HUMAN RESOURCES STRATEGY

2021-05-16 来源：爱问旅游网

HUMAN RESOURCES STRATEGY 1. Institutional Context

The University of Liverpool has experienced a period of considerable change since the formulation of the Human Resources Strategy for the period 2004-2006. The University‟s Academic Strategy acknowledges that the Institution is perceived both internally and externally as being on an upward trajectory, which is underpinned by a policy to „invest, collaborate and grow‟. The University has a clear research-led focus and is a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. The Academic Strategy expresses the University‟s pride in its roots as a civic university founded by the citizens of Liverpool „for advancement of learning and ennoblement of life‟. The University “aspires continually to improve its performance in research, and in learning and teaching, so that it is acknowledged as a world-class institution which contributes strongly to the regional and national economy, whilst continuing to be recognised as a leader in widening participation1”. Given that our staff members are the University‟s most essential resource, it is the intention of the Human Resources Department to formulate and develop policies and procedures in the period 2007–2010 which are in keeping with these fundamental tenets and which will facilitate this capacity for continuous improvement. 2. Reflecting on the Human Resources Strategy 2004 - 2006:

In redefining the Human Resources Strategy, we will build upon preceding key priorities initiated in the period 2004-2006 which positioned the Department to meet a number of challenges emerging in the early part of the decade2. In a strategy with a wide scope of HR engagement, The University has created an environment where:

 Pay structures are competitive

 A high level of exceptional contribution can be rewarded

 Role descriptions are in place and are underpinned by clearly defined HERA-based

competencies

 Performance can be managed effectively via the Performance Management Procedure  Selection criteria can be clearer and more consistent  Retention issues can be identified and addressed swiftly

 Probation and confirmation in appointment can be managed effectively  Targeted training and development provisions can be provided

 It is possible to identify leadership capability and engage in succession planning

 An annual staff dialogue can be undertaken effectively via the Professional Development and

Review

 Individual Portfolios of Activity are completed annually for certain categories of staff and are

available for planning purposes

 Career paths can be discussed and will be determined

 Consideration of obligations in relation to conflicts of interest and management of consultancy

can be discussed and will be determined

 Consideration of the obligation in relation to part-time, casual and hourly paid teaching staff

can be discussed and will be determined.

Academic Strategy

Corporate Plan 2004 – 2007 (Section D.7)

2002-2007 has been a vital period of achievement for the Department in creating this environment, and has allowed HR, and by virtue the University, to reposition itself to meet a more complex landscape in the latter part of the decade. It is clear that a number of strategic HR initiatives have been managed soundly and effectively but the Department must now meet expectations which are increasingly multifaceted and which will demand more managerial sophistication and administrative efficiency. It will do so in the context of relevant best practice models and emerging management perspectives in the sector and in the broader HR arena3. 3. Purpose of the Strategy

The HR Strategy will provide a coherent framework for the evolution and maintenance of employment policies and practices which reflect the core values of the University of Liverpool and which meet and exceed, as appropriate, the requirements of employment legislation. The framework will support the development of innovative policies and practices, linked directly to the University‟s strategic priorities, which embrace recognised best practice and which reinforces the University of Liverpool as an employer of choice.

The Strategy will provide a dynamic frame of reference during a period of significant change that is set to reposition the University. It will inform changes in the operational infrastructure, including the need to achieve more effective collaborative working both internally and externally, and the need to support the University‟s key priorities.

Most importantly, the Strategy will serve to strengthen and consolidate the University‟s existing values and aspirations. The Strategy expresses genuine commitments to promote employment diversity, including action to address issues of equal opportunity, equal access, equal value and equal pay; these commitments are a priority for effective action. 4. Essential principles of the new Strategy

The Human Resources Department exists to support fully all aspects of academic endeavour and operational efficiency. HR has formulated and developed a range of Programme Initatives which are described in detail from pages 10 - 31. These Programmes are intended to strengthen the University‟s position as a leading international research institution and to enhance the student experience.

The new Human Resources Strategy for 2007 – 2010 will, of course, consolidate and build on existing initiatives and will seek to further enhance the environment for transformation.

Fundamental to the Strategy for the period 2007 – 2010 is the absolute requirement that all policy development is integrated and holistic. At the most pragmatic level, all initiatives must be „joined-up‟ both in terms of the Department‟s relationship with our internal and external business partners and in respect of policies and procedures being congruent and consistent. Identifying potential for broader organisational development will be an integral and active part of this „joined-up‟ approach.

The Human Resources Strategy delineates clearly areas of statutory and institutional obligation but is also a statement of intent in relation to all human resources initiatives essential to foster the continued growth and success of the entire institution in accordance with our civic principles and expressed aspirations.

There will be four core areas of HR strategic engagement where we will strive to meet the highest standard of delivery: (i) Strategic Initiatives:

These will be responsive, focussed and professional, demonstrating the capacity to understand and define the fullest extent of a programme area, its context and likely impact.

HEFCE: The Higher Education Workforce in England (2007)

(ii)

(iii)

(iv)

Policy Development:

This will be relevant, thorough and „fit for purpose‟. All policies and procedures will be congruent with functional operational processes or will include a compelling case for transforming these processes to better serve the Institution. The Human Resources Department will engage in consultative management, seeking, where appropriate, active participation from senior management, our central service colleagues and an objective assessment of policy initiatives from our trade union and professional association partners and from appropriate consultative staff groups. Policy initiation documents will include the provision of scoped and commissioned training and coaching and a formal communication plan.

Measuring Outcomes:

HR will test and measure the client experience at regular intervals and at all levels of the organisation in order to assure the continued relevance and effectiveness of policies and procedures.

External Scrutiny and Evaluation

The Department will continue to use the HEFCE Self Assessment Tools to report the various HR initiatives, progress and outcomes to the University‟s Senate and Council and to HEFCE.

The Human Resources Strategy aims to reinforce HR‟s role as a leading player and valued contributor across the Institution. HR will continue to embed strategic influence and impact, to refine and streamline existing administrative processes informed by broader best practice and sectoral developments. In addition, we will endeavour to build a professional level of diagnostic and enabling skills and a core of problem solving experts with the aim of continually raising expectations and meeting those expectations.

6. Internal drivers influencing HR Strategy

While there is an absolute commitment to remain in tune with broader best practice and sectoral developments, it is important to acknowledge that the culture, climate and relationships at the University of Liverpool are equally relevant to shaping our HR strategy. There are therefore a number of internal drivers which shape the context in which strategy has been formulated and developed:

Increased employee expectations

It is clear that the Framework Agreement has raised employee expectations both in relation to terms and conditions of employment and potential for reward. This trend extends beyond the HE sector; recent modernisation initiatives undertaken in public sector areas from which the University might expect to recruit (from the NHS, the teaching professions and from government agencies) have raised the bar of expectation so we remain in a very competitive marketplace, albeit with the need to address these increased expectations.

The University has responded by creating the environment in which the mutuality of the employment relationship can be addressed. There has been a marked improvement in remuneration rates, especially for entry-level posts. Staff can now access attractive career pathways, transparent promotion and progression mechanisms and unambiguous engagement at departmental level about expectations and contribution.

The student experience: accountability to students

With the advent of tuition fees, it is clear that student expectations have also shifted and that there is a more acute expectation in relation to service delivery and staff accountability. We wish to play an active part in enhancing the student experience at Liverpool and will continue to work with our central service business partners and Heads of Departments to provide the mechanisms to assure that staff contribution is made to a defined and acceptable level. We will continue to maintain our broad awareness of Departments‟ delivery to students and the associated quality assurance functions within the University.

Leadership

Critical to the success of the Institution going forward and to our organisational development aims will be the implementation of a Leadership and Management Development Strategy. The University is aware that effective leaders are imperative to any future success and will seek to define in detail the skills, knowledge and behaviours required of effective leaders at Liverpool. The University will establish specific mechanisms to identify potential leaders and managers and will provide practical and flexible support to existing leaders and managers before and after appointment. HR will be active in supporting this Strategy and in determining and embedding the agreed model of effective leadership.

Management Information

As we have described previously, HR is committed to underpinning our departmental capability with a sound Institutional management information provision which will allow us to produce meaningful information to serve these objectives and wider University needs. We are acutely aware that our management information provision should respond effectively to business needs. A comprehensive realignment and enhancement of the existing management information provision (JASPER), in which HR is a major driver, is essential to the Institution‟s ability to capture core data accurately and to reconcile staff posts and associated resources which, in turn, are critical to our budgetary planning provisions and internal approval mechanisms. This will be fundamental to our ability to accurately benchmark and audit our processes. This work is currently underway and is described in more detail later in this document.

In the longer term, our aspiration would be to see a clear expansion of the Institutional management information capability with capacity to engage in long-term succession planning and workforce forecasting. We are progressively more aware of the increased expectations of our central service business partners and of the wider University and would wish to develop or to acquire the capability to meet these expectations. We will continue to maintain an awareness of the advances in technological capability in the sector and beyond and of particular developments to HR systems and their capacity to interlink with allied IT provisions. We will also remain mindful of cost relativities.

Employee Relations Climate

While the University is conscious of its history and traditions, it has also been keen to foster some progressive and distinctive Human Resource developments which are particular to Liverpool and unique to the sector (q.v. the Portfolio of Activity, Professional Development and Review and the Performance Management Procedure). These have all been negotiated and agreed with our trade union and professional association partners, indicating the positive local employee relations climate at Liverpool. We anticipate that this participative, collaborative approach will continue.

While wishing to sustain our existing trade union and professional relationships, in the spirit of EU legislation relating to employee consultation, we aim to expand the principle of consultative management by involving broader staff groups, especially those who do not belong to a recognised union or association, in a variety of consultation processes.

Managerial Relations

It is important to acknowledge that, at Liverpool, there is a senior managerial will to embrace progressive and distinctive staff initiatives and that this has been critical in enabling HR to create the environment for transformation and move these initiatives into mainstream practice.

