Annual Operating Plan: Human Resources 2011-12 academic year 1. Context We are all aware of the overall context. Are there any Faculty/Departmental specific dimensions to this that need to be noted at the outset? The HR Department’s Key Strategic Aims were developed in support of the University’s Key Strategic Aim to be an ‘Employer of Choice’. They are as follows: Resourcing 1 To ensure that the University recruits excellent staff who reflect the diversity of communities the University serves with appropriate skills to meet changing business requirements on an ongoing basis. 2 To ensure that the University retains staff by providing a supportive and developmental infrastructure. 3 To ensure that HR planning and workload processes are developed and implemented to ensure the appropriate deployment of staff resources across the University. Diversity 4. To increase the diversity of the University workforce and ensure that staff are treated with respect and dignity at all times. Staff Development & Performance 5. To develop and implement a strategic approach to staff development, ensuring that University, Faculty / Department and individual needs are met and that staff development resources are deployed efficiently. 6. To develop and implement an appropriate Performance Management Framework to ensure alignment with University corporate plans and business plans. Reward & Recognition 7. To develop fair and transparent reward and recognition processes ensuring these are aligned to the achievement of University objectives and priorities. Communication & Feedback 8. To ensure that all staff are informed through appropriate and flexible systems of communication. 9. To ensure that there are appropriate systems to allow for feedback from staff and customers on the HR service and on major HR initiatives. Resourcing (Staff recruitment, retention and deployment) Reward and Recognition Communication and Feedback Diversity Staff Development and Performance Being an employer of choice 1 Annual Operating Plan: Human Resources 2011-12 academic year The 2011-12 Annual Operating Plan has been developed in line with the philosophy of the current Strategy. The Strategy does however expire in 2012 and through 2011-12 a new vision will be developed for the HR department and the University in terms of the recruitment, retention and development of its human resource. The operating aims for 2010-11 have also been developed with reference to the following: External environment Beyond the very obvious external political, economic and financial influences that will impact on the University through 2011-12, the HR team will need to give specific cognisance to the: o Government’s response to the Hutton review on public sector pensions, the impact on employment terms and the potential for industrial action on a national scale. o Government’s response to the Hutton review on fair pay and the impact on the sector o ongoing challenges surrounding sector pay and the sustainability of national pay bargaining. o impact of legislative developments (e.g. CRB/ISA system, immigration, equality) Internal environment o delivering the vision for exceptionality o responding to, and delivering, the outcomes of the workstream discussions o supporting the new senior posts within the University (PVCs, Dean of Arts, Registrar, Head of Student Experience, Head of ICT & Library Services) in the development and delivery of their longer term plans as they impact on the deployment of human resource Faculty priorities for 2011-12 (as articulated in AOPs) Generic: o Development of academic portfolio o Staff recruitment activity o Growth in international recruitment o Embed Academic Work Planning Model o Managing change and flexibility of workforce Specific: Health & Life Sciences o Anticipating and responding to the cuts from the Strategic Health Authorities, future demands for health programmes in the HE sector and changes to educational commissioning o Faculty staff communication strategy o Review Faculty workforce in terms of expertise and skills mix. YSJ Business School o International student demand and implications for staff Education & Theology o Responding to changes in ITE and levels of funding o Research capabilities Arts o Resource alignment in relation to staff, students and facilities, including review of line management structures o Development of a more explicitly proactive performance management culture o Balance the competing demands of staff and workloads o Faculty communication strategy o Review programme management and communication issues in relation to BA (Hons) Film & TV Production o Management of risk associated with high levels of sickness absence o Quality of learning and teaching and responsiveness to POLT findings o Develop and strengthen research, e.g. increased staff PhD registration 2 Annual Operating Plan: Human Resources 2011-12 academic year People management o The need to maintain employee engagement, motivation, satisfaction and levels of morale at a time of uncertainty and change Flexibility Given that at the time of writing the Workstream activity has not yet concluded; we have a number of new high-level posts within our structures that have not yet determined their individual plans; this will be the first full year of the new Finance Model; and it is impossible to know the impact of student fees on recruitment for 2012-13, as a service provider it is vital that the HR and SD teams retain sufficient flexibility in their planning to respond to demands as they arise. Health & Safety Whilst no tasks are specifically referenced in the department’s operating aims for 2011-12 due to the low risk environment, maintaining a safe environment for the team is integral to all activities and appropriate guidance is followed, e.g. lone working and DSE use, and risk assessment undertaken where necessary. Equality & Diversity In performing its function, the department is committed to promoting and celebrating diversity and adhering to the principles of equality. 