The Recruitment and Monitoring of
Staff in a Quality University
Siân Thomas, Dr. Allison O’Reilly and Katy Davies
Human Resources – strategic links
What informs recruitment and retention at UWIC?
 UWIC’s Corporate Strategic Plan
 UWIC School/Unit Plans
 Human Resources Strategy
UWIC’s Corporate Strategic Plan
UWIC’s strategic aims are:
 - to deliver its academic priorities;
 - to improve the match between staff capabilities and
organisational needs;
 - to strengthen UWIC’s market position;
 - having acquired research degree awarding powers,
to achieve University title.
UWIC’s Corporate Strategic Plan
 To develop the academic staffing profile so that staff
capabilities match organisational needs
 To enhance the professional standing and experience of
academic staff
Human Resources Strategy
The 3 key themes are:
 Recruitment and retention
 Staff training and development and improving
performance
 Health and ‘well-being’
Human Resources Strategy
Recruitment/Retention
- Attracting the best candidates
- Improving the academic staff profile
- Retaining key staff
Human Resources Strategy
Staff Training and Development and Improving
Performance
- Continuous learning and development
- Leadership and management development
- Communication/information technologies
Human Resources Strategy
Health and ‘well-being’
- Occupational Health management
- Employee engagement through participation in
workplace ‘well-being’ activities
Other Influences
 Employment legislation
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Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and amendments e.g. 2005
Race Relations Act 1976 and amendments e.g. 2000
Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and amendments e.g. 2005
Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006
Employment Equality (Religion or Beliefs) Regs 2003
Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regs 2003
Equal Pay Act 1970 and amendment Regs e.g. 1983
 Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
(CIPD)
 The Universities and Colleges Employers
Association(UCEA)
 Trade Unions
Recruitment and Selection
Introduction
The success of UWIC as a Higher Education institution
is dependent upon the contributions made by its staff,
therefore UWIC is committed to attracting, selecting
and retaining the best possible candidates.
Effective recruitment needs to be planned and systematic.
Enabling Recruitment and Selection
 Corporate recruitment & selection training
 Recruitment & Selection Process - Management
Guidance
 Recruiting managers fully understand and support
UWIC’s Equal Opportunities and Equality and Diversity
Policies and Statements
 Support for recruiting managers from the Human
Resources Department
Recruitment and Selection
The support and the resources available will ensure
recruitment and selection at UWIC is:
 Professional, planned, consistent and effective
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Which will in addition ensure:
 Fairness and equality of opportunity
 UWIC maintains its image as a good employer
Job Descriptions/
Person Specifications
 Essential tools, used not only in the recruitment process
but also to:
1. Clarify a potential applicant/current employee’s
responsibilities within their role
2. Identify training needs
3. Identify performance issues
Job Descriptions
UWIC’s recruitment & selection process:
 Provide the information needed in determining the
selection criteria
 Inform applicants about the primary purpose and
principal functions of the job and its place within the
structure of the organisation
Person Specifications
 Purpose is to make explicit the attributes required to
undertake the role in terms of education, experience,
knowledge, skills etc
 Applicants will be assessed against the criteria/attributes
set out in the person specification
 Criteria must be:

Quantifiable, measurable and capable of being
tested
Role Analysis/Job Evaluation
All job descriptions and person specifications are
reviewed to ensure the role is analysed via job evaluation
to ensure equal pay for work of equal value
 Compliance with legislation
Tool used at UWIC - HERA (Higher Education Role
Analysis)
Methods of Assessment
Consider the most appropriate methods of assessment
for each criteria including:
 Application form/Short listing Stage
 Interview
 Presentation
 Test
Attracting Applicants
 Consider appropriate publications/methods of attracting applicants
including:
 Internet/websites
http://www.uwic.ac.uk/jobs
http://www.jobs.ac.uk
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Jobcentre Plus
Paper based publications
Recruitment agencies
Head hunters
Internal talent pool:
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Possible development or career progression
Key Stages to Recruitment and
Selection
 Shortlisting
 Interview
 Appointment
Shortlisting Stage
 Recruiting panels must adhere to the scheme of
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delegation for recruiting panels
Follow UWIC’s guidance which follows ‘best practice’
Three panel members
Ensure that no discriminatory practices occur
Use of the person specification to assess all candidates
Shortlisting carried out independently by panel
members
Shortlisting Stage (continued)
 “Positive about Disability”  double tick
 Committed to interviewing all disabled candidates who
fully meet the essential criteria
 All shortlisted candidates must meet the essential criteria
 Shortlisting decisions based only on the information
contained in the application form relating to the person
