This is a presentation delivered at the 11th National Playwork Conference in Eastbourne, UK. It discusses the importance of appraisals for delivering quality in play.

1. Designing, Developing And Implementing an appraisal System For Playworkers.
Designing, Developing And Implementing An
Appraisal System For Playworkers: A Guide
For Managers & Playworkers.
David Stonehouse
Senior Lecturer
stonehod@edgehill.ac.uk
Tel: 01695 657003
edgehill.ac.uk

2. Learning Outcomes:
1. Explore what appraisal is and how it
should be applied.
2. Discuss both the managers and the
playworkers role in appraisals.
3. Identify how quality is enhanced
through correct and timely use of
appraisals.
the University of choice
edgehill.ac.uk

3. It‟s All The Same Thing!!
■ Appraisal
■ Performance Appraisal
■ Performance Review
■ Professional Development Plan
■ Performance Evaluation
■ Employee Evaluation
■ Merit Rating, Employee Rating,
Personnel Rating, Service Rating
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4. Appraisal
■ It is the managers role to
continuously monitor and evaluate
the performance of their staff in
meeting the objectives of the
organisation.
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5. Talent Management
Practice
Or Is It The
Practice Of Managing Lack
Of Talent?
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6. Criticisms of Appraisals
■ Enormous waste of time
■ They have a destructive impact upon the
employer / employee relationship.
■ One sided power.
■ Bureaucratic
■ Paper exercise only
■ Do not happen.
■ Promises are not delivered on.
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7. Different focus
Boss/Manager Playworker
■ Where performance ■ Job progression
needs to be improved ■ Career
■ Missed opportunities advancement
■ Skill limitations ■ Compensation
■ Enhancing ■ Negotiating pay
relationships
(Culbert, 2008)
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8. Difficulties for The
Appraiser
■ Prejudice against can work both
ways
■ Insufficient knowledge of job done
■ „Halo Effect‟
■ Problem of context, especially
comparing between individuals
(Torrington et al, 2011)
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9. Performance Appraisal
“One of the greatest tools an
organisation has to develop and
motivate staff...... can encourage
staff and increase retention and
productivity.” (Marquis and Huston,
2009:569)
the University of choice
edgehill.ac.uk

10. Purpose & Benefits of
Appraisals
■ Improving motivation & ■ Selecting people for
Morale promotion.
■ Clarifying expectations ■ Managing careers.
■ Determining rewards ■ Counselling
■ Identifying training & ■ Discipline
development ■ Planning remedial
opportunities. actions
■ Improving ■ Setting goals &
communication. targets.
(Bratton & Gold, 2012:259)
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11. Top Down Appraisal
■ This is the traditional form with the
boss/manager appraising the more junior
employee.
180 Degrees
■ This is where the appraisal is a two way
discussion with information flowing in
both directions.
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12. Self Appraisal
■ Not many people will be comfortable to admit to
failings in their work to their boss!
■ Other staff will also not be comfortable singing
their own praises.
■ However, are you not the best person to judge
how well you are performing, understanding the
job best. Especially if your boss is not familiar
with your work. For example a non playwork
trained manager.
the University of choice
edgehill.ac.uk

13. Peer Appraisal
■ Feedback gained from other people
doing the same role as yourself.
■ Difficulties may arise if peers are also
friends.
■ If the team is performing badly there
may be avoidance of blame or unfair
apportioning of blame.
the University of choice
edgehill.ac.uk

14. Upward Appraisal
■ This is where playworkers appraise
managers performance.
- Needs the right sort of culture.
- How open are managers to receiving
constructive criticism?
- May need an independent counsellor.
the University of choice
edgehill.ac.uk

15. 360 or 540 degree
Appraisals
A person receives feedback from a
range of sources, not just their
manager. Peers, children and young
people, families, outside
organisations and stake holders.
Leads to more balance and objectivity
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16. At It‟s Simplest Form
Appraisals Should
■ Look back to what has been achieved
■ Look forward to what needs to be
achieved.
■ Identify training and development needs.
■ Consider the here and now, medium and
long term view.
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17. Individual design
■ Simple tasks – quick to learn and
do, quick result & feedback
■ Complex task – higher level of skill
required, results not known for
months/years.
■ Different job roles. Playworker,
volunteer, manager, cook, domestic
supervisor.
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18. Design
■ Design the process together. Playworkers are
best placed to know what it is they do and how
best to evaluate it.
■ How often?
■ Use job description, person specifications.
■ Use the Playwork principles?
■ There needs to be a close link to training and
development, and work force planning.
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19. What We Do As
Playworkers Can Be Hard
To Measure
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20. When Monitoring Performance
What Are You Measuring?
Qualitative Quantitative
■ Personality ■ Sickness/absence
■ Behaviour/Integrity ■ Number of sessions
■ Fit within the team delivered
■ Verbal feedback ■ Number of children
■ Leadership ■ Number of observations
■ Child/play focussed ■ Complaints
■ 30% ? ■ 70% ?
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21. Goal Setting
■ Can contribute to directing
individuals to perform better
■ Can be a motivating factor, if the
goals are realistic and attainable, but
also desirable and challenging.
■ Ideally goals need to be jointly set, to
promote ownership.
the University of choice
edgehill.ac.uk

22. Two Separate Meetings?
1. Appraisal discussion
&
2. Development discussion.
“It is hard for individuals to hear about the
effectiveness of their performance and at the
same time to think about what skills they need to
develop in the future and how they can develop
them” (Lawler et al, 2012:199).
Often the negative feedback takes over the
discussion and is hard to move forward with.
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23. Importance Of Training
■ Manager – needs to be trained in how to
perform appraisals in the right way and
well.
■ Playworker – needs to understand what
is going to happen and what their part is
in the process.
Employees rights – accountability,
fairness, right of appeal, confidentiality.
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24. How To Prepare
Manager
- Collect all information from all
relevant sources.
- Review previous appraisal
documentation.
- Ask playworker to complete a self
appraisal form if appropriate.
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25. Monitoring of Quality
Should occur constantly and not
be left to a once a year event.
The appraisal process should be
a way to highlight good practice
and identify examples of high
quality playwork.
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26. Any
Questions
Or
Thoughts
Or
Observations?
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27. Bibliography
Bratton, J. & Gold, J. (2012) Human Resource Management:
Theory & Practice. 5th Edition. Palgrave Macmillan: Hampshire.
Culbert, S.A. (2008) „Get Rid Of The Performance Review!‟
The Wall Street Journal. October.
Lawler III, E.E; Benson, G.S. And McDermott, M. (2012) „What
Makes Performance Appraisals Effective?‟ Compensation &
Benefits Review. October.
Marquis, B. L. & Huston, C. J. (2009) Leadership Roles and
Management Functions in Nursing. Sixth Edition. Philadelphia:
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Torrington, D; Hall, L; Taylor, S. & Atkinson, C. (2011) Human
Resource Management. Eighth Edition. London: Pearson.
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