2. Headlines from the recent Annual Evaluative Report (or other evaluations for those departments not completing an AER) Briefly state the main quality enhancement areas you will be focussing on. a. Staff Development AER 2009-10 The Human Resources Department as a whole is not required to process an Annual Evaluative Report. However, the Staff Development team produces an AER in conjunction with the central lead on academic development (now the Head of Learning & Teaching Development) and on evaluating the staff development department activities for 2008-9 and reviewing the priorities of the University’s Human Resources Strategy, the 2009-10 evaluative process identified a number of actions relating to enhancement issues which were brought forward for further work in 2010-11. These are predominantly the responsibility of the Head of Learning & Teaching Development, however with support from the central team. The actions were as follows: New format required for Learning & Teaching conference in order to engage more academic staff. Progress: engaged Teaching Fellows to generate ideas and deliver Conference in a new format. ‘Talk about Teaching’ event delivered February 2011 with increased attendance of academic staff and positive feedback E-Learning continues as a priority moving forward – 1:1 coaching is required to generate bespoke programme material / content and enable tutors to e-mark and feedback to students. Progress: Delivered 1:1 coaching and bespoke workshops for individuals and Faculties. Integrated eassessment into SEDA modules. Attendance at Faculty QEC meetings to discuss and resolve issues in relation to e-submission, marking and feedback. Integrated E-assessment in to Arts and Business School Away Days 3 Annual Operating Plan: Human Resources 2011-12 academic year b. Continue to work with central lead for academic development to ensure seamless provision of development activities e.g. related to themes such as assessment and quality enhancement. Progress: Masterclasses from Visiting Professors delivered and further classes scheduled: Refreshing the Curriculum, Using Technology to Support Assessment conference and Course Design as the Planning of Learning. Continue to develop management information on staff development to line managers to aid PDR/ POLT processes. Progress: Database set up ready to produce data. Need to do further work on presentation of information. Once CPD framework is complete – make this available to all academic staff. Progress: currently in consultation. On track but not yet made available to staff Further development required re academic leadership and what this really means to different roles within different Faculties. Progress: Draft competencies written. Leading Teaching Teams workshop scheduled with Leadership Foundation. Work potentially impacted on by the HOP review. Further discussion required re the way in which we can evaluate the effectiveness of the learning provided and how this impacts on the quality of the student experience. Progress: Evaluation of learning: Masterclass scheduled on the Evaluation of Curriculum Innovation. Pilot delivered with Theology re the evaluation of learning and teaching practice. HR Department service evaluation The HR Department introduced a new evaluative process in 2009-10 focusing on the HR and SD service provided to managers within YSJU. A survey was undertaken in 2009 with actions agreed by the team in response to the feedback and incorporated in the 2010-11 AOP. These included steps to enhance our ability to establish effective working relationship with departments/faculties; enhance our communications; develop a more progressive equalities framework; develop the connectivity between staff development provision and University and department/faculty objectives; and heighten our focus on management and performance development. The HR team is committed to the survey being an integral part of the performance evaluation process for the department and we are due to re-issue the survey to managers in May 2011. The outcomes will need to be incorporated in our plans for 2011-12 and beyond. c. Staff Survey Whilst the outcomes of the University’s biennial staff surveys are of concern for us all, given the focus is to determine levels of employee engagement through assessment of satisfaction with the working environment, the HR department takes the lead on driving forward initiatives to respond to feedback. The Action Plan resulting from the 2010 Staff Survey has been developed and agreed with the focus of attention being placed on four main themes: investment in managers, performance development, managing change and communications. The Action Plan can be accessed via the HR pages of the website and steps are being taken by the HR team in year to start addressing some of the issues. Its main aims are also incorporated in this Operating Plan. 4 Annual Operating Plan: Human Resources 2011-12 academic year d. Equal Pay Review The HR department conducts a biennial EPR to evaluate our performance against equal pay imperatives and we are due to conduct our next review in the summer of 2011. Whilst our equal pay gap of 16% compares favourably to national and sector averages, the 2009 Review flagged a number of issues to be looked at which have been progressed over the last 2 years. Any actions resulting from the outcomes of the 2011 Review will need to be factored into any future planning. e. Key Performance Indicators A further way in which the HR Department evaluates its performance is with reference to the University’s corporate KPIs as well as local HRM/D KPIs developed with reference to the indicator sets published by the National Audit Office and Audit Commission. The Department and University assesses its performance against the indicators in the summer so it is too early to incorporate findings in this Operating Plan. However, it is anticipated that steps being taken to respond to the assessment in the summer of 2010 will continue through to 2011-12, in particular: Tackling levels of sickness absence through the adoption of a number of human resource management practices and management development Increasing the HR department’s user satisfaction levels (as measured by our performance evaluation survey (as above)) Increasing attendance at staff development events in particular in relation to mandatory development and the learning & teaching conference, and enhancing opportunities for ancillary staff engagement. 