specification
 Shortlisting must be an individual assessment not a
comparison of candidates
Interview Stage
 Follow similar ‘best practice’ processes as shortlisting
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stage
Use of appropriate selection methods
Questions based on the person specification
Be aware of any special needs of the candidates
Panel members complete interview assessment form
including scores and comments
Highest scoring candidate appointed
References considered once interviews have taken place
Appointment Stage
Chair of Panel
 Make offer of appointment
Human Resources
 Salary offer
 Clearances:
 References, eligibility to work in the UK, medical
clearance, CRB check where appropriate, verification
of qualifications
 Contract of employment
Human Resources - Retention
Human Resource Management and
Human Resource Development Components
Actions and
Behaviour
Communication and
Information Systems
(Technology)
Management and
Leadership Styles
(Vision and Mission)
HRD
Values
Involvement and
Empowerment
Employment and
Reward Strategies
Motivation
Beliefs
Commitment
Trust and Integrity
Psychological
contract
Mankin, D.P (2001) A model for human resource development
Investors in People
Performance and Retention
 Induction
 Probation
 Staff Performance Review
 Staff Development – Career
Development/Succession Planning
 Total Reward Package
Induction – [risk and benefit]
• Unsatisfactory performance and low job satisfaction
• Absenteeism, high labour turnover and resignations or
•
•
•
•
dismissals
Tribunal cases if employees complain of unfair dismissal
because of inadequate training
High demands on managers
Accidents leading to injuries and/or prosecution
Mistakes which are costly to the company
(ACAS, 2005)
Induction (continued)
 http://staffportal.uwic.ac.uk/Units/HumanResources/s
d/Pages/default.aspx
 With the best will in the world, induction cannot be
described as a glamorous, exciting facet of people
management. In fact, it often degenerates into a
hastily organised chore – a task that line managers
can see as being merely a distraction from more
important duties…
(Rankin, 2006)
Probation
 “a testing of conduct or character of person,
especially of candidate …… for employment.”
(Concise Oxford Dictionary)
 Staff grades 1 to 5, up to a maximum of 06 months [reviewed at
4/12/20 weeks]
 Staff grades 6 to 9, up to a maximum of 12 months [reviewed at
8/26/42 weeks]
 Temporary or casual staff, grades 1 to 9, up to a maximum of 3
months [reviewed at 3/7/11 weeks]
Probation (continued)
 Satisfactory completion of a probationary period
 http://staffportal.uwic.ac.uk/Units/HumanResources/h
r/az/Pages/P.aspx
Staff Performance Review
 “a cultural shift within HEIs towards an acceptance of
performance management…..so that performance review
becomes the norm, rather than the exception. This will
involve tackling poor performance, but also managing
good performance”.
(KPMG, 2005)
Staff Review and Development Scheme (2002)
Staff Performance Review Scheme (2007)
Staff Performance Review
The scheme aims to:
 Match individual and organisational needs
 Structured objective setting linked to corporate plans
 Review individual performance
 Identify personal development needs
 Identify any factors which may affect future
objectives and priorities
 Allow staff to feedback on school/unit and UWIC
strategies and plans
Staff Performance Review
AUGUST
JULY
FIRST
REVIEW
COMMUNICATION
MID-TERM
REVIEW
Staff Performance Review
 SPECIFIC  MEASURABLE  ACHIEVABLE -
 REALISTIC  TIMED –
 http://staffportal.uwic.ac.uk/Units/HumanResources/sd/st
affperformancereviewscheme/Pages/default.aspx
Career Development and
Succession Planning
 Corporate Staff Development Activities
 Coaching and Mentoring Framework
 Continuing Professional Development
 http://staffportal.uwic.ac.uk/Units/HumanResources/s
d/Pages/default.aspx
Total Reward Package
 a safe and amiable working environment;
 job security;
 induction;
 staff development;
 flexible working;
 fair recruitment, appraisal, promotion and
 redundancy policies and procedures
(Herriot et al. 1997)
Actions and
Behaviour
Communication and
Information Systems
(Technology)
Management and
Leadership Styles
(Vision and Mission)
HRD
Values
Involvement and
Empowerment
Employment and
Reward Strategies
Motivation
Beliefs
Commitment
Trust and Integrity
Psychological
contract
Mankin, D.P (2001) A model for human resource development
Quality Standards Framework
 Core areas of Knowledge
 Our Values
 Our Ethos
 Five Core Competencies
 Fourteen Higher Education Role Analysis elements
 Seven Principles of Public Life
Actions and
Behaviour
Communication and
Information Systems
(Technology)
Management and
Leadership Styles
(Vision and Mission)
HRD
Values
Involvement and
Empowerment
Employment and
Reward Strategies
Motivation
Beliefs
Commitment
Trust and Integrity
Psychological
contract
Mankin, D.P (2001) A model for human resource development
Management standards
• Support the development of job descriptions and
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•
•
•
person specifications;
Underpin the recruitment, induction and probation of
new managers
Provide a platform for self-appraisal or audit of
existing skills and knowledge
Underpin the identification of appropriate
development needs
Form a basis for career development/succession
planning
Management Standards
 Level Three
 Level Four
 Level Five
 http://staffportal.uwic.ac.uk/Units/HumanResources/
sd/managementstandards/Pages/default.aspx
A Final Thought……..
QUALITY STAFF =
A QUALITY UNIVERSITY