Supporting those early in their career

Help and advice

There is support available for Managers in managing someone early in their career, from your management structure to specialist HR colleagues.

Your line manager
Your line manager can provide valuable support and advice to you based on their experience.

UKRI Apprenticeship Team
For advice on apprenticeships/managing apprentices across UKRI, except for those based in STFC.
Email ukriapprenticeships@ukri.org

STFC Graduate programme
For advice on STFC’s Graduate/Summer/Industrial programmes and any performance/conduct concerns related to them.
Email stfcgraduateteam@ukri.org

STFC Apprenticeship team
For advice on STFC’s apprenticeship programme and any performance/conduct concerns related to apprentices.
Email stfcapprentice@ukri.org

HR Advisors
HR is here for managers and employees. As a manager they are on hand to help you with any questions and queries you have. Find out who they are

HR Performance Team
On hand to provide advice on anything related to the recording of performance within the UKRI performance systems.
Email ukriappraisals@ukri.org

Mentor
As a Manager you may have a mentor, if you do, they can help guide you in any challenges and/or issues you face in managing someone early in their career.

In some cases, it may be the individuals' first full-time role outside of an educational setting. For this reason, allocate time in your diary to support your new starter through their first few days, weeks, and months of working at UKRI. As a manager you are responsible for the onboarding and integration to help you, we have provided some top tips.

Provide a warm welcome
Create a positive onboarding experience by introducing them to the team, give them the opportunity to meet the team before they officially join either via Teams or visiting the office/site, they may not take up this opportunity. If they don’t take this opportunity, don’t fret, ensure when they start you have a clear plan in introducing them to their work colleagues, settling them into their role, organisation, and department, and meeting their senior manager/leader. 

Assign a buddy
As part of their support, you may choose to assign a buddy who can provide further assistance in settling into UKRI.  A ‘buddy’ is a peer volunteer who has agreed to help a new starter within their team to get oriented into their new role. They are the official first point of contact for all non-line management related questions the employee may have.

They will make time available to help the employee become familiar with colleagues, operational systems, protocols, ways of working, recent changes, and networks.

Buddies provide on-the-ground support to complement the high-level and longer-term support delivered through line management.

The buddy can be that person who takes those awkward questions they may not want to ask their line manager.

Where possible, it is good practice to match new apprentices to current apprentices undertaking the same apprenticeship standard to act as their buddy.

Early Careers Network
UKRI also has an Early Careers Network, which is an internal employee-led network of colleagues in their early career. The network offers access to development resources as well as the ability to broaden their network across UKRI. More information can be found on The Source.

Familarise them to UKRI and your expectations
Ensure you cover behaviours and your expectations as a manager such as:

• meeting etiquette; turning up on time, accepting meeting invites
• responding to emails
• use of personal mobiles at work
• internet access during working hours
• appropriate use of social media
• timekeeping standards
• UKRI People Standards

These may seem like the basics, which you might not expect from a more experienced new starter, however, this may be their first experience of the workplace, or they may have worked in a different industry with different expectations. Providing clarity on what is expected will provide assurance to your new starter.

Clear expectations
Set clear objectives, goals, and performance standards from the beginning. This helps them understand what is expected of them and enables them to align their efforts accordingly. Ensure you make sure that objectives and goals are measurable, the new starter is clear on how they will be measured, ‘what’ needs to be delivered and ‘how’. You should discuss our People Standards and the behaviours expected in delivery. Where possible, you should include any actions, objectives or goals that are specific to their apprenticeship / graduate programme or placement.

Frequent catch ups
There will be a requirement to have more regular catchups to ensure they are comfortable with the ask, and to check in on how they are settling in. As they gain confidence these can be adjusted as required.

Apprentices and line managers will also be required to attend regular tripartite review meetings with the Training Provider (minimum of every 12 weeks) which will review progress towards the apprenticeship as well as covering on and off-the-job training; identifying any challenges and/or successes and achievements and whether any additional support measures have or should be introduced in the workplace.

Training and development
Whilst the Graduate/Apprentice/Placement programmes will deliver training and support relevant to the role and the qualification, that shouldn’t stop you from considering other training which may be useful. There are courses available via the UKRI core training catalogue, online learning platforms as well as external sources such as webinars, talks and the Early Career Network.

