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Calibrator Guide: Understanding Your Role in a Calibration View

Share feedback on ratings before calibration to save time, surface differences, and support fairer decisions with Ratings Preview.

Jessie Walsh avatar
Written by Jessie Walsh
Updated yesterday

Who can use this feature?

  • Calibrators

Available on:

  • All Culture Amp subscriptions that include Performance.

Calibrations help ensure that performance reviews are fair, consistent, and grounded in shared understanding. Depending on the type of calibration view you've been invited to, you'll either:

  • Participate in a Ratings Preview task - share your feedback on ratings before the live session.

  • Have read-only access – review data to support the discussion

This guide explains what to expect depending on the type of calibration view you've been invited to.

Accessing a Calibration View


You’ll receive an email when you’re added to a calibration. You can also access it directly in the platform:

  1. Go to Performance > Calibrations

  2. Click on the relevant calibration session

What you see depends on your access:

  • If you have read-only access, you’ll see only the Calibration Overview page with employee ratings and comments.

  • If Ratings Preview is enabled and you’re a calibrator, you’ll see only the Respond to Ratings tab to complete your task.

  • If you have both calibrator access and read-only access, you’ll see two tabs:

    • Calibration Overview – Read-only summary of employee ratings and comments

    • Respond to Ratings – Where you complete your Ratings Preview task

If Ratings Preview Is Enabled


What is Ratings Preview?

Ratings Preview gives you the opportunity to share your perspective on performance ratings before a calibration session. Your input helps facilitators focus the discussion where it’s needed most—making calibration sessions more effective and efficient.

You’re not being asked to rate the employee from scratch. Instead, you’re reviewing the manager-assigned rating and sharing whether you agree, have questions, or prefer not to weigh in.

Note: If Ratings Preview is shared with you, you'll only see the manager's written performance review for each employee—not their full profile or historical performance data. This helps maintain privacy and keeps the focus on current ratings. If the Calibration Overview tab has also been shared with you, you will be able to access employee profiles from that view—but only information within your permission scope will be shown.

Why Your Input Matters

  • Surface differences in how people are rated—before the live session

  • Bring in your context and questions early

  • Save time during calibration meetings

  • Support fair, consistent decisions

Your input directly influences where facilitators focus the discussion. They often prioritize employees who received multiple “I have questions” responses and may skip discussion for employees with full agreement. Your feedback matters.

How to Complete the Ratings Preview Task

1. Look for Your Invitation

  • You’ll receive an email and an in-platform task

  • The email includes a due date and link to begin

2. Open the Calibration View

  • Use the email link, task list, or go to Performance > Calibrations

  • If you’ve been assigned both as a calibrator and a read-only observer, you’ll see two tabs:

    • Calibration Overview – read-only summary of calibration outcomes

    • Respond to ratings – where you complete your task

  • Complete your responses in the Respond to ratings tab.

3. Review the Employees

You’ll see a table of employee names and their manager-assigned performance ratings.

  • Click the ellipsis "..." next to a name to view the manager’s performance review for more context

Reminder: With Ratings Preview you won’t see the full employee profile or historical data—only the manager’s written review. This ensures privacy and simplifies your focus.

4. Submit Your Responses

  • For each person, choose one of the following:

    • I support – You agree with the rating

    • I abstain – You don’t have enough insight to weigh in (default option)

    • I have a question – You’d like to discuss the rating or need more context.

  • If you select “I have questions”, add a short explanation for context (up to 4,000 characters)

  • Your selections are saved as you go, but facilitators won’t see anything until you click Submit All Responses

  • Click Submit All Responses when done.

  • Once submitted, your responses are final and cannot be edited.

Note: You won’t be able to comment when selecting “I support” or “I abstain.” Only “I have questions” requires written input.

What Happens After You Submit

  • Your responses become read-only and are time-stamped

  • Facilitators use your feedback to guide the live session

  • You retain view-only access to your submission

  • You will not have access to the full employee profiles (only managers' written reviews)

Facilitators use your input to identify areas of strong agreement (which may be skipped in-session) and areas where questions were raised (which are prioritized for deeper discussion).

If Ratings Preview Is Not Enabled (Read-Only Access)


If Ratings Preview isn't turned on, your view is read-only:

  • Click on an employee's name to view their detailed performance review, including feedback, ratings, and employee profile.

  • Use filters to narrow down the view (e.g., by role or location)

  • Use the ellipsis "..." to view additional information about their performance or employee profile.

Your People Team or facilitator may provide further instructions before the live session.

If the List of Employees Changes


If the facilitator updates the list of employees in the calibration after you’ve started your responses, here’s what to expect:

Scenario

What Happens

New employees added

If you’ve already submitted, you’ll get a notification and must re-submit your responses

You haven’t submitted yet

You won’t be notified

Employees are removed

You won’t be notified, regardless of whether you’ve submitted

Best Practices for Completing Ratings Preview


To get the most out of Ratings Preview, we recommend you:

  • Submit early in case the employee list changes or you have questions that need follow-up

  • Use “I abstain” if you don’t feel equipped to give input—it’s okay not to weigh in on everyone

  • Use “I have questions” sparingly but honestly—it helps facilitators focus the session

  • Plan your time—Ratings Preview can take longer than expected depending on how many employees you need to review

  • Don’t be afraid to raise questions—your input helps highlight ratings that may need closer attention.

Example: You see a top performer marked as “Meets Expectations,” but based on your experience, that doesn’t align. You select “I have questions” and add a comment. The facilitator uses your feedback to guide the discussion during the live session.

Ratings Preview FAQs


What happens if a calibrator misses the due date?

Your input won’t be captured. Once the due date passes, the Ratings Preview will move to read-only mode. Make sure to submit responses on time. Facilitators can extend the deadline if needed.

Can I edit my responses after submitting them?

No. Ratings Preview is a one-time submission—you can’t change your responses after clicking Submit All Responses.

Can I use Ratings Preview alongside existing "read-only" access for calibration views?

Yes! Ratings Preview is an optional add-on. If you’re added as both a calibrator and a read-only observer, you’ll see two tabs:

  • Calibration Overview – read-only

  • Respond to Ratings – where you complete your task

Will I receive notifications if the due date or employee list changes?

  • If the due date is extended and you haven’t submitted, you’ll get an email notification.

  • If new employees are added to your list, you’ll also be notified.

  • You won’t receive a notification if employees are removed after you’re invited to calibrate.

What happens if the due date passes and I haven't submitted my responses?

You won’t be able to submit. The Ratings Preview will go into read-only mode. Facilitators can still choose to extend the due date if needed.

Can I add comments if I select "I support" or "I abstain"?

Right now, comments are only required if you select “I have questions.” We’re open to feedback on making commenting more flexible in the future.

➡️ Next Steps


💬 Need help? Just reply with "Ask a Person" in a Support conversation to speak with a Product Support Specialist.

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