Since 2000 the University has sought to develop a clear and accessible authorisation and approval route which allows the Planning and Development Division, the Finance Office and/or Research and Business Services to capture and predict the resource implications and contractual terms of new posts and to approve posts efficiently. HR will continue to maintain its active participation in these processes in assuring that the grading and remit of a given role are appropriate and that decisions about tenure are made in the context of the University‟s commitments to fixed-term staff.

Strategic relationship with planning activities

Beyond the scope of the defined approval processes, HR does maintain a crucial relationship with the University‟s planning functions. We aim to ensure that all Programme Initiatives are shaped in the context of actual resource allocations and that they are congruent with future imperatives particularly in relation to student numbers, restructurings and capital schemes. On this basis, HR seeks to maintain a consistent dialogue with our business partners about core strategic and operational needs and longer-term sustainability.

External drivers influencing HR Strategy

While there is some capacity to control and influence the internal drivers of strategy, the external drivers have emerged out of a turbulent local, national and international context. There are a number of pertinent drivers which have, and will continue to influence the shaping of HR strategy. All of the following will be reflected and addressed in the Programme Initiatives detailed in pages 10 – 20.

Continuing expansion of HE/Competition

While we benefit from benchmarking ourselves against Russell Group members, we must acknowledge that we face increasing competition from a range of HE providers, particularly from Russell Group institutions. We believe that the environment now exists for the University to maintain a keen competitive position and that the detailed HR Programme Initiatives will enhance our profile as a „first-choice‟ employer within the sector.

Market Factors/Future need for staff

Expanding on this theme and in accordance with sectoral aspirations, we will also participate in establishing academic engagement as the „career of first resort‟4. We believe that this is a realistic aim, given that our pay environment now offers attractive, competitive salaries especially at entry-level, and that the Institution is now positioned to support the mutual nature of the employment relationship in terms of defining rights and responsibilities for both parties.

While we successfully recruit from a global catchment, we acknowledge that, in areas of specialist expertise and professional standing (including clinically qualified staff), we may experience short-term difficulties in recruiting because of particular national or international factors. We will therefore aim to develop creative and flexible solutions and to actively seek out and acquire necessary expertise and skills.

Legislation

HR has dealt with a significant range of legislation in period 2004 - 2006, principally in relation to fixed-term contracts and age discrimination, and has determined internal policies to deal with our statutory obligations. The Department is actively engaged in developing policy in relation to prospective changes, both from the UK and EU legislatures and this will inevitably be a driver for strategic policy development. We will continue to benchmark developments in this sphere with our closest comparable institutions and will test the wider experience of other employers.

Government policies

A number of government schemes have been actively embraced by the University, particularly Widening Participation, where the Institution has met the prescribed targets for student admissions from diverse social, cultural and economic backgrounds. The University is alert to all governmental initiatives intended to engender and measure equality of treatment and fairness; these will be translated into our Diversity and Equality Programme and will underpin all other strategic Programme Initiatives.

Shared Services and Sectoral Collaboration

We acknowledge that there is national debate underway in the sector in relation to the potential for institutions to share services and to work collaboratively on particular initiatives. The HR Director has actively participated in this debate and we anticipate that thinking in this area will develop into firmer proposals within the lifetime of this Strategy (2007-2010). While we already engage in considerable networking and sharing of ideas at an informal level in the sector, we will continue to encourage the debate and to consider suitable areas of potential mutual benefit.

‘Third stream’ Income, Enterprise Culture and Consultancy

A key area of business engagement will be discrete or collaborative areas of industrial enterprise and commercial alliance which will provide the University with a third stream of resource. HR will assist the University and our business partners in Research and Business Services in promoting a robust enterprise culture in which innovative and novel endeavours which are congruent with the Institution‟s aspirations can be developed, regulated and exploited successfully.

HEFCE: The Higher Education Workforce in England (2007)

Many staff members possessing specific expertise engage in external consultancy work. The Portfolio of Activity already allows the University to access a diverse Register of Expertise and to measure the range of actual consultancy activity. HR will assist RBS in regulating and approving all appropriate external consultancy activity undertaken by staff. This work is currently underway and is described in more detail later in this document.

Internationalisation

Internationalisation is a key area of development for the Institution with our affiliation to the Xi‟an Jiaotong-Liverpool University in China and our potential engagement in India and Singapore. These areas of commercial expansion will underline the need to develop greater understanding of international business practice and legal constraints and the need to consolidate our professional communication practices, including IT links. We will also continue to build an informed understanding of alternative cultural values and imperatives. 7. Human Resources Values and Commitments

All HR activities will be framed and delivered in the context of our expressed commitment to equality and diversity. We will aspire to go beyond the statutory obligations in this area and reinforce equity of treatment in all contexts.

The Human Resources Department will endeavour to ensure that all interactions and exchanges at every level in the organisation will be characterised by professionalism and civility and that all staff recognise the mutual nature of the employment relationship. The Institution will expect contribution at, or beyond, a reasonable level of delivery and co-operation with the aims and objectives of departments, service divisions and the broader University. Given that the most significant portion of total resource is spent on staff costs, we will seek to ensure that our human resources are of the highest quality and are enabled to contribute at the highest level.

As a baseline of employee expectations, we aim to ensure that staff members will have access to the following:

(a) An accurate role profile and job description which sets out their status, grading, duties and

responsibilities.

(b) Access to induction, both at the departmental and University level

(d) A safe working environment with Health and Safety training at the highest standard.

(e) An annual Professional Development and Review (PDR) at which individuals will be able

to discuss their role in the fullest terms with the potential for the role to be refined or revised, for development needs to be identified and for achievements to be recognised.

(f) Appropriate development opportunities assessed as part of the PDR and determined in the

context of wider departmental needs.

(g) Access to appropriate progression and promotion opportunities as part of a transparent

review process based on objective measures of contribution.

(h) Access to a review process based on objective measures of contribution.

(i) Access to a range of University functions to support their employment (payroll, pensions,

HR)

(j) The right of representation.

We will strive to go beyond these baseline expectations, depending on the needs of both the individual and the organisation, and will ensure that exceptional contribution is rewarded appropriately.

Key areas of Institutional HR Engagement/Organisational Development Dimensions

There are significant areas of HR engagement which have a clear organisational development dimension and which therefore represent the core themes to 2010 within the various HR Programme Initiatives

1. Leadership and Management Development5 2. Staff Contribution and Development

3. Talent Management: capacity within the workforce, succession planning, workforce planning 4. Communication with staff and with key stakeholders

5. Development of a meaningful management information infrastructure and KPIs 6. External measures, metrics and RAE

7. Equality and diversity factors integral to all HR/OD developments

8. Training and Development factors integral to all HR/OD developments

While, in some instances, there are Programme Initiatives which relate directly to these organisational developmental themes (for example Communication), all of the themes are served by a number and combination of Programme Initiatives. For example, Talent Management et al will be served by our Contribution, Role Evaluation and Management Information Programmes and will be underpinned by the Equality and Diversity and Training and Development Programmes.

There are generic areas of Organisational Development in which there is a clear HR remit:

Risk

Implicit in a number of these Organisational Development themes are aspects of Institutional risk as described in the University‟s Risk Register. HR has assessed areas of comparative risk in relation to staff and the potential for failure to deliver in key areas of Institutional HR engagement. Many of the Programme Initiatives have been devised to address specific areas of risk, particularly in relation to pay modernisation and performance management. HR will continue to anticipate potential risk and to develop appropriate responses for various scenarios.

Governance and Corporate Responsibility

The University takes seriously its responsibilities to staff, the student body and the wider community in terms of statutory and regulatory responsibilities. HR will reinforce the duties held by any individual having managerial or supervisory responsibility for others through the annual PDR process and through broader Institutional policies in relation to health and safety, duty of care and public interest disclosure.

At Institutional level, consideration is being given to the production of an overarching Code of Ethics which will be widely publicised to governance bodies, staff and students. Within Faculties, codes of conduct in relation to securing ethical permissions and standards of practice are in place and are subject to regular scrutiny, review and update. HR will continue to maintain an awareness of responsibilities assigned to key individuals which are subject to external oversight, the varying ethical and practice requirements and the necessary liaison with state agencies which takes place in many different areas of engagement.

HR will continue to work with line-managers to ensure that staff are treated in accordance with current Health and Safety requirements. We will continue to work closely with the Safety Adviser and Occupational Health Physician to determine best practice models to ensure compliance with defined standards and statutory obligations.

The University will continue to respond with diligence and propriety in relation to public interest disclosures (or instances of „whistleblowing‟) which allege serious malpractice and will continue to address such matters through a formal and timely process of investigation and subsequent determination.

Leadership and Management Development Strategy

9. Embedding Strategy

As stated previously, the HR Department will continue to audit itself against best practice models and relevant external benchmarks when developing strategy and policy. Where we have key strategic themes and programme initiatives in train, we will simultaneously seek to improve our internal business processes, to redefine our professional focus and to develop a rigorous project management methodology.

Inevitably, a significant amount of the HR Department‟s remit falls within the transactional and operational sphere. We will endeavour to lighten the administrative load by utilising as much electronic storage, transfer and processing of data as possible and by streamlining internal processes and documentation. With the development of our management information provision, we will aim to produce better, more understandable and relevant managerial information to regular deadlines.

In order to maximise our flexibility, HR has followed a generalist path and it is clear that we have been successful in establishing and maintaining relationships and in dealing with a wide range of contractual interactions and singular casework. We do, however, intend to move away from a fluctuating involvement in core business to being a core business partner and, while maintaining the most comprehensive service possible, we will aim to further develop specialist expertise within the Department.

We will continue to promote HR as integral to the Institution and will therefore plan, measure and deliver as a true business partner operating from a sound platform of systems, services and processes. In order to support the aspiration to „invest, collaborate and grow‟, we intend to acquire and nurture diagnostic and enabling skills and coaching capabilities.

