Managing staff

The committee as an employer

Committees, as employers, must be aware of and compliant with employment law. This includes health and safety and equality law. Committees must also ensure that they are paying staff at least the minimum wage. In addition the committee are also responsible for the wellbeing of staff and volunteers in the setting.

When committees employ staff there should be a clear divide between the role of the committee member, and the role of the manager who directs the daily running of the setting. It is important that staff are managed well so that the people using the setting get the best service possible and the staff feel that they are valued and invested in. Some questions that committees need to ask in relation to employment are:

Are we familiar with employment legislation, including that which applies to volunteers and do we need to take professional advice?
Will there be any costs involved in complying with employment regulation and legislation e.g. adapting the workplace to meet health and safety regulations?
Are we clear about what is to be delegated to employees and what the committee will remain responsible for?
Have we considered all the 'domestics' of employment including rest breaks, annual leave, and additional costs such as telephone calls, electricity, water etc?
Have we factored in costs such as National Insurance and pension arrangements to our longer-term plans?
Do we have funds available for use in the event to offer redundancies/closures?

More information about safer recruitment can be found in the safeguarding section.

Understanding the staff roles

In order to understand how the setting operates and who is responsible for what e.g. Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), safeguarding etc., it is important the committee understand the roles of staff in the setting. Some useful questions to ask include:

Are roles clearly defined, including line management?
Do we have a job description and arrangements for induction and support of the person appointed?

Tools for communicating

Keeping people informed at work helps staff understand how and why decisions are made. It can improve trust and working relations between the committee and staff and reduce the chance of a misunderstanding between the two groups. Employees have the right to be kept informed and consulted about things that affect them such as changes to their working conditions or working hours.

Consultation with staff can help them to make a valuable contribution, feel involved and part of their working environment. It is essential you have a quick and easy way of getting information to staff and keeping them up to date for example a closed WhatsApp group.

A good working relationship:

Does not compromise the operational role of the setting manager
Influences how the setting manager works with the committee
Provides personal support to the setting manager and remains appropriately professional
Respects confidentiality

In addition, regular meetings will provide the opportunity for each party to discuss issues affecting the setting and how to proceed.

Supervision

Supervision MUST be conducted with staff as it is a requirement of the Statutory Framework for the EYFS. Usually the chair of the committee, or other identified committee member, is responsible for the supervision of the setting manager. The setting manager is responsible for ensuring the supervision of the staff in the setting. If this is not appropriate e.g. there is a conflict of interest such as the Chair and the manager are related to each other alternative arrangements should be made ( See appendix 5 for an example format (PDF, 99 KB)).

Staff supervision allows a manager and staff member an opportunity to review the period since the last supervision and reflect on things that went well and achievements that have been made. It is also an opportunity to reflect on things that didn't go as well and how they could change that in the future. Regular opportunities to meet with a line manager on an individual basis are important for the following reasons:

They allow the manager and staff to talk confidentially about any issues including their wellbeing or concerns regarding their roles, responsibilities and practice
Allows the staff member's needs within the team to be understood for example, training
Mentoring and coaching
Set actions ( see appendix 4 for some guidance (PDF, 95 KB))
Ask the staff member to confirm that their personal circumstances haven't changed since the last supervision - eg their suitability to work with children
They provide the chance for staff to talk about aspects of their work with individual children in their role as a key person
Details of when supervision took place, who was present, what was discussed, what was agreed, and any action points should always be recorded and kept in the staff member's file. All staff should have a personal copy for their records. It can be used as an aid for the next session as well as to record evidence of continuing professional development (CPD) including accessing training.

To support staff wellbeing consider the range of resources available including the following: www.annafreud.org/resources/under-fives-wellbeing/early-years-staff-wellbeing-a-resource-for-managers-and-teams/.

Staff files

Staff files are confidential and should be kept securely in line with data protection law. Electronic files are preferable for ease of sharing information. Please refer to the ICO for more information. ( Please see appendix 6 (PDF, 141 KB) for an example of what to include.)