The faculty as an attractive workplace
How do we ensure that the Faculty of Science can recruit and keep good employees?
Dear staff
This week I had the pleasure of meeting the TAP employees at the faculty for the Dean's visit. Based on a number of questions from the employees, I had made a presentation, and during the meeting some of the questions were unfolded even more by answering questions together via Padlets.
Here I will focus on the question of how our faculty can remain an attractive workplace. It is no secret that there are many opportunities to apply for attractive positions elsewhere - for example, because of higher salaries.
The salaries are what we in the public sector find to be the most difficult aspect to make especially attractive, despite annual salary negotiations.
It is therefore important that we work in other areas to ensure that we continue to be an attractive workplace that can attract and retain skilled employees.
A quick survey among the participants seem to align well with the eight points that we focus on in management group. High on the list are exciting tasks, which we as a university have good opportunities to fulfill.
Many are looking for challenging and meaningful tasks, and at our faculty we can offer a varied task portfolio that requires the involvement of the individual employee.
Such tasks often lead to the development of competences, which is also mentioned as an important ingredient in an attractive workplace. Flexibility was mentioned several times – including flexible working hours, home work and balance between work and private life, which gives the opportunity to adapt work to one's life situation.
Professional communities are essential at a university and here we naturally focus on research groups, but also on many other areas, e.g. teams at the faculty secretariat, department and study secretary groups and networks within the working environment.
The social communities are important, and good colleagues were emphasized. I take that as an invitation to all of us to contribute to a positive and inclusive workplace.
Finally, the importance of good management was summed up by an employee: An appreciative and supportive management that supports and has everyone's back.
I completely agree with that, and I hope that it can be felt that there is a focus on good management in the organisation.
There were also questions about the future and what it looks like for us. It is of course difficult to answer, as there are many uncertainties - e.g. in connection with the Master programme reform.
The Master programme reform comes with dimensioning and restructuring of Master programmes, but also with higher tariffs, which can hopefully maintain our economy.
At the same time, we are opening several new degree programmes and working towards a presence in Vejle.
We are very successful in bringing home external funding for research, which supports the economy and ensures that we can attract and retain employees.
I would like to thank you for the many questions and comments during the Dean's visit. I will study them further and share them with the management group.
Listening to ideas and getting feedback is important for the management to be on the right track in creating an attractive workplace.
Marianne Holmer, dean