Building on one-page profiles through performance planning, support and supervision
Technique
One-page profiles can be developed as part of the recruitment process for new staff, and during supervision or team meetings for existing staff.
Sharing and using one-page profiles will ensure teams know what’s ‘important to’ and how to work with individual staff members. The profiles can inform person-centred supervision and performance planning and support.
For one-page profiles to remain relevant in the workplace, they need to be updated and built upon in the same way as for individuals supported by your organisation.
How often they are updated and the process used will depend on each staff member and any questions or gaps in the information available to assist in better workplace communication.
The need to update or add detail may come from the staff member as they reflect on the information it contains, or from peers, colleagues, supervisors or managers as they use the information to better work with the employee.
It is essential that staff feel able to add to their own profile outside of formal supervision. This will, however, happen only if the document is viewed as a way to get to know and work well with colleagues rather than a ‘tick-box’ exercise.
While the ideal is for one-page profiles to be updated when needed, managers or supervisors should ensure that updating is on the agenda as part of staff appraisals every six months within supervision, and as part of any team planning sessions, even if it just means taking the time to check that the information is still relevant.
Tips
A one-page profile may need updating if:
- the staff member is new to the team/organisation and still learning about how they want to be supported within their new position and/or new team.
- as a manager or supervisor you are unsure about how to support a staff member in certain situations, or feel that there is a gap in communication; and/or
- the team is not functioning as well together as they could and you feel that understanding one another better will help.
Use the ‘good day and bad day’ tool and the information this captures within a one-page profile.
Use the priorities of the organisation as a conversation-starter and support the staff member to consider what is ‘important to’ them about this. One-page profiles can be used to support staff in thinking about how they relate to the mission and values of the organisation.
Talk about where you as a manager or supervisor feel that more information will enable you to support the team member more effectively. Ask the staff member where they feel you could provide support more effectively and capture this within the profile.
Use the one-page profile as a framework to talk about any issues you or others may have when working with a staff member. Ask questions to elicit further information about how they want to be supported.
Encourage staff to reflect on their own one-page profile regularly and ask:
- Does my one-page profile still reflect what is ‘important to’ me at work?
- What have I learned about how I want my manager, supervisor and/or team members to support me?
A good opportunity to do this would be as part of or following your regular performance review and appraisal discussions with each staff member.
The staff member may mention in the performance review process something they had learned about the support they need in their role, and this could be incorporated in their one-page profile.
Within team meetings and planning sessions, ask team members to provide feedback to one another on what they’ve noticed about what matters to their colleagues. Encourage them to talk about the detail, or the information they would find helpful, to different staff members and the team as a whole.
Use the ‘stress and support’ tool to gather information about how to support the staff member with areas of stress within their role.
Use the ‘praise and trouble’ tool to gather information about how the staff member wants to receive feedback and support.
Additional resources:
- The Workforce Capability Framework
- The disability career planner and capability framework implementation guide
- Technique, tips and template – using one-page profiles in recruitment (for employers)
- Technique, tips and template – using one-page profiles in recruitment (for employees)
- Tips – using the ‘good day and bad day’ tool to keep performance planning, support and supervision on track
- Tips – using the ‘stress and support’ tool in supervision
- Tips – using the ‘praise and trouble’ tool in supervision.
Definitions:
The term individual(s) refers to an individual with a disability and their family and/or circle of support.
The terms staff/employee(s) refer to paid or unpaid members of the workforce regardless of their employment relationship with their employer i.e. permanent, casual, full-time, volunteer, etc.
Intellectual property rights are jointly owned by National Disability Services Ltd, PeopleAdvantage Pty Ltd and Helen Sanderson Associates respectively. Concepts and intellectual property used with permission from The Learning Community for Person Centred Practices. ©This publication is copyright. All rights reserved.
