The Policy Library – Children’s Homes Section
Human Resources
Sub - Folder and/or File Description / Detail /Appraisal
/ Employee Performance Appraisal is an important aspect of supervision and management, and examines aspects of employee performance on and satisfaction with, the job that they do. We offer you the prospect of tackling appraisal in the conventional way, through employee self-assessment, and supervisor review and report (with a recommended action plan for the following review period) AND the tools to use the latest 360 degree appraisal process if you wish.360 Degree Feedback
Introduction / A 2 – page review of what 360 degree feedback is all about.
Model Assessment Forms / There are 4 separate forms here. These forms are used to judge the appraiser’s perception of the employee, through Quality, quantity and timeliness of work; Job knowledge; Personal characteristics; Judgement, decisiveness and initiative; Customer service and Personnel management and development. There are forms for employee self-assessment, external stakeholders, the employee’s line manager and the employee’s peer group/subordinates.
Model Letters / There are 2 model letters – one explaining the process to the employee, and one to an individual who is asked to comment, through the Form, on the employee’s performance.
Notes for Employees / An explanation of the programme for employees.
Results Summary / All of the feedback is recorded and summarised here.
Statements Bank / This set of competency statements can Form the basis of your own questionnaires – but consider adding some of your own competency statements as well.
Training Forms / These forms will be useful as you consider the outcomes of the process, and any additional training that your employee may be required to undertake. Finish.
Conventional Approach to Appraisal
Employee Guide / Employees need to understand the purpose and benefits of performance appraisal – this simple guide explains the process. Effective performance appraisal includes two-way dialogue, and getting a proper understanding of where the employee is coming from BEFORE the appraisal meeting helps the manager/supervisor plan the discussion, and focus on those key points of interest to the employee. The self-appraisal Form which comes with the employee guide asks some important questions.
Manager’s/Supervisor’s Guide / This handy guide covers all the main points, and would assist all managers and supervisors charged with this important responsibility. The guide includes a supervisor’s report which contains the action plan, and the training and development plan, helping you keep a useful record of the “ development contract” you have discussed with the employee.
Self – Appraisal Form / A useful Form for employee’s to give their own self-assessment prior to the formal appraisal process. Included with the Employee Guide.
Supervisor’s Report / A model report which refers to a review of previous objectives, actions plans etc, an assessment of competencies, and an overall report with recommendations. An Employee’s Training and Development Plan and an Employee Action Plan complement this useful tool. Included with the Manager’s and Supervisor’s Guide.
Employee Attitude Survey / You may be struggling with high staff turnover, or having difficulties in recruitment – but you don’t know why? If this sounds familiar it is possible that things are not quite as they should be “on the shop floor”, but how do you find out? Taken as part of your quality improvement process, or simply as a means of “taking the pulse”, a well-constructed Employee Attitude Survey can be extremely beneficial in understanding if there are issues which are holding you back. Our model is a complete DIY kit, enabling you to customise your survey questionnaires (like everything else, they are written in fully editable Microsoft Word) and analyse them yourself.
Employee Guide / Appendix 8 of the old National Minimum Standards for Children’s Homes lists 45 Policy issues to be included in guidance available for staff. Although the standards have been modified somewhat we thought that this would be an ideal opportunity to draft an “Employee Guide” covering these 45 items. Simple, brief statements which you, of course can expand upon, quickly and easily, to suit your own particular needs and circumstances.
Exit Questionnaire / It can be useful, on occasion, to gain an understanding and a perception of employment with you from those who have chosen to leave your employment. As with the Employee Attitude Survey approach, it can be a most useful way of identifying areas of concern (of which it is possible you were unaware) or dissatisfaction, which you may consider reviewing. There are 2 separate questionnaires (editable, of course) – one for employees who have left, and one for employees who have resigned, but have not yet left your employment. The questionnaires can Form the basis of an, “Exit Interview”, if you want to consider this possibility with staff who are departing.
HR Forms and Letters / A truly comprehensive collection of forms and letters to ease the burden of personnel administration within the Home. Professionally produced, and backed up by years of personnel experience, they include –
Access to Medical Reports / A Form for you to use to gain your employee’s agreement to seeking a medical report on his/her medical condition together with a model letter for the GP.
Access to Personnel File / A Form for an employee to use to seek permission to review the contents of their personnel file.
Annual Leave Request Form / Form to indicate period of leave requested and seeking permission.
Application Forms (6 versions) / We offer 6 versions of an Application Form. The first 4 are for care Workers and Volunteers and reflect the current requirement for CRB checks, with a second set prepared for if/when there is mandatory registration with the ISA. The final 2 Forms are a standard form and an abbreviated version.
Bank Details / A Form for payroll purposes.
Care Worker’s Experience Assessment / A useful Form, for possible inclusion with the Application Form, to identify the experience and training of the job applicant in specific areas of care work.
Dignity at Work Form / A Form for an employee to make a complaint under the “Dignity at Work” policy.
Discipline Checklist / This is a useful reference to what happened in a disciplinary investigation.
Discipline Letters / Model letters for use in the disciplinary process.
Equal Opportunities Monitoring / A Form to go out with Application Forms to gather information for equal opportunities monitoring purposes.
Fitness Assessment / Pre employment medical questionnaire.
Flexible Working Forms / Forms for an employee to complete to gain a consideration of him/her working flexibly.
Gifts Declaration / Declaration of a gift received.
Grievance Checklist / A record of what happened in a grievance situation.
Grievance Form / Form for recording a grievance.
Lateness and Absence Record / This Form records an individual’s lateness and absence record for a year.
Long Term Absence / A Form to complete during the follow up reviews in a long term absence situation.
Model Opt Out / A Form for an employee to opt-out of the Working Time Regulations 48 hour rule.