3. Key Risks (including those relating to resources) What are the major risks associated with the activities that you are planning to do in 2011-12? Please fill in the table below, identifying the likelihood and impact of each risk area. Likelihood [low-med-high] Impact [low-med-high] Disengaged workforce and low morale due to concern about uncertain futures M H Lack of leadership and management commitment to HRM/D priorities and effective people management L M M H M H M M H H L M M H Risk Performance development issues not addressed across the University Middle management capacity, capability and accountability Insufficient resource in HR team to deal with organisational changes and demands of departments/faculties for professional HR support. In turn, insufficient time to deal with progressive, proactive HR activity Potential for national dispute and industrial action Failure to deliver against legal obligations Changes in patterns of student demand in 2012-13 and potential impact on staffing levels 5 Annual Operating Plan: Human Resources 2011-12 academic year 4. Activities for 2011-12 Briefly describe the activities for 2011-12 that are new or different from previous years. Please signal those activities that will impact on current staff, space & other resource levels so that the planning and budget setting processes can be joined up. It would be helpful if you could flag the most important activities to facilitate their inclusion in the 2011 Corporate Planning Statement. The activities below are additional to the department’s regular tasks and activities that include the delivery of a substantial programme of staff development, the recruitment and contracting of staff and the management of casework; the volume of which can be very high. Activity Main outcome(s) Development of a new HR Strategy for 2012 onwards that supports the University vision and strategic objectives and is fit for the new higher education environment; a strategy that ensures we recruit, retain and develop exceptional people HR Strategy developed and delivered Resourcing & Development Continue to embed and enhance performance management and development initiatives and systems, including: a) Embedding the new PDR arrangements b) Implementing new management competencies framework with a view to a first-year review at the end of 2011-12. c) Develop competencies and behaviours for all d) Coaching and supporting managers in implementing performance development measures e) Deliver University-wide development in customer service f) Bite-sized workshops and bespoke team development on key people management issues, e.g. understanding performance management systems, managing absence etc. g) Enhance induction arrangements for academic staff to gain early commitment to exceptionality, our expectations and what it means for YSJU Cultural shift to a higher performing culture where we put students at the centre, deliver to promise, provide high quality customer service and an exceptional student experience NB: whilst not a direct responsibility of the HR department, the SD team will work with the Head of Learning & Teaching Development around the teaching challenge and the need to provide exceptional teaching & learning Resourcing & Development Enhance management and leadership development and further embed existing mandatory management development, to include: a) Implementing new induction process for new managers b) Implementing new management competencies framework (as above) and appropriate programme of development, and integrate with existing HRM systems c) introducing development opportunities specifically focused around academic leaders (this may need to follow the review of programme management arrangements in Faculties) Better skilled and more confidence managers able to best organise, encourage, motivate and engage their teams to ensure maximum performance. 6 Annual Operating Plan: Human Resources 2011-12 academic year Activity Resourcing, Development and Communication Develop processes and systems to support, develop, guide and coach employees and managers through change and help build morale and resilience within the workforce, including: a) providing managers with professional advice, guidance and support to facilitate change initiatives (NB. Given the context of this Plan, this could require a significant time commitment by the HR team) b) delivering management development on managing change and ambiguity c) developing guides for managers and employees d) developing a consistent approach to communicating & engaging with staff during a change process e) embedding adherence to new Job Security Framework f) on-going delivery of stress management workshops and promotion of the e-learning package on beating stress. Development Develop a performance coaching/mentoring framework for the University, to include the development of: a) a team of qualified Coaches b) partnership agreements with external agencies c) guides to Coaching for managers and employees Resourcing, Diversity, Development Ensure effective guidance is provided to managers on people management and change issues and that they are supported in managing challenging situations (NB: In light of their annual operating plan, the Faculty of Arts may draw a lot of support from the HR team in 2011-12) Resourcing Rebranding of staff recruitment to attract the best candidates, revisit standard requirements for YSJU employees and streamline systems, for example: a) taking a fresh look at the ‘look and feel’ of recruitment activity b) introduction of standard conduct expectations and commitment to exceptionality in all job descriptions c) investigate an IT systems solution to facilitate on-line applications and synchronisation with the HR Management Software See also ‘Future Ambitions’ (2) Development, Reward and Resourcing Review the University’s fee remission policy for staff in light of University fee setting for 2012-13 Main outcome(s) Managers appropriately informed, skilled and equipped to manage change, and staff feeling appropriately engaged and supported during change (to be measured by 2012 Staff Survey). Develop a sense of opportunity rather than uncertainty in relation to the bigger challenges in 2012-13 To provide staff and managers with the opportunity to benefit from coaching/mentoring to enhance self-awareness, enhance their performance in role and increase their effectiveness in meeting goals and objectives Proactive, fair and effective people management with positive outcomes. Enhanced external presence for advertising purposes, more efficient recruitment systems, better informed recruitment decisions and the recruitment of appropriately