Being a Sheffield Professional

The Sheffield Professional programme is designed to support everyone, wherever they are on their journey here at Sheffield, and whether they work in a faculty or central service. Search through the tabs to find out how The Sheffield Professional programme can help you, whether as an individual or a manager.

Attract, Select and Support Induction

Encouraging the very best people to join us means painting a welcoming and realistic picture of what it's like to work here. All professional job descriptions include the Sheffield Professional Framework, describing how we behave and what is expected. The experience created throughout the recruitment process sets the context for the first few days and weeks working at the University.

Sheffield Professional can be used to:

  • Explain in our external advertising and web site the most relevant behaviours for specific jobs; to help people understand what will be expected of them in that role.
  • Describe, using the behaviours as a guide, what it's like working here and what we expect, which helps candidates to understand the environment and make an informed choice about whether to apply.
  • Create an external image of the valued professional services community working in partnership with our academics, and attracting a new generation of leaders who share our values and behaviours.
  • Help structure the selection process and interview questions to ensure that there is a fit between candidates, the role advertised, and the University. Sample interview questions relating to Sheffield Professional behaviours are available via the right hand menu bar.
  • Include the behaviours in induction events to encourage new staff to explore what they mean, how to live them and recognise them in colleagues.

Further information on recruitment and induction can be found here.
Health and Wellbeing

Our commitment to health and wellbeing underpins our aim to be a remarkable place to work: how we behave contributes to creating an exceptional workplace where people can excel.

Sheffield Professional can be used to:

  • Reinforce our commitment to health and wellbeing, reflecting the approach we offer through our Juice services.
  • Create behaviours which encourage leaders and managers to talk to people about their health and wellbeing.
  • Help everyone to create a great place to work through taking responsibility for their own health and wellbeing.

Further information on health and wellbeing can be found here.

Rewarding and Recognising Excellence and Ambition

From a simple 'thank you' for a job well done to a special award for a great team, everyone responds well to having their contribution appreciated. Recognising and celebrating 'how' people do these things as well as 'what' they do, encourages colleagues to perform the best they can. Our recognition awards via The Deal are linked to the values and behaviours of the Sheffield Professional.

Sheffield Professional can be used to:

  • Evidence and demonstrate examples to celebrate success and recognise individual achievement.
  • Congratulate individuals who have demonstrated the recommended behaviours.
  • Celebrate more generally cross Faculty/Professional Services teams who are living Sheffield Professional values and working collaboratively.
  • Showcase/role model good practice demonstrated by individuals and teams.
  • Support leaders to inspire people to excel by providing ways for them to recognise successes, both large and small.

Further information on recognition and the Deal can be found here.
Managing Organisational and External Change

Dealing with a changing environment, often as a result of things beyond our control, can be uncomfortable and challenging. The Sheffield Professional Framework can help managers guide staff through change and uncertainty by creating a supportive environment.

Sheffield Professional can be used to:

  • Give focus and clarity to future requirements and the professional contribution to the the University's success.
  • Help leaders to guide their people through difficult times and embrace change, by role-modelling the behaviours which everyone can recognise.
  • Provide a point of reference to support individuals to engage positively in changing circumstances to deal with ambiguity.

Further information on managing change can be found here.
Staff Development

We are keen to support people who want to broaden their knowledge, skills, and grow their careers with us. The Framework helps people to understand what we value, how they can be the best they can be, and how they can develop and prepare for career progression. Where people are not able to realise their full potential, and it may be their attitude and behaviour which is causing the shortfall; introducing agreed, shared behaviours into the conversation can help explain what needs to change and how development can be supported.

Sheffield Professional can be used to:

  • Incorporate the behaviours into SRDS and review conversations, encouraging discussion of practical examples which demonstrate staff are meeting the standards expected: 'how' and individual performs their role, not just 'what' they do.
  • Enable the development conversation and setting of specific behaviour objectives in SRDS which best fit with an individual team member their role and team, for career progression or where development/improvement is required.
  • Enable a difficult conversation by focusing on practical descriptions and agreed actions rather than personal criticism.
  • Use the example SRDS/review objectives in the download bar to support these conversations and individual staff development.

Further information on staff development can be found here. Specific information on SRDS can be found here.