Employee engagement survey – update from the Chief Operating Officer
Chief Operating Officer Rachel Brealey updates on the University's response to the employee engagement survey.
Earlier this year you responded in record numbers to our employee engagement survey, sharing your views and experiences on life and work at the University of Leeds.
The results, which were published in May, have given all of us in leadership positions at the University many helpful things to consider across a broad range of themes including leadership within the University, embedding the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), our ways of working and much more.
I am determined that we act on the things you have told us so that we can move forward and build a healthy and fulfilling environment for all colleagues to research, teach and work, and deliver on our ambitious commitments set down in the University Strategy.
Over recent months, teams across our faculties and professional service areas have been analysing the details of their local results and planning to enhance what works well and developing decisive actions where there are opportunities to improve. These localised action plans will be published in due course with work carefully timetabled to ensure they do not negatively impact on workloads and wider priorities. At University-level, it is important that we continue to recognise the strengths the survey identified within our community, whilst keeping our focus on working together to address the concerns that were raised.
Over the coming months we will update you on the actions that we will take University-wide and across faculties and professional services in response to the lowest scoring questions that relate to the following four core themes:
- enabling effective, supportive and engaging leadership at all levels
- bringing the University vision and strategy to life for all staff
- listening and learning from our people
- enhancing a sense of belonging and community here at Leeds
We will also be launching our research culture strategy, EDI implementation plan and a new wellbeing, health and safety strategy in the autumn – all of which have been shaped in response to the views that you have shared in the employee engagement survey.
As we progress this vital work, I hope it will demonstrate that the University is listening, and that action will be taken as a result of your feedback. Significant changes can take time, but I am confident that in being guided by your feedback we can work together to make the University of Leeds an ever more welcoming and supportive working environment.
Rachel Brealey
Chief Operating Officer