City University

Human Resource Strategy 2008 – 2011

Contents

1. Introduction ......................................................................................... 2

2. Organisational development and Business Development ................ 2

3. The University’s Strategic Direction ................................................... 5

4. Organisational and people management diagnostics ....................... 6

5. Our vision for people management at City University ...................... 7

6. Our HR Strategy ............................................................................... 8

a. Staff recruitment and retention ................................................. 8

b. Remuneration and fair employment ......................................... 9
c. Size and composition of the workforce ..................................... 9
d. Staff development and skills needs ........................................10
e. Leadership, involvement and change Management ..............10
f. Performance Management .................................................... 11
g. Occupational Health, staff welfare and health and safety ......11

7. Key Performance Indicators .............................................................12

Annex 1: People Management and organisational health ........................15

Annex 2: Summary of key findings from external surveys .......................18

Annex 3: Operational Plan and performance ...........................................19

1. Introduction

City University spends £100m a year on its workforce and recognises that its success
depends upon harnessing the potential and talent of all our staff to optimise the benefits
from this significant investment. Our reputation, growth and success rely on our ability to
initiate, implement and sustain effective people management strategies across all areas
and at all levels of the business.

This paper sets out a proposed HR Strategy for City covering the next three years. The
plan will describe a people management vision, strategy and objectives which will
support the University’s management capability and capacity to sustain and deliver the
new Strategic Priorities. It has been developed from four key considerations:

• The University’s new strategic direction;

• A new approach linking people management to organisational development;
• An assessment of people management currently at the University;
• Consultation with Schools and Portfolios on people management.

2. Organisational Development and Business Improvement: a new approach to

HR

This paper is premised on the basis that people management – and our HR Strategy – is
part of an overall approach to Organisational Development and Business Improvement.
It is anticipated that the University will work towards the creation of a fully integrated OD
strategy over the next 12- 18 months, which is currently under discussion. However, it is
important that this HR Strategy is seen within a wider OD context.

What are Organisational Development and Business Improvement?

In order to achieve the depth of change required, it is proposed that the University shifts
its approach away from a purely HR focus towards Organisational Development and
Business improvement. Organisational Development is primarily about organisations
becoming more ‘fit for purpose’ and the term ‘Business Improvement’ underlies the
centrality of a student- and business-centred approach to all that HR does.

What marks out an ‘OD’ approach from others is that it is holistic, integrated and aims to
improve performance at personal, team and organisational levels. A recent HEFCE
paper defined OD as: “A set of explicit processes carefully planned and implemented to
benefit th e performance of the organisation as a whole.” 1 There is also a recognition
that it is important to invest time at the outset in diagnosing and analysing organisational
functioning to avoid jumping to conclusions about what needs to be done.

However, OD is not a magic tool: there is no ‘silver bullet’ for improving organisational
effectiveness; the key issue is to develop an integrated OD Strategy which suits an
organisation’s needs at that point in its history. In addition, the work will be emergent:
we cannot know everything at the outset about what will improve our performance.

1
HEFCE (2007): ‘Enhancing Organisational Development in English Universities’.

2
The centrality of people

OD interventions can include strategic and operational planning, people management,

structures, culture, IT, facilities and other parts of the infrastructure…..all of the factors
which make organisations work. However, taking an overview of the research on a
range of OD practices, there is one area above all others which appears to have a
significant impact on organisational performance:

“People management represents the catalytic condition – the essential ‘X-factor’ -

that combines other factors into a formula for high performance”2

Although the idea of an ‘X factor’ needs treating with caution, an emerging body of
evidence across all sectors in the UK and USA clearly links particular HR/people
management processes with increased organisational effectiveness. The key areas
consistently identified in the research3 are:

• Appraisal: Giving feedback - preferably using a range of tools such as 360º -

and setting specific, challenging goals linked to organisational objectives.
• Employee involvement, team working and empowerment: Flat organisational
structures and delegated decision-making at individual and team levels tends to
increase innovation and creativity. Staff feeling involved in achieving
organisational goals and a strong psychological contract contribute to the
development of ‘organisational citizenship’ and high performance.
• Learning: Creating a culture of continuous learning with staff enabled to take
responsibility for their own development, and ensuring training is clearly linked to
service delivery and emerging customer needs are key.
• Integrating the ‘big idea’/vision: The implementation of three inter-related
elements has been shown to work well: a clear and simple ‘mission’ and purpose
that drives activity; a measurement mechanism (e.g. balanced scorecard) to
integrate activity across the organisation; and multiple team-working for sharing
of ideas and transfer of knowledge.
• Best practice in HR: The ‘how’ of people management (doing it right) is as
important as the ‘what’ (doing the right thing) in determining whether or not
interventions will have a positive impact. Well–executed, integrated approaches
to HR across a number of areas, which tend to be mutually reinforcing, are much
more effective than one-off interventions.

This paper clearly prioritises the people management aspect of OD but it is based on an
underlying approach which integrates structures, systems, values and people and
incorporates research and learning on all aspects of OD. A wider OD Strategy will
ultimately be developed within 12-18 months in collaboration with the DVC and other key
stakeholders.

2
CIPD, (2001) ‘Raising UK productivity : why people management matters’.
3
E.g.: Porras and Robertson (1992); Stern and Sommerlad (1999); West et al (2002); Purcell
(2003 – 2006).

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3. The University’s strategic direction and the implications for people
management

Strategic vision, values and goals

The University’s vision is to lead London in education, research and knowledge transfer
for businesses and the professions. Our mission is to provide students, business and
the professions with knowledge and skills essential to the success of London and similar
World Cities. Our core values are expressed as follows:

“The University is a proud, diverse, supportive, cosmopolitan community of students,

staff and alumni, where diversity is valued and res pected. All those with whom the
University comes into contact can expect to be treated professionally and courteously.”

