HR Update
Personal Development Reviews (the new Appraisal)!
Following consultation with senior leadership teams and staff (via our WeST staff survey) the Trust has developed a draft PDR Policy which brings together key principles on which we are all agreed:
- A revised system of Personal Development Reviews
- Sitting within a framework providing clarity of expectations and consistency
- Comprised of 3 PDR meetings per year, one per term, commencing in the summer term
- Cascading through the leadership line
- PDRs will be focused on:
- Personal growth and development (x3 goals)
- Workload and wellbeing
- PDRs will include consideration of career aspirations and succession planning
- Link to pay incremental pay progression to be removed (currently applies to teaching staff)
The revised policy is currently with senior leaders for review and has also been shared with our Union Joint Consultation and Negotiation Committee, whose initial response has been largely positive (although we await detailed feedback).
Following any amendments from this initial round of consultation, a further draft will be published for wider staff feedback. Please keep an eye on the Whistle over the coming weeks for this.
A notice to BlueSky users
Alongside our review of Appraisal and the change to Personal Development Reviews, you will be aware that the Trust has recently moved our payroll provision to MHR. The MHR platform brings the benefit of additional functionality as part of an inclusive package. This includes a module for the management of Personal Development Reviews and CPD.
Feedback from leadership teams as part of the appraisal project indicated that whilst a software platform to manage PDRs and CPD would be essential, they would welcome something more intuitive and less time consuming to manage. The Trust has therefore agreed with leaders to cease the contract with BlueSky in favour of exploring the use of MHR moving forward.
Therefore, access to the BlueSky platform will cease for all users on 31 July 2022. A review form for the year 2021/22 has been published via the BlueSky for those of you who wish to make use of this in closing down this year’s cycle.
Should you wish to retain your BlueSky information, you can download copies of your individual ‘Progress Summary reports’, which can be found under Home/Progress Summary, or alternatively you may wish to contact BlueSky individually to request a free of charge single license which will allow you to reactivate your account for continued access to your own data and ongoing personal use.
It is likely, that pending transition to MHR, ‘Goals’ for the 2022/23 cycle will need to be noted on a softcopy form which will be provided as an interim arrangement; this is currently in development.
If you have any question at all, please do not hesitate to contact the HR Team.