SUCCESS FACTORS AND PDR
Success Factors are attitudes and behaviours that result in effective job performance.
They are relevant to grades A-I in administrative or professional roles.
WHY HAVE THE SUCCESS FACTORS BEEN DEVELOPED?
The Success Factors have been developed to support one of the key University strategic aims of:
“The development of high quality support services which will enhance the
academic administrative partnership in leadership and management”
Success Factors…
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have been identified as the most important behaviours for the Administrative and Support
Services.
have been identified as being the behaviours that make the biggest difference in performance
in the job.
focus on how a job is done.
have been introduced to support the development of administrative or professional staff.
provide a benchmark or standard against which we can measure performance and support
development.
align personal effort to individual, team and organisational success.
The PDR process has been updated to include Success Factors. There is a revised PDR form with
Success Factors available on the HR and Staff Development Unit web pages at
http://www.ncl.ac.uk/staffdev/performance-pdr/pdr/
Performance will be reviewed against:
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WHAT you do (objectives), and
HOW you do it (Success Factors)
PLANNING AND PREPARING YOUR PDR MEETING
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Understanding the Success Factors - this is HOW we want you to perform your job
Reviewing your performance based on your objectives and the Success Factors.
Objective setting for the coming year - this is WHAT you are expected to do.
Identifying development needs - that are realistic, useful and effective.
You should identify 3-5 Success Factors that are relevant to your job role. Your manager
should do the same. These can be discussed / agreed during your PDR meeting
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON SUCCESS FACTORS
1.
Why are they called ‘Success Factors’?
Because they are behaviours which lead to successful performance in the job.
2.
Why are there three levels within the framework?
They describe a range of different types of behaviour which are relevant to a range
of different job roles. However, the levels are not hierarchical.
3.
Are the levels linked to job grades?
No. Just because someone is on a certain job grade, it doesn’t rule out any of the
levels. However, if a job is more senior you would expect to see more of the
university level behaviours.
4.
Are they going to apply to academic staff as well?
There is a similar framework for Strategic Leaders Framework and one for
researchers which have been based on Success Factors. The idea going forward is
to have something similar for all staff groups in the university.
5.
Will Success Factors be used to ‘get rid’ of people?
That is not why they have been developed. They are used to develop individuals.
However, if the behaviour(s) are essential to the job and there continues to be no
development then it could become a performance issue.
6.
What if the employee doesn’t agree with the Success Factors that their manager has chosen?
The manager uses the job analysis information to determine the Success Factor for
the role in conjunction with discussions with the individual.
However, it is ultimately the manager’s decision.
7.
Once a Success Factor has been chosen for a role can it be changed?
Yes; it depends on the requirements / needs of the role at any point. It is fluid and
therefore may change year on year.
8.
If a Success Factor is changed during the year how do you know what you will be reviewed
against at the next PDR?
Through dialogue / communication between the manager and the individual. The
change can also be flagged on the PDR form.
9.
Do you have to choose the same level (e.g. self) for all the Success Factors identified?
No. However, it may be that they tend towards one level.
10.
If Success Factors are important – how do you pick the right ones?
Use the job analysis information and advice from your HRO and other managers
with the same roles to determine the 3-5 core success factors. It will become easier
with practice.
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11.
What if the Success Factor for a role is what the job requires as a technical output e.g.
communicating for a careers’ adviser?
There may be a ‘technical’ requirement to do that but success factors are about
‘how’ the job is done / the behaviours required in carrying out their job.
12.
If an individual achieves all the Success Factors does that mean they will get promoted / get
more pay?
Not directly. Obviously the more successful the individual is in their role / can
demonstrate effective job performance / demonstrates additional behaviours, then
this can be used as evidence in any job application or pay review case.
13.
What support will I have in using the Success Factors?
Managers will receive training; Success Factor documentation and guidance on its
use will be available on the HR web site; members of the HR team will be able to
provide advice.
14.
Won’t the choosing of the Success Factors be too subjective?
There is always an element of subjectivity in any process dealing with people.
However, Success Factors are objective standards or benchmarks with good
examples.
15.
How much evidence in assessing Success Factors will we be expected to produce?
Look over the previous 12 months for examples and pick out the 2 or 3 which
demonstrate the Success Factors the most.
16.
Won’t the assessment of Success Factors take too long?
Initially, making the assessment may take some time because it is a new process
and we’re dealing with new concepts but it is worthwhile for the benefits they
bring.
17.
Can you pick just one or two bullet points from each level of Success Factor?
Look at what is meant by the examples overall – it’s not a tick box exercise.
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