skilled employees with a ‘buy-in’ to the University’s vision and a clear understanding of expectations in role. New Fee Remission Policy established and introduced 7 Annual Operating Plan: Human Resources 2011-12 academic year Activity Resourcing Support the Faculties with the implementation of the Academic Work Planning Model Reward & Recognition Lead dialogue in relation to the University’s strategic approach to reward and recognition to reach agreement on the knowledge, skills, behaviours, performance and contribution that the University seeks to reward. (See also ‘Future Ambitions’ (3)) Main outcome(s) AWPM in operation, with resultant issues being worked through University approach to reward and recognition agreed that supports the direction of the University and the achievement of longer-term goals. Introduce and progress the following HRD and HRM initiatives associated with reward and recognition: a) a staff awards scheme to celebrate excellence b) a review of HOP and related roles in Faculties c) delivery of career development workshops d) provision of applications and interview development e) developmental work with domestic staff to raise aspirations f) enhanced PDR Framework Diversity Continue to embed fresh and progressive approach to promoting equality and celebrating diversity, including: a) supporting equality analysis exercises across the University b) developing equality objectives for the University c) establishing reporting and monitoring systems in line with General Equality Duty d) developing better cultural awareness within the University through appropriate development in line with the anticipated growth of international students on campus. Resourcing and Retention Conduct the 2012 Staff Survey (analysis of outcomes will take place in 2012-13) Resourcing, recruitment & retention Monitor the national situation to ensure an appropriate response by the University to the changing pay and pensions situation, in particular to ensure: a) any industrial action is appropriately addressed and managed b) staff are appropriately informed c) appropriate internal debate occurs around the future of national bargaining d) the University is advised of any impact on the national academic contract that may arise from the introduction of more flexible modes of learning Achieve a working environment where equality is paramount, diversity embraced and positive equality practice is fully integrated. To gain the views of staff and a better understanding of levels of satisfaction and engagement The University maintains an acute awareness of the national situation so we are well placed to respond to developments and to take a well-informed approach to address issues as they arise. 8 Annual Operating Plan: Human Resources 2011-12 academic year Activity Communication, Feedback and Service Levels Ensure a professional and responsive service is provided by: a) taking actions, where possible, in response to the feedback from the HR Service questionnaire b) ensuring appropriate levels of CPD for individuals within the HR and SD teams. c) effectively communicating the structure, aims, policies and procedures of the department through the website and other mediums. d) Beginning the process of dialogue around the introduction of the employee self-service module of the HR management information system, which will give managers and employees greater control over their team’s and individual information, and agree an implementation plan (see also ‘Future Ambitions’ (4)) Main outcome(s) The HR department provides a professional, efficient and responsive service that meets the needs of the University 9 Annual Operating Plan: Human Resources 2011-12 academic year Future Ambitions This plan has been written with the aim of balancing institutional need against the resources available within the SD and HR teams to ensure objectives can be delivered. This means that certain tasks whilst being progressed in year will need to continue into 2012/13 and that certain key aims will need to be put on hold until 2012/13. The following illustrates how activities will unfold in future years. Activity (1) Resourcing and Communications Move towards a true model of HR Business Partnering to ensure the best possible support and business solutions for Faculties and the realisation of key strategic objectives RESOURCE IMPLICATION: The senior professional arm of the HR operations team is made up on two staff, a Senior HR Advisor and the Deputy Director of HR who also has full responsibility for the operational running of the department. This is insufficient to fully commit to business partnering. To fully realise the vision for partnering, the department would need an additional, full-time Grade 6 HR post; this would then allow one Senior HR Advisor per two Faculties. Benchmarking suggests that the HR team is underresourced in relation to senior, professional staff and as additional resource is not available in 2011-12 this objective will not be achieved in year. (2) Resourcing Following the implementation of management competencies in 2011-12, the department will introduce management competencies into recruitment in 2012-13. (3) Reward & Recognition Develop a reward and recognition strategy for the University to ensure a coherent approach that is effectively communicated, understood and valued by the University community and which: rewards what the University values helps recruit and retain the high calibre staff develops a better understanding of career pathways increases employee awareness of the ‘Total Reward’ package ensures fairness, consistency and transparency in all aspects of reward Main outcome(s) Senior HR Advisors more actively engaged in the business of the Faculties with a heightened presence at FMT meetings, planning and Faculty events. SHRAs seen as an extension to the core FMT and an integral part of the Faculty and delivering effective HRM solutions. Better informed recruitment decisions and the recruitment of appropriately skilled employees Coherent and comprehensive approach to reward developed that supports the direction of the University and the achievement of longer-term goals. (4) Communication, Feedback and Service Levels Introduce the employee self-service module of the HR management information system. Managers and employees given control over the management and use of their team’s and individual information 10