This leads to four key strategic goals:

Through the relentless pursuit of quality to be come a University of choice for:

Students and Employers: Staff: Research and
Alumni: For those wishing to For those wishing to Knowledge
For those wishing to recruit the best work in a Transfer:
develop & enhance graduates and demanding yet For those wishing to
their skills leading to develop their supportive understand &
careers in the employees. environment. influence strategy,
professions & policy and practice;
businesses. particularly in the
professions.

The University is currently developing a new strategic plan which marks a clear change
of direction from the past, characterised by a new emphasis on:

• Distinctive/relevant curricula allied to excellence in teaching.

• Significantly improved and more cost-effective ways of delivering the learning
experience to students.
• A more business-focused approach to all that we do.
• Increased accountability of Schools for academic and non-academic activity.
• Greater professionalism in the activities of all University staff.
• The need for reconfiguration to become more effective and fit for purpose.

What doe s this mean for us as an organisation?

The staffing element of each Dean’s budget provides the means by which s/he can
deliver the challenging objectives ahead for the University and their schools including the
greater emphasis on teaching quality and innovation. How they design, utilise and
structure their workforce and plan for the future are key to the delivery of stretching
financial and service improvement targets.

This involves looking at the structure of the School and the type of staff required, now
and in the future; the skills needed to respond swiftly to the needs of our students,
employers and other customers; looking at managerial capability and the capacity
available to deliver it; succession planning and managing the talent they have more

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effectively; considering new roles, new ways of working and different types of contractual
arrangements in addition to embedding sound, efficient and effective people
management practices at all levels.

The University also has a significant change management programme ahead in addition
to addressing a historical ‘backlog’ of people management issues which are being
addressed through the integrated approach described in this strategy. Over the next 2-3
years, there is a need for wider organisational development and a considerable need for
structural change.

This strategic approach will require a significant shift in the way City operates at every
level. The University must be able to adapt to regular change quickly if it is going to
become a leading edge organisation which is innovative, inspirational and successful in
local, national and international markets. This requires cultural change so that the
University becomes – and is perceived as – an efficiently-run and highly performing
organisation with the student experience at the heart of what we do.

This new approach is a major challenge for us. It is not simply a matter of rewarding
desired activities; it is about refreshing – or possibly re-negotiating - the psychological
contract with our staff. We will also have to revisit our models of management and
leadership, and significantly improve both our management capacity and capability.
Managers will need to take responsibility for managing the agenda, supporting staff to
make the transition to a new balance of activities, considering new models of learning
and planning the staffing needed to deliver that model. We also need to reinforce staff
expectations about being managed in line with this agenda, and make sure our
management structures are workable.

Finally, we need to articulate all of these aspects together to form an integrated

approach to people management. To do this, the University needs to rally staff around a
single, clear strategy; create the right structures, systems and processes ; and build and
sustain strong leadership with highly effective middle and senior managers. These goals
are reflected in our vision for HR.

4. Organisational and People Management diagnostics

Over the past year City has carried out a number of ‘organisational diagnostics’ from a
range of angles which provide rich seams of information, including:

• Student surveys and league tables;

• An investigation into ‘organisational health’ as measured by an assessment of
our current position on a number of vital people management areas;
• The creation of key HR Leading Indicators;
• A range of discussion fora and consultations on: pay/reward, HR structure and
investment, HR policies, appraisal, wellbeing, learning and development, VL s,
equalities, and HR generally as part of the HEFCE Self-Assessment process;
• IiP accreditation or re-accreditation processes.

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The detail of this is attached at Annexes 1 (people management and organisational
health) and 2 (key external surveys). Taken together, the priority issues requiring
attention can be summarised as follows:

• Increased organisational development and business improvement capability;

• Increased integration of HR within Schools and Portfolios, so that HR becomes
part of local decision-making and leadership apparatus;
• A much greater emphasis on workforce planning, with increased support to
Deans as they model the future and consider what roles and staff they will need;
• Developing new models of learning and teaching excellence, working with the
DVC (E) and Centre for Education and Academic Practice;
• Using the pay, reward and terms and conditions to develop new roles and
increased flexibility in contracts;
• Facilitating the development of a City model of leadership and support this
through succession planning and management and leadership development;
• Supporting organisational reconfigurations;
• Enabling the effective recruitment and promotion of those with the
competencies and aspirations that match the University’s changing requirements;
• Providing expertise on the management of change, reworking the psychological
contract, enabling leaders to address the change agenda;
• Keeping litigation risks low whilst taking risks where necessary.
• Greater emphasis on staff and educational development which is clearly
aligned with our strategic goals.

These are reflected in our vision for people management which is outlined below.

5. Our vision for people management at City University

Our vision for people management at City is to:

• Develop terms of employment which properly reward those whose activities

support the University’s mission;
• Develop internal management and people management systems enabling City to
compete and ensure that the quality of teaching and learning is high;
• Develop a Staff Experience programme ensuring that City is a stimulating,
satisfying and supportive place to work;
• Celebrate our diversity and ensure that rewards are based solely on merit;
• Be business-like and professional, showing respect for all those that we come into
contact with, through the adoption of clear values and behaviours for our staff;
• Deliver sustainable change for the University;
• Create a culture of high performance and continuous improvement in which we
understand and evaluate the impact of what we do, and act on it;
• Enhance the capacity and capability of our staff so that everyone understands their
role in delivering the University’s objectives, works effectively in the context of a
shared vision and values, and has the ability to adapt and change quickly.

This will be achieved through five integrated areas of activity:

• Significant improvement in HR capacity and capability in Schools and

Portfolios.

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 • A fundamental transformation of our people management infrastructure
including the modernisation of all HR policies, improved performance
management, reviewing pay and reward and developing robust equalities plans.
• Significant improvement in leadership and management capability generally,
including people management skills.
• Organisational Development and Business Improvement to enable the
University to become more fit for purpose and for our interventions to be evidence-
based against their impact on organisational performance
• Developing a culture of high performance and continuous improvement.

The actions needed to implement this strategy are set out in Section 6 below, using the
seven HEFCE areas recommended for the self-assessment process. The key
performance indicators to measure our success are set out in Section 7 below and the
Operational Plan with detailed PIs is attached at Annex 3.

