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Staff Development and Review Scheme
Objectives of Staff Development and Review
A step by step guide to the form
Introduction
The Staff Development and Review (SDR) scheme has been developed in partnership with Unison and UCU to replace the previous appraisal scheme. Documentation and guidance have been streamlined for easier understanding and use, and the new scheme is applicable to both academic and support staff.
Staff Development and Review should be viewed within the context of the University's vision statement and strategic objectives, and the operating plans of the schools and departments. Through the process of structured feedback, the review is intended to support members of staff to achieve results and develop in their current or future roles in order to sustain and enhance the student experience.
The value of SDR lies in allowing both parties to stand back from the job in hand and to take a wider view. Staff also gain a renewed sense of direction and are better able to realise their full potential.
Objectives of Staff Development and Review
The aim of the SDR scheme is to enhance staff achievement through a systematic process of individual review, goal setting and development planning. More specifically, the scheme has the following objectives:
- To encourage staff to reflect on their own performance
- To provide staff with the opportunity for formalised, structured feedback on performance
- To communicate to all staff, through dialogue and discussion, the corporate goals of the institution
- To assist staff in setting objectives which are consistent with the goals of the institution
- To provide a structured process for identifying staff development needs
- To contribute to the personal and career development of staff
Principles of the scheme
- The SDR should be regarded as a joint professional task, shared between reviewer and staff member.
- SDR should not be relied upon to solve problems in its own right. It cannot replace the daily interaction, support and direction needed for everyone to function well at work. Offering feedback and guidance should be part of the manager's daily role, so that the SDR becomes what it is intended to be: a summary of performance with no surprises.
- The SDR process must work fairly and equitably for all staff. Reviewers must be aware of their responsibilities under the law not to discriminate on the grounds of gender, race, sexual orientation or disability. It is hoped that by operating the SDR scheme for the benefit of all staff, the University will be promoting equality and diversity.
- The SDR will be performed by the Line Manager/Supervisor, who has knowledge of the staff member’s work. In some areas, it may be appropriate for another Line Manager/Supervisor to have input in to the process because of their relationship with, and responsibility for, the staff member. Where other views are sought, this should be done in a confidential and appropriate manner.
- If the reviewer is thought to be inappropriate for some reason, this should be raised with either the Head of School or Department, if that is possible. Failing that, the matter must be referred to the Director of Human Resources.
- The developmental approach to SDR outlined here does not have an explicit link with remuneration.
- It is recommended that a separate meeting is set up between the staff member and their Line Manager/Supervisor if a review of the job description is required.
- There is a mechanism in place for reviewing the scheme.
- To enable the process to be as effective and mutually beneficial as possible, it is recommended that all staff identified as reviewers, who have not already received training in SDR skills, participate in a training session prior to holding a SDR under the new scheme. It is also recommended that all staff new to the university attend a workshop on the process prior to their first SDR.
- The process will take place annually, between the months of May and August. The work of the staff member over the preceding 12 months will be discussed at the meeting. SDRs will not take place during the probation period for new staff.
- SDR forms, once completed, are held in the Human Resources department on the confidential personal file of the individual, with the following staff able to access them:
- The Line Manager
- The Head of School/Department
- The employee
- Members of the HR team
- Deputy Vice-Chancellors
- Vice-Chancellor
- Additional material used in the SDR other than that which is on the personal file shall remain confidential to the reviewer and the staff member.
- If the staff member is dissatisfied with the outcome of the meeting, she/he may request an interview with the reviewer’s immediate line manager and HR Advisor if appropriate.
- Senior line managers have a responsibility to ensure that all SDRs in their department are properly carried out.
The process
The SDR flowchart guides reviewers and staff members through the process.
Preparation
It is widely accepted that good preparation on both sides makes all the difference with SDR.
Staff member:
- Attend training if you have not had a SDR at BSU before
- Set aside time to reflect on your performance
- Complete a draft of the SDR form on Liquid Office and submit it to your line manager at least 2 weeks before the discussion. Read the step by step guide to the form to help you and the FAQs on the process
- Ensure your diary is clear either side of the time allocated to the SDR discussion to allow you to give it your full attention
Reviewer:
- Attend training if you have not held a SDR at BSU before
- Agree a date and time for the discussion with your staff member. Ensure your diary is clear either side of the time allocated to the SDR discussion to allow you to give it your full attention
- Ensure the location is private and comfortable, and that you will not be disturbed, including by telephone
- Set aside time to reflect on your staff member's performance
- When you receive their draft SDR form via Liquid Office, consider what they have written, how you will respond, and what you might add. You can make comments and additions on the form and save it for later to complete at or following the discussion. Read the step by step guide to the form to help you
Tips for the reviewer
Making notes
It is recommended that you use the staff member’s draft of the SDR form as the basis for your notes. Consider what they have written on the form and think about how you will respond, what you might add etc. During the discussion, making notes under the headings of the SDR form can help you to write up the discussion more accurately.
