The management of human resources is a key strategic factor in the delivery of organisational success through efficient responsive client led service delivery and financial prudence. By attracting, developing, motivating and retaining skilled staff, the College can achieve a competitive edge and continue to develop its range of specialist learning opportunities to diverse markets.
The College Human Resource Strategy underpins these objectives and encompasses the following elements:
- Organisational Structure – ensuring that our organisational structure is regularly reviewed to meet the strategic needs of the College
- HR Planning – ensuring the College has sufficient and appropriately skilled staff
- Employee Resourcing – continually developing and reviewing the staff recruitment and selection policy and procedures to meet strategic and operational objectives including equality of opportunity for job applicants and staff
- HR Administration – ensuring effective, efficient and timeous, operational support and guidance is given to managers & staff to maximise staff deployment to meet strategic & operational objectives
- Equal Opportunities and Diversity – striving to achieve workforce diversification by improving access to job opportunities, tackling discrimination and by continually developing and promoting equalities policies and procedures
- Employee Training and Development – providing appropriate staff development opportunities linked to strategic and operational requirements through the Career Review and Performance Management processes
- Employee Performance – assisting staff to continually improve their performance within a culture of life long learning
- Employee Remuneration – developing and implementing modern pay and conditions strategies which reward staff for their skills and achievements, promotes flexibility, equality of treatment and which is comparable to similar organisations
- Employee Relations – Maintaining and improving effective negotiation, consultation and working relationships with trade union representatives, managers and staff
- Employee Welfare – providing appropriate employee assistance, benefits and health and wellbeing support to staff
Quality Assurance through Self Evaluation
An important aspect of quality assurance and improvement is the use of self-evaluation whereby operational objectives, which support the overall College and HR strategic aims, are reviewed and measured in order to develop improvement targets.
The focus is on effective and efficient client service delivery through effective leadership and management for key elements of the learning and teaching process together with the non-academic support services, which underpin the learning experience.
Human Resource Strategy priorities are included within the Human Resource Section of the College Strategic Plan as well as the supporting Operational Plan and an achievement review provided on an annual basis. HR objectives are developed within the self-evaluative framework, with targets set and achievements regularly reviewed.
A self-evaluative framework is also utilised for quality audit review purposes, including Her Majesty’s Inspectorate Review.
Equality and Diversity
The College’s Equality Statement
‘We shall positively promote diversity and equality of opportunity. We shall respond to the needs of our students and employees irrespective of sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, age and religion’
Our commitment to equality of opportunity is reinforced by the appointment of an Equalities Manager and the development and regular review of equalities focused policies and procedures in terms of legislative and best practice improvements.
Both Personnel Services and the Organisational Development teams work collaboratively to drive forward the College’s equality and diversity objectives.
The promotion of equal opportunities is the responsibility of all members of staff as evidenced within all job descriptions which includes the requirement to promote equality and adhere to / implement equalities policies and procedures.
The staff recruitment and selection procedures, initial induction and ongoing equalities awareness training support the promotion of diversity.
Allegations of discrimination or victimisation shall be investigated with fairness and empathy through our Harassment and Bullying, Disciplinary and Grievance Policies and Procedures.