In June and July 2020, the Institute of Health and Wellbeing (IHW) Athena Swan Staff Consultation subgroup conducted interviews with staff to gain a better understanding of their experiences of the Performance and Development Review (P&DR) and career development processes. 

Researcher with notebook and coffee

Fifteen people from various job families, working patterns (FT/PT) and grades volunteered to take part in the one-to-one interviews, which were conducted on Zoom.

Key findings

  • Many staff find their P&DR a useful way to review their achievements and plan for the year ahead, but experiences vary and depend heavily on the attitudes and skills of reviewers.
  • Staff who are well-supported by reviewers emphasise the important role the P&DR can play in increasing their confidence and supporting their career development. However, those at an early stage of their career are often unaware of the relationship between P&DR and career development/progression.
  • The P&DR self-assessment form provides an opportunity to highlight contributions and strengths across a variety of performance areas. However, some staff feel this can create an unrealistic expectation to excel across all performance areas; some of which are viewed as inaccessible or intimidating to those at an early career stage.
  • Some part-time staff and those with caring responsibilities described particular challenges. These included lack of recognition of their working fewer hours and a lack of clarity over expectations for part-time staff across performance areas and promotion criteria.
  • There are problems with the current approach to providing ‘final ratings’, and improved consistency and fairness in how these are allocated would be important to staff.
  • Staff suggested that routine opportunity to provide constructive feedback about their P&DR experience might help to standardise reviews.
  • Some reported a delay in being allocated a mentor after requesting one during P&DR.
  • In addition to the annual P&DR, staff felt that more frequent career development conversations would be useful.

Our response

  1. To minimise variability in P&DR, we are developing ‘light-touch online training’ to ensure all reviewers and reviewees understand what the P&DR experience should offer, including in relation to career development/progression.
  2. We have fed back to MVLS HR
    1. concerns about the P&DR performance areas creating unrealistic expectations
    2. suggestions to develop a process to allow staff (reviewees) to provide feedback about their P&DR experiences.
  3. The Athena Swan Mentoring group is reviewing the process/timing of mentor/mentee allocations.
  4. The IHW P&DR checklist will be amended to encourage interim career development conversations.

Read the full report and recommendations.

Acknowledgements

The Staff Consultation subgroup would like to thank members of staff who participated in the interviews, Dr Kirsty Dunn for carrying out the interviews and drafting the report, IHW Administration for assisting with the organisation of interviews and the IHW Athena Swan Self-Assessment Team for providing constructive feedback.

Jack Melson
on behalf of the IHW Athena SWAN staff consultation group

First published: 2 May 2018

<< October 2020