1. staff survey 2013 Big Picture briefing For information and discussion with teams

2. staff survey 2013  Vice-Chancellor Julian Crampton and the Senior Management Team (SMT) will work with independent survey partner Harris Interactive to launch a staff survey this autumn.  The last survey ran in 2009, since which time the university has embraced significant changes and also published ambitious plans for the future.  The survey supports commitments in the Strategic Plan around sustainable practices and staff engagement.

3. staff survey 2013  The survey will provide a valuable evidence base for our developing HR and Internal Communication strategies.  It should also provide useful data for all central departments/faculties/schools.  This will be a supportive survey process in discussion with managers  The survey will enable us to build on our existing strengths and identify areas for collaboration and continuous improvement.

4. Key contacts SMT sponsor Carol Burns (Registrar & Secretary) but all SMT engaged with process. Project manager Naomi Bonetti (HR) Project Board HR Director (Alison-Noon Jones, handing over to Gavin Wright in September), Anne Boddington, Sally Boyle, Alan Cowan, Andrew Lloyd, Sara Rumble, Liz Sanz, Paul Frost. Project workstreams Naomi Bonetti & Harris – survey design & questions Anna Jones & Sarah Hogg – communications & engagement champions Quentin North & Betsy Brewer – IS incl. data

5. Harris Interactive Harris Interactive was selected via full tender process. The team has extensive experience in supporting organisations to measure employee engagement as part of Human Resource and Internal Communication strategy. In the UK, Harris Interactive is a full service, consultative custom market research agency. The company works internationally out of offices in the UK, Europe and the US. Activities span public sector, business-to- business and consumer markets.

6. Our commitments upfront We are aware that staff might wonder if the survey will lead to anything….  A timetable will be published shortly by SMT to all staff about when ‘areas to address’ (and local results) will be available and how subsequent action- planning will be implemented.  University-wide themes and areas for improvement will be shared within 6 weeks of the survey closing.  Local action plans will be produced by a clear deadline and will be published on an online system so that plans can be supportively shared.  The university will donate £1 per survey completed to charity (by the survey closing date)

7. Additionally… You can also reassure staff:  The survey will be confidential (and reporting will be carefully managed so that individuals can not be identified)  The survey will be online for the majority of staff (via an email direct from Harris) but we are also investigating how to reach staff without access to a computer.  A detailed communications plan is being developed, key to this will be the use of staff ‘engagement champions’ to support activity at local level as trusted contacts.  An intranet site will contain relevant information and FAQs. A Harris telephone number will be provided for queries.  Look out for our internal communications.

8. Any questions in the meantime? Contact Project manager Naomi Bonetti (HR) n.bonetti@brighton.ac.ukn.bonetti@brighton.ac.uk