6. Our HR Strategy

a) Staff Recruitment and Retention

Aim: To become an employer of choice; to design and implement recruitment, retention

and workforce planning strategies which support our goal of achieving excellence in
learning, teaching, research and knowledge management by employing high-quality staff
capable of contributing to City's growth, reputation and effectiveness.

Objectives:
• Promote City as an employer of choice and market careers at City to attract high-
performing and experienced staff.
• Implement policies to address any under-representation of particular groups in
our recruitment, retention, promotion and other strategies, contributing to making
City an employer of choice.
• Collect and analyse management information on recruitment and related issues
to inform our HR strategies and enable managers to make informed decisions
about workforce planning linked to business needs.
• Develop effective workforce planning, talent management and succession
planning strategies.
• Carry out regular staff surveys and act on the results.
• Support the further development and embedding of an integrated approach to
performance management, starting with a review of recruitment and selection.

b) Remuneration and Fair Employment

Aim: To develop a streamlined and modernised suite of reward and employment

strategies and policies linked to the achievement of corporate objectives, which
recognise staff performance and contribution, promote a diverse workforce, engage and
motivate staff, and provide a fair and coherent strateg ic framework across the University,
allowing flexibility for Deans/Directors at the local level.

Objectives:
• Harmonise, simplify and streamline all HR policies and procedures to provide
clear and user-friendly arrangements, optimising the opportunity provided by the

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 shift of the Model Statute covering academic discipline, redundancies and
grievances into Ordinances.
• Determine a new strategic approach to pay and reward for City, which underpins
transparent, equitable and flexible pay arrangements for the following groups, in
line with City’s needs, market rates, equal pay and good practice:
o Discretionary pay for staff covered by the Framework Agreement.
o Senior staff currently covered by the Remuneration Committee.
o Visiting Lecturers.
• Develop capability amongst HR Business Partners (HRBP) and managers in the
development and support of local reward strategies and implementing the new
arrangements effectively and fairly.
• Ensure that there are University-wide arrangements for monitoring and
evaluating the impact of reward strategies, to ensure fairness and reduce risk.
• Review academic promotion processes and implement new arrangements in line
with organisational priorities and objectives.
• Promote initiatives which support and encourage staff to achieve a reasonable
work/life balance.

c) Size and composition of the workforce: effective workforce planning and

development

Aim: To ensure that HR supports Deans, Directors and their managers to shape the
workforce to deliver their business needs, through the use of HR planning, succession
planning and other means.

Objectives:
• Support Schools in developing local workforce plans supported by corporate
tools and strategies to ensure that the University has the right people in the right
jobs at the right time.
• Enhance human resource planning capability across the University to facilitate
innovation in the development of new roles and new ways of working.
• Actively promote workforce diversity, through detailed Equality Action Plans,
enhanced data analysis, impact assessm ent and internal and external
benchmarking.
• Provide HR reports on a wide range of statistical indicators of people
management performance across the organization, to support effective business
planning and decision-making at corporate and local level.
• Extend the use of workforce data analysis to identify correlations between
management practice and the student experience.

d) Staff Development and Skills Needs Fit

Aim: To offer a wide range of development provision, enabling staff to gain the skills,
competences and experience necessary to contribute to the attainment of individual,
team, and organisational goals and expectations.

Objectives:
• Implement staff development provision, appraisal, competence/behavioural
frameworks, coaching and other support to enhance staff performance, equip
staff to fulfill current responsibilities, and enable them to adapt to future change.

8
 • Ensure that corporate staff development provision is aligned with the delivery of
excellent learning and teaching provision, working closely with colleagues across
the University to develop, deliver and monitor impact.
• Improve leadership and management capability, recognising the different roles of
academic and professional leaders and needs at different managerial levels.
• Support excellence in staff performance by ensuring close integration with
strategies linking development, reward and career progression.
• Implement robust mechanisms to evaluate and assess the impact of staff
development provision on institutional performance and calculate the return on
investment, benchmarking against other HEIs and industry.
• Review the nature and content staff development provision on an ongoing basis
to ensure that it is aligned to meet evolving corporate priorities.

e) Leadership, Involvement and Change Management

Aim: To develop strong and effective leaders with the vision and energy to deliver the
University’s goals; enhance organisational development, business improvement and
change management capabilities; encourage staff involvement in decision-making.

Objectives:
• Ensure that City is fit for purpose through the development of a strategic
approach to organisational development and business improvement using an
evidence-based approach to assessing the impact of our interventions on
organisational performance.
• Support all schools and portfolios to develop integrated HR strategies and plans.
• Identify and develop staff for the future through effective talent management and
succession planning strategies, enhancing our capability in academic excellence,
service delivery and business development.
• Support managers in consulting and involving staff to enable them to engage
with and improve the student experience, understanding the connection between
their own and the University’s objectives.
• Embed equality and diversity in the organisational culture and incorporate them
as a standard element of the strategic planning process.
• Support effective change management through robust polices, support for
managers and staff, effective planning, partnership working with TUs and
development for managers and TU representatives.

f) Performance Management: Linking People Management and Organisational

Performance

Aim: To embed a high performance culture through an integrated approach to

performance, robust policies, professional support and focused development provision.

Objectives
• Modernise, streamline and harmonise all people management policies to
optimise the organisational benefits from the shift from Statute to Ordinances.
• Develop a conflict resolution strategy, incorporating mediation and other tools to
facilitate speedy and effective resolution of problems, issues and concerns.

9
 • Extend the Investors in People standard across City as a tool to improve
business performance and to measure the impact of people management
interventions on organisational performance.
• Improve and develop the Integrated Performance Management Framework and
support schools in managing performance more effectively, including monitoring
impact through the provision of local and corporate key performance indicators.
• Promote appraisal, competence assessment, objective setting and development
planning, setting out clear expectations and objectives linked to the University’s
goals.
• Enhance the support and development offered to staff and managers on
performance management.

g) Occupational Health, Staff Welfare and Health and Safety

Aim: To promote the health, safety and welfare of University staff through the
development of policies and the provision of professional support services in
occupational health, wellbeing, and safety.

