Investing in our people

• The University’s People Strategy reflects our collective ambition to create an outstanding work environment for all staff
• The strategy was informed by feedback from the 2023 Staff Experience Survey and extensive consultation with colleagues across the divisions, departments and colleges
• It centres on 3 key areas: a great place to work for all, enabling talent to thrive, and high-quality people services supporting academic delivery

In 2023, the Vice-Chancellor commissioned a review of the University’s pay and conditions. This was the first step in our commitment to shifting the dial in how we invest in our most important asset: our people. The subsequent Pay and Conditions Programme is making great strides in addressing working conditions for all University staff. However, our scope extends much further than this. The University’s new People Strategy, approved by Council in December 2024, outlines our broader vision for enhancing all aspects of the staff experience at Oxford.

In recent years, approaches to attracting and retaining talent have become more competitive. Workload pressures have increased for academic, teaching, research and professional services staff across the sector. The changing world of work also demands a transformative approach to work models and technologies.

These challenges are very much reflected across the collegiate University. The renewal of the University Strategic Plan this year presents an opportunity to reassess how our people priorities can continue to support Oxford to maintain its status as a world-leading University for years to come.

Developing a strategy for everyone

We began gathering data in 2023. This included reviewing feedback from the 2023 Staff Experience Survey and an extensive consultation process with colleagues across the divisions, departments and colleges to identify our areas of focus for the future. Analysis was further informed by our partnership with the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development), when we surveyed representatives from all staff groups to understand how our people and organisational objectives aligned, and to forecast how we need to grow to meet our future needs.  I am grateful to all those who have contributed their feedback and shared their experience.

The People Strategy will be a pillar of the Strategic Plan, and reflects our collective efforts to create an outstanding work environment for all. It introduces a renewed focus on attracting, retaining and developing our talent, which includes academics, researchers and professional services staff. It builds on our strengths, underpinned by an approach that promotes excellence, inclusion and wellbeing. In addition, we aim to use this strategy as a catalyst to strengthen collaboration with the colleges, benefiting the staff and ultimately enhancing the student experience.

The strategy is centred on three key areas: a great place to work for all, enabling talent to thrive, and high-quality people services supporting academic delivery. Together, these outcomes are the shared standard against which we will measure the success of our HR and people initiatives across the University, its divisions and departments.

The strategy creates a framework that brings together several of our ongoing projects and initiatives, such as the Pay & Conditions Programme and Academic Career and Reward Framework, designed to improve pay, benefits and career pathways and relieve workload stress for academic, teaching and research staff. It also aligns with other University strategies, including the Strategic Review of Professional Services, the Estate Strategy and the collegiate University EDI Strategic Plan, which will be integral to all that we do.

Next steps

Tracking progress will be crucial to our success, helping us to understand which approaches are beneficial and where we most need to focus our efforts. We have taken care to gather a clear baseline of information, which will enable us to measure and report on our progress.

Staff feedback will shape our approach throughout the delivery phase. I invite you to share your views in the next Staff Experience Survey, opening on 31 March, to ensure they are considered.

As we reach this milestone, we have also taken the opportunity to change the name of the University’s central HR department. The transition to ‘People Department’ reflects the breadth of services and advice that we deliver and the specialist knowledge areas beyond traditional HR, including employee experience, talent acquisition, equality and diversity, learning and development, wellbeing, and health and safety.

Our vision is that this strategy will ultimately support all staff to thrive in their pursuit of delivering the University’s academic mission.

To view the People Strategy, visit the People Strategy webpage.  For regular updates on People Strategy initiatives, subscribe to People News.