To create an environment where staff can flourish, there are a number of things that need to happen at the organisational level. These are beyond the control of individual managers or members of staff and need to be agreed at leadership or board level. Five important areas to consider are:
1 Clear strategyEvery organisation needs a clear vision and a strategy and objectives outlining how the organisation will deliver the vision. Each member of staff should understand how their role contributes to the achievement of the strategy. Staff development ensures that the organization can deliver its strategy.
The leadership of the organisation should ask: Where are there gaps in knowledge, skills or experience in the organisation that will prevent us reaching our goal? The answer to this question will identify strategic development needs. Gaps will often relate to new areas that the organisation wants to develop in its strategy or changes that are likely to happen.
2 Staff development policyStaff need to know that decisions about their development are consistent and fair. It can be helpful to have a policy about staff development so that staff know what they can expect. A staff development policy could outline the organisation’s commitment to developing people, how requests for support will be prioritised, what development opportunities the organization will and will not support, responsibilities of the line manager, individual and Human Resources Department, and a description of the processes that need to be followed.
3 Clear processesProcesses help staff to identify needs, find options, prioritise, plan and review progress. These processes include briefing and induction, regular catch-ups, formal appraisals and personal development planning. These are all part of the performance management process, which is the focus of Section 6.
4 Skills in people managementReviewing performance, giving feedback, coaching and setting objectives are all skills that managers need in order to encourage staff to grow. Often managers will need learning opportunities and support to be able to do this well.
5 Resources availableInvesting in people requires time and money. Funding should be included in the annual budget. A budget line for developing staff could be included in project proposals that are sent to institutional donors, provided it can be shown that it will increase the effectiveness of the project. It can be helpful to provide guidance on how much staff time can be used for learning activities. For example, each member of staff could be allowed up to five days per year for learning or personal development.