We will further develop and facilitate our bespoke organisational development mechanisms; Portfolio of Activity, Professional Development and Review and the Performance Management Procedure. After consulting widely and testing the validity and effectiveness of these recent developments, we will continue to pursue novel approaches to HR strategy and organisational development.

It is our intention to maintain our position at the leading edge of Human Resources practice in the Higher Education sector. 10. Strategic Commitments

It is the Human Resources Department‟s intention to deliver all of the specific projects listed in the Programme areas by the end of 2010. We anticipate that in the major areas of Contribution and Role Evaluation, policy will be elucidated, communicated and delivered by the end of 2008.

The University‟s overarching Diversity and Equality Policy will inform all strategic and operational developments and all Programme areas will be developed in accordance with the Institutional Policy Checklist and, where appropriate, will be impact assessed.

We believe this significant and challenging Strategic Programme comprehensively addresses HEFCE‟s four principles of public sector reform6:

 National Standards and a Framework of clear accountability  Devolution and delegation to the front line

 Flexibility and reduction of red tape: incentives and rewards for good performance; strong

leadership and management; high quality training and development  Expanding choice for the customer and being customer-focused.

HEFCE: The Higher Education Workforce in England (2007) pp 8/9

By 2010 the Human Resources Department will aspire to have delivered a diverse and inclusive staff profile with widespread representation of women and ethnic minority and disabled staff. We aim to develop an academic workforce which is characterised by world-class expertise and the fullest participation in teaching, scholarship and research, a managerial workforce which is characterised by professionalism and problem-solving proficiency and a support staff workforce which has the capability to support and contribute to all aspects of academic endeavour.

We will aim to have embedded a culture of openness and transparency in which equality and diversity are the touchstones of all University activity and in which staff members feel valued for their contribution to the greater good.

HR Programme Initiatives:

Introduction:

The following Programme Initiatives describe the key areas of HR activity and engagement within each of the dedicated Programme areas. Further information about the progress of each Programme Initiative will continue to be made available in the associated Self Assessment Tool (SAT), which provides evidence of on-going activity, outputs and progress.

Programme Areas: 1 Diversity and Equality Programme Statutory and institutional obligations 2 Legislation Programme 3 Employee Resourcing Programme Direct areas of engagement with staff Treatment/Grading/Pay/Performance/ 4 Pay Modernisation/Role Evaluation Programme Behaviours 5 Employee Contribution Programme 6 Management Information Programme HR Data Management/ MI/Payroll and Pensions 7 Staff Development and Training Programme Skills Needs and Organisational Development 8 Employee Relations Programme HR internal modes of engagement/service 9 Communications Programme commitments/consolidating 10 Service Delivery Programme relationships

1. Diversity and Equality Programme

This Strategy states the fundamental importance of Diversity and Equality in developing wide-ranging HR strategic imperatives. The University is committed to embedding Diversity and Equality as a vital element in all of its transactional processes and considers it an intrinsic part of the employment relationship. Diversity and Equality is also appreciated as an essential part of the University‟s broader Organisational Development agenda. The University will therefore seek to develop policy beyond baseline legislative equality requirements as appropriate and HR has therefore established a dedicated Diversity and Equality team with a senior lead which will participate in developing this and all of the subsequent Programme Initiatives.

Within HR, Diversity and Equality is part of the mandatory framework for any policy development which must conform with the requirements of the Institutional Policy Checklist. The Checklist provides a framework against which project owners are able to ensure that policy is thorough, appropriate and delivered within realistic resource allocations. In addition, and in accordance with our mandatory obligations, all policy will be impact-assessed as appropriate and will be driven by a defined Action Plan.

Using this methodology, the University has developed a formal Diversity and Equality of Opportunity Policy which articulates the University‟s core values of inclusivity, mutual respect, personal dignity and equity of treatment and will confirm the value placed on all staff contributing to the wellbeing and success of the Institution.

Specific schemes will be developed to address key issues and recent legislation in relation to disability, race, gender, religious belief and sexual orientation. Work is already in progress to define a Disability Equality Scheme, a Gender Equality Scheme and to revise the Race Equality Statement.

Formal staff networks are being established to promote debate and to provide consultation opportunities from within informed, representative interest groups. The Disabled Staff Network has already been established and is actively contributing to policy development in this area. There is an on-going commitment to raising awareness of the needs and perspectives of a diverse community and a comprehensive programme of briefing sessions and training is available.

The Diversity and Equality team will have a cross-functional remit and many of the tools defined in subsequent Programme Initiatives have been formulated to provide robust mechanisms to measure and test the effectiveness of our commitment to Diversity and Equality.

Reference to this commitment and the principle of embedding Diversity and Equality will be evident throughout the following Programme Initiatives.

Legislation Programme While our statutory obligations in relation to equity of treatment are being addressed via the Diversity and Equality Programme, the University has responded to a significant programme of legislation relating to contractual employment issues in the last decade. Acting in an increasingly regulated environment, ensuring compliance is an essential part of our strategic focus and service delivery. All policies arising from legislative change will be underpinned by the principles of corporate responsibility, ethical awareness, equity of treatment and our expressed commitment to diversity and equality.

Policy developed in response to legislative change will comply with the necessary legal requirements but will be framed in the context of the University‟s climate and culture. We will utilise the Department‟s existing employment law expertise in developing policy in relation to statutory obligations and will, where and when appropriate, seek external legal advice about the probity of the content.

We will aim to deliver policy which will provide clarity and certainty to line managers and individuals about statutory obligations and which will therefore constrain the potential for legal challenge.

We will continue to foster and develop a corporate understanding of the principles of equity of treatment and the prevailing legislative climate.

We will continue to build expertise and to nurture problem-solving experts in this area. We will aim to ensure that sufficiently flexible but robust preventative mechanisms are in place to reduce the incidence of disputes, both formal and informal.

We will maintain and update our awareness of the specific obligations placed on the Institution as a public sector employer in relation to framing action plans and impact assessing policy changes.

HR has developed and communicated policies and associated procedures in the following areas of significant legislative change affecting the University. Work will continue as HR tests, measures and reviews the appropriateness and effectiveness of policy in these, and other, areas.

Fixed-term Employees Regulations

The University has embraced the changes introduced in 2002 in relation to fixed-term contracts. These changes established greater protections for staff employed on a fixed-term contract or on a series of fixed-term contracts for a continuous period of four or more years. HR has modified the process for renewal of fixed-term contracts in order to ensure that the University fulfils its statutory obligations under this legislation. Line managers and the individuals concerned are now required to verify that consultation has taken place as part of the process of confirming either the end of employment or its renewal. This process will also initiate a redeployment search for reasonable alternative roles for the individual, if this is their wish.

All contracts of employment created or renewed on or after 1 August 2006 will normally be permanent and fixed term contracts will be authorised only if one or more of the following criteria are met:

 In order to undertake a specific project/task, which will expire on the completion of the particular

project/task and or at a specific end date.

 In order to deal with a short-term peak in workload that is operationally essential.  In order to provide cover in the event of a maternity absence.

 In order to provide cover in the event of a period of sickness absence or in the event of a leave of

absence.

 Where a post is designated by the University as a formal post that has been established for training

purposes.

 Where the funding is fixed-term, or if there is well-founded uncertainty about funding.

 Where a department is closing or there is a justifiable well-founded reason where a department is

under formal review/restructuring.

 Or for other objectively justifiable reasons.

In the spirit of the legislation, the University has also recognised existing staff members who have already accumulated significant periods of continuous employment, currently seven years, on fixed term contracts by converting these to an open-ended status and will automatically invoke a redeployment search for reasonable alternative roles should the funding of these appointments cease.

Age Discrimination

From December 2006, legislation prohibiting discrimination on the grounds of age was effected. In response to this legislation HR has modified its recruitment policies and processes to remove all reference to age as a selection tool.

In the interests of retaining specific expertise and experience the University will allow members of staff to work beyond their stated retirement ages as long as there is an explicit managerial interest in doing so. A formal process to deal with such requests has been determined and communicated.

Part-Time Working/Casual Staff Review

The University will establish the scope and extent of non-contractual part-time and casual teaching delivery across the University. We will seek to regularise the contractual position of those staff who contribute with predictable regularity and to determine the broader incidence and cost of ad-hoc teaching. The University will also consider the position of contracted part-time staff to ensure that they are treated equitably and fairly.

Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures

http://www.liv.ac.uk/hr/conditions/disciplinary/index.htm

The University has in place well-defined disciplinary and grievance procedures which exceed the requirements of the existing legislation. HR will, however, revisit existing discipline and grievance procedures in the light of the revised ACAS Code of Practice and our own work which will refine the Model Statute.

Employee Consultation

The University formally recognises a number of trade unions and professional associations and is committed to the principle of broad employee consultation. It therefore complies with the requirements of the Employee Information and Consultation Directive but will seek to consistently test and measure the effectiveness and reach of its consultation exercises (see Communications Programme Initiative).

Family Friendly Policies - Working Families Act http://www.liv.ac.uk/hr/conditions/index.htm

HR has framed a range of policies aimed at addressing sympathetically maternity, paternity and adoption leave entitlements, work/life balance issues and the specific requirements of those with caring responsibilities. We will continue to test and measure the effectiveness of these policies and to reinforce the University‟s responsibilities, within the context of operational capability, in these areas.

Working Time Directive

While the University complies with the principal requirements of the Directive, HR will seek to strengthen monitoring mechanisms and will address those areas that apply to young workers and to clinical staff, in the context of the revised arrangements for clinical consultant academics.

Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998: Whistleblowing

The University will continue to respond to all public interest disclosures (or instances of „whistleblowing‟) which allege serious malpractice and will address such matters through a formal and timely process of investigation and subsequent determination.

Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment (TUPE)

The University has had an increasing involvement in transferring cognate groups of staff into and out of the Institution. We will continue to act within the scope of the TUPE requirements, honouring the continuity and service entitlements of staff we take in and in providing clear and comprehensive information about staff who may be subsumed elsewhere. HR will continue to build knowledge and expertise in this area.

