Learning and Support Resources
In preparation for your PDR discussion you may want to review these learning resources:
- Personal development planning requires a number of activities, some of which have been mentioned in this guidance. The full module is here: Creating your Personal Development Plan
- When considering your strengths and development areas you may want to do a SWOT Analysis. See this video on how to go about it: How to Do a Personal SWOT Analysis
- Thinking about the next stages in your career is useful when having your review conversation. In addition to the learning resources above, you may want to have a look at these resources to help you: Master Your Next Move; How to Future Proof Your Career
PDR guidance for Technical Professionals and Professional Services
All colleagues should have PDR conversations at least annually. This guidance has been developed to support high quality, supportive discussions between reviewer and reviewee, and should be used in conjunction with the PDR template.
Before your PDR
Before your PDR conversation reflect on your progress against the goals agreed during your previous PDR with regards to:
- Professional practice
- Relationships with others
- Planning, delivery and continuous improvement
- Overcoming challenges
- Putting our values into action
- Additional professional development
Setting goals and objectives for the next PDR
When setting your objectives for the next PDR period, please consider how they align to your:
- professional practice (analysis, problem solving, research impact and publications, grant applications, pedagogy, training and demonstration, teaching, design and production, equipment, instrument, and machinery knowledge),
- relationships with others (communications, teamwork, networking, collaborations, supervision, knowledge transfer and enabling, presentations, production and dissemination of research/innovative outputs, liaising with facility service providers, stakeholders and external parties)
- planning, delivery, continuous improvement (e.g. procurement, budgets, instrument/facility bookings, managing resources and infrastructure, strategic planning, leadership, succession planning, workforce development, timetabling, administration, health and safety practices, legal requirements)
- overcoming challenges (dealing with the unexpected, finding creative solutions, mitigating potential risks).
PDR Follow up
As part of the discussion, it is good practice to agree how frequently you are going to check in to discuss progress and support.
PDR guidance notes for Academics and Research Staff
All colleagues should have PDR conversations at least annually. This guidance has been developed to support high quality, supportive discussions between reviewer and reviewee, and should be used in conjunction with the PDR template.
Other support materials and links to training and coaching opportunities can be found here: https://www.staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/od/learning-pathways/
To help you prepare you should refer to the Statement of Research Contributions and the Statement of Teaching Expectations and the Promotions criteria as appropriate.
Before your PDR
Reflect on your progress against the goals agreed during your previous PDR with regards to:
- Teaching & Scholarship activity including any activities which support student learning, including establishing new modules, programmes and short courses, developing subject materials, curriculum developmentand learning design, personal tutoring.
- Research activity including all aspects of the creation and application of new knowledge. This includes securing research funding, the production and dissemination of research outputs, research impact and innovation; the application and development of open research; innovative developments in methodologies; research integrity; and research leadership (of research teams, activities and supporting the development of others e.g. through mentoring).
- Service & Leadership activity including any activities, responsibilities and contributions to the leadership and administration of your School, Faculty or the University.
- Social responsibility, including EDI activity including predominantly externally directed activities, knowledge exchange activities directed at collaboration with agencies and stakeholders outside of academia, including businesses and the public, to realise the impact/benefits of research, contributions to promoting positive collegial behaviour and contributions to effective running of your wider team.
Professional development record
Record the professional development activities you have participated in, including essential training elements. Link them to changes you have made as a consequence of your participation. These activities should include activities linked to social responsibility, sustainability and equality, diversity & inclusion goals.
Include a copy of your CV as part of the preparatory documentation you share with your reviewer.
Setting objectives for the next PDR
When setting your objectives for the next PDR period, please consider how they align to your
- professional practice (analysis, problem solving, research impact and publications, grant applications, pedagogy, training and demonstration, teaching, design and production, equipment, instrument, and machinery knowledge),
- relationships with others (communications, teamwork, networking, collaborations, supervision, knowledge transfer and enabling, presentations, production and dissemination of research/innovative outputs, liaising with facility service providers, stakeholders and external parties)
- planning, delivery, continuous improvement (e.g., procurement, budgets, instrument/facility bookings, managing resources and infrastructure, strategic planning, leadership, succession planning, workforce development, timetabling, administration, health and safety practices, legal requirements).
- putting our values into action
- overcoming challenges (dealing with the unexpected, finding creative solutions, mitigating potential risks).
Additional professional development
Consider your future development plans in terms of your current role, and your career development. All colleagues should plan for at least five days of professional development every year.
Identify additional developmental support that may be beneficial (coaching, mentorship, advocacy, wellbeing, reasonable adjustment requirements, staff networks, professional groups) [links here].
PDR Follow up
Agree how frequently you are going to meet to discuss progress and support.
For additional guidance see the suggested PDR template for Academic and Research Roles.
General Guidance
Personal Development:
Consider your future development plans in terms of your current role, and your career development. All colleagues should plan for at least five days of professional development every year. Identify additional developmental support that may be beneficial (coaching, mentorship, wellbeing, reasonable adjustment requirements, staff networks, and professional groups.
It is a good idea to record development activities you have participated in, including essential training elements. Link these to changes you have made as a consequence of your participation. These activities should include activities linked to social responsibility, sustainability and equality, diversity & inclusion goals.
Further information about personal development can be found here: https://www.staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/od/learning-pathways/
Goals and objectives:
Annual performance Goals are the added value that an individual contributes to the team in any given year. Goals should be linked to our University strategy, Directorate priorities and team targets and indicate clear measures of success. As a manager you should write your goals first and share them, so that your team members can link their Goals to yours or the team's targets.
Role expectations:
Some roles in the Directorate may have a job expectations document that outlines the expected tasks and SLAs for that role. If not, then managers should refer to the job descriptions for the role to clearly guide expectations about the day-to-day task in role. This needs to be clearly articulated and regularly reviewed as the day-to-day needs of the role change.
Attributes/ Behaviours:
In addition to goals, it is important to set expectations of the attributes and behaviours needed to be successful in the role and team. You should regularly discuss performance against these agreed behaviours, as well as the task as goals.