An effective internal relationship between senior management, heads of departments, the quality manager and other members of staff is crucial to ensure purposeful and timely implementation of the planned activities for achieving the quality objectives.
On the one hand, there must be a certain degree of freedom and flexibility in implementing quality activities in different departments and in particular at the lower end of the organisational hierarchy. Quality objectives will be achieved all the more readily when staff members at all hierarchical levels take ownership of the process, create their own targets and act on their own initiative to achieve them (see annex, Sections 1.31, 1.32). On the other hand, it is up to senior management to ensure coherent development of quality within the organisation and therefore to establish clear rules and transparency in decision-making, in case of deviation from the adopted quality objectives and the related activities. In Chapter 4 of this handbook you can learn more about keeping a balance between leadership and active staff participation and how to establish an effective flow of information and a communication system within a VET organisation.
Motivation and capabilities of staff, in particular teachers and trainers, is the decisive factor for success of quality improvement activities. Therefore VET organisations need a strategy for professional development of their staff in line with the institution’s quality objectives. Appropriate criteria for recruitment of new teachers and trainers should be introduced and a plan for further staff training should be defined which reflects development needs of the institution and also takes interests and potential of individuals into account. To develop capabilities of its staff, a VET institution should put in place appropriate programmes for further training and adopt measures acknowledging staff efforts.
Box 9. Proposals of the EQAVET recommendation
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The quality criteria in Annex I of the EQAVET recommendation propose that in the ‘do’ stage of the PDCA cycle ‘implementation plans are devised in consultation with stakeholders’ and the quality descriptors suggest:
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Staff appraisals are an essential tool to align development needs of the organisation and individuals. Many quality-oriented VET institutions use this tool continuously and systematically to allow mutual feedback between staff and senior management. Conducted annually, staff appraisals may proceed along the following lines:
feedback from staff members interviewed to their managers;
feedback from managers to staff members;
discussion of ideas to improve quality within the institution;
discussion of needs and demands for further training of staff members;
recording mutually agreed objectives, activities and deadlines.
Box 10. Tool: staff appraisal
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A form with hints on undertaking and recording staff appraisals can be found in the annex, Section 1.6. |
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
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