Home Office and Immigration Regulations

HR has built considerable expertise in dealing with work permit and immigration matters. HR will continue to update and maintain its knowledge of current Home Office regulations and immigration rules and will ensure that the University complies with all mandatory requirements. We will ensure that our procedures and processes are applied consistently and remain congruent with government policy.

Data Protection

http://www.liv.ac.uk/dp/

The University has defined a Data Protection Policy and Records Retention Policy. HR will comply with the requirements of these policies and will continue to ensure that our record management is accurate, accessible and efficient.

3. Employee Resourcing Programme

http://www.liv.ac.uk/hr/recruitment/index.htm

As a key element of the University‟s broader strategic aim to “invest, collaborate and grow”, the University wishes to attract, cultivate and retain staff of the highest calibre at all levels of the organisation.

The HR Department has implemented a flexible Employee Resourcing Programme through which it will continue to enhance its competitive position both nationally and internationally. The Programme utilises significantly improved corporate communication mechanisms and aims to maximise opportunities to attract and retain high quality staff through the use of innovative and high profile recruitment campaigns, induction incentives and retention mechanisms. Beyond this, the Programme also considers the uses and purposes of probation and seeks to identify reasons for staff turnover and exit. The Programme incorporates Diversity and Equality principles in accordance with HR‟s commitment to embed this legislation in all areas of activity.

HR aspires to continuously improve all of the major interactions with staff around commencement and exit by developing processes based on equity of treatment, transparency and procedural efficiency.

As part of the expansion of our management information capability, our aim is to introduce an on-line web application and recruitment process to include the scanning of paper applications and document storage systems to allow recruiters to access all applications on-line and record progress and recruitment decisions. We also aim to achieve a more effective application process for candidates and a more efficient data collection system to allow HR to effectively monitor the whole recruitment process.

We aim to define the expectations of the role thoroughly so that the mutual obligations of the employment relationship are clear from the outset. As part of the induction process, we will seek to identify any training and development needs which will enable new staff to function effectively from the start of their employment. We will therefore redefine probation requirements for all staff and introduce criteria against which the completion of a satisfactory probationary period can be assessed.

Retention of staff will be enhanced through processes which identify and recognise the potential of internal talent including the Professional Development and Review and Portfolio of Activity (see Contribution Programme) and the expressed Retention Framework procedure which enable the organisation to identify and reward an individual's contribution based on objective and transparent evidence.

HR will continue to refine its monitoring and measurement of turnover, the termination of fixed-term contracts and the reasons given for voluntary exit from the organisation. Where reasons for resignation identify failings either in interpersonal relationships or perceived deficits in support, development options or training, HR will seek to establish systems to address these.

Creating the resourcing environment: Recruitment and Selection Mechanisms

As part of this Programme, HR has recently undertaken an intensive revision of the Recruitment and Selection Code of Practice and Handbook to reflect current legislative requirements, our Diversity and Equality principles and best practice in the wider HR and HE sectors.

These documents provide clarity about the role of key recruiters, the responsibilities of selection panels, the conduct of selection events, the treatment of candidates and the standard of documentation to be completed and retained. Support for recruitment and selection processes is provided online and HR will continue to provide advice and guidance at all stages.

HR will continue to extend the professionalisation and improvement of standards of recruitment practice through increased participation by HR at selection events and by enhancing the training programme which supports recruitment and selection.

HERA Connections – role profiles, HERA toolkit.

The HERA role evaluation methodology (see Pay Modernisation/Role Evaluation Programme) will be integral to the recruitment processes, providing the University with clear structural links for evaluation, assessment and review throughout the employment cycle. HR will use HERA toolkit software to maximise the results of role analysis to create role descriptions, profiles and specifications. We will introduce a structured interview process for non-professorial appointments based on HERA competencies.

Targeted Recruitment

The University has undertaken targeted campaigns (Centenary Appointments; Rising Stars) aimed at attracting high-fliers with international research potential. Again, the University has made a number of strategically important appointments which have allowed Faculties to position themselves for RAE 2008 and for a longer-term horizon. The University will continue to seek to recruit world-class individuals from a global catchment and the HR Department will continue to guide and facilitate this.

Meaningful Incentives: Personal Induction Awards

As an aid to attracting high-quality academic candidates, the University has introduced Personal Induction Awards of £1,500 which are intended to assist eligible staff in becoming established quickly. Staff are able to determine how this award is spent as long as this is within the scope of their academic role.

Golden Hellos

The University has been utilising HEFCE‟s „Golden Hello Scheme‟ in order to attract candidates from other sectors who might not typically have considered an academic career. Combined with the effects of pay modernisation, this has resulted in a number of sound appointments which have added to the diversity of the academic community.

Clarifying Expectations: Standardisation of probation

HR will standardise the probation requirements and process for all staff (excepting those academic staff already required to complete a defined contractual probationary period). Work in this area will include the identification of mandatory induction and training needs followed by the development of a policy which covers all groups of staff, excepting those already having defined contractual probationary periods. This will integrate new staff more effectively into their departments or service areas and the wider University, and will also identify essential development needs. Probationary periods will be of an adequate length to allow a realistic period of contribution to be adjudged against stated expectations but will not be of excessive duration.

Progress will be reviewed throughout the probationary period to clarify expectations. This process will be congruent with the University‟s agreed Performance Management Procedure (See Contributions Programme) having a similar ethos in relation to clarity about expectations and the necessity for regular reviews throughout the period. The University will retain the right to cease employment (or to extend for a further period) at the end of the probationary term should an individual fail to meet the stated expectations.

Testing the Experience:

More detailed Exit Interview surveys; data on turnover factors

The University has introduced a detailed Exit Survey form for all staff leaving the University, including those who are retiring or have been employed on fixed-term contracts. This survey seeks to elicit individual reasons for leaving and details of individuals‟ experiences of the University as an employer. HR will seek to refine these Survey forms and to maximise use of the data collected.

The University will maintain an awareness of turnover for all categories of staff and for discrete departments and service areas. As our management information capability increases, we will seek to provide more detailed statistical data about turnover and the range of factors affecting it.

Other Factors:

For a number of clinical academic posts within the Faculty of Medicine we work within the Follett principles which require the University to work jointly with our partner NHS trusts and the appropriate Royal Colleges when recruiting to senior clinical academic posts. The University is fully committed to this joint interaction and has sought to strengthen relationships with our many partner NHS organisations. We will seek to describe clearly the joint nature of these relationships and the dual obligations of the substantive and honorary employers in any recruitment literature and to codify the requirements for selection panels. We will continue to work closely with our business partners within the Faculty of Medicine.

4. Pay Modernisation/Role Evaluation Programme

http://www.liv.ac.uk/hr/salary_scales/pay_modernisation.htm

With very evident links to all other Programmes, HR is engaged in significant work to modernise pay and associated conditions and to introduce a transparent and equitable role evaluation system. This area of activity is fundamental to the shaping of our HR strategy and to redefining the employment relationship. It has provided the opportunity to transform the HR environment and will have a significant impact upon future organisational development and our ability to meet our expressed Diversity and Equality commitments. The Programme incorporates Diversity and Equality principles in accordance with HR‟s commitment to embed this legislation in all areas of activity.

It is essential that pay and benefits are managed fairly and equitably for all staff. The University‟s previous systems for grading jobs varied considerably between staff groups. Considerable work is underway to ensure the consistency, efficiency and effectiveness of pay, grading and reward structures which are perceptibly fair and applied equitably. The University has a legal obligation to ensure that staff performing work of equal value receive equal pay and it is therefore essential that a single system can be applied to measure all jobs. It is also crucial that the Institution remains competitive in terms of the reward packages available to our staff and to potential employees.

Accordingly, the University has embraced the principles of the Framework Agreement and is in the process of finalising the rollout of a comprehensive role evaluation scheme (HERA). In consultation with our trade union partners, HR has created a new grading structure, developed a range of role profiles and has established distinctive career paths to provide staff with greater clarity about expectations. All staff have now been assimilated to the new single pay spine on the basis of closest comparable pay points.

HR has determined a series of fundamental aspirations which underpin the pay and reward structure. The structure will:

 Attract, retain and motivate high quality staff at all levels of the organisation

 Introduce a locally-determined modernised pay structure, covering most categories of

University staff, based on the nationally agreed pay spine and encompassing the principle of harmonisation of working hours

 Offer the flexibility to respond to particular market pressures

 Reflect and complement the University‟s position as a leading Russell Group University,

through supporting the University‟s mission to deliver quality research and to provide excellent taught provision.

 Ensure that pay decisions are made in a fair and equitable manner which reflects the

University‟s Diversity and Equality of Opportunity strategy and offers the University a credible defence against legal claims for equal pay for work of equal value

 Encourage high levels of contribution by offering additional reward for exceptional

contribution

 Provide a structured approach to the management of careers across the organisation.  Complement and inform other Programme Initiatives

In meeting these aspirations, HR has engaged in comprehensive consultation with our trade union partners and has benchmarked progress against comparable HE institutions. We remain alert to sectoral developments and our position in an extremely competitive pay market. HR has engaged in broader consultation with the wider University community to test the validity of new grading structures, the development of role profiles and Diversity and Equality dimensions. Expert input has been sought from disparate areas of the University to ensure that the common grading structures and role profiles are congruent across all faculties and service areas.

The following work has been delivered after widespread consultation and the securing of formal trade union agreement:

Creation of new grading structures

All staff have now been assimilated to the agreed single pay spine and the University has determined the grade boundaries for all academic and academic-related staff. Each of the new Grades 6-9 include potential for progression on an incremental scale and for further progression to defined contribution ranges at the top of each grade on the basis of exceptional performance.

Work is underway to define the grade boundaries for support staff groups who will have access to the same potential progression mechanisms.

All gradings are underpinned by the HERA competencies, the agreed role profiles and the defined career paths.

