Using the AUA CPD Framework to create a new approach to appraisals within the

University of Kent

Melissa Bradley, Stephanie Green and Helena Torres

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Welcome / Introductions

• Melissa Bradley, Faculty Administration Manager, University of Kent (m.v.bradley@kent.ac.uk)

• Stephanie Green, School Administration Manager, SECL, University of Kent (s.l.green@kent.ac.uk)

• Helena Torres, School Administration Manager, English, University of Kent (h.m.torres@kent.ac.uk)

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Group Activity

• Share your thoughts on appraisal

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Context

• Changing Higher Education Sector

• University Administration Review

• Faculty wide review of administration restructures

• Opportunity to use the AUA CPD Framework and decided to use this in the appraisal process

• Reconceptualising appraisals: providing equal weight to performance and personal and professional development

• Enhancing meaningful engagement with appraisal

• Outline expectations of their professional behaviours

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Appraisal Project

• Small pilot within the Faculty of Humanities

• 27 staff participated

• The appraisal period was moved to later in 2011

• Managed by a small project team including Faculty HR Manager

• Engaged senior stakeholders

• Linked with existing University appraisal process and appraisal form

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Appraisal Project (II)

• Project poster displayed in the pilot Schools

• Briefing sheet circulated to all staff

• Team briefings were held by line managers

• Framework was disseminated

• Focus groups

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Project Outcomes

• A pilot professional development framework based upon the AUA behaviours & CPD Framework and matched to the University’s grades

• Accompanying guidance notes for appraisers, FAQs, a self assessment form and letter to all staff.

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Group activities

Group activity 1 • Consider the three professional development areas

given to your table and put together list of examples of positive and negative behaviours

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Group activities

Group activity 2

• Now consider three new professional development areas and put together a list of potential learning and development activities that participants could undertake to enhance strengths and/or areas of further development

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Example Learning and Development Activities

• 360° feedback

• Action learning

• Coaching

• Committee membership

• Conferences

• Contributing to consultation and feedback

• Delegation

• Distance learning

• E-learning

• Job rotation/Job swaps

• Mentoring

• Peer review/support

• Policy development

• Presentations

• Project team membership

• Secondments

• Shadowing

• Visits

• Workshops

• Writing reports, articles

• Networking groups

• Volunteering

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Focus Group Participant Feedback

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Project Benefits

For individuals

• encouraging reflection

• building on current capabilities, skills and knowledge

• increasing effectiveness

• increasing motivation to learn, build confidence and self-esteem

• enhancing transferable skills

• expanding and developing new areas of capability,

• maximising and building on strengths

For line manager

• aiding the identification of personal and professional development needs for teams

• enhancing guidance available to staff as part of their preparation for appraisals

• acting as a guide to career and succession planning

• providing a framework to give praise and regular constructive feedback to individuals

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Project Challenges

• Project work undertaken on top of the day jobs

• Timescales/Time (Short project timeframe)

• Potential resistance to change

• Staff attitudes towards appraisals

• Briefings and communication took longer than we thought

• Impact of language – the use of the word “behaviour”

• Designing the self assessment form

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Project Success / Key Learning Points

• Strong project team

• Well defined project brief and defined outcomes

• Establish and adhere to a series of timelines/set tasks

• Planning and communication (never underestimate this)

• Small number of participants

• Importance of briefing and obtaining proactive engagement and commitment

• Support and buy in from HR, senior colleagues as well as working closely with consultant

• Held focus groups and conducted a online survey

• Used the participants feedback to decide the future of project

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Moving Forward: phase II

• Larger number of participants (circa 100)

• Broader range of departments

• One to one briefings with new department leads

• Regular communication updates

• Adding specialised training workshops

• Revised self assessment form using a coaching wheel as the basis of self reflection

• Revisions to the Professional Development Framework to incorporate a new “external” category, more IT and technical behaviours

• Inclusion of a CPD log

• Establishing a shared document area using SharePoint

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In conclusion…

Before you start implementing a project:

• Be clear about success - what does this look like?

• Understand your audience – tailor communication and engagement appropriately

• Pay attention to local context and potential barriers

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