Personal Development Review (PDR) update
In the last few weeks we have had to adjust to working remotely, reduced or no work, in some cases increased work, and changes in priorities due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We all face new challenges in our working and personal lives and keeping safe and well has to be the main priority.
What that means for PDR
In this context it has been decided that the Personal Development Review (PDR) is not a priority at this point in time and as such is paused for 2019/20.
If you’re a line manager, you should remain in regular contact with all of your team members:
- to check on and help ensure staff welfare, and where possible give some reassurance at this difficult time
- to discuss how colleagues can adapt and reprioritise their work to support institutional or emergent priorities.
Adapting and reprioritising
Many of you are already working on contingency projects such as Teaching, Learning and Assessment continuity, or Business Continuity work streams, as well as essential workers keeping campus running safely for the students who remain.
Some of you may be asked to support other teams who are dealing with increased workload and demands. We also need to reassess what work can and should continue at this time and what work will need to be re-prioritised for a later date. Much work can and must continue to ensure that when this crisis has passed, we emerge strong and ready to resume at pace.
Your development
For those who are working remotely but not able to deliver your full role, this may be a good opportunity to make sure all mandatory training is up to date, and then consider future development needs.
Where a member of staff is put onto furlough leave, the rules of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) do allow for employees to undertake training whilst on leave.
Next steps
Managers are encouraged to discuss this with your team. You will be fully supported to be able to have these important conversations and best practice guidance and basic training resources will be provided in due course.