Observation of a Care Worker / There are a number of ways of establishing the quality of service being provided, and one way is by direct observation. This Form deals with an assessment of the care worker whilst undertaking activities/tasks with the client, and provides a useful reference point for quality review, training and supervision.
Payroll Action / A Form providing details of an employee’s bank account etc.
Recruitment letters / A selection of letters used in the recruitment process.
Reference Compilation / Model forms for referees to complete in situations where a reference is sought, but the employee has not received an offer of employment, and one where they have.
Return to work Interview / This Form records the detail of a return to work interview following sickness absence.
Sickness Self – Certificate / A Form for an employee to self-certify their absence as sickness and to identify the condition that caused it.
Trainer’s Qualifications / Form to record the qualifications of a Moving and Handling Trainer.
Use of own vehicle for work / Checklist for the employee to complete.
Volunteers Agreement / A model Form of agreement with the Volunteer. In addition, there is a separate one-page statement of a Code of Conduct and Practice so that Volunteers have an understanding of their obligations to the Home.
Written Statement of Particulars / This document is a fundamental requirement under Section 1 of the Employment Rights Act. We offer a copy of the ACAS guide to this subject, together with a sample statement and a pro-forma (blank) for you to edit and use for your own purposes. The Written Statement is often referred to as the “Employee’s Contract”.
34 detailed Policy/Procedure statements on the important HR/Personnel topics – listed opposite. A superb collection of fully editable and up-to-date HR policy for your Home / Topics for which there are individual Policy/Procedure statements –
1. Absence;
2. Additional Employment;
3. Annual Leave;
4. Capability;
5. Computers;
6. Data Protection Access;
7. Dignity at Work;
8. Disclosure;
9. Diversity in Care;
10. Education and Training;
11. Employee Discipline;
12. Employee Grievances;
13. Employee Responsibilities;
14. Equal Opportunities;
15. Equality;
16. Fixed Term Employees;
17. Handling Disclosure Information;
18. Induction;
19. Leave of Absence;
20. Medical Appointments;
21. Mobile Phones;
22. Probation;
23. Recruitment;
24. Recruitment of Ex Offenders;
25. Retirement;
26. Sick Pay;
27. Special Leave;
28. Staff Support;
29. Substance Abuse;
30. Use of Email;
31. Use of the Internet;
32. Violence at Work;
33. Volunteers;
34. Whistleblowing.
Job Descriptions/Person Specifications for:-
· Head Chef;
· Home Manager;
· Housekeeping Assistant;
· Housekeeping Supervisor;
· Kitchen Assistant;
· Residential Child Care Officer;
· Blank Pro-Forma.
You will need this for Registration. A handy pro-forma for you to insert key information.
· How to check the right to work;
· Note to job applicants;
· Notes on preventing illegal working.
Guide to the recruitment process / A 1 – page guide to Job Descriptions and Person Specifications. What they are and why they are important.
Sourcing candidates -Where do candidates come from? Many methods are discussed in this handy 3 – page guide, including notes on how to write attractive adverts, and some tips on advertising generally.
Shortlisting and the selection process. Easily the most important part of the recruitment process, shortlisting correctly is essential to a successful outcome. Includes tips on the selection interview, and how to conduct it properly.
Hiring the successful candidate. 2 pages of tips on securing the successful candidate, together with some useful notes on writing the job offer and reference checking.
Finishing the exercise. Handy and useful hints on tying up those loose ends, including ensuring that all of the unsuccessful candidates have been informed.
Process chart of the recruitment process. Summary of the key actions involved in a professional recruitment exercise – in process chart Form.
Sample interview questions. Stuck for what to ask? Here are a few interesting questions which should get your candidates talking about themselves and their achievements.
Shortlisting Assessment. This Form takes you through the process of assessing and recording whether a candidate has the essential requirements to be considered for the position. Helps you make objective assessments, free from bias.
List of useful contacts. A comprehensive list of web addresses for you to obtain additional information relating to recruitment.
Model Recruitment Exercise / We have put ourselves in your shoes, and you need to recruit a Registered Manager. We have designed and include in this package the following materials which will form the basis of a model Recruitment programme for this important position –
· Local Press Advertisement;
· Application Form;
· Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form;
· Fitness Assessment form;
· Various letters – for example one enclosing the Application Pack, Reject before Interview, call for interview, reject after interview, offer of employment;
· Reference request letter and form;
· Written Statement of Particulars;
· Job Description and Person Specification;
· Notes on working in the UK and how to check entitlement.
A professional approach to one of the most important tasks you may have.
Employee Profile / Keep essential information about your employees, such as name, position, next of kin, address, employment record with you etc.
Others Record / A record of all others who are working in the Home but not listed elsewhere.
Staff list (version 1) / This staff list lists all employees by name and position.
Staff List (version 2) / As above, but if you are handy with a digital camera, why not add a photo – this way your Residents can have an easy check on “Who’s Who”.
Staff on Duty / A record of staff on duty at the Home
4-weekly Staff Rota / An example of a staff rota on 1 – page.
Staff Personnel File / A handy front page listing the contents of a well-constructed personnel file.
Duty Manager Policy / We offer a model Policy/Procedure statement on the question of a Duty Manager being identified at all times and the procedures for contacting the Duty Manager for advice/guidance etc. when he/she is not physically on the premises.
Staff Handbook / We have deliberately separated the operational issues from the employment issues, and created two model handbooks. This 20 – page model offers a superb starting point as you begin the process of creating a Handbook. The Staff Handbook is an excellent model – nearly 60 pages in total, and covering all of the most important employment topics. A most useful compliment to your more detailed HR policy. See also Section 8, Employee Guide.
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