Creation of Role Profiles

Based on the nationally agreed role profiles, HR has developed and agreed generic role profiles to reflect academic-related gradings within the single pay spine. These determine the core competencies expected within each grade and define the expected standard of delivery at each grade. From 2006, generic role profiles have been used as a key component of the University review and promotion functions in order to assure appropriate level of grading.

Further work will be undertaken in 2007 to evaluate individual roles and to define specific role profiles which describe individually assigned duties and responsibilities. As part of this work, role profiles will be developed fully and agreed with individuals and their line managers.

Definition of Career Paths

The University has defined the following career pathways to allow academic staff to consolidate or re-orientate their careers based on the weighting of core activity within their role: Staff Category: Career Path: Academic Staff Teaching and Research Research Staff Research University Teacher/ Teaching and Scholarship Other-Related with teaching contract Library Staff Professional (Library) Senior Administrative Staff/ Professional (Management and Administration) Other-Related without teaching contract Combined with the role profile, the career path provides a clear understanding of the remit of a role and the reasonable expectations the Institution can express. Individuals who find that the weighting towards research or teaching within their role has proportionately increased over a period of time and that recognition of a defined career pathway will clarify their development needs and progression options.

The following work will be developed over the period of the new HR Strategy 2007 – 2010:

Role Evaluation

Role evaluation will be a systematic and structured process in which all roles within the organisation, excepting professorial staff, will be compared using a common set of criteria.

The analysis of roles at the University of Liverpool will be based on the HERA Role Evaluation scheme. Results from the HERA exercise will underpin the position of roles on the University‟s pay structure. Role Evaluation (or job evaluation) is a process used to measure roles to enable them to be placed in a defined grade boundary. Role Evaluation seeks to maximise objectivity by basing judgements about roles on factual evidence rather than opinion. The skills, knowledge and experience required to carry out a role are analysed. These elements are then scored using a scoring system common to all roles, providing an overall score for each role. This allows comparisons to be made between, as well as within, job groups.

In many instances, the grading of a role will be evident, based on the role profile and a Professional Development and Review meeting (see Contributions Programme). In cases where there is no issue about the appropriate grading of a role, these roles will be „matched‟ to the grade without having to undergo a formal role evaluation. Individuals who do not wish their roles to be matched will have the opportunity to have their roles evaluated formally.

This is a considerable task to undertake and HR has established a dedicated team of professional role evaluation staff who will deliver this work on a systematic basis.

Pay Protection (appeals/supplements/reviews)

The University anticipates that most staff members will translate seamlessly to an equivalent grading. The Institution does, however, acknowledge that there is potential for staff to be assigned a grading lower than their existing grade, following evaluation. The University has agreed that there will be a defined period of pay protection to staff to minimise the effects of any substantial change to their grading and pay.

Resolution of disputes and opportunity for appeal

Every effort will be made to resolve disagreements through an informal process which will clarify the criteria used to assess a role. If agreement is not achieved, an appeals procedure will be available to staff if they remain dissatisfied with the outcome.

It is anticipated that the major part of the role evaluation exercise will be completed in the early part of 2008 when University will have in place clear mechanisms to determine the grading of a post, its appropriate job „family‟, and its core competencies.

Pay Modernisation/Harmonisation

As part of the Pay Modernisation Programme and in keeping with the Framework Agreement, the University also intends to harmonise, where possible, the contractual terms and conditions of staff. This will underline the mutuality of the employment relationship, our commitment to equity of treatment and will, we believe, encourage sustained levels of contribution and motivation to the Organisation. This element of the Pay Modernisation Programme will address a number of equal pay considerations and reflects the core values of our Diversity and Equality of Opportunity Policy.

HR has determined a series of fundamental aspirations which underpin harmonisation:

 The implementation of harmonised terms and conditions of employment for staff where

possible.

 A reduction in the working week for support staff working in excess of 35 hours per week.  An increase in annual leave provision to a basic level of 25 days giving equal levels to support

staff

 Harmonisation of maternity leave; an increase in the provision to support staff to mirror that

of academic staff.

 The amalgamation of sickness payment schemes to offer equality in payment  Harmonisation of unsocial hours payments  Harmonisation of overtime payments

In seeking to harmonise these aspects of the employment relationship, HR has engaged in comprehensive consultation with our trade union partners and has benchmarked progress against comparable HE institutions. We will maintain our awareness of comparable sectoral developments. HR has engaged in broader consultation with the wider University community in order to test the impact of these proposed changes and aims to harmonise contractual terms during 2007.

Employee Contribution Programme

Given that our Pay Modernisation Programme clearly indicates the potential for contribution-related reward, it is essential that contribution can be measured thoroughly and fairly against objective standards. HR will seek to reinforce the mutuality of the employment relationship through the line-management structure and will continue to refine mechanisms to allow line-mangers to assess contribution against transparent criteria and to foster and encourage work-related development. Following the introduction of the Framework Agreement and the single pay spine, the Human Resources Department is therefore embedding a comprehensive programme to measure and manage all aspects of employee contribution. The Programme incorporates Diversity and Equality principles in accordance with HR‟s commitment to embed this legislation in all areas of activity.

Detailed below are a number of bespoke mechanisms, formulated and developed at Liverpool, which provide a structured, transparent and equitable approach to the measurement and management of performance, progression and promotion, including those instances where performance falls short of expectation.

These mechanisms are intended to reflect and reinforce the concept of the mutuality of the employment relationship, to provide clarity about the remit of a role and the expectations of the staff member, to identify development needs and to ensure equitable access to development and reward opportunities based on objective evidence of contribution. Significantly, since their introduction, these mechanisms have also provided a spectrum of valuable information to the University about the scope of research and teaching activity and engagement.

While these new mechanisms are undoubtedly redefining and clarifying the nature of the employment relationship by embedding the principle of a comprehensive and mature dialogue about mutual expectations, each has been developed in consultation with staff and their representative groups in order to ensure that they are in tune with Liverpool‟s traditions and cultural identity. Care has also been taken to ensure that these distinctive mechanisms are in keeping with existing Human Resources policies and procedures.

The Human Resources Department will continue to develop and promote professional, pro-active staff engagement in relation to contribution at all levels of the organisation. It is anticipated that these contribution mechanisms will be extended to support staff groupings for all staff by June 2007 with revised promotion and review mechanisms being introduced in May 2008. Work beyond this date will be in the areas of impact assessment and refinement with a fundamental review in 2010 of continuing fitness for purpose.

Line-managers participate actively in all of these procedures and processes and are able to access professional advice and guidance from their designated HR managers at any point. Each of these mechanisms has been supported by bespoke briefings and training initiatives.

It is our aspiration to embed and continuously improve these transparent, equitable contribution systems, to define clearly the expectations of roles against agreed competencies defined within the role profiles and to reward staff accordingly. We will continue to communicate widely the value placed on contributing staff and to nurture staff members‟ identification with and commitment to the Institution‟s core values and aims.

The following work has been delivered after widespread consultation and the securing of formal trade union agreement:

Defining and Understanding Roles:

Role Profiles/Career Paths/Portfolio of Activity/Summary of Objectives

All of the following have been developed by the Human Resources Department in order to provide a comprehensive understanding of activity and engagement. While the role profiles and career paths determine an equitable, common standard of expectation from an institutional perspective, the Portfolio of Activity and Summary of Objectives are authored by individuals who are able to define and describe their essential areas of activity and delivery.

Role Profiles

These determine the core competencies expected within each grade and define the expected standard of delivery at each grade. From 2006, generic role profiles have been used as a key component of the University review and promotion functions in order to assure appropriate level of grading. (See Pay Modernisation/Role Evaluation Programme).

Career Paths

As described in the Pay Modernisation/Role Evaluation Programme, the University has defined the distinctive career pathways to allow academic staff to consolidate or re-orient their careers based on the weighting of core activity within their role: Staff Category: Career Path: Academic Staff Teaching and Research Research Staff Research University Teacher/ Teaching and Scholarship Other-Related with teaching contract Library Staff Professional (Library) Senior Administrative Staff/ Professional (Management and Administration) Other-Related without teaching contract Combined with the role profile, the career path provides a clear understanding of the remit of a role and the reasonable expectations the Institution can express. Individuals who may find that the weighting towards research or teaching within their role has proportionately increased over a period of time and that formal recognition of an alternative career pathway would help to determine appropriate development and progression options.

Portfolio of Activity

The Portfolio of Activity is a distinctive process which has been formulated and developed at Liverpool. This is an online document in which academic members of staff register their personal activity annually. It is a comprehensive declaration of individual engagement in the areas of teaching, research, clinical activity (if applicable), administration, student supervision, grant applications and awards, publications, external professional activity and consultancy work, measures of esteem and international standing. The individual is able to determine the range of information submitted.

The Portfolio of Activity is integral to the Professional Development and Review (PDR) process (see below). While the agreed role profile will determine the scope of the remit and the core competencies, the Portfolio of Activity provides the key information to initiate the PDR discussion about contribution, delivery against expectations and areas of sustained excellence.

The Human Resources Department is not aware of any similar process within other comparable HE institutions but is aware of considerable interest within the sector about the Portfolio of Activity. The experience at Liverpool is that the Portfolio of Activity is a wholly effective tool for individuals to periodically reflect and record the fullest range of their activity and for the University to assess standards of contribution and to encourage and develop coherent teaching and research themes and collaborations.

The Portfolio of Activity is available for update via the University‟s web portal (TULIP).

Summary of Objectives

In wishing to capture and represent accurately the contribution of all staff, the University has recognised that the Portfolio of Activity does not usefully serve those academic-related staff members whose career paths have a managerial or service orientation. It has therefore developed the Summary of Objectives document which sits alongside the Portfolio of Activity. This allows individuals to set out annually their key objectives, aims and aspirations and to describe their achievements in the previous period. Like the Portfolio of Activity, the Summary of Objectives is completed by the individual who will determine what he or she wishes to be included and will provide the key information to initiate the PDR discussion of contribution, delivery against expectations and areas of

sustained excellence. It is the University‟s aim to support completion and subsequent updating of this document electronically by the first half of 2008.

