Staff Support
Staff Support
These examples of best practice in staff support have been taken from departmental applications.
Transparent workload model
School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development
The implementation of a detailed and transparent workload model which gives formal recognition for activities undertaken by academic and research staff. In addition to teaching and research, hours will be allocated for administrative roles, Committee work and student supervision. The workload model will also be used to ensure the rotation of key responsibilities which can support career progression.
Award: bronze award (2014)
Contact: Sharron Kuzensof
Funding
School of Biology
The introduction of a School funding scheme to support Research Associates to attend and present at conferences. Companion funding is also available to assist with childcare for all staff with a child under a year old. This issue was identified as an obstacle to academic and research staff with caring responsibilities attending conferences.
Award: bronze award (2015)
Contact: Alison Graham
School of Marine Science and Technology
Using the School website to promote external funding schemes aimed at supporting STEMM researchers to return to a career in academia following a career break.
Award: bronze award (2015)
Contact: Paul Stott
Promoting opportunities to gain teaching experience
School of Biomedical Sciences
An email is sent to all Research Assistants to raise awareness of opportunities to gain teaching experience, including support for obtaining teaching qualifications.
Award: bronze award (2015)
Contact: Carys Watts
Maternity leave checklist
School of Chemistry
The development of a School pre-maternity checklist to ensure a consistent level of support for staff taking maternity leave. For example: calculating leave entitlement, scheduling Keeping In Touch days and arranging mentoring on return.
Award: bronze award (2015)
Contact: Christine Bleasdale
Protection and support for staff on fixed term contracts
Institute for Health and Society
The pooling of all non-allocated funds to finance an internal redeployment policy which increases job security for research staff and allows ongoing investment in junior colleagues, funds training and enables those without project funds to attend national and international conferences.
Award: silver award (2014)
Contact: Judith Rankin
Job matching
This example is taken from the institutes of Genetic Medicine (bronze award, 2014) and Health and Society (silver award, 2014).
Monitoring the contracts of research staff on a bimonthly basis and taking active steps to avoid redundancy by matching staff to vacancies arising from successful funding bids
Contacts: Michelle Latham and Judith Rankin