Your feedback in action

In April-May 2023, 8,890 people (58% of University employed staff) shared their experience of working at the University of Oxford through the Staff Experience Survey. The feedback has been extensively reviewed and has informed action plans to improve the staff experience at institutional, divisional and departmental level and continues to be informative as new projects are developed.

Priority areas for improvement were identified as:

Pay & benefits;
Wellbeing & workload – eg, tackling workload concerns and improving support for wellbeing and workload;
Employee voice, leadership and aspects of inclusion – eg, fostering inclusive opportunities to give input, be heard and contribute to decision-making;
Professional and career development – eg, improving the quality of and opportunity for conversations about career development and improving the awareness of the availability of learning and development opportunities; and
Belief in action – demonstrating action as a result of feedback.

Read updates from some of the projects underway to address your feedback.

Read updates from some of the projects underway to address your feedback.

Vice-Chancellor's Pay and Conditions Review

When she took up office in January 2023 the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Irene Tracey commissioned a review of all aspects of pay and conditions for University staff. The review considered pay and reward, the full range of employee benefits and how the University invests in its people more broadly. It involved in-depth data analysis and benchmarking and drew on insight from hundreds of pieces of feedback from colleagues across the University. Findings and recommendations were submitted to University Council in February 2024 for consideration through the University's standard governance processes

Vice-Chancellor's Awards

Five previously separate groups of awards were brought together under one University-wide celebration of achievement, commitment and success in the Vice-Chancellor’s Awards 2024. The awards highlighted the very best of Oxford with 250 award entries, representing 1,500 individuals from all parts of the University including colleges, divisions, departments, central services, libraries and museums. A three-day event took place at the Weston Library showcasing the shortlisted teams, and the winners and highly-commended nominees were announced at a ceremony at the Sheldonian Theatre in May.

Bullying and Harassment Working Group

The Harassment Prevention Programme aims to build a culture free from harassment and strengthen our abilities to respond effectively to concerns. The University has strengthened the Harassment Policy so staff understand their duty to funders and piloted training and briefings to enable leaders, people managers and staff to build inclusive cultures. The University continues to provide a confidential, impartial Harassment Advisory Service with ongoing support and training to over 480 members of the Harassment Advisor Network. Within the service it launched Report + Support for staff this year.

The Race Equality Charter Bronze renewal action plan

In February 2024 the University was awarded its Race Equality Charter Bronze Renewal status and is now accelerating delivery of the Race Equality Strategy through the REC Action Plan. Key areas of work in 2024-25 include improving the representation, experiences, progression and success of minority ethnic staff and students. Data from all survey themes in respect of ethnicity were used to inform the REC submission (November 23) and action plan and continue to support our efforts in this area.

Academic Career and Reward Framework

The objective of this work is to recommend a set of proposals to improve the career paths, workload, and reward and recognition of staff with teaching and/or research responsibilities, across the University. Data from the Staff Experience Survey is informing the development of the new academic framework, along with insight from the University's Pay & Conditions review. Formal consultation on the proposed framework is due to begin in the New Year.

Wellbeing: Thriving at Oxford

In collaboration with Divisions and Departments, the staff wellbeing programme aims to support staff by providing a holistic set of resources and services.
Drawing insight from the growing evidence-base surrounding workplace wellbeing, a 12-month Thriving at Oxford Action Plan will be launched in July 2024. A key part of the action plan is tackling organisational causes of poor wellbeing. This includes a proposal for the prevention and management of work-related stress to be presented to the Safety Executive Group in July 2024.

Line Managers – communication project

Staff survey responses tell us that satisfaction with how staff are line managed or supervised could be improved: 57% of staff respond favourably to the topic of being managed. A cross-University working group has reviewed the survey findings against existing practices and endorsed a proposal to improve communications with leaders, line managers and PIs, to make work easier for them and to support them in improving work for those they line manage. Pilots will be planned in the 2024-25 academic year.

Professional Services Together is a collaborative programme working to enhance professional services delivery and support staff to thrive in their careers. Bringing professional staff together around a collective ambition for how they work, it provides a strategic direction and structured pathways for making changes that embed our shared principles of collaboration, quality and people.
The programme prioritises projects that support staff development aligned to areas raised by the Staff Survey, including Career Pathways, improving PDR conversations, the Careers Club, and manager training.

Technician Commitment Action Plan

The University’s Technician Commitment Action Plan details initiatives to ensure greater visibility of our technical staff, better recognition for the work they do, greater support for their career development, and how we will ensure the future sustainability of our technical workforce. The action plan was directly informed by the views of technical staff. The work is being led by People and Organisational Development, with the Vice-Chancellor as high-level sponsor. The action plan was approved at People Committee in June 2024 and will be shared in July.

People Strategy

A three-year People Strategy will launch in Michaelmas 2024 as one of the pillars of the new University Strategic Plan. Data and insights gathered from the Staff Experience Survey 2023 and CIPD People Impact Survey 2023 are being used to inform the strategy. Key themes include; enabling excellent research and education, a great place to work; and focus on development, wellbeing, service improvements and a culture of collaboration and inclusion.

Your feedback in action

Updates from the projects underway to address feedback from the 2023 Staff Experience Survey

Vice-Chancellor's Pay and Conditions Review

Vice-Chancellor's Awards

Bullying and Harassment Working Group

The Race Equality Charter Bronze renewal action plan

Academic Career and Reward Framework

Wellbeing: Thriving at Oxford

Line Managers – communication project

Technician Commitment Action Plan

People Strategy

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