General Staff Career and Professional Development

Transcription

1 General Staff Career and Professional Development HR Policy PURPOSE This policy outlines the commitment the University makes to support and assist the professional development of individual general staff to enhance the University s performance. 1. POLICY 1.1 The University is committed to providing general staff with career and professional development opportunities to: - improve skills and knowledge; - improve the quality of workplace performance; - enhance performance, job satisfaction and staff engagement; and - encourage retention in support of the University's stated mission and goals. 1.2 The development of staff is a responsibility shared by the individual, Heads/Managers and the University. General staff are encouraged to improve their capabilities, prepare for career opportunities and to take responsibility for their own career development planning. 1.3 The University will provide development opportunities, programmes and other experiences likely to increase the general staff member's capabilities to enhance their performance in their current roles and prepare them for future roles. 1.4 Development opportunities which are not directly related to the staff member's current job may be included. 1.5 The University, through its Deans/Directors and Heads/Managers will encourage all general staff to participate in such opportunities and programmes. 1.6 Access to staff development activities, financial support and study leave must be balanced with the operational requirements of the Faculty/Department. DEFINITION 1. Staff professional development refers to a large range of activities including: Workplace learning projects, day-to-day development activities, informal manager feedback, coaching, job rotation. Formal activities - programmes, courses, seminars, workshops, conferences, retreats, awards, further study leave, secondments, staff exchanges. Informal activities informal peer review, networking, shadowing, mentoring. 2. Career development: Is the planned effort to achieve a balance between individual career needs and organisational needs. AUDIENCE This includes staff who are employed on a long term full-time or part-time basis, including fixed term agreements, research grant holders and UniServices employees. Short term (up to one year) temporary and casual staff are not usually entitled to staff development. RELEVANT LEGISLATION Employment Relations Act 2000 Human Rights Act 1993 Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 LEGAL COMPLIANCE The provisions in the General Staff Collective Agreement apply to general staff.

2 The University is committed to professional development related to the Treaty of Waitangi, equal employment opportunities, human rights, and employment relations. PROCEDURE Career Development Career development has been defined as planned effort to achieve a balance between individual career needs and organisational needs. General Staff are encouraged to take responsibility for their own careers by identifying skills and knowledge that will assist both within their current job and to anticipate future employment possibilities. In return, The University of Auckland will endeavour to provide a supportive environment in which staff can identify their work/developmental goals and receive feedback on their performance. Induction and Orientation Programmes The University provides an induction and orientation programme for all new general staff appointees. This should be the first professional development after appointment. Access to Staff Development All general staff members are encouraged to participate in career and professional development training within agreed time allowances and time-off for study. A level of consistency should be maintained both within and between different departments/sections. General staff should discuss development options with her/his Head/Manager and seek her/his support before enrolling in any course. This is consistent with general staff conditions of employment. Development options will reflect prioritised training or development needs identified by the staff member and supervisor through the annual performance and development planning and review process or through other processes such as induction. Fair allocation of time for development will include consideration of the University equity objectives. Some target group members may need additional or tailored training, development and support. Departments will make provision in their budgets for costs relating to specialist and external staff development and training needs identified and agreed in the Individual Development Plan through the annual performance and development planning process. Agreed training or development should whenever practicable be arranged at a time when a Department/Section can best accommodate the staff member being away from the department in the normal course of events. Head's/Manager s Role All Heads/Managers have a responsibility to support the professional development of their staff. The annual performance and development planning and review process provides them with the opportunity to assist the staff member to identify their professional development needs and to discuss how the University might assist their short and long-term development goals. Heads/Managers should not attempt to retain a staff member when doing so would go against the career and professional development interests of the individual. Heads/Managers should be aware of and consider the options outlined below in assisting staff who wish to develop their careers. Staff Member s Role Staff have the opportunity as part of the annual performance and development planning and review process to plan professional development and career goals in consultation with their Head/Manager. Staff should consider their medium and long term professional and career goals, and how the University might assist in achieving those goals, which could include one or more of the options outlined below.

3 Options for Career and Professional Development The Head/Manager should ensure staff members know how to gain further advice about career and professional development, including in relation to the following options. Internal Programmes The Staff and Organisational Development Team (SODU) in Human Resources provides a comprehensive list of training and development activities for all staff. 'Individual Development Plans' are used as a needs analysis for programme planning and requests for other training are always welcome. External Programmes In some cases external courses or conferences can be very useful for staff, particularly those in more specialised positions. Faculties/Departments/Sections are responsible for the approval and funding of such activities and should be planned in advance to ensure time and financial resources are considered. Formal Programmes or Qualifications The University supports general staff who wish to undertake formal university study, as outlined below. Scholarships and Awards Scholarships and Awards are available to assist general staff with professional development opportunities. For further information visit Mentoring Mentoring is a partnership between a more experienced person and someone new to a role or the organisation. The mentor teaches, counsels, and provides psychological support and motivation for their mentee. Research clearly shows that mentoring is most effective when both the mentor and mentee have clear understandings and expectations of the relationship. Guidelines and training sessions on mentoring are available from SODU. Shadowing Shadowing is a way for others to observe skilled job performance in the workplace, with all of its constraints and unpredictability. The experience is made more powerful if the shadowing is followed up by a feedback session and discussions on what worked, didn t work and why, as well as discussing how things could be handled differently. Shadowing may also be used in conjunction with a mentoring programme. Job Rotation Job rotation involves staff within a Department/Section undertaking tasks on a rotational basis. The staff members involved gain additional experience and skills, often making jobs more rewarding and offering new challenges. Job rotation can also assist in providing additional expertise in the Department/Section. Staff Exchanges Opportunities for staff to increase their skills and knowledge can also be provided through staff exchanges. Exchanges could be for agreed periods of time within the wider University, as well as with other tertiary institutions, e.g. AUT. This would need to be carefully organised in consultation with Human Resources (HR). Secondments From time to time opportunities for secondments may arise within the University. These provide staff with opportunities to work in different areas. Where possible, expressions of interest for secondments will be called for by HR. It should be noted that a person accepting a secondment may not always have their existing job held for them. Job Enrichment Job enrichment is a process in which the intrinsic characteristics of the job are reviewed by the job holder and the management of the University. Job enrichment may lead to changes in the level of responsibility and decision-making involved in the job. It typically increases the skill

