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Human Resources

 
Bulletin Date: 
Monday, 10 October, 2022
Action: 
New Policy
Audience: 
Heads of Institutions
Heads of Schools
Secretaries of the Schools
Departmental Administrators

The Council and the General Board have approved a new Workforce Policy which is being launched with effect from 1 October 2022. It provides guidance to institutions in making workforce planning and engagement decisions and has been developed in recognition of the diversity of activity undertaken at the University. The Policy highlights the University’s commitment to engaging all members of its workforce in a fair and transparent way, and to providing job security and stability, whilst balancing the ongoing requirement for flexibility in resourcing. The Council and the General Board have also approved: 

  • Workforce Policy Guidelines, which describe the contractual arrangements available. The Guidelines cover employment contracts, worker agreements and contracts for services and set out the circumstances in which each contractual arrangement should be used.  They also include information about a new Guaranteed Minimum Hours Contract (GMHC) and new Key Principles for Workers; 
  • a revised Decision Tree to assist institutions in deciding how an individual should be engaged, and to establish their employment status;  
  • a Workforce Planning Toolkit, which provides a simple and practical 5-step process for institutions, to encourage a more strategic and proactive approach to workforce planning. 

The Council and the General Board also agreed that institutions should review the status of their casual workers who are teaching on a regular and ongoing basis to determine whether they should be moved onto an appropriate employment contract. In response to this, a new Guaranteed Minimum Hours Contract (GMHC) is being introduced which is designed for employees who work low numbers of hours, for part of the year. The University may offer a GMHC where there is a minimum level of guaranteed and regular work required, but there is also a need for additional flexibility. 

The review process will be undertaken on a phased basis during the academic year 2022/2023. Over the summer there has been a pilot in a small number of institutions to ensure workers are engaged on the most appropriate contracts, using the new Policy and associated documents.  The next phase will involve a further 13 institutions and will commence mid-October 2022.  The final review phase will commence in the remaining institutions in January 2023. The aim is, where appropriate, to offer employment contracts to staff in 2023. 

Institutions will be contacted about the review at the relevant time and provided with the necessary information and documentation to carry out the review. HR colleagues will be available to help with the review process, including administrative support for issuing offer letters and processing new contracts of employment.   

We will be in touch nearer the time of the review in your institution to arrange a meeting to discuss the review process and outline the support we can provide.    

You are invited to attend an open briefing session which will provide detailed information about the new Policy and the exercise to review workers and to answer any questions you may have. 

 The sessions are on the following dates: 

  • Wednesday 19 October, 14:00 to 15:15 
  • Wednesday 26 October, 15:30 to 16:45 

  
If you wish to attend, please follow the link below. We will also attend HR Fora and/or equivalent School administrative meetings. 

https://www.training.cam.ac.uk/cppd/course/ppd-hrwfp 

If you have any queries, please contact casualworkforceproject@admin.cam.ac.uk

Bulletin ID: 
128
Bulletin Summary: 
Launch of the new Workforce Policy