Probation
Ensure you explain probation, its purpose, what is expected of them, and what support you’ll provide them to meet those standards. If there are any concerns during probation, the relevant Early Careers team as well as HR Operations should be informed. More info on probation can be found here. Probation isn’t required for those on Industrial and Summer placement schemes.

Wellbeing and Mental Health
Supporting those early in their career in their first role within UKRI is crucial, they may well be experiencing anxiety and nerves. Not every person early in their career will be considered a young person, they may be embarking on a career change which brings a degree of anxiety too.

Take the time in catch ups to discuss how they are feeling, what they make of their workload and any concerns they have, building that understanding enables you to identify patterns or changes in character/mood/energy, which can hint that something isn’t quite right.

You aren’t expected to know all the answers or be an expert in mental health and wellbeing, simply having the conversation is a good start. To aid managers in helping employees we have a wellbeing toolkit and more information on The Source.

Feel free to contact the relevant HR team if you have concerns about an individual’s wellbeing and/or mental health.

Regular feedback
It is essential you give regular feedback whether it’s positive or constructive, feedback will enable them to learn and can correct what went wrong, or ensure they continue to deliver to the required standard.
Ensure you take the time to structure the feedback to ensure it is meaningful and approach it from a supportive and effective manner. More information on giving and receiving feedback can be found in the  Appraisal & Performance Toolkit.

Addressing concerns
Unfortunately, there may be an occasion when you need to address a performance or conduct issue.  A temporary dip in performance may be caused by a particular event or situation, such as bereavement, ill health, relationship, or financial worries. While you may not be able to resolve these issues, support that may be required to bring performance back to an acceptable level should be offered. The relevant Early Careers team can support with creating a development plan to improve performance.

Here are some tips in approaching what can be a difficult conversation:

• address the concern sooner rather than later
• seek advice before approaching if you are unsure –your manager or HR can help
• prepare your feedback, keep it specific and objective
• don’t jump to conclusions – listen, and understand
• try to remain calm
• aim of the conversation is explore the concern
• if you have time to explore possible solutions, do so
• ensure you follow up with an email after the conversation

If the problem continues, do seek further advice from your manager and/or HR. There is further  information via the Appraisal & Performance Toolkit and the Improving Performance page on The Source.

Please also inform the relevant Early Careers team if there are any performance or conduct issues.

Career discussions
As they progress through their apprenticeship, placement, or new role, encourage open conversations about their career goals and aspirations. Discuss available opportunities within UKRI and support them in identifying their desired career path.

You don’t need to know the answers, but simply having the conversation will demonstrate your investment in them. – To help you, there are resources available to you on effective career conversations.

Your apprentice/graduate is coming to the end of their training programme and looking to transition into a role outside of the programme. Or you may have a placement student coming to the end of their time with UKRI.

In most cases they are going from being supported on a well-defined programme to a role where they are expected to manage their own career and development, which may be a daunting prospect. Or returning to full time education.

As a manager you can help them turn their attention to what they want from a career and those initial next steps. In the case of those on placements help them articulate what they want from their first role.

It is important to remember that apprentices will be required to undertake a formal End Point Assessment (EPA) - as a minimum, a manager would have an awareness of the EPA process and what their involvement would be on the day of the EPA itself. The Apprenticeship Team will work with you to support you on this, along with the End Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO) who will undertake the EPA.

Networking
Encourage networking within UKRI and within their sector, connecting them with key stakeholders and colleagues who can provide guidance and support. Help them build relationships outside of their immediate teams to broaden their experience and knowledge.

There are also several external networks that we would strongly encourage them to take advantage of, including:

• Apprentice Ambassador Network
• Apprenticeship Diversity Champions Network

Supporting the transition
Provide guidance and mentorship during the transition period, helping them understand the expectations and responsibilities of their new role, if its within your team. If the role is outside your team, try getting them to spend a couple of hours with their new team, and introduce them to their new manager in good time.

Mentoring
The UKRI Mentoring scheme is available to those who may want to talk to someone outside of the line management chain for an independent voice. More information can be found here