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Circular letter number 17/2005
For further information contact Tracy Allan, tel 0117 931 7025, e-mail t.allan@hefce.ac.uk
Dear Vice-Chancellor or Principal
Self-assessment tool for people management in HEIs
1. This letter explains the purpose of the self-assessment tool for people management, and how use of the tool is one method which will enable us to mainstream our funding to institutions under the Rewarding and Developing Staff in HE initiative (R&DS).
2. In consultation with the sector and supported by HEFCE, the Universities Personnel Association and the SCOP Personnel Network have developed a self-assessment tool for people management in higher education institutions (HEIs). This tool is now available on the HEFCE web-site at www.hefce.ac.uk/lgm/hr. The tool has been streamlined into an easy-to-use workbook, which can be completed online. In addition, a shorter document of 11 pages presents the self-assessment questions as a list.
3. The self-assessment tool (SAT) will enable institutions to assess their own progress in people management, while providing assurance to stakeholders that they are committed to continuous improvement. Following our consultation (HEFCE 2004/43), we have determined that we will transfer the remaining R&DS funding into the core teaching grant, to institutions who successfully demonstrate to us that they have self-assessed their people management practices. The UPA/SCOP Personnel Network tool is one means of achieving this. It has been carefully developed and we would commend it to you.
4. Our core requirements are set out below.
Timetable for completion
5. Self-assessment of people management will be phased in over the next three years (to 2008). The earliest date that remaining R&DS funds can be mainstreamed is August 2006. HEIs aiming for that date should submit the results of their self-assessment by May 2006. HEIs aiming for mainstreaming in August 2007 or August 2008 should submit by May 2007 or May 2008 respectively. When we consulted with the sector on the SAT, 85 per cent of respondents agreed that it would be reasonable to withhold R&DS funds if self-assessment had not been completed by May 2008 at the latest.
The self-assessment process and HEFCE’s requirements
6. A small number of HEIs have already completed the self-assessment process; in some cases they did so in preparation for revising their human resources (HR) strategy. In other cases, self-assessment will result in the production of an action plan for future activity. The revised HR strategy or the action plan or some other way of demonstrating the outcomes of the exercise (whichever is relevant for your institution) should be sent to us, along with a short explanation of the self-assessment process undertaken. (This could be, for example, a brief report of no more than two sides, or a copy of the relevant agenda paper submitted to a governing body committee.) We do not expect to need any other information. However, we may ask for specific information to supplement the submission, such as more evidence of how the self-assessment process was independently validated.
Alternative methods of self-assessment
7. We will make full use of existing processes to minimise duplication and burden, and are currently reviewing the SAT against three other systems of self-evaluation: Investors in People, the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) and the Balanced Scorecard. This review is to ensure that using the self-assessment tool does not result in duplication of effort by institutions that already self-assess or have otherwise achieved recognised standards in people management. The resulting guidance (which we intend to publish on our web-site by autumn 2005) should enable HEIs to determine which parts of the SAT they can be exempted from when conducting their self-assessment.
8. Until the guidance is available, HEIs considering using alternative methods of self- assessment should call Tracy Allan on 0117 931 7025 for a preliminary discussion.
Implementation workshops – to support use of the tool
9. Transitional implementation training and support will be available to HEIs who decide to adopt the UPA/SCOP tool. The UPA, the SCOP Personnel Network and HEFCE will be running a number of support workshops, for institutions who would like help in planning the self-assessment process. These will be organised through autumn and winter 2005, and we will advertise them widely.
10. For HEIs that are ready to start work on self-assessment now, there will be an early workshop in London on 19 July 2005 at the University of the Arts, London, 10 Back Hill, London EC1R 5EN from 1000 to 1300 (and repeated in the afternoon from 1400 to 1700). Please e-mail Tracy Allan (t.allan@hefce.ac.uk) if you would like to attend, stating your preference for either the morning or afternoon session. There is no charge for attendance.
Yours sincerely
Sir Howard Newby
Chief Executive