New manager FAQs

• A member of staff is leaving partway through the leave year and has annual leave outstanding. Do they have to take it?

When staff leave employment, their holiday leave entitlement is calculated pro rata at one-twelfth of the annual entitlement per month. You should confirm the amount of any outstanding leave to the member of staff; this is calculated by deducting the number of days already taken (based on the member of staff’s annual leave record form) from their pro-rata holiday entitlement. A holiday and mandatory leave calculator is available on the HR website for your use.
Staff should take any outstanding leave during their notice period. Exceptionally, where operational circumstances prevent leave from being taken, staff will receive pay in lieu, subject to PAYE and NI deductions. Research-funded staff will be required to take outstanding leave before the end of their contract.

• How do I calculate annual leave for a part-time staff member?

The People Function website’s annual leave pages provide full details for calculating both holiday and mandatory leave. An annual leave record form is available from the People Function forms webpage to record leave taken.

• How do I calculate annual leave for a new starter who commences employment partway through the university Leave year?

Full details for calculating both holiday and mandatory leave are set out on the annual leave pages of the People Function website.

• A member of staff is leaving and has taken leave in excess of their entitlement. What should I do?

If staff have exceeded their entitlement, the university will deduct an equivalent number of days’ pay from any payment due at the end of employment, or otherwise seek to recover the amount owed after employment has ended. You will be asked to confirm the amount of any outstanding leave to be paid or the amount of leave to be recovered for their member of staff on termination.

• How is annual leave calculated during maternity leave?

Full details of this, along with a worked example, are available on the People Function annual leave web pages.

• A member of staff on sick leave has requested annual leave. Are they entitled to this?

Yes. If a member of staff requests annual leave whilst covered by a fit note and you approve the request, you must inform your People Partner, who will, in turn, inform Payroll of the exact period for which the member of staff is to receive holiday pay.
You can find full details on the People Function sickness absence web pages.

Where can I find information on employment for EEA/Non-EEA nationals?

The immigration web pages provide comprehensive details on this.

How do I arrange for an email account to be set up?

New staff members will have email accounts automatically set up once their details are entered into ICIS. Therefore, you need not take any action in this regard.

Should you need to set up email accounts for non-staff members, such as agency workers, visitors or consultants, who are collectively recognised by the ICT system as Contingent Workers, you should consult the ICT website and follow the instructions provided.  Please view the ICT User Registration web page to set up email accounts for Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROP) students.

I have a member of staff on a fixed-term contract/external funding. What procedure should I follow when their contract is due to end?

Full guidance on this can be found on the People Function website under Support for managers.

Please consult your People partner before taking any action.

A member of staff has requested flexible working conditions. What action should I take into consideration for this?

The Flexible Working Policy [pdf] sets out the routes for both informal and formal applications, along with the procedure you should follow. A procedural flowchart is also available for reference when a formal application is made.

I have received notification from a member of staff that she intends to take maternity leave. What action do I need to take?

The Maternity Leave Policy (from 1 August 2024) sets out the action you need to take in this instance. You will also need to carry out a risk assessment for pregnant employees in the workplace. The Safety Department can advise on this.

How will my new member of staff’s email account be set up?

This is an automatic process once the new starter’s details are entered into ICIS.

Where can I find information on managing a member of staff’s probation period?

Except for Lecturers, Senior Lecturers, Readers and Professors, the "New Staff - Guidance for managers" web pages will guide you through the procedure to be followed. 

How do I induct a new member of staff into the university?

The Staff website provides guidance on planning and carrying out an induction, including setting out your role in ensuring the induction meets certain requirements, which in turn means every new member of staff has a strong start in their new role and feels part of their new team as soon as possible.

The member of staff I am managing is making lots of errors in their work. How should I address the situation?

This will depend on what you have done to support the employee or raise the issue with them. It is expected and understood that managers will regularly meet with their staff to discuss work-related matters and provide advice to prevent issues. 

Where there are concerns about a member of staff’s performance or conduct that warrants closer consideration (except for alleged serious or gross misconduct), you should informally discuss this with the member of staff, identify any training/development needs and make reasonable attempts to resolve any problems informally.

You should also give reasonable time for improvement where relevant. Ideally, you will address/pre-empt issues before they escalate. 

I’m not satisfied with a member of staff’s performance and would like to take this further. How do I go about this?

You should discuss the issue with your People Partner to agree on a way forward.

If it is agreed that managers should initiate formal proceedings regarding the poor performance, an investigation will be conducted. Where there is a case to answer, a formal hearing process will be held, with potential disciplinary sanctions.

The People Function will support you, including case-specific guidance, throughout the case.

The Disciplinary Policy and Procedure [pdf] sets out the formal procedure for addressing poor performance.

Where can I find more information on carrying out ARC/appraisals and the necessary forms?

These are available on the ARC pages of the university website.

I have funding approval to recruit a new staff member. What procedure should I follow?

As a first step, a Request to Recruit and Advertise with Funding Approval form must be completed, including all required information and authorisations. You should then forward this form to your People Team. Our Recruitment and Selection web pages set out the process for recruiting and advertising externally with funding approval.

Can I recruit without advertising?

All posts (except those of six months' duration or less) must be advertised and placed on the university's employment website for a minimum of two weeks. Posts within the Professional, Technical and Operational Services and Learning and Teaching job families, funded or part-funded by general university funds, should ideally be advertised internally only for a two-week period before being advertised externally. If you wish to deviate from this process, please discuss your reasons with your People Partner.

Please note that the People function maintains a redeployment register, which lists staff at risk of redundancy. These staff must first be considered for vacant posts. 

Targeted advertising to specific grades may also occur if the role is a development/promotional opportunity for our internal staff (your People Partner can advise whether a vacancy falls into this category).

When recruiting staff, what are my responsibilities for verifying a candidate's eligibility to work in the UK?

Our recruiter's guidance on appointing migrant workers and our managers' guidance on conducting right to work checks provide further information on your responsibilities in this area.
Please contact your People Partner for specific advice.

I have received a reference request. I would like some guidance on how to respond.

Guidance on responding to reference requests is available on the People Function website.