Let university staff be heard amid the noise of tumbling budgets

11 November 2010

As universities absorb the news of the latest eye-watering budget cuts, staff will be feeling unsettled and anxious about how efficiencies are to be implemented.

After all, across the Higher Education sector, institutions will be expected to make these cuts as well as continuing to provide a great service to paying students.

Huge changes to the way these institutions operate will be required, and during times like these it is more critical than ever to give employees an opportunity to be involved in identifying the ways to drive change forwards.

Last year’s Macleod review of employee engagement, commissioned by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, emphasises this point. The four “enablers of engagement” identified in the review highlight the need to empower employees to make their voices heard, along with providing a strong strategic narrative, engaging management and organisational integrity.

Since the publication of the Macleod review, the level of changes and upheaval experienced in the public sector has massively increased, making these enablers even more important.

What are the particular barriers to enabling a strong employee voice in the HE sector? UK benchmarks for the Education and Skills sector collated by ORC International highlight some key challenges ahead for universities trying to engage with their staff and bring them along on the arduous journey they are about to face:

• Just 44% of UK Education and Skills staff currently feel safe about speaking up and challenging
• 33% think their organisation manages change effectively
• Whilst 59% say their line manager motivates them to do their job effectively, only 44% think senior management provides effective leadership
• Only 37% think senior management are open and honest in their communications with staff

So, how can HR managers in the higher education sector address these challenges? Employee surveys are one way to give staff a voice and to create some real, tangible information on which to base decision-making. But often they get cancelled as organisations fear the consequences of consulting during difficult times.

Surveying staff as part of a strategic organisational plan will be a powerful tool for boosting engagement and support through tough times. But it is important to remember that this just the start of the process. Here are our top tips for engaging with staff during times of change:

• Do not be afraid to involve staff in the decision-making process. The best ideas for creating greater efficiency and improving service come from those on the front line
• When you ask the questions, make sure you act on the answers and close the feedback loop
• Pay attention to the issues driving engagement for your staff. Every organisation is different and you need to be able to adapt and change your approach to fit your context and challenges
• Do not underestimate the power of honest, visible and engaging leadership
• Keep communications channels open: staff need to know news and decisions affecting their jobs in an honest and timely fashion

Staff surveys need not cost the earth – products such as ORC International’s uniengage can offer cost-effective survey packages. However organisations need to ensure they squeeze every last crumb of value out of them by communicating the insights gleaned and making sure that resulting actions are both highly visible and relevant to staff.