Colleagues,
In my last message I highlighted the decision to close the Voluntary Severance (VS) scheme on 29 May. The VS panel met five times, in total we received 106 applications, 89 were approved and 17 were rejected because there was no strategic or business benefit. The applications received cover all six schools, both academic and non-academic staff, and from a range of central professional services. Most people who were approved will leave by the end of August.
Decisions were based on the approved criteria, and decisions over and above the number originally anticipated took account of what could be afforded financially along with the opportunity it created. Five appeals have been submitted, and four approved applications have subsequently been withdrawn. The scheme closed one month earlier than anticipated and a report was made to the University Court on 22 June 2015.
The scheme has supported the ambitions of Strategy 2020 by creating opportunities to reinvest to improve the academic reputation of the University, and by facilitating the change from a faculty based to a school based structure. Although not the prime purpose of the scheme it has also achieved ongoing savings.
Professional service staff grading
There will not be an annual invitation to submit regrading requests this year or in the future. Instead grading issues will be addressed throughout the year as necessary. Professional services staff are appointed to a specific post which is needed and budgeted for by the University, and which attracts a specified grade determined through
job evaluation. The route to promotion for professional staff is to apply for a vacancy for a role that is required at a higher grade. Grading review is not a reward for excellent performance, and while excellent performance may be a sign that someone could take on the responsibilities of a higher graded role, there has to be an organisational need for such a role, an available vacancy, and a competitive recruitment process.
If a grading issue arises for professional services staff the route to addressing it is one of the following:
A manager can develop a business case to create a new post or to convert an existing vacancy to a higher graded post. The business case will justify the rationale and benefits of such a change, and if approved and affordable, it is open to internal staff to apply for the consequent vacancy. This would be a decision for the Dean of School/Director of Service/Head of Business Administration.
If a member of staff has taken on additional responsibilities, and there is a view that the size of the job has changed, the member of staff should speak to their manager about a grading review. The manager would need to provide a business case to support the ongoing need for such a change, demonstrate that eligible staff members had equal opportunity to take on the additional responsibilities, and request a re-evaluation of the role.
These processes can take place at any time, and there is therefore no need for grading issues to be addressed at a particular time each year.
The ULT recognise that there are no clear organisation wide mechanisms or processes currently in place to recognise excellence for professional services staff, and I have been tasked as Interim HR Director to make recommendations on this to the ULT by the end of the calendar year.
National pay negotiations
The University and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) conducts national pay negotiations on behalf of universities including Edinburgh Napier. Currently a final offer of a one per cent pay rise is with the trade unions to consult with their members on.
Trade unions have been asked to complete their consultation processes by the end of June so that if accepted it could be implemented by 1 August 2015. You can read more about the offer in the attached document. I will confirm the final arrangements as soon as the decision is made.
Incremental progression for staff on grades 8-10
Staff on grades 8-10 (both academic and professional) do not gain incremental progression automatically. Each year there is a process whereby cases supporting incremental progression on grounds of merit and achievement can be submitted for consideration in accordance with the Senior Management Pay Progression Procedure. This process normally starts in July. This year however we intend to delay the start of the process until the autumn, and I will contact you with further details after the summer. Any decisions taken as a result of this process will however be backdated to 1 August 2015 in accordance with the procedure.
Keith Ross
Interim Director Human Resources & Development
Human Resources
Sighthill 7.B.37 T. 0131 455 3362
E. humanresources@napier.ac.uk
W. Human Resources & Development