Use Calibration in Keka for Fair Reviews: Bell Curve, 9-Box Grid & New Comparison Tools

Overview

Calibration helps ensure performance ratings are fair, consistent, and aligned across teams.
Keka’s Post Review Analysis offers two visual tools—Bell Curve and 9-Box Grid—that help HR and leaders compare ratings against company-wide benchmarks.

With recent updates, you can now use advanced filters and view a side-by-side comparison of Pre- and Post-Calibration Bell Curves. These enhancements make it easier to spot rating trends, reduce bias, and drive more balanced performance decisions.

Enabling Calibration for a Review Cycle

To begin:

1. Go to Performance > Reviews.

2. Open the review cycle and select Post Review Analysis.

3. Click Calibration Settings to enable calibration tools.

Enabling this gives you access to the calibration dashboard, filters, bell curve comparison views, and editing controls.

New & Improved Calibration Features

Keka now provides robust filters to refine which employees appear in the calibration interface:

1. Departments

2. Calibration Status

3. Job Title

4. Calibrators

   You can:

5. Apply multiple filters at once using AND logic.

6. See badge counts for active filters.

7. Click Clear All to reset.

8. Search directly by employee name.

   

These filters work instantly and can be combined to focus on specific employee groups or segments.

 Filters stay active until you exit the calibration modal. 

Bell Curve Analysis with Pre vs Post Comparison

Why It Matters: Seeing the before/after curves helps HR understand if calibration moved ratings toward the expected performance distribution.

Using the 9‑Box Grid for Talent Insights

Grid Visualisation

Keka's 9-box tool categorises employees into nine performance-potential combinations, aiding in talent planning and succession.

Performance & Potential Axis

1. X-axis: Performance (low to high)
2. Y-axis: Potential (low to high)
3. Each box represents a category like “High Performer – High Potential” or “Low Performer – High Potential”

Percentage & Count Metrics

Each of the nine boxes shows:

• Percentage of employees in the category

• Exact headcount

  

  

This view supports talent planning, succession discussions, and identification of growth opportunities. 

Accessing the Calibration Dashboard

1. Navigate to the Calibration tab within Post Review Analysis.

2. Choose a grouping (e.g., by department or manager).

3. Click Calibrate next to the group you want to review.

   

4. After which you'll be directed to a dashboard listing all employees eligible for calibration. View a list of employees eligible for rating calibration.

5. You can quickly invite calibrators who will ensure that the ratings are fair and consistent.

   
    

This opens the calibration modal showing all eligible employees and lets you invite calibrators to review ratings.

Assigning Calibrators

Admins can assign one or more Calibrators such as:

• Department Heads

• L2 Managers

• HR Leads

  

These calibrators validate ratings and ensure consistency across teams. Assignments can be updated at any time before final calibration.

Calibration Actions & Editing Ratings

Within the calibration modal you can:

1. Use filters to narrow the list

2. Click on Calibrate option to adjust an individual’s score.
3. Use the Invite Calibrator option in the three-dot menu or under the Calibrators tab to add or reassign calibration roles.
   
   
   
   
    
4. Override the initial review rating by selecting a new score.
5. Add a reason for the change to maintain a record of decisions.
   
   
6. Actions can be done one-by-one or in batch for selected employees.

Ratings are auto‑mapped to performance bands based on thresholds.  ou can also select multiple employees and adjust ratings in bulk. 

Finalising the Calibration

Once all changes are complete:

1. Click Finalise Calibration.

   

2. Review the summary of edits and calibrator contributions.

3. Confirm to lock the ratings.

   

Finalising is irreversible. Be sure all edits are accurate before confirmation. 

After calibration:

• Explore the 9‑Box Grid for talent insights

• Include calibrated data in performance summary reports

• Use results to support succession planning or promotions

Notes & Best Practices

• Tip: Use calibration results to support compensation planning and promotion discussions.

• Important: Calibrators can only adjust ratings within configured performance bands.

• Note: All calibration changes are logged and auditable for future reference.

FAQs

1. Can I calibrate ratings for only some employees?
   Yes. With filters, you can focus on select groups and skip calibration for others.

2. Are original ratings preserved?
   Yes. Both original and calibrated ratings are stored for audit and comparison purposes.

3. Can multiple calibrators review the same group?
   Yes. You can assign multiple calibrators to encourage consensus and balanced review.

4. Do filters stay applied after closing the modal?
   No. Filters reset when you exit the calibration session.

Next Steps

• Learn to Set Up a Performance Review Cycle.
• View Review Progress and In-Flight Stats.
• Explore Salary & Promotion Actions Post-Review.