We’ve taken action on…senior leadership communication

14 Apr 2022

Is it worth 15 minutes of your time to fill in the Staff Survey? We think so, because when you tell us what you think, we listen and take action.

In the 2019 Staff Survey, you told us that you wanted to see better communication from our senior leaders. You wanted our leaders to keep you better informed on important issues, to listen more and respond to the views of staff, and to give you a greater say in how we improve our services.

Many of you did not feel there were effective channels for you to feed your views upwards in the University or that your views were listened to.

We listened. We acknowledged that we needed to do better and looked at how we could improve our communication. Your feedback has helped us to reshape the way our senior leaders communicate with you, and how you communicate with them. We’ve introduced new channels for two-way communication, and given you the chance to be involved in key strategic projects that underpin the way we do things.

Here are some of the ways we’ve used your feedback to improve leadership communication and involve colleagues more in decision making at the University:

• We introduced open meetings with the Senior Leadership and Professional Services Leadership Teams, giving you the opportunity to ask them direct questions, or submit questions in advance.
• We also introduced themed open meetings so you could ask more specific questions in areas such as Teaching, Learning and Students, Research, PGR and Flexible Learning.
• Through the pandemic we moved our open meetings online and you told us that you prefer this format.
• Our Senior Leadership Team are invited to attend regular Faculty open meetings and School visits to answer your questions.
• Launched the Viewpoint blog on StaffNet, encouraging Senior Leaders to blog on matters important to you, and allowing colleagues to feedback in the comments.
• Used your feedback from the 2019 staff survey and worked with more than 750 colleagues from across all parts of our University to come up with our University’s values.
• We asked you for your ‘Big Ideas’ to help shape our Strategic Plan. From shaping our stance on sustainability to the structure of our degrees, more than 700 ideas were submitted by 4,000 staff, students, alumni and schools. 
• We are developing our strategies for People and Organisational Development, and Equality and Diversity – all staff will be asked for input into these and how we can make the University an even better place to work and study.

Did you know: Since July 2019 we have published 50 Viewpoint blogs from Senior Leaders which have had over 50,000 views. Our most popular blog to date was from Patrick Hackett on Our University’s Values back in 2019, which achieved over 4000 views.

Did you know: Since October 2019, we have held over 40 staff open meetings which have been attended more than 7,000 times.

Your thoughts make a difference – take time to fill out the Staff Survey 2022

The Staff Survey is the most effective way of measuring how you feel about working here, what you enjoy and which areas you think need improvement. 

By completing the Staff Survey, you give us a clear picture of what it’s like to work here, and where and how improvements can be made. Whether your feedback is good or bad - your answers are invaluable and helps us to make our University a better place to work.

• The Staff Survey launches on Tuesday 26 April, 2022.
• For more information visit our Staff Survey site.