Dear colleagues
In this week’s communication I focus on the crucial topic of staff wellbeing, and what we can all do as a community to support each other. This follows helpful discussions with the campus trade unions and at the Financial Recovery Group, as well as at the Staff Experience Committee and SMT.
It is clear from those discussions, and the meetings held in recent weeks in Schools and Directorates, that the departure of significant numbers of colleagues, and their knowledge and expertise, is inevitably having considerable impact on workloads and on wellbeing, both of individuals and wider teams. As we discussed at the Financial Recovery Group, we all need to recognise the impact on personal, team and wider organisational resilience as we adapt to the new circumstances.
None of this is easy. We need to appreciate that we cannot simply expect ‘normal service’, that individuals and teams are having to stop doing some things, or do things in a different way, given the departure of colleagues. We need to be patient, understanding and kind as we go through this period of change and adaptation, while not accepting inappropriate behaviours. And just as the Financial Recovery Group is keen to hear of suggestions of how we can adapt our ways of working, I would like to encourage line managers and teams across the University to take a similar listening approach, empowering colleagues to make suggestions and raise issues they have, and to have regular discussions about workload and wellbeing.
We have also heard that it is important to ensure good communication - within and between teams - of changes taking place e.g. to key contacts or services, or if activities are having to be delayed or discontinued due to workload pressures. I would encourage every team to consider how it can help this communication.
I also wanted to take this opportunity to remind you of guidance as well as a range of services available for staff which I hope you will find helpful. I will also be writing to line managers separately to share supplementary guidance on their role in supporting wellbeing.
Annual leave
With the summer period upon us, please remember the importance of ensuring we all take proper rest from work. Managers are encouraged to ensure requests for annual leave are approved, unless there are clear operational reasons not to do so. In that situation efforts should be made to ensure alternative leave dates are agreed as close to the requested dates as possible or at another time that fits with staff plans.
Workload/working practices
I previously shared with you the three key strands of our efforts to address workload: education, research, and systems & processes. Managers are being asked to ensure that workload is a key consideration in discussions with staff and anyone with concerns about their workload, and other potential causes of anxiety and stress, should feel able to raise these with their manager. HR Partners are also available with advice.
Guidance is available on having discussions about workload and strategies to manage workload.
To further help with reducing workload pressure, please remember guidance previously introduced with the aim of supporting a healthy work-life balance:
- Emails: I strongly encourage you not to send emails out of hours or at weekends. Staff need to be able to work flexibly and emails can be written at different times but rather than sending out of hours please use the ‘delay delivery’ function found via Options on the toolbar above your email.
- Fridays should be kept clear of internal meetings wherever possible. Of course, sometimes it’s convenient to meet on a Friday but please reflect on whether the meeting absolutely needs to take place that day.
Wellbeing services and resources available to you
There are a range of services and resources available via the University’s Wellbeing Portal including:
o Staff Wellbeing Events & Activities– I hope that you managed to attend one of the Wellbeing Roadshows over the past few months, aimed at informing, empowering and supporting staff in relation to wellbeing and mental health. Further dates will be confirmed so please try to get along to a roadshow if you have not already been.
o Information about how to support your wellbeing.
o Stress Management and Support
o Learning and development (in person and online) opportunities which can be accessed at Wellbeing & Mental Health modules.
Sources of support available to you
There are a number of Support Services available to staff and you can also contact the following services direct for advice: Wellbeing (wellbeing@abdn.ac.uk), Health and Safety (healthandsafety@abdn.ac.uk), Human Resources and the Trade unions.
You may also find joining one of our Staff networks helpful.
Times of uncertainty are always testing but I will keep you updated on key developments as soon as possible. I am grateful for your commitment to the University and for the work you are doing to ensure we are able to navigate through this very challenging period and see revenue growing again. Your contributions to the University are hugely valued.
This week’s update from the Financial Recovery Group is the last one that will be issued until August. However, there will be ongoing communications via Staff News and I would also encourage you to join any of the Wellbeing and Mental Health modules that you find helpful during this period.
In the meantime I hope you enjoy the summer and if you have annual leave planned you are able to enjoy a well-earned break.
Best wishes,
Karl
Karl Leydecker
Senior Vice-Principal