University of Glasgow - Schools - School of Molecular Biosciences - Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion - Work-Life Balance

Policies and support

Glasgow University work-life policies

Glasgow University is committed that working at Glasgow University is healthy, fulfilling, safe and beneficial. The following policies aim to support this:

Leave policies: comprehensive information on a wide range of leave policies including annual, special and unpaid leave accessible here

Flexible working policy and toolkit: providing information about flexible and non-standard work patterns found here

Managing attendance policy: covers absence and sick leave, follow this link

Working time directive and regulations: working time entitlements and regulations for staff and managers, available here

Support for parents and carers

The university provides a range of support systems for parents and carers, this can be found here:

Parental leave policy

Support for student parents and carers

Support for female academics returning from maternity leave

Support for carers

Parent buddy network

Mental health support

The Mental Health Foundation calls the increasingly demanding work culture in the UK ‘one of the biggest and most pressing challenge to the mental health of the general population’. Poor work-life balance can be damaging to the physical and mental health of staff and students.

Short video: Mental health provision at Glasgow University

Internal support:

Mental health training for managers (Moodle)

Staff counselling (PAM assist): a free, external and independent service

Glasgow also has a number of self-help resources available for staff and students

Peer wellbeing support for students (this is a confidential student-listening support)

Student counselling

Crisis team providing emergency and crisis support

External support:

Togetherall peer support

Staff counselling (PAM assist: a free, external and independent service)

Samaritans (available in person, on the phone, via email or letter)

Breathing space helpline (confidential phone line for staff and students)

Our Work/Life Balance Guidance and Policies

Balancing work and personal life in academia is a well known challenge. In response, The School of Molecular Biosciences have developed a toolkit and initiatives to support our members. We underline the importance of work/life balance in our newsletters, on our away days, and within our School’s culture.

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We adopt and promote the principle of ‘Finish your work, not your hours’, and emphasise focusing on your work output, opposed to how, where, or when your work is complete.

Based on our work/life balance consultation, we have developed School specific guidelines to help you create the best work/life balance for yourself. These are also linked in the School’s onboarding pack.