XClose

UCL News

Home
Menu

UCL Capability Policy updated

2 February 2017

Following Senior Management's approval UCL's updated

Quad ucl.ac.uk/hr/a_to_z/index.php">Capability Policy will be launched with effect from 1 February 2017.

In line with all of the other policies drafted under the HR Policy Review, the new policy has been streamlined and reformatted into a new common template. This effectively separates the core Capability Policy from the detailed procedure, process, and guidance, which are now included as appendices.

The updated Capability Policy will apply to all UCL employees for whom any performance issues arise after the implementation date of 1st February 2017.

Staff who are currently subject to formal capability procedures in line with the existing procedure for Managing Underperformance, should continue in line with the previous procedure until such time as the process has been completed.   

UCL expects all staff, in line with UCL's Core Behaviours, to strive for the highest levels of performance and engage with the university to deliver the best learning, research, teaching, and professional service possible. The Capability Policy should be followed when standards of performance give rise to concerns that cannot be resolve through advice and encouragement, training, or increased support. 

The key changes in the new policy include:

  • A streamlined policy with appendices that cover:

- Procedure
- A flowchart for its application
- Procedure for appeals
- A UCL Performance Improvement Plan to support line managers and staff.

  • In response to staff feedback, a reduction in the number of stages of the policy from four to three, with there being only two formal stages proposed.
  • The rights and responsibilities of both line managers and staff have been clarified.
  • Updated terminology to bring the policy in line with other UCL HR policies, including the standardisation of the length of time formal warnings are live for.

If you have any queries about the application of the new policy, please speak to your departmental contact in HR Advisory Services.

Adam Connell, Senior HR Policy Advisor, HR Strategy and Planning, UCL Human Resources Division