Professional Development and Review (PDR)

http://www.liv.ac.uk/hr/promotion/documents/academic_and_acad_related/PDR_Form.doc)

Introduced for all academic, research and academic-related staff in September 2006, Professional Development and Review is now a mandatory annual event which incorporates a number of pre-existing but discrete University processes relating to appraisal and promotion and progression mechanisms. It is a positive, objective discussion with a nominated Reviewer who should be familiar with an individual and their role. The PDR has three distinctive phases which are informed by the information contained within the Role Profile and Portfolio of Activity or Summary of Objectives.

Individuals will have an annual opportunity to discuss in detail with a nominated Reviewer three distinctive aspects of their role:

(i) Role and Contribution Review (ii) Development Review (iii) Progression Review

The discussion provides the opportunity to agree modifications to the role in terms of duties and responsibilities, workload factors, equality and diversity issues which may inhibit or impact upon contribution and the broader career path orientation including relevant development needs and aspirations. Parts 1 and 2 should lead to an informed discussion about progression and promotion based on evidence from the two previous phases.

Reviewers and Reviewees are able to identify performance difficulties as part of the PDR discussion but to remove them from this process by addressing these via the separate Performance Management Procedure. Reviewers are therefore able to preserve the positive employment relationship and objectivity of conclusions drawn.

Anecdotal feedback received has overwhelmingly welcomed the introduction of PDR; both nominated Reviewers and Reviewees have reported a perceived value beyond the defined scope of the procedure in communicating core values and behaviours and in building a clear positive employment relationship. PDR is being identified by many of the University‟s central committees as the key mechanism to measure and manage contribution in terms of research metrics and learning and teaching delivery.

The Human Resources Department has sought more objective feedback about Reviewers and Reviewees experience of the PDRs via online questionnaires (stats) and will continue to assess their impact and to ensure that they remain fit for purpose. The questionnaires have been formulated to elicit the different perspectives on PDR from Reviewers and Reviewees and levels of satisfaction with the process. They will also test the appropriateness of the questions within the PDR designed to prompt and direct the discussion. The Human Resources Department will continue to pursue wider consultation about the experience and value of PDR so that the procedure can maintain its value as a key University tool.

The following work will be developed over the period of the new HR Strategy 2007 – 2010:

Annual Review 2007/2008

In wishing to recognise distinctive contribution, the University does consider that there are significant strengths in the existing promotion and review procedures. The Human Resources Department is engaged in refining and streamlining administrative processes relating to promotion and review and, in concert with the recognised Trade Union partners, will frame transparent and objective criteria and standards against which cases will be determined. These will include reference to the appropriate career paths and consequent weighting within roles in terms of research and/or scholarship and an objective methodology for assessing national and international standing. These revised review procedures and criteria for all academic, research and academic-related staff will be introduced in 2008.

Performance Management Implementation

http://www.liv.ac.uk/hr/promotion/documents/academic_and_acad_related/role_profiles/Performance_Management.doc

A Performance Management Procedure has been formulated and agreed and is now available to provide a mechanism to remedy poor performance prior to any formal disciplinary action being invoked. This provides a potential three-stage process, which includes the requirement for target setting and timed reviews, led by the line-manager. The Procedure sets out the need to understand the circumstances in each case, to define realistic, achievable expectations and for there to be evidence of measurable improvement over a sustained period to an acceptable level.

Sickness Absence

http://www.liv.ac.uk/hr/health_welfare/index.htm

Similarly, the Human Resources Department has revised and re-invigorated the Sickness Absence Policy and associated preventative initiatives, with the aim at reducing overall sickness absence rates. The Policy emphasises a holistic approach to staff health and welfare and, depending on particular circumstances, avenues of support (including counselling and employee assistance schemes and specific procedures for those with alcohol or stress related difficulties) available to staff who experience ill health. The Policy will be communicated across the Institution from April 2007 and will be supported by a comprehensive training programme.

Consultancy/External Professional Activity

The University‟s Research and Business Services Division (RBS), in consultation with the Human Resources Department, has produced a revised procedure for staff undertaking consultancy work and external professional activities. This will introduce a mechanism for registering such activities via the University‟s TULIP portal, for formal approval of appropriate external activities to be registered directly by RBS via TULIP and for this to be downloaded to the individual‟s Portfolio of Activity. The University will be better placed to adjudge the scale and range of these activities and will be able to produce a comprehensive register of professional expertise. It is anticipated that these processes will be in place by early 2008.

Model Statute

The University will revise aspects of Statute 37 in relation to academic staff members in order to provide greater clarity about the expectations of the academic employment relationship. The aim will be to ensure that disciplinary and grievance procedures for academic staff adhere to best practice and are in keeping with disciplinary and grievance procedures for all other categories of staff. The University is seeking to harmonise equity of treatment in considering the contribution of all categories of staff, including instances where contribution does not meet defined expectations. The University will undertake this work in consultation with the appropriate trade union partners and professional associations and with the academic staff community.

Management Information Programme Comprehensive and meaningful management information is essential to all other HR Programmes. HR is currently engaged in very significant work to reconfigure and enhance all people-related data collection and management information systems which will fulfil a broad spectrum of administrative and managerial needs. This area of activity is fundamental to the shaping of our HR strategy and to our ability to deliver credible and flexible information that will support long-term planning. We anticipate that developments in this area will transform the HR environment within the lifetime of this Strategy, will have a significant impact upon future organisational development and will enable the Institution to meet its expressed strategic commitments. The Programme incorporates Diversity and Equality principles in accordance with HR‟s commitment to embed this legislation in all areas of activity.

Human Resources Systems

The HR Department will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its data collection and of all related processes. The resulting information will be accessed and utilised by a wide range of users, both internal and external. HR will seek to deliver a flexible and fully integrated suite of computerised applications which support all HR functions and which serve the requirements of our external customers. As a parallel initiative, HR will develop robust and refined business processes to maximise our efficiency and effectiveness.

We will enhance and improve recruitment and selection administration by developing a specialised module which integrates with the primary HR and payroll system, and introduce an e-recruitment capability to maximise operational effectiveness and to support the University's efforts in attracting candidates with a diverse skills base from an international catchment. We will introduce robust audit monitoring controls to underpin our objective to provide a consistently accurate administrative service.

Corporate Data and Reporting

HR is actively engaged in developing a Corporate HR and Payroll system that shares master data and interfaces with other core systems to serve a range of centralised administrative functions including Finance and Research and Business Services. We will implement a budgeting and forecasting capability using HR data to accurately identify actual and predicted costs on an individual, departmental, faculty, project and/or cost centre basis.

We will develop an enhanced Corporate Management Information Service to provide quality reporting, both internally and externally, in respect of people-related data. We will establish data managers and specialist experts who will ensure the quality of the data and who will develop the \"HR Dashboard\" as a resource to meet regular reporting requirements.

HR will seek to introduce a self-service capability to be accessed directly by staff members allowing them to update their personal details, and other individual data. We will seek to offer a similar facility to Heads of Departments and Managers to allow them to enter and authorise data directly in relation to sickness absence, overtime and other employment related matters.

We will develop and extend the suite of key performance indicators to support internal and external benchmarking, identifying areas of excellence and addressing those requiring further development or attention.

We will develop essential systems to support the Institutional need to engage in comprehensive workforce and succession planning, to allow for the identification of future needs in respect of particular roles and skills and to provide the basis by which Facilities Management can assess teaching, laboratory and office space requirements.

We have created a dedicated HR Systems and Information Team to focus on the development of new and existing systems and processes. HR will be represented on all other corporate systems initiatives to maximise Institutional cohesion on system development and to ensure an integrated and co-ordinated approach to corporate activity and management information. We are active participants in the following teams on:

 Finance System re-implementation - Control Board and Project Team

 Facilities Management Systems implementation - Control Board and Project Team

 Research and Business Services Systems implementation - Control Board and Project Team  University Travel Plans - Control Board and Project Team

 Various departmental initiatives to improve integrated work flow processes.

 Senior Management Team Sub-Group focussing on Corporate Business Systems

We will introduce an integrated Training and Development Module to support activities in relation to Staff Development including Professional Development and Review, linking skills requirements to personal development diaries and University strategies. This module will provide support to all training providers within the University and provide more comprehensive reports in respect of the true extent of staff development initiatives.

Payroll and Pensions Division

The Payroll and Pensions Programme represents an area of major transactional and operational engagement for HR, and the expansion of our management information capability will have a critical impact in this area.

This is a complex area of business activity subject to external, as well as internal, regulation and scrutiny. The Payroll Division is required to work to a number of mandatory deadlines and maintains a range of external relationships, principally with Her Majesty‟s Revenues and Customs (HMRC). The Division acts as a paying agent for other employers, particularly for NHS organisations, and supports five pension schemes with a significant responsibility for two major schemes. The Division has a key role in entering, updating and maintaining data relating to core staff records on the University‟s central staff database.

The Division‟s most recent strategic engagement has included the assimilation of all staff to the new single pay spine and the move of senior clinical staff to new gradings and salary rates. In addition, the Division has introduced the Busy Bees nursery vouchers scheme, and has dealt with all necessary regulatory changes in relation to income tax and the regulation of superannuation schemes.

The following work will be developed over the period of the new HR Strategy 2007 – 2010:

Pensions Section

The pensions section provides administrative support on behalf of employees who are members of 5 different pension schemes. The two main schemes are USS for academic and academic-related staff members, and ULPF for support staff members. In addition, the University employs significant numbers who retain NHS pension scheme membership, supports Guild of Students staff in a specific scheme and have staff in an LGPS legacy scheme.

Our key priorities in the pensions arena are to continue the theme of enhanced business processes, streamlining interfaces between the HR, Payroll and pensions administration systems, improving and enhancing communications with members and raising awareness of the University‟s commitment to pension schemes as an essential tool in the recruitment and retention of key staff.

