Response
Response from SDU management to the column on job drift
In the column ‘Illogical job drift: AC or HK at SDU?’ the union representatives from HK Kontor raise an important discussion about skills, job development and recruitment at SDU.
I would like to thank Michelle, Lone, Ann, Helle, Heidi, Maria and Mette for their dedicated contribution. The column reflects a clear commitment to the University as a workplace and to ensuring a positive and motivating environment for staff. It is of great value that these issues are raised.
SDU’s management values the wide range of skills and expertise represented among the University’s staff, which all contribute to ensuring that SDU runs smoothly. This includes the strong administrative expertise that HK staff contribute every day.
The University’s tasks and framework conditions have undergone, and continue to undergo, significant change. Increased regulation, more complex partnerships, continued digitalisation and a greater need for data and analysis have, in some areas, created a need for new and additional skills. For instance, skills in law, data and analysis.
Such changes should be managed in such a way that everyone finds them understandable and meaningful. The column highlights a concern that must be taken seriously: that changes in job roles and recruitment practices must not lead to employees feeling that their professional expertise is less valued.
In my view, the column highlights some essential points of attention. The first point is the importance that all employees feel respected and valued and take pride in their work. The second point is the need for ongoing and targeted skills development, particularly in light of digitalisation and artificial intelligence. The third point is the need for clear leadership and constructive dialogue regarding how tasks evolve, what skills are in demand and how vacancies are advertised.
Ongoing skills development is already part of the action plan for career and skills development which has been approved by the Central Liaison Committee. In this respect, it is important that we continue to focus on how we can support technical and administrative staff in developing the skills the University needs – now and in the future.
For my part, I would like to raise the issues discussed in this column in both the Central Liaison Committee and the Administration Liaison Committee, so that we can have a general discussion between management and union representatives regarding skills, recruitment, development and the allocation of tasks at SDU.
Thank you once again for your dedicated comments. I look forward to continuing the discussion.
Thomas Buchvald Vind
University Director
