Planning Performance

Clarify the Roles (About the Job)

Attracting and selecting the right individual for a role is essential and relies on having a well thought out ‘About the Job’ defining the key elements of the role, including:

• What it is there to achieve
• The key outputs
• The behaviours and skills needed

This should enable you to attract the right person through appropriate advertising and selection processes.

Induction

The final step in the recruitment process: the first real contact that a new person has with the team in which they will operate, thus the foundation of good performance management.

• Induction is a means of ensuring that they are made fully aware of their job responsibilities, and the standards, and expectations of performance within their new role.
• Employees who do not receive appropriate induction may take longer to become fully effective in their role, or may not achieve their full potential, and are more likely to leave in the early stages of their employment.
• The induction period could last for days or weeks. The duration depends on the complexity of the role.

Further details can be found through the right-hand link to: Induction

Probation

• Probation should be considered in accordance with current university policy (currently applies to academic staff only).
• An offer of employment is based on the mutual expectation that the individual is capable of and understands the requirements of the post.
• The probationary period is there to support the employer and employee in this period of development and assessment.
• It includes the need to regularly develop plans that detail specific and clear objectives for the probationary period, together with details of the training/development and guidance to help the new member of staff achieve their objectives. Regular review of performance against, and progress towards, these stated objectives should also be carried out and recorded.

Further details can be found through the right-hand link to: Probation

Setting and Agreeing Objectives

For further guidance, the following Top Tips are available from the right-hand link:

• TOP TIPS: Setting objectives and standards for a new employee
• TOP TIPS: Setting and agreeing objectives and standards for existing employees

SRDS Guidance material can also be found on the right-hand link to: SRDS

Short courses aimed at supporting the delivery of SRDS, including:

• Including objective setting
• Giving feedback
• Assessing contribution

Further details can be found through the right-hand link to: SRDS Training

Providing support and identifying skills needs

• The provision of appropriate and aligned development opportunities contribute towards a motivated and high performing work force.
• Development needs should be discussed and addressed during probation, during regular 1:1 meetings, via the SRDS review process and also when an individual takes on new duties as part of their role.
• To be effective, it has to respond to genuine needs and contribute to organisational success.

For further details as to available staff development provision see right-hand link to: Developing Yourself

Within which there are also a number of resources for managers including, in relation to managing performance:

• Positive influencing skills
• Managerial conversations etc.

Managers should be reminded of these provisions and encouraged to access them as appropriate.