The University has its own in-house pension scheme for support staff members – the University of Liverpool Pension Fund - and the HR department provides the secretary to the Board of Trustees. Following a significant period of unprecedented changes within the pension arena, we are working with the Board of Trustees to support the development and professionalisation of their role, and the preparation of an appropriate business plan to identify roles, responsibilities and delegated powers. In this capacity, we will seek to implement administrative improvements, enhance monitoring of professional advisors and improve reporting mechanisms to capture activity, communications and developments.

Relocation Expenses

The University offers a package of financial support to those academic and academic-related staff required to relocate as part of their appointment. The Relocation Expenses Policy will be revised to provide greater clarity about eligibility and the nature of the expenses which can be claimed, the process for reimbursement and the tax implications for each individual.

Electronic Expenses

We will seek to implement an electronic self-administered staff expenses claim system, improving efficiencies within the payroll administration and offering speedier payments to individuals who incur expense on the University's behalf.

House Purchase and Bridging Loans

The University is able, in particular circumstances, to offer assistance with house purchases or to arrange bridging loans. A policy will be defined to confirm eligibility, the terms of such arrangements and the tax implications for eligible individuals.

Travel Plan

The University has defined a Travel Plan intended to manage the demand for car parking and to address associated environmental issues. The University will introduce charges for car parking during 2007 but will also engage in a national scheme to encourage the use of cycles and public transport. The Payroll Division will have a direct involvement in both:

(i)

(ii)

The Division will determine a process for the payment of the loan to purchase a cycle and the basis of subsequent repayment by an eligible staff member via salary sacrifice. The Division will determine a process for the collection of car parking charges from staff members and a method of collecting payment from those not on the University‟s payroll.

Staff Development and Training Programme The availability and efficient delivery of meaningful training and development opportunities is fundamental to the University building an effective and cohesive workforce. HR‟s Staff Development and Training team works to support the training and developmental needs of all staff. Its aim is to optimise levels of skill and expertise within the University, to enable staff to develop as individuals and to provide them with development opportunities that will allow them to contribute effectively to institutional goals. To facilitate this, HR will continue to offer a diverse core development programme but will also provide bespoke training programmes to support discrete initiatives and individual or area-specific training. The Programme incorporates Diversity and Equality principles in accordance with HR‟s commitment to embed this legislation in all areas of activity. Training and Development is also a key part of HR‟s broader commitment to effective communication and service delivery (see Communications and Service Delivery Programmes).

Training courses and workshops are available covering many different skills and areas of expertise. The Training and Development Division also manages corporate inductions for new staff and provides guidance about the use of a variety of development techniques and methods.

The Division works closely with other providers of staff training within the University, including the Centre for Lifelong Learning, who provide support for all staff involved in learning, teaching and assessment across the University, and Computing Services, who manage training in IT related areas. The following work will be developed over the period of the new HR Strategy 2007 – 2010:

Core Programme

The Division will engage in consistent review and revision of the core programme as training and development needs emerge and transform. All such reviews will be undertaken in the context of available resources.

Training to support Strategic Programme Initiatives

All training and development will be considered in a holistic context with training devised and delivered to support strategic Programmes. The Division will procure training from external providers to address areas of specialist needs or the acquisition of particular expertise.

Induction

The Division will develop the existing corporate induction programme and will devise a departmental induction which will inform the management of probationary periods, particularly in identifying early training and development needs. Wherever possible, the Division will facilitate any initial training needs identified. Both induction processes will reinforce the expectations of the employment relationship and will promote the crucial role of Professional Development and Review.

Professional Development and Review

As part of the introduction of Professional Development and Review, the Division is able to assess the range and scope of development needs of an individual, departmental and faculty basis. In each instance, the Division will advise on the appropriateness of development requests and will seek to facilitate access to these. Advice will be provided about the best use of central, faculty or departmental resources to support identified development needs. The Division will consolidate its role as a source of first-line training and development and as an informed source of information about the value and potential of more specialist training and development.

Leadership and Management Strategy

The Division will devise a bespoke training and development programme to cultivate and support the skills, knowledge and behaviours required of effective leaders before and after their appointment to key managerial or leadership roles.

Employee Relations Programme

As has been stated, the HR Department has established a good working relationship with its trade union and professional association partners and with a number of key stakeholders with whom we maintain a consistent dialogue.

In those instances where disputes arise, we will seek to develop a greater awareness and preparedness to use mediation as a means of resolution of issues through casework as opposed to more formal procedures or avenues.

While this collaborative and consultative philosophy underpins all of our strategic and operational activities, there are critical initiatives in the employee relations arena which are essential to our strategic success and which are a vital part of our transactional activity.

The Programme incorporates Diversity and Equality principles in accordance with HR‟s commitment to embed this legislation in all areas of activity.

Programme activity is underway in each of the following areas:

Research Assessment Exercise 2008

The University has defined a Code of Conduct for RAE 2008 and will utilise the Portfolio of Activity/Professional Development and Review mechanism to establish an objective basis to determine if academic staff are eligible for inclusion in the RAE return. HR will prepare a clear brief for line-managers required to provide feedback to staff who are not returned. Work will continue to be undertaken to address those teaching staff who do not engage in significant research. The PDR will be used to assess developmental needs and there will be dialogue about potential changes to career paths to better recognise the orientation of an individual‟s role. HR will continue to consult with RAE co-ordinators, trade union and professional association partners to reach common agreements in relation to RAE.

Area Reviews, Restructurings and Realignments

Change management is an essential part of any vibrant organisation and the University may need to recognise external market or resourcing pressures and rationalise its activities by closing specific areas or functions of the University. HR will seek to define a common change management framework which will recognise a formal process of review and consultative engagement at an appropriate level. In areas facing significant change, HR will take an active role in ensuring that the business case for change or closure is communicated fully and that there are formal processes to handle the effects of change sympathetically. All interested parties and their representatives will be consulted about any proposals which may lead to fundamental changes or closures and these will be handled in accordance with our diversity and equality commitments and our statutory obligations.

Travel Plan

The University has defined a Travel Plan confirming the intention to manage the demand for car parking and to address associated environmental issues. The University will introduce car parking charges during 2007 but will also engage in a number of initiatives intended to reduce pollution and congestion and to improve the University‟s built environment. These will include participation in a scheme to provide loans for cycles, a formal car-sharing scheme and an active dialogue with public transport providers. HR will provide support to Facilities Management in delivering these initiatives and will assess the impact upon staff.

NHS Partners

Within the Faculty of Medicine, the University employs a number of senior clinicians holding substantive contracts with the University and honorary contracts with a partner NHS Trust. New contractual terms were introduced for senior academic clinicians (including senior academic general practitioners) from 2003 modernising salary rates and re-defining the employment contract which now states an explicit level of academic and clinical engagement. The University has translated all eligible staff on to the new contractual terms and has addressed changes to pay rates linked to relative seniority.

HR will now determine a process to ensure that regular job planning and appraisal meetings take place in accordance with the provisions of the new arrangements. Work in this area will be developed as part of the expansion of our management information capability.

In accordance with the Follett principles, the University is required to work jointly with its partner NHS Trusts in managing the employment relationship for such staff. HR is fully committed to this joint interaction and is seeking to strengthen relationships with our many partner NHS organisations as a strategic imperative.

We will develop a framework which clearly describes the joint nature of these relationships and the dual obligations of the substantive and honorary employers. We will codify the requirements for selection panels for senior clinical roles. We will continue to work closely with our business partners within the Faculty of Medicine and with the appropriate professional associations.

Honorary Staff

We will seek to define more clearly the relationship, responsibilities and expectations between the University and the various categories of honorary staff affiliated to the Institution. In particular, the position of staff from our partner NHS Trusts who hold honorary posts in the University will be described fully.

Communications Programme

Communication is fundamental to all HR activities and is the most critical aspect of organisational effectiveness. It is often in this area that organisational weaknesses are revealed and we therefore aim to communicate consistently well to a diverse audience all essential information about corporate context, transformation, changes to the legislative environment and consequent changes to University policy and procedure. Additionally, there is a need to communicate and reinforce expectations in relation to values and behaviours. For all of these instances, effective and efficient communication methods, embracing the total University community, are necessary and considerable work is underway to consider objectively the most efficient methods of communication and the effectiveness of the messages conveyed.

Internal HR Communications

We recognise a variety of modes of communication as being important tools to influence and deliver as a valued business partner. We will continue to use and refine a variety of communication methods (including face to face communication, the circulation of written documentation or letters, email circulations, intranet announcements) and will determine which is the most appropriate mode, depending on the circumstances and the content of the message to be conveyed.

In conjunction with our central service partners, we have established effective face-to-face methods to ensure that managers from key service areas (Human Resources, Planning and Development, Finance and Facilities Management) meet with Heads of Departments and Schools in regular scheduled forums.

While these are primarily concerned with operational issues, we aim to consolidate these as „in the round‟ arenas in which to extend consultation about strategic intentions and initiatives.

HR has always been committed to meeting staff members personally in order to discuss employment matters, issues of sensitively or to resolve difficulties. This will remain a fundamental commitment.

There is a need to communicate swiftly and cogently with large groups in order to consult, disclose changes and transmit potential transformative information. Electronic means (including email and intranet announcements) have become increasingly effective modes, especially when communicating to the broadest cohort of staff.

These modes are dependent upon a sound management information provision to allow cohort groups to be identified and reached efficiently. In partnership with our colleagues in the Computing Services Department, we will aim to identify staff email addresses via staff category in order to ensure that we can identify cognate groupings and convey information swiftly and efficiently.

We are aware that not all staff have electronic access and that some groups need to receive information via a different means. We will continue to provide information in a written format to these groups and, with our CSD business partners, will pursue the provision of conveniently located multi-user computer terminals to allow such staff to readily access intranet provisions.

Email has undoubtedly transformed organisational communication and is an exceptional University tool. We are aware, however, of the potential for „email overload‟, with staff members unable to absorb the quantity of information circulated. For this reason we will encourage the practice of setting out cogent, informative messages which do not contain superfluous information and which direct individuals to more comprehensive sources of information. We will establish the practice of identifying HR-related mass circulations by a common, recognisable heading.