4 requirements associated with the job and thus provides greater opportunities for personal development. Further Advice Further advice and information is available from Human Resources, Careers Advisory Services, and Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), or other providers. University Study The General Staff Collective Agreement contains provisions on Study Leave and Tuition Fees, as per the Appendix. The following are to be read in the context of those provisions. First Degree or Diploma Approval Members of staff wishing to enrol for a relevant first degree or diploma at The University of Auckland must obtain in advance: - the recommendation of their HEAD/Manager, and - the approval of their Faculty Dean, Librarian, or Service Division Director. Where a programme is only available at another University each application will be considered on its merits. Time Off Time off may be allowed during normal working hours to attend lectures, tutorials and laboratories, at times mutually agreed with the HEAD/Manager, on the following basis: - Up to 3 hours per week. - Up to a further 2 hours per week, where this time is made up by the employee. - Staff wishing to study for more than 5 hours per week during their normal hours of work will normally need to seek a part-time appointment for the duration. Examinations A half day off will be allowed to prepare for each examination, and a further half day off will be provided to sit the examination for each course for which time off has been approved. Further Study Time off for further study may be granted where the course or subject concerned is of particular relevance and directly useful to the applicant s job, or it has been agreed in the 'Individual Development Plan'. The approval process and time off provisions are as for the 'First Degree or Diploma' provisions above. Reimbursement of Fees The following guidelines apply to the reimbursement of fees: Full Time Staff The Department/Faculty/Section may approve the reimbursement of tuition fees to a maximum of the costs associated with 30 points per annum. Part Time Staff The Department/Faculty/Section may approve the reimbursement of tuition fees equivalent to the proportion of the appointment to full-time duties (e.g a half-time appointment may be reimbursed to a maximum of 15 points per annum). Where an approved programme of study is not available at The University of Auckland, the provisions for Study Leave and Tuition Fees within the General Staff Collective Agreement should be applied to that programme of study at another tertiary institution. Approved programmes are reimbursed by the staff member's Faculty/Department/Section budget under the Staff Training provision. Equity of Access Where a general staff member is concerned about fair access to time off and/or reimbursement of fees, the staff member should in the first instance discuss this with their Head/Manager. If there is no mutually satisfactory outcome to this discussion the staff member may discuss the matter with the Dean/Director. The Faculty/Service Division (?) must ensure that there is equitable access to career and professional development support, and consider any concern that is raised in this context.

5 Heads/Managers are expected to budget sufficient resources to support study leave that has been identified and agreed in the general staff member's 'Individual Development Plan'. [Note: The term Head/Manager is used to denote the position to which the staff member directly reports. In the case of other roles, this term may be amended accordingly.] Prepared by: Director of Human Resources Owned by: Director of Human Resources Authorised by: Staff Advisory Committee Date Issued: February 2011 Review Date: February 2014 Appendix The following provision is contained in the General Staff Collective Agreement: G13 STUDY LEAVE G13.1 Provision of Study Leave is at the discretion of the employer. G13.2 Employees may be granted study leave to enable them to complete qualifications and to attend courses and seminars which are considered by their employer to be relevant to their employment. Such study leave may entitle them to the benefits set out in G13.3 and G13.4. G13.3 An employee who has been granted study leave under G13.2, and who has successfully completed a section of the course for which he/she has enrolled, may be reimbursed either wholly or in part towards the cost of course or tuition and examination fees on the production of the results sheets and receipts. Other fees and purchase of notes, books and instruments shall be the responsibility of the employee. G13.4 Where, as a course requirement, the employee who has been granted study leave under G13.2 is required to travel to another centre, the employer may pay transport costs and expenses set out in F4. G13.5 The granting of study leave each year shall be subject to the employee s satisfactory progress in his/her work and studies. G13.6 Where a full time employee is required by the employer to study towards a recognised qualification, the employee shall be granted leave on pay up to a maximum of one day in a week, or such other times as may be required by the employer, for the purpose of attending such a course or study. G14 TUITION FEES The University may meet the costs of tuition for any employee enrolled for a course of study in the University which is relevant to the employee's work and has been approved by the employer. The University may approve attendance at courses in other cases without meeting the cost of tuition.