Objectives
• Improve the University’s sickness policy to support improved reporting,
monitoring and interventions of sickness absence and to manage performance
more effectively.
• Publish an annual corporate occupational health and safety plan which identifies
City’s priorities in managing health and safety, embedding good practice and
complying with legislation.
• Develop City as a healthy organization by promoting the health and wellbeing of
staff and improving people management practices across the University.
• Identify, promote and support effective approaches and interventions for the
prevention of stress and improving personal resilience.
• Develop a clear action plan for the implementation of the Disability Equality
Scheme in relation to staff health, safety and wellbeing at work.

7. Key Performance Indicators

The table overleaf sets out key objectives and performance indicators for the next three
years. An nex 3 contains more detailed PIs.

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 Key Objectives and Performance Indicators for HR Strategy
Improvement Key objectives Current position Benchmark if available Indicator of success
1. Improve • Harmonising, • Three versions of N/A • Policies implemented
organisational and simplifying and each policy; out of by Dec ‘08.
staff performance. streamlining all date; not in line with • Sickness reporting
policies law. levels increased year
• Reviewing appraisal • Appraisal consultation on year.
procedure and underway; sampling • Increase no of
monitoring of quality underway. appraisals from 75% to
• Introducing a • Competence 90% by 2009 and
competence framework out for 100% by 2010.
framework consultation. • Improve appraisal
• Phased • Investment in HR quality via sampling.
implementation of agreed. • Achievement of IiP
IiP • IiP plan underway. across University
• Review recruitment. • Recruitment review 2011.
planned. • Review of recruitment
by Dec ’08.

2. Improve conflict • Review policies 143 formal cases in the HE average: 9.4 cases Reduction in level of
management. • New Caseworker past year (grievance, per 1,000 staff; City = 51 casework by 10% year on
role discipline, probation and cases per 1,000 staff. year.
• New ‘smarter’ capability). (Grievance and
processes / disciplinary only; DLA
monitoring Piper, 2007).
• Conflict resolution
and mediation
strategy.

3. Improve staff • Introduce workforce See body of report and N/A Measures to be agreed as
skills including planning. Annex 1. part of the review.
leadership and • Review leadership
management and management.

11
capability. Development.
• Review staff
development /
learning.
• Run Leadership
Development
Initiative.

4. Improve the • Analyse information, Black and ethnic minority Ethnic minority staff = • Increase BME staff to
diversity profile of set targets, monitor. staff form 17% of the 32% in Greater London 22% by 2011;
the University. • Action plans in workforce; disabled staff area. • Increase disabled staff
equality schemes. 2%; women 53%. Ethnic minorities in HE in to 5% by 2011;
• Review recruitment Representation to some M25: 15%; City = 17%. • Gender targets TBA;
process. degree stratified by grade • Proportions of BME
• Review promotion and role. and female staff
policy. selected for promotion
• Impact reflect proportions at
assessments. City.

5. Link reward to • Introduction of Currently no reward Gap in academic only • Reward strategies in
University strategic reward strategy for strategy or means to link male and female place by November
goals and ensure fair senior staff reward to performance, earnings in HE is 14.1%; 2008.
remuneration. • Introduction of competence, or at City = 16.3%. • Equal pay analyses
reward strategy for achievement of University complete by July 2008.
grades 1-8 on goals. Equal pay Mean gender pay gap • Improvement to equal
discretionary pay. analyses underway. VL UK = 17.2%. pay profile of
• Equal pay analyses project established. University by 2011 –
and action planning. targets TBA.
• Review of VL • VL project complete by
arrangements. October 2008.

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6. Contribute to the • Appoint AD of HR See main report. Few Universities have N/A
development of an for OD and Business dedicated OD resource
OD strategy in Improvement. (HEFCE 2007).
collaboration with • Develop OD tools for Dedicated OD resource
DVC/other use across more common in other
stakeholders. University. areas of public sector.
• Increase Increased number of
management and private sector
HR OD capability. businesses with process
• Contribute to improvement strategies.
creation of
‘organisational
challenge’ unit.

7. Improve the • Revise Health and See main body of report. • 35% reduction
wellbeing of our Safety and stress reportable accidents by
staff. policies. 2010.
• Introduce wellness • Reduction in stress
policy. cases of by 10% by
• Review Disability 2011.
Equality Scheme. • Wellness policy and
revised DES
published.
• Increased participants
in wellness events.

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Annex 1

Key people management issues and organisational health at City University

a) Policies and procedures: There are currently three sets of core policies for different
groups of staff (academic, administrative, managerial). The University needs to
maximize the potential for modernisation of terms and conditions offered by moving
to the new Statute and Ordinances which place Academic Terms and Conditions
within Ordinance and Policy and Procedure. It is vital that all HR policies are
reviewed, significantly updated and harmonised to ensure that we have a modern,
integrated and comprehensive approach to dealing with all aspects of performance
management.

b) Conflict Management: The standard ratio for disciplinary and grievance cases in
the sector is 9.4 cases per 1000 staff.4 At City this figure is 51 per 10005, and may
be an under-estimate as formal records are only now being created. This does not
include probation, capability, Employment Tribunals and informal cases. Improving
this situation requires an integrated approach including: reviewing and simplifying all
policies and procedures; improving dispute resolution skills including mediation and
conciliation; working ‘smarter’ through process review; having management
information to monitor cases and the impact of change; improving management
capacity and capability and producing a cultural shift in terms of performance
management, development and learning and managerial decision-making.

c) Sickness: City has one of the lowest rates of sickness absence in Higher Education:
3.7 vs an average of 6.5 days pa or 0.1% vs 2.7%, which is likely to be a serious
under-estimate. Even this level costs us just under £1m p.a. using CIPD estimates
which has a considerable impact on the student experience. Sickness policies and
procedures, including arrangements for reporting, are all in place and are used by
some Schools and the two central portfolios. A review of the sickness policy and
reporting arrangements is underway. Sickness reporting is one of a number of
performance indicators linked to the overall effectiveness of people management.

