A shifting employment landscape for HE Research Staff

Christian Carter, Personnel Manager (Policy Development)

What might be influencing this

changing environment?

University Strategy

UK Funding strategy

UK political opinion

European Union

Researchers: You

“Respond to (and influence) the employment landscape for the

benefit of the University of Bristol and UK HE”

My job description

Employment landscape

• 30,000 RS in UK HEI’s (1200 at Bristol)• 1996 Research employment ‘Concordat’• 1997 Research Careers Initiative work• 2002 Sir Gareth Roberts government review ‘SET For

Success’

• 2002 House of Commons Science enquiry into short term contracts in Science

Employment background cont…• 2002 EU FTC Legislation introduced • 2002 HM Treasury Report ‘Investing in Innovation: A

Strategy for Science, Engineering and Technology’ (Part of 2002 Spending Review)

• 2003 Final report of the Research Careers Initiative • 2003 Launch of Funders Forum • 2004 Roberts Review funds begin!• 2004 Launch of Research Careers Government Committee • 2005 Launch of European Charter for Researchers • 2006 FTC legislation effective

Lots of talk and policy but how much action is possible locally?

RS actions happening now

Careers AdviceTraining

Web siteAnnual Conference

Communication & Reps

Why do this? - University Strategy

Why do this? – University strategy

Our mission

The University of Bristol is a world-class institution that contributes to society by advancing knowledge and developing creative graduates, and through its cultural, social, economic and environmental activities.

Supporting the Mission (one of 10 key objectives)

Implement the next phases of its strategy to develop a more united and motivated workforce - one that is well led, well informed, properly rewarded and provided with a positive work environment

Why do this? – HR StrategyRS featured in two of the eight key HR objectives….

Objective 5: Positive Work Environment

Continued action to establish a positive work environment for all staff, including equal opportunities and diversity, dignity at work, working hours, fitness to work, communication, participation and partnership and improvements in the physical and social environment.

Objective 6: Governance and Policy Review

Actions to review and update our governance and policy framework, in particular those statutes, ordinances, policies and procedures covering grievance, conduct, performance and ill-health, the use of fixed-term contracts, redundancy arrangements and the management of “atypical staff”.

OK, so what’s the impact?

?

Impact so far 2003 - 2007

The university is committed to training and developing its staff (agree) (PWE 2007)

0102030405060708090

100

Staff group

% a

gre

e

The university demonstrates it cares about people it employs (PWE 2007)

7671

8377

55

81

0102030405060708090

staff group

% A

gre

e

“I think Bristol is doing a great job here”

“Bristol has an extensive program for Research Staff. I

feel a lot is being done for fixed term contractors”

“I think the university really values research staff and the

conditions and opportunities available to them has

increased immensely in the 10 years since I started here”

Some feedback………(positive)

“Lack of job stability is THE main problem still”

“We still don't have job security”

“I believe the University as an institution is addressing

issues RS face; however, I think PIs believe it is all a waste

of time as we are here to participate in research only”

Some feedback………(needs work)

Plenty of work to be done….

Sarah Musson, Career Coaching Manager

Dr Alison Leggett, Research Staff Development Manager

Research Staff Training and DevelopmentAlison LeggettResearch Staff Development Manager

• Training 2008/2009

• Departmental Project fund

• Research Staff Reps

Training

• Various short workshops • Piloting several new workshops and events

• Speed reading, memory skills, public engagement, enterprise skills

• Longer-term programmes:• Management diploma

• Plans to develop the training pages of the RS website (www.bris.ac.uk/researchstaff)

• Details of course and trainers

• Feedback from previous attendees

RS

Careers Courses• Academic/non-academic c.v.s• Where am I going?• Working towards a lectureship

Research Skills•Papers, rapid, focused first draft•Writing message-driven books•Rapid reading•Memory skills•Teaching and learning•Presenting with confidence and flair•Grant writing and funding•Effective networking•Creative problem solving

Personal development/ effectiveness•Memory skills•Effective networking•Personal impact•Managing research relationships•PDP and staff review•Management diploma

Statistics

Public Engagement and Enterprise•Enterprise skills training•Intro to the media•Why engage?•Communicating to non-specialists•Writing for the public•Volunteers event

What do you want?

Departmental Project fund• To help develop leadership and transferable skills through projects which

originate from RS ideas and/or local needs and which benefit UoB researchers:

• Develop transferable skills of RS• Improve the morale/motivation of RS• Improve departmental practices with regard to RS• Improve communication within or between departments

• Any member of RS staff can apply (individually or as a group)• Max £5000• Bids assessed by a panel• Written report or presentation to rep committee following project• Next Deadline: 2 September 2008 • Success stories

• Vascular…conference at DHB (now gained external funding)• Biology – seminar series• Chemistry – new staff library

Research Staff representatives• Each department/unit should have at least one rep

who will:• Represent the views of departmental RS at the University

RS Reps Committee and thereby inform decision-making:• Reward• FTC/redundancy (READ NICK’s E-MAIL and expand)

• To help inform research staff of University-wide developments that may have an impact on their role or career aspirations.

• To provide information and support to new RS in their department.

Research Staff Communication Process Individual Research Staff in

departments

Departmental Representatives

Research Staff Representative Committee

(3 meetings per year)

3 Departmental Representatives

Research Staff Working Party(3 meeting per year)

University Personnel & Staff Development Committee

AndUniversity Research Committee

e-mail and face to face communication

Department research staff meetings

Meeting with Head ofDepartment/ Research Director

Agenda and notes on RS Web site

Annual Report (October)Agenda and notes on RS

Web site

Annual Report (March)

More reps needed!• Civil Engineering • Computer Science• Electrical & Electronic

Engineering• Engineering Mathematics• Medical Physics• Obstetrics & Gynaecology• Cardiac, Anaesthetic and

Radiological Sciences• Medical Postgraduate Unit• Leverhulme Centre for Market

and Public Organisation• Centre for Deaf Studies• Economics• School for Policy Studies

• Oncology• Centre for Ethics in Medicine• Avon Longitudinal Study of

Parents and Children• Dental Postgraduate Unit• Department of Oral & Dental

Science• Physiology • Earth Sciences • Mathematics • School of Law• Management Research Centre• Politics• Sociology

Staff Career CoachingWhy?

What?

How?

Why?

• Never chose, fell into, offered

• FT funding

• Lectureship

• Enjoyment

• Don’t want to lead a group

• Want to identify new opportunities

Self-awareness

Opportunity awareness

Reflect / review

Decision making

So we will…

• Reflect on where you’ve come from

• Jigsaw puzzle

• Explore assumptions

• Self-limiting beliefs

• Give exercises

• Whole life

career-coaching@bristol.ac.uk

Clare Brophy

Jo Hutchings

Sarah Musson