Strategic framework for Colleague Engagement: the University's approach to engagement, our key strategic priorities and current action plans
What does 'colleague engagement' mean?
Our approach to colleague engagement at UofG:
our workplace approach resulting in the conditions for colleagues to feel a sense of wellbeing, of belonging to and pride in the University, such that they would recommend it as a place to work to others and want to continue working here. The approach supports colleagues feeling committed to UofG values, and motivated to contribute to the University’s success by feeling supported to do their best work every day.
The UofG approach is adapted from the MacLeod and Clarke review definition of employee[1] engagement:
a workplace approach resulting in the right conditions for all members of an organisation to give of their best each day, committed to their organisation’s goals and values, motivated to contribute to organisational success, with an enhanced sense of their own well-being.
[1] At Glasgow, we prefer to use the term “colleagues” rather than “employees”, so will refer to “colleague engagement” throughout.
What’s the history of colleague engagement at the University?
Work to listen to, understand and work to improve colleagues’ experiences of working here has a significant history.
Surveying. We run the Colleague Engagement survey annually and have surveyed colleagues regularly for more than a decade.
Engagement Leads Network. Each area of the University has an Engagement Lead to support the dissemination and response to the survey results, to give voice to their colleagues, and support their leaders to understand how their people are feeling, and how best to respond.
Engagement Working Group. This group has representation from each College, and from a number of areas of University Services and supports the strategic development of colleague engagement.
This framework has been developed and written by a joint task group formed from both Engagement Leads and Working Group members.
What are we trying to achieve by focusing on colleague engagement?
What are we currently doing well, where are our challenges and what can we do in response?
Themes for action drawn from colleagues' feedback in the Colleague Engagement Survey.
What’s next?
Acknowledgements and authors
Thanks to the colleagues from the Engagement Leads Network and Working Group who laid the groundwork for this strategic framework in 2021: Chris Branney, Heather Lambie, Karen MacEachern, Jamie Wightwick.
Thanks to the Engagement Leads Network for proposing ideas at an early stage and to both the Leads and the Engagement Working Group for offering comment on the draft. Thanks to members of the Shadow Board for their comments on an early draft, particularly on the framing of the strategic goals, and advice on and prioritisation of the objectives at a draft stage.
For their inputs on the feasibility of our proposed objectives, our thanks to: Lesley Cummings, Fiona Millar, Fiona Quinn, Amber Higgins, Asha Costigan, Jane Goodfellow, Kirstin Mitchell, Mary Johnston.
Authors
This framework was developed and written by a joint task group formed from both Engagement Leads and Working Group members:
Heather Corley, Information Services
Frances Doherty, School of Education
Linsay Gilchrist, People and Organisational Development
Mary Beth Kneafsey, Research and Innovation Services
Helen McLaughlin (on behalf of the Shadow Board), School of Critical Studies
Euan Smith, Commercial Services
Nick Wade, External Relations
Jessica Watson as UofG Engagement Lead, People and Organisational Development