1. Human Resources Division
Personal and Professional Development
Staff Review and Development (SRD) at DAMTP: for those reviewing early career academics
Intro me
Build on experience – as established academic but also from your own early career experience (as reviewee)
Today’s objectives: WHY and HOW
Clarify purpose and outcomes of SRD (rev/rev/org) – and fit in to wider working context
Consider process/stages – how to get most out of each part
Useful skills for SRD
Consider challenges and encourage engagement
How to get the most out of SRD
Evals/slides (to send later)
Range of experience – chance to refresh or reassure or build on skills – share good practice
Jessie Monck, PPD,

2. Overall purpose and outcomes of SRD
SRD is for all employees across all grades and staff groups. “Its purpose is to enhance work effectiveness and facilitate career development.” SRD guidance
Review work and progress
Plan for future
Reviewer
Reviewee
Supported self-review
Focussed discussion on career development
provides an opportunity to invest time in nurturing careers to ensure that individuals fulfil their full potential, supporting a process of continuous professional development;
Following best practise to supports academic and research staff in maximising their research potential – in line with athena Swan award
Complement PI management, not to replace – not assessment based
and to support the Research Excellence Framework (REF);
supports engagement, which is linked to both improved motivation and greater staff retention; facilitates the recognition and celebration of achievement;
Can help to identify difficulties or obstacles to effectiveness, and ways in which any difficulties and obstacles to progress could be removed;
provides for discussion of training needs for the current role, as well as career development.
Work
Career
Development

3. What does SRD need to succeed?
Commitment & genuine interest in making it useful
Knowledge about it – e.g. process, outcomes, non-judgemental
Time to prepare
Ability to reflect on knowledge and experience
Ability to draw meaningful conclusions
Be a part of good on-going support
Include learning from own expeience
Good problem solving apprach to difficulties – identify options
Constructive with supporting self-review and feedback

4. SRD: Why do it? Reviewer Group Reviewee Reflection Plan ahead
Satisfaction
Share experience
Learn about other areas
Own development
Group
Morale
Supports performance
Results
Retain key staff
DAMTP
Reputation
Succession
Retention
Culture
Athena Swan
Reviewee
Reflection
Plan ahead
Well-being
Development
Motivation
Before we look at HOW to do it, let’s look at why it matters. Draw on own experience
Who are the stakeholders in this?
Reviewee
Reviewer
PI/Group
DAMTP
Activity – 4 small groups, one each
Outcome for reviewer? Motivating to support less experienced colleagues. Find out what is working, build knowledge across dept.
Outcomes for org? People working happily and effectively together, good for motivation and performance, culture/reputation attracts/retains right people

5. Stages in the SRD process
HoD: support matching, ensure discussions take place, sign-off, identify trends
1. Prepare
2. Meet
3. Follow-up
Match
Sign-off
Activity – 3 groups
How to prepare – reviewer and reviewee – what to think about before the meeting
During the meeting – what do you want to cover – ie what’s on the agenda?
During the meeting – skills, knowledge, attribute for the meeting – what will help to make it an effective discussion?
Feedback from each
Good practice should include a
review of the review process

6. Preparation – before the meeting
Practical arrangements
Read relevant guidance and docs
Date, time, venue
Consider a pre-meeting
Key areas to consider:
Questions you will ask to support their self-review
Strengths and skills
Areas to develop
Their plans for the next year
Their longer term aspirations
Wider plans for their group/department

7. Stage 2: Stages of the meeting
Start the meeting
Clarify purpose and agenda
Discuss
Work, progress and achievements
Areas of strength and enjoyment
Areas and ideas for improvement
Longer term plans and aspirations
Ways to meet these
Agree any actions
Evaluate and close the meeting
Reviewer to guide through these stages
Middle section to discuss achievements, progress, what’s gone well/not so well
Agree plans, targets and objectives
Consider personal development in context of career aspirations

8. Stage 2: Skills, knowledge, attributes for the meeting
Ask useful questions – and listen to answers
Help to draw conclusions from discussions
Be constructive – look for solutions (e.g. how to meet a development objective)
Share experience and knowledge: the bigger picture
Record key points, guide the meeting, keep to time and agenda
Be open to suggestions and feedback
Useful skills for both participants
Objectives – both work and development
positive attitude – look for solutions

9. Development activities
go on a course
work shadow or swap
find a mentor or be a mentor
reading/research
observe/speak to ‘an expert’
be ‘the expert’ and teach someone else
take opportunity to practise
attend meeting/event
work on a project with others
delegation – can provide many possibilities for development …

10. Challenges or concerns?
Engagement
Time
Own experience
Authority
Need for on-going support
Complementing PI’s role …
Activity:
Part 1: 2 groups – what challenges or concerns do you have?
Part 2: problem sovling – identify some options for each – collating ‘advice for reviewers’

11. Stage 3: follow-up after the discussion
RECORD the discussion and key actions
Reviewees
Take responsibility for achieving their plans
Seek support as appropriate
Continue to self-review and take stock
Reviewers
Nothing formally required
May provide further support or motivation
Until now we have considered the first 2 stages in the process – the preparation and all the skills/knowledge that you can bring to a meeting. The final stage is to integrate into the ongoing work and development of the reviewee, and your management of that person – linking it back to the benefits and outcomes of the process overall. Let’s assume you’ve had your meeting – what do you need to do afterwards?

12. Overall purpose and outcomes of SRD
“Its purpose is to enhance work effectiveness and facilitate career development.”
Review work
and progress
Plan for future work and development
Reviewer
Reviewee