The People Strategy and keycurrent HR issues

#oxlib15 The Anybook Oxford Libraries Conference 2015

Julian DuxfieldDirector of Human Resources

University of Oxford strategic plan 2013 - 2018

12 commitments, 3 are explicitly about people......

‘To recruit and retain high-calibre staff from across theworld’.

‘To work towards an increasingly diverse staffing profile’.

‘To develop all staff to enhance their effectiveness andcontribution to the University’s goals’.

Our People Strategy to underpin the University’sStrategic Plan

1. Recruitment of the best people – ensuring that Oxford is able to attract the highest

quality people from the relevant employment market.

2. Retention of talent – retaining the best people in the face of increasing international

competition

3. Developing diversity - recruiting, retaining and promoting the very best people, whoever

they are and ensuring equality of opportunity.

4. People development – supporting people to improve their skills, knowledge and

competencies

5. Governance – ensuring good decision making processes on people issues and that our

statutes, policies, procedures and resources relating to personnel issues are appropriate

6. Delivering effective support on people issues across the University – a high

quality HR function working across the University to support the people strategy

1. Recruitment of the best people – ensuring that Oxford is ableto attract the highest quality people from the relevantemployment market.

Key themes:

• attraction of the highest quality applicant pool for all roles;

• highly objective selection process;

• use of tier 1, 2 and 5 immigration visas;

• relocation support for key new recruits;

• launch of the internal temporary staffing service.

2. Retention of talent – retaining the best people in theface of increasing international competition

Key themes:

• right reward package – regular reviews of base pay, appropriatepension provision, merit-based pay;

• personal development review (PDR) – build use across differentgroups of employees;

• promotion and progression – clear career paths;

• retirement - selective use of employer justified retirement age(EJRA) to extend employment in key cases.

3. Developing diversity - recruiting, retaining andpromoting the very best people, whoever they are andensuring equality of opportunity

Key themes:

• increase the proportion of women in senior roles across theUniversity;

• broader diversity approach – progress race and disability issues;

• equal pay reviews to address pay inequality;

• maximise impact from VC’s diversity fund;

• Athena SWAN award process – all 26 STEM depts achievedbronze or silver AS award;

• Gender & Race Equality Charter Marks – pilot and then useacross the University;

• training – embedding equality and diversity in training /unconscious bias training;

4. People development – supporting people to improvetheir skills, knowledge and competencies.

Key themes:

• induction training – prior to joining, induction events, on-linematerial;

• use of PDR – application across different groups of employees;

• management and leadership skills – for those in administrativeand academic leadership roles;

• structured training programmes – e.g. apprenticeships;

• support for people to give of their best – e.g. mentoring.

5. Governance – ensuring good decision making processes onpeople issues and that our statutes, policies, procedures andresources relating to personnel issues are appropriate.

Key themes:

• role of Council, Personnel Committee and its sub-committees;

• keep University statutes, regulations and policies under review –possible reform of Statute XII;

• delivering the people strategy within the cost-constraints of theUniversity – monitor headcount, pensions, salary reviewprocess;

• the Human Resources function being effectively managed andaccountable;

• compliance audits – level of compliance with HR policies acrossthe University.

6. Delivering effective support on people issues across theUniversity – a high quality HR function working across the Universityto support the people strategy.

Key themes:

• high-quality advice and support for divisions, departments andfaculties;

• positive employee relations via engagement with trades unions;

• HR information system – develop and use to best effect;

• care and support for our people – occupational health, health &safety, childcare;

• HR teams working effectively with administrators, academics andHR staff within divisions and departments.

Questions and feedback