d) Appraisal: Seventy-five per cent of eligible staff have been appraised in the last
year, but we don’t know if the other part have been appraised or not or anything
about the quality of appraisal. We do know that our service and teaching ratings rely
heavily on our staff and that 66% of Universities score better than us on ‘overall
satisfaction’ ratings by students. We cannot expect our staff to deliver the
University’s objectives and improve the quality of our interaction with students unless
we tell them what is expected of them, give them feedback on how they are doing,
help them to improve, and ensure alignment with University goals and strategy.
Appraisal is one of the key tools we have to influence the quality of interaction
between staff and students and using it more effectively is a key aspect of the HR
Strategy.

e) Staff development: Combined with focused recruitment and appraisal, staff

development is the pivotal point in improving the student experience at City. All
interactions between staff and students, and, crucially, the quality of those

4
DLA Piper Benchmarking Report 2007.
5
Internal figures

14
 interactions, depend on staff being able and willing to deliver teaching or other
services at the level and quality we desire. Ensuring that we tell our staff what we
want and develop them to deliver it, creating a link between development and
organizational objectives is key. Reviewing the content and impact of what we do,
together with ensuring our structures are fit for purpose, is another key objective in
this HR strategy.

f) People management capacity and capability: One of the key issues for the
University is the delivery of people management both by professional HR staff and
by managers across the University. The HR structure has recently been reviewed,
resulting in increased investment in organisational development, policy and HR
Business Services. A new model of HRBP working with schools is currently being
implemented. The capability of managers in people management across the
University is variable and it is one of the key strands in the strategy to improve this
over the short-medium term.

g) Pay and Reward: Pay and reward are vital in building our ability to recruit, retain and
motivate staff, and for Deans to use in controlling their pay budgets as part of an
overall workforce plan. Last year we spent over £1.5m on bonuses and non-
consolidated increments for our staff, although the majority of our staff don’t have a
formal performance-related pay scheme. We spent a further £1.9m + on
responsibility allowances.

Our current pay arrangements are not focused at rewarding achievement of

organisational priorities. The HR department has completed the first part of an equal
pay review which indicates that there are some issues which need to be addressed.
The Business Efficiency Review (BER) also identified the need to review bonus and
other arrangements. HR is currently carrying out three reviews: (i) pay and reward
for senior managers covered currently by the Remuneration Committee; (ii) all forms
of discretionary pay and ‘additional’ payments attached to the Pay Framework
Agreement; iii) pay and contractual arrangements for VLs.

h) Equalities: The University wants to be able to provide a platform for the fair
recruitment, promotion and development of all staff. However, currently ethnic
minority staff and women, in particular, are under-represented in certain areas of
work and at senior levels, in general. For example, ethnic minority students form
64% of our student body compared to 17% of our staff, and despite apparently
healthy levels of female recruitment and promotion, only 28% of our Professors, 20%
of Council, 8% of ExCo and 3% of Senate are female. The issue is how we provide
the best service to students by recruiting the right staff and present ourselves as role
models to our very diverse student population. It is also about how we operate and
present ourselves as a fair employer, how we manage our talent effectively and open
up opportunities for all.

i) Human Resource Planning, Business Improvement and OD: The staffing

element of each Dean’s budget provides the means by which s/he can deliver their
challenging targets. How they design, utilise and structure their ‘workforce’ and plan
for the future can help to deliver some of their key objectives, including their quality
and service improvement and financial goals. It involves looking at the structure of
the School and the type of staff required, now and in the future; looking at
managerial capability and the capacity available to deliver it; succession planning

15
 and managing the talent they have more effectively; considering new ways of
working and different types of contractual arrangements. These inter-linked areas of
organisational development and workforce planning require considerable
development within the University.

j) Management information: It is vital that there is (i) clear management information

and analysis on which managers and HR can make effective decisions and (ii) a
means of monitoring progress against a range of people management initiatives. HR
performance indicators are now being regularly produced for managers and ExCo on
sickness, turnover, equalities and other related issues, and the indicators will evolve
according to organisational need and our ability to monitor and report on issues.

k) Change management: There is a significant change management programme

ahead with restructurings likely across the University over the next two years.
Managing change programmes involves managing the staffing and communications
implications very carefully to ensure that staff are treated fairly and University
objectives are met whilst retaining our sound employee relations reputation both
internally and externally.

16
Annex 2

City’s ranking against other Universities: key findings

Below are summarised some of the key findings from surveys in the past 12 months
related to City’s rankings by students and by stakeholders. Clearly these cannot be
more than partial indicators of the University’s performance, and they have heavily
informed the University’s new strategic plan, but they also need to be taken into account
in constructing an HR Strategy.

City’s overall rankings in The Times Good University Guide 2008 tables published in
August 2007, are as follows.

Performance area Table ranking

Overall 40th
Student satisfaction 31st
Research quality 50th
Staff/student ratio 68th
Services and facilities spend 96th
Entry standards 46th
Completion 48th
Good honours 36th
Graduate prospects 5th

According to the 2007 NSS student survey:

• City is ranked 97th out of 145 institutions in terms of satisfaction with course
quality, compared with 76/126 in 2006);
• 66% of Universities score better than City on ‘overall satisfaction’ rates with their
HEI, a worsening position on the previous year (60%);
• One of the University’s weaker points is on assessment and feedback, where we
have the lowest mean score across the sector;
• One of the University’s strongest points is on organisation and management;
• There is considerable variation on some of the key indicators within courses at
City.

Improving this situation requires a whole range of actions in an integrated strategic plan
but it is our staff who will deliver the solutions and it is through our staff that we will
achieve fundamental change.