We will work in tandem with our business partners in Corporate Communications and will use the fullest range of available conduits, including the HR and University website, the information portal (TULIP), Precinct and the University‟s electronic announcements system, depending on the content and nature of the message we wish to convey.

We will review our existing house style; where we need to explain complex issues we will, of course, provide the most comprehensive explanation. Elsewhere we will aim for clarity and brevity. We will further develop common structures for policy documents and documents in the public domain.

We have established the following common, tiered process for communicating major policy initiatives and associated changes, which has proved to be efficient and has raised the profile of HR as an effective transactional business partner.

 Email – the primary means of communication

 Web – the source of all supporting information available in a coherent, ordered form

 Paper circulations – to be used to capture particular cohorts of staff, to reinforce the message

of change

 Briefings/roadshows/surgeries – to explain the rationale, the procedures and processes, to deal

with concerns and to allay any misunderstandings.

We will continue to stress the necessity for professionalism of face-to-face communications and the need to foster similar high standards beyond HR. The principle of equity of treatment, professionalism and a humane approach to our clients will underpin our communication strategy.

Creating the internal environment for effective communication

Communicating the HR Strategy

The development of this strategy has included specific attention to the question:

How can we best communicate to a number of different audiences a strategy that includes essential aspects of the University’s development plans?

In response to this question, we recognise that the full document, including contextual information and descriptions of internal processes, will be particularly relevant to external audiences. It defines a programme of work of critical importance to the University‟s Senior Management Team and governing bodies, to all internal stakeholders and to a number of external stakeholders, and to the HR Department who will use it as an overarching operational project plan.

The HR Strategy for 2007 – 2010 will be available via University‟s web site. In addition, we will do the following to support the effective communication of the Strategy:

 Produce a „short-format‟ version of the strategy written specifically for University members of

staff. We will field-test this short-format version with a representative cross-section of staff prior to its publication.

 This „short-format‟ version will also be placed on the HR web site and will be published as a

special insert in an autumn/winter edition of „Precinct‟ – the University's staff publication.

 Produce special bulletins – published on the website and in „Precinct‟ – on specific projects

and initiatives.

Faculty Senior Management Groups/Faculty Sub Groups

Faculty Senior Management Groups/Faculty Sub-Groups consider both strategic and operational issues of management and governance. These are formally constituted groups, including managers representing central service areas7, and provide an opportunity, inter alia, for HR to talk to formal agenda items concerning staff-related initiatives and policies. These groups have proved to be a useful forum to test senior perspectives on the business case for change or transformation. They have also provided an essential starting point for consultative management and an early opportunity to influence. Given that agendas can be dense, the credibility of any business case for strategic change or transformation needs to be persuasive.

Planning Support Team Meetings

These regularly scheduled meetings provide an opportunity for a Head of a Department or School to meet with key managers representing central service areas8. While the meeting does have an operational bias, it has proved to be a useful forum in which to discuss forthcoming HR changes, initiatives and policies. We recognise that it provides value opportunity to communicate a business case and rationale behind policy change, to explain procedural mechanisms, and to alert Heads to opportunities for briefings, training and continuing HR support.

TULIP

The HR Team will continue to contribute to the expansion of the University of Liverpool Information Portal (TULIP) which allows staff members to directly enter and maintain both mandatory and voluntary information about their core activities and engagement beyond the contractual scope of their role. TULIP will be the originating source for critical data relating to contribution (including an assessment of time allocation), international standing and external engagement.

Human Resources Website

This is the principal tool for HR communication across the broadest scope of its remit. It allows us to set out our ethos, including the core commitment to equality and diversity, our structure and complement of staff, our aims and objectives and is the central repository for all HR information. It allows our internal and external clients, colleagues and stakeholders to access efficiently all policies and procedures. Importantly, it is a main conduit for recruitment, setting out all available posts and inviting applications which can be made electronically.

The HR website has recently been audited and redesigned in order to facilitate ease of access and navigation. We will continue to expand and refine the range of information and services available via the website.

Precinct

Precinct is the most commonly-read University mass publication. It reaches most staff and communicates general matters of note and institutional and individual success stories. It represents the diverse nature of the Institution, confirming both work-related and social and leisure initiatives and achievements. It is effective in conveying that the range of staff engagement can be diverse and distinctive and it is a useful forum to measure anecdotal opinion about institutional initiatives. HR will seek to expand its use of editorial space in Precinct to communicate environmental changes and major staff initiatives.

Investors in People

The HR Department will continue to lead and support departments and service areas as they seek IIP accreditation and re-accreditation. This has proved to be a useful external measure for areas, prompting an objective consideration of their staff development processes and their broader business practices. Increasing the number of areas achieving accreditation has reinforced the importance of staff development and its influence on continuous improvement.

Human Resources, Planning and Development, Finance and Facilities Management Human Resources, Planning and Development, Finance and Facilities Management

External HR Communications

We recognise that HR‟s outward-facing communication is a significant part of external perceptions of the wider University and that we are responsible for a significant proportion of the Institution‟s external interaction. We are acutely aware of the importance of the Institution‟s reputation and standing locally, nationally and internationally.

We have built robust relationships with key stakeholders with whom we have a statutory obligation to act in concert (e.g. our partner NHS Trusts who hold a joint responsibility for the regulation of clinical appointments) and with other external colleagues, clients and providers.

We will continue to develop our outward-facing communications at the highest professional level, to maximise existing relationships and to forge new ones. We will utilise the expertise of our central business partners, notably Corporate Communications, both to sound out the validity of external communication strategies and to manage specific instances of media engagement.

Creating the environment – External communication relationships: Recruitment Practices

We have consciously sought to continuously improve our service to external enquirers and potential recruits and will continue to seek improvements to the efficiency of our recruitment service, within the constraints of our existing IT capabilities. Our recruitment and retention procedures have recently been revised in order to reflect recent legislative changes, to incorporate the new generic role profiles to refine selection methods and to clarify consistent selection criteria.

Recruitment practices will be subject to continuous review in terms of benchmarking policies and procedures to best practices in the wider HR sector, and measuring and testing the effectiveness of our recruitment.

External Contacts and Stakeholders

In common with the wider University, the HR Department works in partnership with a range of external stakeholders in order to elicit relevant contextual information to inform policy development, principally the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA). There is a strong senior awareness of the interplay with a number of crucial associations including the Department of Education and Skills (DfES) and the Department of Health (DoH), with Research Councils and with regional and local agencies.

The HR Department maintains a diverse range of external contacts in other HEIs with whom we frequently seek to benchmark policies and processes and engage in more exploratory discussions about areas of mutual endeavour. We will seek to strengthen these links and to be open to the potential for developing shared services.

Media Interest

It is inevitable that an organisation of this size will from time to time evoke media interest and that this will be in relation to the actions and achievements of staff. We will continue to work with, and be guided by, our colleagues in Corporate Communications in order to manage all media engagement professionally.

10. Service Delivery Programme

The Human Resources Department provides a centralised service to a broad and diverse academic and administrative community. Individual Human Resources Managers and Human Resources Assistants support specific, cognate Faculty or service areas in relation to their HR business needs, providing advice, guidance and administrative support. Excellent transactional relationships have been built at all levels with departments and service areas which the Department will seek to consolidate.

Human Resources is represented at the highest senior managerial level, and is able to influence strategic decisions in this forum. There is considerable awareness at this senior managerial level of legislative developments, of HR‟s strategic and policy responses to external and internal drivers. Those HR processes which serve a broader institutional purpose (such as the Portfolio of Activity and the PDR) are valued at this level.

Over many years, the HR Department has benefited from a strong team ethos at every level. We will seek to develop this further by considering alternative team configurations in order to share knowledge, expertise and workload among our core administrative staff.

We will engage in further discussion about how the broad programme of strategic HR initiatives can be best served and supported with a key aim to cultivate problem-solving experts within, or associated with, the HR team.

Our aim is to develop a true business partnership model with strategy, service and support compatible to business needs. All policy development will be mindful of statutory obligations but will be defined and detailed in the context of key business needs and the institution‟s espoused commitment to equality and diversity. We will consolidate our consultative management focus with the aim of making all policy developments relevant, valid and compelling. We will communicate and explain the rationale behind policy, the innate equity within it and the benefits arising from it.

We will continue to survey best practice models and appropriate business practices in order to provide us with legitimate soundings on which to construct our processes. We will be well-informed, professional and ethical in all instances of our engagement with our internal and external clients.

All HR staff will have, and will maintain, an awareness of the strategic impetus and the operational focus through the established briefings and team meetings. All HR Managers will participate in the debate about strategic and operational direction and engagement.

Where appropriate, we will seek to move beyond delivery of defined service level agreements to a business delivery „right first time‟ ethos underscoring all administrative activity. We will continue the process of making our daily transactional business leaner and more efficient in order to reduce the clerical load.

We will continue to work with our central service partners to maximise the electronic transfer of information and develop electronic authorisation processes.

We will continue to maximise the delivery of total business efficiency in partnership with our equivalent central service Departments (P&D, RBS, Finance) and we will seek to build upon these relationships so that the central administrative functions can act in concert and define comparable service values.

The development of a comprehensive and flexible management information system will be key to every aspect of our service delivery. Service Delivery will, in turn, be a key aspect of all of the stated Programme Initiatives.

Opinion Surveys/Service Questionnaires/Feedback

HR will actively test the standard and quality of our delivery by consistently seeking detailed feedback from client groups, using opinion surveys of cognate groups (staff category, cognate groups, Heads of Departments, Deans). We will aim to test both operational delivery of embedded service and strategic impact of new programme initiatives.

HR will impact assess new programme initiatives and will then seek to test delivery and efficiency after an appropriate period.

We will continue to assure the accuracy and validity of core personal and demographic information held within the terms and spirit of data protection obligations.

FMH

April 2007

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HUMAN RESOURCES STRATEGY