Staff experience and connection

Why this theme?

At our community panel’s first session, participants were asked the following question: What does a good move by the Uni to the city look like?

As views were shared, a series of topics began to resonate, with twelve in particular rising to the surface. Later, everyone was asked to nominate which three of these topics they felt were most important for the panel to engage with. The top six were confirmed as The Shake Up’s ongoing themes, with staff experience and connection being one of them.

What do we mean by Staff Experience and connection?

It’s vital that the university’s staff have positive, meaningful experiences during their time here. This theme, chosen by the community panel, focuses on how all staff members – including teaching, research and professional staff – feel about their interactions, experiences and relationships on campus.

It also includes how staff members feel as members of the university. Do they feel connected, and like they are part of the university as a whole? How do they feel about their workspaces? Do they feel supported, productive and engaged? Do they feel like they’re making a difference?

Getting Staff Experience and Connection right – by designing a high-quality working environment that is responsive to the varied needs of our people – will enable a culture on campus where staff members feel valued and can do their best work. Doing this won’t just be great for the staff members (and, in turn, the university’s students). It’ll also help the university attract and retain more world-class teachers, researchers and professionals, which is a good thing for all of us.