17
Annex 3

Human Resources Strategy 2008 – 2011: Operational Plan and Performance Indicators

The strategic goals, operational plans and indicators outlined in this table will be delivered by the HR Directorate in the context of the
Staff Experience Programme, which is a key strand of the City 2012 Strategy. Where specific dates are shown in the timescales they
indicate the proposed implementation of discrete projects or parts of projects, but not their end. Once in place these initiatives will
continue to be shaped and refined by their own outcomes, ongoing analyses and evolving corporate priorities, in a process of
continuous business improvement.

Project Objectives Key activities to achieve Timescale Performance Indicator

a) Staff Recruitment and Retention
Promote City as an employer
of choice
objectives
• Review of promotion
arrangements
• Review of flexible working
arrangement
• Review of staff development
• Review the HR website to
optimise its usefulness for
staff and managers
• November 2008 PIs for all:
• Implementation by agreed
• For 2008/9 dates for all projects
• No areas of high turnover
• By June 2008 • Improved results from staff
survey on employment
• By December 2008 issues.
• Feedback from Deans and
senior school staff improved

• Review staff benefits • Academic year 2008/9

Address under-representation
of identified groups
• Review of race equality
scheme
• Action plan and
implementation
• Setting institution-wide
targets for recruitment and
promotion
• Support schools and
portfolios in developing local
• Beginning of 2008-9 • Completion by agreed dates
academic year for all schemes
• Achievement of targets over
3 year period
• Increase proportion of BME
staff from 17% to 22% by
July 2011
• Ongoing • Increase proportion of
disabled staff from 2% to 5%

18
 Project Objectives Key activities to achieve Timescale Performance Indicator
objectives
targets for improved by July 2011
representation, together with • Proportions of BME and
associated action plans and female staff selected for
review processes promotion broadly reflect
• Facilitate sharing of good • Ongoing proportions in overall City
practice through monitoring workforce.
and assessment of local • Gender tba
targets and plans
• Implementation of gender
equality action plan
• Create combined equalities
action plan
• Targets to be reviewed in • 2008-9 academic year
July 2009 and new targets
set as appropriate
• Equality impact • 2008-9 academic year
assessments
• Train managers and carry
out impact assessments
Collection and analysis of • Ensure arrangements in • 2008-9 academic year • Increase sickness reporting
management information place for capture and central levels across all schools to
recording and reporting of all improve performance
relevant equalities data management
• People management PIs on • Completed • To keep turnover to current
HR website, regularly level of c.10%
updated
• Organisational healthc heck • First report February 2008
report to ExCo six monthly
• Detailed PIs for each school • Underway March 2008
produced by HR Business
Partners

