are now able to delete any post that is visible to them.
- Feedback lists rendered prior to a user’s create/edit/delete action are automatically refreshed on saving.
- Prompt user when more participants are required for 360 feedback requests.
- Feedback feeds are sorted by last updated date.
- Added contextual help to emphasize who will see the post being written (see Figure 2).
- Feedback administration is accessible from the Admin page (see Figure 3).
- Place Feedback Action before Feedback Recipients in the feedback modal dialog box.
Who does this affect?
This feature is available for any Reflektive customer using Feedback 2021.
Why the update?
To provide the end-user with a more intuitive experience.
Figure 2: Feedback Contextual Help
Figure 3: Feedback Administration on the Admin Page
Improvements to Feedback APIs
Several improvements have been made to the Feedback APIs:
- Cursor pagination for /real_time_feedbacks
- updated_at, created_at, hashtags, likes_count, comments included in /feedbacks
Who does this affect?
This will be of interest to customers that use Feedback APIs.
Why the update?
To support better integration with Reflektive.
Email & Microsoft Teams Plugin for Feedback 2021
Feedback 2021 can now be used in the email and Microsoft Teams plugin (see Figure 4). Also:
- The Feedback button has been moved to the lower right corner of the plugin pane.
- If Role-Based Access Control is enabled, firewalls are enforced when giving feedback and recognition.
Who does this affect?
Customers with Feedback 2021 enabled who want to use Feedback 2021 with the plugins.
Why the update?
This gives end users a consistent experience using Feedback 2021, whether through the web app or through the plugin.
Figure 4: Feedback 2021 Email Plugin Pane
Shareable Feedback Posts for Managers
Managers can now share feedback and recognition received for a direct report with anyone.
Who does this affect?
Customers with Feedback 2021 enabled.
Why the update?
Managers need to share posts on direct reports where the direct report, managers higher up the reporting line, or other interested parties (for example, HR) were not given visibility by the feedback provider.
Figure 5: Sharing Feedback
Feedback Visibility for Secondary Managers
This enhancement allows secondary managers to have the same visibility of feedback and recognition posts as primary managers.
Who does this affect?
Customers with new Feedback 2021 enabled.
Why the update?
All line managers need visibility of a direct report’s feedback.
Editing Feedback Requests
Allows feedback requesters to modify request properties from the Feedback page if no one has responded to the request.
Who does this affect?
Customers with new Feedback 2021 enabled.
Why the update?
Without editing capabilities, users had to delete and recreate the entire request, even if they just wanted to remove or add a feedback provider or correct a typo. This enhancement makes for a better user experience.
Figure 6: Editing a Sent Feedback Request
Note: Editing a sent request can only be done if no one has responded to the request.
Hide the Share with Recipients Option when Writing Recognition
When enabled, recognition providers will not be able to choose to share their post with recipients only. This leaves "Everyone" and "Recipients and their managers" as options, depending on internal settings.
Who does this affect?
This feature is available by request for any Reflektive customer using Feedback 2021.
Why the update?
Some companies prefer to have recognition be shared with the manager immediately rather than leave it up to the recipient to share.
Figure 7: This Share Option can be Disabled
Restrict Feedback Displayed in the Reviews Side Panel
This enhancement allows administrators to restrict the feedback that is displayed in the Reviews side panel. The feedback-feed-in-reviews flag replaces the show_rtf_in_review_form matrix company setting and will hide the feedback feed in reviews when "None" is selected, or display recognition and/or feedback posts as configured. This flag overrides enable-instant-feedback-in-reviews-sidebar.
Who does this affect?
This feature is available by request for any Reflektive customer using Feedback 2021.
Why the update?
Some companies believe that feedback/recognition appearing while conducting reviews will result in bias and want those elements removed.
Figure 8: This Feedback Feed can be Removed
Hide the Share Feedback Option
Customers can now hide the "Share" option in the actions menu in Feedback and Recognition posts.
Who does this affect?
This feature is available by request for customers with Feedback 2021 enabled.
Why the update?
Some companies prefer not to allow sharing of feedback posts.
Figure 9: This Option can be Hidden
Hide Default Questions when Requesting Feedback
When this option is enabled, feedback requesters will not see the default questions and will be required to enter their own questions.
Who does this affect?
This feature is available by request for customers with Feedback 2021 enabled.
Why the update?
Allows customers to turn off the default questions if they are not appropriate for their business needs.
Figure 10: Default Questions
Reward Points when Sending Recognition
New option to allow awarding points in the Feedback 2021 dialog box.
Who does this affect?
This feature is available for rewards customers who want to use Feedback 2021.
Why the update?
Rewards customers can now enjoy the new feedback experience without too much change management.
Figure 11: Awarding Points
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