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Alliance Manchester Business School continue to make improvements

26 Feb 2019

In response to the Staff Survey 2017, a number of improvements have been made

Alliance Manchester Business School

Leadership and managing change, and communication

AMBS has made a number of governance changes over the last two years.

  • The Heads of Division on the School Senior Leadership Team – which meets every two weeks – are now involved in the strategic, operational and budget planning process, amongst other key decision-making activities in the School.
  • A review of the Workload Allocation Model (WAM) resulted in a number of recommendations which have been implemented. This included the new WAM Management Group, where feedback is shared and issues discussed and actioned. 
  • A new School Core Brief which brings together senior PS and Academic colleagues who hold key management roles in the School – including Heads of Subject groups, School Directors of UG and PGT programmes, and Associate Heads of Teaching and Research – has been formed.
  • The ‘AMBS Futures’ project undertook widespread consultation with colleagues across the School. The report on the project has been widely shared by the Deputy Head of School who chaired the review group, and key initiatives have commenced including: The ‘SLT Portable Office’ – this informal communications channel started in November 2018 and is scheduled to occur monthly throughout 2019, rotating around the School’s Divisions and PS offices –  and the Innovation Café. The café started in December 2018 with regular meetings planned. It’s an opportunity for staff to engage with SLT on a more informal basis. Discussions and issues raised can then be fed back to SPRC.
  • We will also be reviewing the ideas generated through the wider University ‘Our Future’ consultation to identify any local level ideas. There was great participation from AMBS colleagues with this initiative – over 200 staff attended a session.  
  • Dinners hosted by the Head of School for a mix of academic and PS colleagues have been held. Last year the focus during the meal was on training and development discussions. This year, the focus will be on new staff and how well they are inducted and welcomed into the School. 
  • Training for School Academic and PS managers has taken place, including the University Inspiring Leaders and Leading at Manchester programmes and the Humanities Future Leaders programme.

Teaching staff feeling valued

  • The inaugural Teaching Symposium was held in 2018. It brought together teaching colleagues to network and share best practice, as well as offering workshops delivered by academics from a number of UK universities with expertise in higher education teaching. The sessions included discussion of the determinants of student satisfaction, developing students’ reasoning skills, and effective feedback.
  • Letters of recognition are being sent to colleagues who have achieved excellent teaching scores and feedback. 

Physical environment

  • AMBS colleagues started moving into the new building in late 2018; the move should be completed within the next month.  It is a great new facility where all colleagues will be based in one site – having previously been based across several buildings.

Workload/work-life balance and stress

  • AMBS has established a Wellbeing Champions network which has 15 champions across PS and Academic staff. Initial School events have been held and a plan of activity and communications for the next 12 months is in progress.
  • Biannual steps competition – staff are encouraged to form teams and track how many steps they take over 12 days using a pedometer/Fitbit.  Small, fun prizes are awarded to the team which takes the most steps.

Staff Survey 2019 

The Staff Survey 2019 opens on Monday, 4 March and runs until Monday, 8 April.  This will be vital in identifying both your views on what has been achieved to date, and any key concerns that remain. AMBS encourages all colleagues to take the short amount of time needed to complete the survey. You will receive an email from Capita and all the information you supply will be anonymous and treated in strictest confidence.