19
 Project Objectives
Support schools and portfolios
to develop integrated HR
strategies
Develop effective workforce
planning and succession
planning strategies
Carry out regular staff surveys
and act on the results
Review of recruitment as part
of integrated approach to
performance management
Key activities to achieve
objectives
• Review HR structure, agree
investment plan and
implement
• New role for HRBPs with
three level grading &
competence framework
implemented
• HRBP development
programme implemented
• New model of HR BPs’
integration with schools
begun to be implemented
• Workforce planning – see
below
• Internal fact-finding on key
issues
• Carry out research on good
practice externally
• Staff Survey to be carried
out in 2008 and 2010
• Implementation of new
administration team in HR
Business Services with
responsibility for recruitment
• Review to be carried out in
conjunction with Schools
• Introduction of e-HR
Timescale
• Completed
• July 2008
• Running for 1 yr from May
2008
• Underway. Completed by
July 2008 but continued
development into 2010 as
some aspects are phased
• For academic year 2008/9
• Summer 2008
• Summer 2008
• For academic year 2008/9
• Commence Summer 2008
Performance Indicator
• Improved feedback from
schools for new
arrangements
• Reduction in level of
casework 10% year on year
TBA when project initiation
document drawn up
• Survey carried out with an
increased participation rate
• Action plans implemented
• Team implementation by
agreed date
• TBA when PID drawn up
20
 Project Objectives Key activities to achieve
objectives
• Introduction of innovative
and creative uses of the web
• See also f)
b) Remuneration and Fair Employment
Review and harmonise HR • All People Management
policies policies harmonised
• Consultation with TUs
• Implementation of new
policies
• Conflict resolution policy to
be developed
Determine a new strategic • Facilitate organisation-wide
approach to pay and reward debate about pay and
which underpins transparent, reward
equitable and flexible pay • Conduct equal pay surveys
arrangements for the following by gender, race and age.
groups: • Develop proposals for all
• All forms of discretionary three areas (FA, senior staff
pay for staff covered by and VLs) and associated
the Framework Agreement toolkits
• Senior staff currently • Toolkits for FA and senior
covered by the staff to be linked to review of
Remuneration Committee. appraisal and
• Visiting Lecturers implementation of
competence framework
• Consult as appropriate with
unions or staff affected.
• Implement
Timescale Performance Indicator
• End 08/09 as linked to
Corporate web development.
Initial work by Spring 2009
• Implementation by • Implementation by agreed
December 2008 for all date of all policies.
policies • Reduction in level of
• Underway casework by 10% year on
year
• Academic year 2008/2009
• Underway • Targets to be set for equal
pay over a period of 5 years
in the first instance
• Underway • Review to be conducted
annually of impact
• Summer 2008 • Affordability
• Implementation by agreed
dates
• Summer 2008
• Summer 2008
• October 2008
21
 Project Objectives
Increase capability of HR and
managers in the development
and support of local pay
strategies and implementing
the new arrangements
University-wide arrangements
for monitoring and evaluating
the impact of reward
strategies
Review academic promotion
processes.
Promote work/life balance
c) Size and composition of workforce
Support schools and portfolios • HRBPs to develop
in developing workforce plans
Enhance human resource
planning capability across the
University
Key activities to achieve Timescale Performance Indicator
objectives
• Development and • Implementation by autumn • Annual review and impact
implementation of training 2008 assessment
and development
programme for HRBPs
• To be agreed as part of • In line with timescale above • Annual review and impact
overall new arrangements assessment
• To be led by the Deputy • For academic year 2008/9 • Target to be set when PID
Vice-Chancellor agreed
• Incorporate the outcomes of
the equal pay audits and
impact assessments
• Review of flexible working • Academic year 2008/9 • Review through staff survey.
arrangements and • See g) • See g)
implement changes.
• Implementation of health at
work policy – see section g)
• End of 2008/9 academic • TBA
workforce plans with year for both
Schools directly
• OD team in HR to develop
corporate workforce
planning tools
• Development programme to • December 2008 • TBA
be created by new AD for
OD and Business
Improvement
22
 Project Objectives
Actively promote improvement
to workforce diversity
Provide HR reports on a wide
range of statistical indicators
of people management
performance
Extend workforce analysis to
identify correlations between
management prac tice and the
student experience
d) Staff development and skills need
Implement staff development
provision and other support to • Development of generic
enhance staff performance
Key activities to achieve Timescale Performance Indicator
objectives
• See a) above on • See a) and b) • See a) and b)
recruitment
• See b) above for pay
• Review carried out of HR • Put in place from February • PIs to be reviewed by ExCo
PIs and monitored by ExCo 2008 twice a year
•
Compare student feedback • Autumn 2008
with key people
management indicators to
identify apparent
correlations between
management practice and
student satisfaction
perceptions
• Investigate further, as
appropriate, to establish
causation
• Facilitate sharing of good
practice, as appropriate
• Review of appraisal scheme • Implementation autumn • Increased scheme user
2008 satisfaction (indicated by
competence framework • Autumn 2008 sampling feedback Jan
(GCF) 2009 ) and increase in
• Shifting performance • Completed appraisal completion
management responsibility returns to 90% in year 1
to HRBPs and Schools and 100% by 2010
• Improve management and • See e) • Clear linkage between GCF
leadership across the and development plans for
University. See e) below 30% of all staff in year 1
23
 Project Objectives
Ensure that corporate staff
development is aligned with
learning and teaching
provision
Improve management and
leadership capability across
the University
Key activities to achieve Timescale Performance Indicator
objectives
• Provide training on the • Ongoing • Long term objectives to be
above set as part of these projects
• Review of staff • By December 2008 • Long term objectives to be
development and learning • May 2009 i.e. for set as part of these projects
with DVC E implementation in appraisal • Staff development offer
• Develop new teaching round 2008/9 reflects agreed priority
observation scheme areas for SD
• Provide staff development
to embed effective student
assessment and feedback
with DVC E
• Provide staff development • By October 2008
which reflects and meets
the 6 agreed strategic
priorities for staff
development: research,
student experience, staff
experience, working in a
complex environment,
internationalisation,
diversity
• Review of leadership and • Summer 2008 • Measures to be agreed as
management development. part of the review
• Run annual Leadership • Underway
Development Initiative
• HRBPs to work with
managers and leaders in
school on identifying
development needs arising
from appraisal, competence
assessment and other tools
24
 Project Objectives
Ensure close integration
between development, reward
and career progression to
enhance performance
Evaluate the impact of staff
development on institutional
performance and calculate the
return on investment;
benchmark
Review the nature and content
of staff development provision
to ensure it meets evolving
corporate priorities
Key activities to achieve
objectives
• Clarify and promote
leadership and
management competences
and the expectations of the
University for excellent
leaders
• See above for review of
appraisal and competence
framework
• Direct link to pay project
• Leadership development
programmes – see e)
• Assessment of impact
project looking also at ROI
• Gather management
information and benchmark
against HEIs and industry
• Review of staff
development/needs
analysis
• Review current portfolio of
offerings
• Provide staff development
which reflects and meets
the 6 agreed strategic
priorities for staff
development (2006-12) -
see above
Timescale Performance Indicator
• See above • Demonstrate clear linkage
between appraisal, GCF,
development plans and
• Ongoing promotion/reward for 50%
• See e) of those staff securing
promotion via annual
promotion round and/or
Remumeration Committee
submission in Year 1
• By July 2008 • Targets for all to be set
within project
• November 2008
• Underway and complete by • Staff development offer
May 2008 consistently reflects and
supports:
• By August 2008 (a) Evolving Corporate priorities
(currently the agreed 6
• Set up for October 2008 priority areas for SD
start (2006-12)
(b) Critical mass needs
identified via consultation
