'Capability' refers to the skills, ability, aptitude and knowledge you have in relation to the job that you are employed to do. Lack of capability will in most cases lead to unsatisfactory performance in your role which in turn is likely to cause problems for both managers and colleagues.
We recognise that very few people choose to perform their work badly, make mistakes, fail to complete tasks or have poor relationships with colleagues or customers.
In the event that a member of staff is underperforming, appropriate action should be taken to examine the circumstances and give support to them to improve to the required standard of competence. Delaying or doing nothing may cause the performance problem to escalate unnecessarily.
Our policies set out our commitment and responsibilities in this area and provide information and guidance on how to recognise and address these issues.
Full information on ‘Capability’ can be found on the Employee Relations Toolkit here.
The processes of informal day-to-day management of staff and the formal framework within which their performance is assessed and improved, are mutually supportive. They depend on the same factors for success and involve:
You should raise your concerns with the staff member as soon as possible. Explore the possible causes of their performance issues with them.
Where appropriate, discuss measures needed to improve their performance and agree a timescale for improvement.
Ensure the staff member understands what is required of them and that any agreed objectives are realistic and achievable. Be clear about the possible consequences of not achieving them.
We recommend following up any discussion and confirm actions in writing to help with clarity.
Review these objectives with your staff member on a regular basis.
For further guidance we recommend you speak to Ask HR and consult the "Capability" section of our Services A-Z.
Where there is a concern raised about an employee or by an employee under either of the University's disciplinary procedure or grievance procedure, it is important to conduct a fair and reasonable investigation in to the matter. The purpose and role of the investigator is to establish the facts or evidence related to the matter(s) alleged.
An appropriate investigator will be appointed to ensure a fair and reasonable investigation is undertaken. The investigator will be impartial and have had no prior involvement in the issue to be investigated.
For further guidance we recommend you speak with HR and consult the Employee Relations toolkit.
Capability refers to an employee's skills, ability, aptitude and knowledge in relation to the job that they are employed to do. A lack of capability will often lead to underperformance. However, the key distinction is that a lack of capability is usually unintentional. On the other hand, disciplinary issues or misconduct is linked to behaviour that falls below the required standard and can be intentional.
In some cases, it can be difficult to determine whether poor performance is due to incapability, a lack of effort or a mixture of the two. The University has discretion in determining which procedure is most suitable given the individual circumstances of a case.
Capability may include unacceptable work standards, failure to complete tasks or poor quality of work. Conduct (discipline) may include inappropriate behaviour, breach of policies and procedures or theft or fraud. These examples are not exhaustive and you should seek expert HR advice where there is uncertainty around which process to follow. Please view the Disciplinary toolkit for further information.
You should raise this with your line manager. They can seek information from Ask HR in the first instance. A referral to Occupational Health may be appropriate.
Yes. If formal action has been taken and you feel that the decision made at a capability hearing was wrong or unjust, you can appeal.
Write to the Director of HR setting out the grounds of your appeal.
The relevant timescales for taking action are identified in the University’s capability procedure.
For further guidance we recommend you speak to Ask HR and consult the University’s policies and procedures.