Acting on feedback in the Department of Chemical Engineering

19 Feb 2026

Phil Martin, Head of Department, and Tracey Campbell Monks, Deputy School Operations Manager, reflect on how colleague feedback has shaped meaningful change

Alongside the University’s Your Voice Matters survey, the Department has been running its own community surveys in recent years. Taken together, these have helped build a clear and honest picture of colleagues’ experiences and have informed a practical, evolving action plan focused on workload, communication and rebuilding a sense of community.

Looking back at the last Your Voice Matters survey, what stood out most for you?

Phil: Workload came through very strongly. That wasn’t a surprise, but seeing it reflected so clearly in the data reinforced how widespread and persistent those pressures were across the Department. It also helped us understand that different groups were experiencing workload in different ways. What really made the difference was looking at those results alongside feedback from our own community surveys and ongoing conversations with colleagues. That combination allowed us to move beyond headline themes and develop a much more detailed and targeted action plan.

Many of our actions are focused on making workload fairer and more transparent, from recruitment and teaching allocations to recognising work that isn’t always formally captured, such as grant writing. That required us to take a closer look at how workload is planned over the longer term, using clearer workload modelling and creating opportunities for shadowing so expectations are more consistent across different roles.

Tracey: Having both sets of data was crucial. The Departmental surveys gave us a very local view of how people were feeling, while Your Voice Matters helped us see that those concerns weren’t isolated. When the same themes came through in both, it gave us confidence that this was feedback we really needed to act on

How have you made sure feedback leads to action rather than being a one-off exercise?

Tracey: Once the action plan was agreed it became a standing item at both Departmental Leadership Team meetings and staff meetings. We regularly talk about what’s been completed, what’s in progress and what still needs more work. Importantly, the action plan is also accessible on SharePoint so colleagues can see progress at any time.

Phil: That visibility really matters. We didn’t want this to be something that sits in someone’s file for a year and then disappears. Some actions get completed, others evolve and new ones get added as further issues come up. It’s very much a live document rather than a fixed list.

What changes will colleagues already have noticed?

Phil: One simple but important change has been introducing a regular Head of Department drop-in session. It’s a dedicated weekly slot where colleagues know I’m available, either in person or online, to talk things through confidentially. That accessibility can easily be lost in a large department, especially with hybrid working and shared spaces, so this was about rebuilding a clear and reliable point of contact.

Another way colleagues may already have noticed a change is through our review of line management arrangements. Line management doesn’t need to be static and giving colleagues the opportunity to refresh those arrangements, if they felt it would be helpful, has made a difference to how supported people feel.

Tracey: From an operations perspective, we’ve focused on being more visible and better connected as part of the Department community. We now run operations drop-in sessions for PGRs ahead of seminars, introduced a Departmental newsletter with regular staff profiles and published an events calendar on SharePoint so people can clearly see what’s happening and when. All of these changes have been shaped directly by feedback, helping us focus on what would make the biggest difference day to day.

Why has community been such a focus?

Phil: Being based in the Nancy Rothwell Building brings different challenges compared to Departments that are all housed together in one place. Informal contact is harder and it takes more deliberate effort to maintain a sense of Departmental identity. Listening to colleagues about their day-to-day experiences has helped us understand those challenges more clearly and respond in practical ways.

Tracey: Community isn’t just about social connection. It’s about feeling informed, listened to and part of something shared. Seeing feedback gathered regularly, both locally and centrally, and then translated into action helps to build trust among colleagues.

“I’m grateful for the exceptional vision of our Head of Department of Chemical Engineering, Phillip Martin, whose leadership is shaping a PDRA community that is more inclusive, better connected and strongly focused on career development.” Pankaj Singla, Research Associate

What feedback have you had from colleagues so far?

Phil: A lot of it has been informal but very positive. The drop-in sessions have been particularly well received and there’s been good engagement with the work we’re doing around workload and recognition of different types of activity. We’ve also had encouraging feedback from PDRAs around recent initiatives to strengthen induction, mentoring and career development as well as efforts to build a more connected and inclusive research community through PDRA-led training, writing support and informal networking activities. Colleagues have valued the increased visibility of these issues and the sense that their voices are being heard and acted upon, particularly in relation to health and safety, sustainability and creating a supportive research culture.

Tracey: There’s definitely more to do, particularly with the PDRA community, but they are very engaged when given the opportunity to share their views. The next step for this specific group is continuing to show how that feedback translates into action.

Finally, what would you say to colleagues who are unsure whether completing the next survey will make a difference?

Phil: Once you see the data, there’s a real responsibility to act. The surveys give us solid evidence for change and help us prioritise where to focus our efforts.

Tracey: The more people take part, the clearer the picture becomes. When colleagues can see that feedback leads to visible action, it reinforces why taking a few minutes to complete the survey really matters. Regular updates on progress against the action plan help close the feedback loop, allowing colleagues to see how their input continues to shape priorities and decisions over time.