The HROD Directorate at Sheffield Hallam University led a four-year project to develop and embed an Academic Careers Framework (ACF). The ACF provides clarity about what outstanding looks like so that academics know the benchmark for career progression to professor and associate professor. The ACF was developed inclusively and collaboratively with a diverse range of academic and professional services colleagues and with input from UCU trade union colleagues.
Aston embraced the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reset work using a hybrid dynamic working model. Through a ‘people, space and digital’ approach the University provided the conditions to empower staff, to build a culture of trust, to be dynamic and focused on outcomes in order to be a truly agile institution able to provide the best experience for its beneficiaries and to respond quickly to the ever-changing operating environment.
A cross-institutional leadership development programme for individuals who identify as female from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds has been heralded an unmitigated success. Over just 7 months, throughout the height of the pandemic, the online programme offered an engaging and range of interactive online webinars and activities including cross-institutional mentoring. Participants worked on a personal development project of their own choice, that would support their career development and have impact in their organisation.
In 2017 an all-staff survey provided clear and direct feedback to Ulster University that much more needed to be done to advance the focus on many aspects of the employee lifecycle, and the combined ‘employee experience.’ In the five years since, a significant transformation has been undertaken both in terms of the way in which ‘Human Resources’ are managed, and in the expectations and responsibilities of all colleagues to contribute to a more progressive and engaging culture.