with Areas
25
 Project Objectives
e) Leadership, involvement and Change Management
Develop a strategic approach
to organisational development
and business improvement
ensuring evidence-based
impact assessment
Support all schools and
portfolios to develop
integrated HR strategies and
plans
Identify and develop staff for • Succession planning and
the future through talent
management and succession
Key activities to achieve Timescale Performance Indicator
objectives
• Appoint Assistant Director • Completed N/A at this stage
of OD and Business
improvement (BI) • All other tasks are awaiting
• Develop a range of OD and the appointment of the AD
BI tools for use across the • Work planned for 2008 –
University 2010
• Improve OD and BI • Academic year 2008/9
capability within HR and
across the University
through training and
development
• Develop workforce planning • Academic year 2008/9
tools and capability within
HR and in schools
• Develop a range of tools
which enable the University
to measure the impact of
OD interventions working
with the DVC
• HRBPs to work with • Underway • Production of strategies
Schools on preparation of • Targets set as in previous
local HR Strategies sections
including workforce plans
• HR Performance indicators • Underway
to be provided in Schools to
enable effective planning
and inform HR Strategies
• See a)
talent management
strategies to be developed
26
 Project Objectives
planning strategies
Support managers in
consulting and involving staff
and understanding the
connection between their own
and the University’s objectives
Embed equality and diversity
in the organisational culture
and the strategic planning
process
Key activities to achieve Timescale Performance Indicator
objectives
• Leadership and • See d)
management review
• Continued support for JCNB • Ongoing • N/A
and sub-groups • See f) • Achievement of IiP
• Continued support for IiP • Autumn 2008 standard to agreed
which embeds these timescale
objectives • TBA
• Use of change
management advisers as
part of the HR restructuring
to assist with implementing
good practice
• Develop a combined • See a) and b) • See a) and b) for equalities
equality and diversity targets
strategy, clear action plans,
set targets and take positive
action where appropriate
• Embed equality and • Ongoing
diversity issues in the
strategic and business
planning process through
the introduction of an
impact assessment
framework
• Strategy continues to be • Ongoing
developed and monitored
through equalities steering
group
• Staff development on
equalities issues under
regular review
27
 Project Objectives
Support effective change
management through policies,
support for managers,
partnership working with TUs
and staff development
f) Performance Management
Modernise, streamline and
harmonise all people
management policies
Develop a conflict resolution
strategy
Key activities to achieve Timescale Performance Indicator
objectives
• See a) and b)
• Appointment of change • See above
management consultants
• Change management • As part of current policy • Agreed with unions to
policy to be developed review timescale
• Restructuring models to be • 2008/9 • All others TBA
developed and used for
major restructurings over
next 2-3 years
• Wider change management • 2008/9
models to be developed in
conjunction with the OD
workstream in HR and
under the DVC
• Development of • Early 2009
management capability in
change management and
OD
• See b) above • See b) • See b)
• Scope out the aims and • 2008/9 academic year • Strategy in place
objectives • All tools in place
• Create the tools necessary • Reduction in number of
as part of overall strategy formal cases
• Create a mediation service
• Monitor impact
28
 Project Objectives
Extend the Investors in People
standard across City
Develop and embed the
Integrated performance
Management Framework and
support schools in managing
performance more effectively
Promote appraisal,
competence assessment,
objective setting and
development planning and set
out expectations and
objectives linked to the
University’s goals
Key activities to achieve
objectives
• Phased programme
underway
• New HR structure (see a)
including caseworker role to
be implemented
• New policies, procedures
and training as outlined in
this section
• Review of performance
management arrangements
• Review of appraisal
• Improve both level and
quality of appraisal through
promotion, monitoring,
sampling and feedback
• Implement new
competence framework
• Revise sickness procedures
(see g)
• See above. To be achieved
through new approach to
HR integration with Schools,
policy reviews, development
and training, and other • May 2008
measures outlined in this • Academic year 2007/8
section
• Develop a strategy on staff
behaviour
Timescale Performance Indicator
• Full implementation of • Achievement against target
building blocks by 2010 and date
institutional convergence by
2011
• See a) • See a)
• Overall reduction in the
number and length of cases
• See other parts of this is a target for this section
section • Implementation of new and
revised policies and
• Underway procedures
• Local targets on
Performance Management
• Underway to be set with Schools
• 2007/8 academic year • Increase appraisal returns to
100% by 2010
• Improve quality of appraisals
– measures TBA
• Underway
• See g)
• Achievement against target
dates
29
 Project Objectives
Enhance the support and
development offered to staff
and managers on
performance management
g) Occupational Health, Staff Welfare and Health and Safety
Improve management of
sickness absence
Revise and implement H&S
policies and procedures to
support new University
strategy
Ensure Effective Safety
Management Sys tem
Key activities to achieve
objectives
• Clarify University
expectations of staff and
managers
• Review of provision.
• Integration of HRBPs with
schools (see a)
• Review of policy.
• New guidance to managers
on implementation,
reporting and
responsibilities under DDA.
• Monitoring of reporting rates
and sickness levels
• Review current policies and
procedures and implement
more streamlined policies
• Consult Union Safety Reps
and SLOs
• All safety procedures
reviewed
• Improved accident
prevention
• Publish H&S management
plan
• Annual audit cycle
Timescale Performance Indicator
• Summer 2008 • TBA
• See a)
• Underway • Improve reporting rates for
• By Summer 2008 sickness in first 12 months of
operation by 10%
• Set targets for sickness
reduction where reporting
• Ongoing levels good
• Targets for reduction in
sickness levels to be set
when reporting consistent
across university
• December 2008 • Main Policies and
procedures published and
implemented
• Ongoing
• Safety Reps and SLOs
• December 2010 consulted
• Published on web site
• Academic year 2010 • 30% reduction in HSE
reportable accidents
• October 2008 • Approved by OHSSG
• 100% areas audited every
• Annually year
30
 Project Objectives
Ensure Effective Fire Safety
Management system
Benchmark safety
performance within the HE
sector
Develop City as a healthy
organisation and promote a
wellness agenda
Promote and support effective
approaches for the
management of s tress
Key activities to achieve
objectives
• Fire risk assessments for
high risk areas reviewed and
control measures
implemented
• Fire marshals provisions
throughout the University
reviewed and adequacy
• University Safety Manager
and Fire and Safety Advisor
trained on HASMAP
• HASMAP audit system
implemented and applied to
Schools and Directorates
• Develop and implement a
wellbeing policy
• Run an annual programme
of wellbeing events for staff
• Continue to provide high
quality Occupational Health
Service for staff
• Stress policy developed.
• Promote stress risk
assessment in schools by
using the HSE management
standards model
• Use staff survey to contribute
to University stress risk
assessment
Timescale Performance Indicator
• December 2008 • 100% of high risk areas such
as Halls of residence, lecture
theatres and School of
Engineering reviewed
• July 2008 • USM and FSA trained
• HASMAP applied to 100% of
• July 2009 and ongoing Schools and directorates
• In draft • Number of staff participating
in wellbeing events
• June 2008 ongoing
• Service reviewed annually • Number of staff referred to
OHS
• Number of staff self referring
to OHS
• Client feedback
• Completed • Reduction in no of cases of
• 2010 work related stress by 10%
by 2010
• Stress risk assessment
completed by 75% areas by
• 2008 2010
• Stress risk assessment
published
31
 Project Objectives
Review the DES in relation to
staff
Key activities to achieve Timescale Performance Indicator
objectives
• Specific initiatives underway • Underway • Dyslexia screening
for identification and support programme introduced
for staff with disabilities.
• Disability impact assessment • June 2008 • Report to equalities group
• Revise and implement an • October 2008 • Action plan published
action plan for the health,
safety and wellbeing of
disabled staff.
32