Writing up
Although you may have concerns about using your PC or a laptop during a SDR discussion, it can be a good idea to write up the discussion as you go along, to ensure an accurate and timely record of the discussion is produced and agreed. You can minimise any reduction in rapport or flow of discussion by pausing to type a summary at the end of each stage of face to face discussion, and by reading what you’ve written back to your staff member.
Interim reviews
Ensure you have scheduled interim review(s) before the next SDR to ensure progress is being made with objectives, to look at the impact that any development activity has had, and to discuss performance. Refer back to the PDF of the SDR form that was emailed to you. You may wish to create a written record of the interim review, but there is no need to send this to HR.
A step by step guide to the form
Section 1 - Review of objectives and other significant achievements
This section looks specifically at the objectives agreed at the previous year’s SDR, or at the final probation review if this is the staff member’s first SDR. Discussion will centre on the progress the staff member has made against the agreed objectives and what has been achieved. Some may have been successfully completed and others not, and consideration should be given to issues that either assisted or prevented the staff member in achieving these objectives.
The staff member and reviewer should also think back over the last twelve months to other achievements and successes that are relevant to the staff member's work.
Section 2 - Please use this section to reflect back on successes and what you did well to achieve them i.e. strengths, and also to consider what didn’t go so well and what you have learned i.e. possible areas for development
The aim of this section is to think about why and how the staff member was able to achieve successes, what impact they had on the team and the University and how success can be repeated in future work.
It is also here that consideration should be given to areas of the staff member’s work that have not been so successful, and why that is. It could be for reasons outside the staff member’s control, or equally due to their work performance, which could be improved through development and support. This is an opportunity to discuss whether the level of line manager support is perceived as sufficient, and if not, what changes might be made to improve the staff member’s experience.
This section should include the staff member's reflections along with observations or feedback from the line manager.
Section 3 - Objectives for the forthcoming year
The staff member and reviewer will need to agree a further set of objectives for the coming year. The objectives must be relevant to the staff member's work, and specific, so that there is no ambiguity. Making the objectives measurable means success will be easier to recognise, and setting a timescale helps with prioritisation. Not all of the objectives will lend themselves to tangible performance indicators, but where they do, such indicators will help individuals to focus more clearly on the goals to be achieved.
Ideally, there should be between three to five objectives set for each member of staff.
In preparing for the SDR, reviewers of academic staff should ensure they are familiar with the guidelines for the determination of the duties of academic staff, available on the HR website. Some areas to consider when setting objectives for academic staff are:
- teaching;
- tutorial guidance to students' learning;
- research and other forms of scholarly activity;
- curriculum development;
- educational management and administration;
- membership of committees, working parties;
- participation in quality assurance procedures;
- recruitment and admission of students;
- staff development and review;
- income generating activities;
- representing the institution on or to appropriate external bodies
However, this list is not prescriptive or exhaustive.
Section 4a - Discussion of potential career aspirations
This section enables a discussion to take place about where and how a member of staff would like their career to develop longer term, although it may establish that the employee is content to remain in the same role or career. The reviewer should be able to offer guidance and talk through ways that the staff member can progress their career, either within or outside BSU.
With the phasing out of the Default Retirement Age, this section is also useful for discussing the short, medium and long term plans of employees of any age. For guidance on how you might manage the conversation with older workers, and support them towards retirement, if that is their plan, please see the ACAS guidance, particularly pages 8 and 9, and the frequently asked questions on page 12.
Section 4b - Discussion about the benefits of any development undertaken this year and agreed development activities for the next year that will either help to deliver future objectives or aid personal/career development
A review of development activity in the last 12 months would be included, in terms of how effective it was and what contribution it made to the achievement of successes.
This section brings together any development needs identified throughout the SDR discussion. Development activities will meet the needs identified in relation to the achievement of objectives in the forthcoming year, progression towards career goals if applicable, and consideration of BSU development priorities which are currently IT skills, research skills and management skills. Current L&D opportunities can be explored on the learning & development portal.
Section 5 - Summary of discussion
Here is where the reviewer sums up the SDR outcomes and makes any additional relevant comments. This is not intended to be a summary of the whole discussion, but a round up of the staff member’s performance during the year. The staff member then does the same, noting any areas upon which agreement was not reached during the discussion.
Learning and Development Resources
Click here to view the DVDs and books available to hire from HR to help reviewers get the most from the process