NCVO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
GOOD GUIDE TO EMPLOYMENT FACTSHEET
Supervising and developing staff
This information is taken from the publication The Good Guide to Employment. Find out more at www.ncvo-vol.org.uk.
This factsheet provides information on how to supervise and develop staff. It covers the legal position, creation of a learning and development policy, appraisals and dealing with performance problems.
Employee development
There are a number of legal rights and responsibilities concerning employee development, whereby the employer must provide adequate health and safety training to all employees.
Creation of a learning and development policy is useful as it sets out the employer’s stance on employee development: what areas of development you wish to focus on and objectives you wish to keep in focus. Developing and annual learning and development plan is useful to take a strategic approach to learning and development needs, budgeting for planned activities and assessing learning needs.
Evaluating learning and development activities is crucial for planning future activities and follow up on learning needs.
Supervision
Supervision and appraisal meetings are helpful to both employee and manager in identifying needs learning needs early on and also valuing the work of the employee.
Appraisal and supervision meetings enable a performance problem to be identified and give the employee an opportunity to give their feedback on their progress to date.
Supervision and appraisal forms are useful in capturing information from discussions with your employee. Progress, objectives and feedback can all be captured on these forms, to act as a record for further discussion meetings.
Developing the skills of management is essential in relation to personal and communication skills and managing people and resources.

The Investors in People (IiP) Standard is a government quality award given to organisations that can demonstrate that they invest in their employees. IiP sets out best practice for the training and development of staff to achieve business goals and aims to assist organisations in improving their performance. For further information go to www.investorsinpeople.co.uk.
To find out more on supervising and developing staff, visit the following websites:
1. Acas provides information relevant to all new and existing employers www.acas.org.uk
2. NCVO provides free information, signposting and services for trustees, staff and volunteers www.ncvo-vol.org.uk.
3. Business Link: Provides information for those becoming an employer for the first time: www.businesslink.gov.uk.
4. Charity Skills: Provide seminars, briefing notes, information on charity law and telephone helplines for voluntary sector organisations www.charityskills.org
5. The Directory of Social Change: Provide information and training for the voluntary sector www.dsc.org.uk
6. Skills – Third Sector: Independent skills body for the sector www.skillsthirdsector.org.uk.