Executive Report to Council

HR Director

13 June 2008

Aim

To update Council as to the progress made in the HR Strategic Projects outlined in June 2007, as well as identifying a number of other Strategic issues we are also addressing.

Internal & External Communications

Structure Process Capabilities Leadership Metrics

HR Effectiveness

Resourcing

&

Recruitment

Leadership

&

Management

Development

People

Development

Rewards

& Recognition

Employer

of

Choice

Employee Engagement

Employee Relations

HR Strategic Projects

1. Leadership and Management Development

Consultation on requirements Appointment of an internal Leadership & Development

Advisor Design and development of a leadership programme at

two levels for both Academic and Support staff Partnership with “The Work Foundation” Start of the Leadership & Management Development

programmes on 15 May 2008. Three programmes now running through to early 2009; total of 48 managers

Establishment of an online Leadership and Management Development Resource Centre

2. People Development

New framework for staff development with revised Policy and guidelines incorporating change in focus

Training Needs Analysis for staff completed in areas of statutory and legal obligations

Reorganisation of posts within Professional and Organisational Development (POD) and recruitment of identified posts underway

Review of staff development support for Academics

New induction training

3. Employer of Choice

Review of current HR policies to ensure ‘fit for purpose’

New policies consulted/introduced: Retirement, Flexible Working, Career Break,

Grievance, Discipline and Appeals New HR website now covers overall benefits, terms

and conditions

4. Recruitment and Resourcing

Electronic submission of CVs/Applications introduced in advance of web-enabled recruitment Revised Authority to Recruit Process New guidance on a number of recruitment areas eg

travel expenses, starting salaries Redesigned Recruitment and Selection Training

Course A Resourcing Plan incorporated into the Better

Management Pilot for departmental business plans Supplier identified for introduction of web-enabled

recruitment

5. Employee Engagement

Staff Opinion Survey carried out between 31 March and 9 May 2008. Just over 60% of staff (1,922)

completed the survey – a response rate significantly higher than the sector

Process for feeding back results and the development of appropriate action plans agreed with a Steering Group

Overall University Survey Results

The University is a good place to work 93%

My motivation at work is generally high 85%

I feel part of a team 79%

I would recommend the University to a friend:

- as a place to work

- as a place to study

80%

78%

Departmental Senior Management Team is doing a good job in:

- providing leadership

- working together as a team

- allocating resources effectively

- communicating with staff

40%

35%

29%

34%

Overall University Survey Results

I do not have time to carry out all my work 49%

I feel unduly stressed at work

Two main causes of which were:

- work demands

- my workload

23%

80%

75%

Staff who at the time of survey were being harassed or bullied 5%

I believe the University is committed to equality of opportunity for

all its staff 81%

The University acts fairly with regard to recruitment 93%

On the whole communication in University is effective 63%

Different parts of University communicate effectively with each other

35%

6. Employee Relations

Joint group of Management and Trade Union colleagues set up to develop a new structure and machinery for local negotiations/consultations Format of structure now agreed by the group with TUs

balloting their membership with a recommendation to approve and a submission to Council on 18 July 2008

The new arrangements will provide for single table discussions on areas common to all staff groups

7. Rewards & Recognition Equal Pay Review – initial analysis completed Work on evaluation and grading of those groups of staff not

covered by Framework in 06/07 eg Atypical Research and Teaching roles

Detailed analysis of workforce data (eg paybill split by groups, increases over last three years etc) produced and presented to SMG in ‘Approach to Reward’ series of seminars

Preparation for introduction of Salary Sacrifice for a range of benefits including pensions, which will result in significant National Insurance savings for both the University and the employees

Role Reviews (re-grading requests still a large part of workload due to lack of generic job profiles – 51 new roles evaluated and 33 role reviews completed in year to date)

8. HR Effectiveness

New Shared Services structure for HR integrating previously separate administration areas with an Enquiries Tracking System

Job applications via email Better reporting by data cleansing and disaggregation

of posts exercise Web-enabled recruitment provider selected New HR website to enable staff to navigate and access

information in a simpler way Preparation for a self service facility to automate

training bookings and sickness absence reporting Redesign of a number of posts when turnover allowed