Academic Staff Workloads and Attendance

The following recommendations of a joint management-union Working Party on Academic Staff Workloads and Attendance were endorsed by the University in 1998.

1 Introduction

The University of Exeter, as a good employer, has a responsibility to ensure that it promotes healthy and congenial working conditions for all its staff. This responsibility derives from legislation (e.g. various Health and Safety Acts, Working Time Directive), but is also one to which the University is committed beyond mere conformance with the legislation. The workloads of staff can be a factor in inducing stress-related illness, with a consequent reduction in effectiveness of performance. The increase in work of other staff can lead to further overload, and an expanding cycle of increasing stress can result. Similarly any lack of clarity over the allocation of duties can give rise to stress, and a perceived disparity in workload can be a source of complaint and grievance. The allocation and control of workloads, and the monitoring of the effect is the responsibility of Heads of School. It is important that each School has in place suitable and appropriate procedures for allocating duties and the guidelines below set out principles and good practices which Heads of School should follow.

Each School should have open, agreed and equitable procedures for the allocation of duties. A mechanism for appeal against perceived excessive or unfair loads should be in place and known to all staff. Normally this will be to the Head of School in the first instance and, if agreement is not reached, to a Dean. The grievance procedure would then be invoked in the case of no final agreement. However, it is important that the advantages of good practice are recognised and implemented to the benefit of staff and the work of Schools.

2 Principles

1. Duties should be allocated in a fair and open manner and performance monitored so that all staff are seen to be contributing fully to the activities of the University.
2. Methods of allocating work should be based on the total workload of the staff concerned. Heads of School should ensure that overall levels of workload are monitored.
3. Members of staff who are employed to do certain kinds of work should, as far as possible, be given the time and resources to perform that work.
4. Heads of School should not require individuals to work excessive hours for sustained periods and should ensure that staff have regular breaks from work on a daily, weekly and annual basis.
5. All staff are dependent for their continued effectiveness on renewing and updating their expertise and knowledge. Professional development should therefore be considered a normal part of the work of staff and an allowance should be made for it in workload allocation.

3 Practices

1. Heads of School should ensure that the relative values of the different tasks performed by members of the School are taken into account when determining workloads.
2. Each Head of School should produce an operational plan outlining the duties to be allocated to each member of staff, taking account of the absolute and relative size of each staff member’s workload throughout the year. Where staff are part-time, care must be taken to ensure they do not carry a proportionately higher workload. The plan should be produced after consideration of staff members’ preferences and their approved commitment to work in the University outside the School.
3. This planned allocation of duties should normally be presented to the School well before the start of the academic year for information and discussion. The plan should include means for monitoring the overall level of workloads. In producing the plan, Heads of School should bear in mind the need to respond to unforeseen circumstances, such as sickness. Mechanisms should be developed for adjusting workloads to meet changing circumstances.
4. In the case of contract research staff, the day to day management responsibility lies largely with the grantholder. Heads of School should ensure that grantholders take appropriate action to monitor the workloads of their staff. Where teaching duties are involved, Heads of School should give sympathetic consideration to the timetabling of their classes.
5. Heads of School should ensure that timetables are devised to ensure that no member of staff should be required to teach more than two consecutive fifty minute lectures or more than four hours continuously in any other form of teaching. All staff should be permitted a significant break at some time between 12-2.
6. Teaching should not normally take place between 13.00 and 14.00. Every attempt should be made to keep full-time undergraduate teaching within 9.00-18.00 Monday to Friday.
7. In assessing workloads, Heads of School should take account of individual contractual obligation to undertake research and allow reasonable time free from teaching and other duties for this to take place. Time allocated for research should take account of the nature and style of research (e.g. an extended block of time, several weeks, or regular shorter periods of, say, a day a week) as well as level of commitment and responsibility for research students, research assistants, grants etc.
8. Probationary staff should be given lighter than average teaching and administrative loads in order to allow the necessary time for development.
9. Heads of School are reminded that all teaching staff who have a contractual obligation to undertake research are eligible to apply for study leave. Each School should have a policy on and programme of study leave available for all relevant staff, and the opportunity to apply for study leave.
10. Heads of School are reminded of the legal requirement to allow reasonable time off for trade union duties and the University’s agreement to allow reasonable time off for public duties.

1. Staff are required to attend to perform teaching, administrative and related duties as agreed with the Head of School.
2. Staff should arrange any necessary non-availability (e.g. field trips, study visits etc.) with the Head of School.
3. The nature of academic duties means that staff may not always be immediately available but they should be contactable within University office working hours and should leave details of their whereabouts with the appropriate Secretary.
4. Reasonable availability to students should be arranged with the Head of School as part of teaching-related duties.
5. Part-time staff availability and attendance should be arranged within the context of their contract.