The People & Change Approach

Engaging people in the process of change

In order to fulfil our aspiration to be a world-leading University our ability to change is vital as we continually adapt, develop and maximise our impact. How we manage the process of change is important to create a supportive culture that facilitates change as part of our normal way of working.

We aim for all staff to understand the importance of change and to be fully engaged in the process. This isn’t the case at the moment - only 60% of approximately 3,000 colleagues who responded to the 2019 Staff Engagement Survey indicated that they felt their manager helped them to understand how changes would affect them personally, provided the opportunity to make suggestions and clearly communicated why the change was needed. 

The People & Change Approach aims to ensure:

  • consistency of approach to change throughout the University, that is underpinned by core principles directly linked to our values - which engages people in the process of change and those leading change are confident and supported throughout the change process; 
  • the implementation of any change process is fair and inclusive and that stakeholders are engaged and represented in the process from the outset;  
  • the process is efficient and effective, making good use of resources and time to achieve the best possible outcomes for the University, students and staff.  

The Organisational Change Group enables University management and the three trade unions at Leeds to consult meaningfully on proposed restructurings and have an important role in promoting effective change management. We will continue to review practice and enhance management guidance as our approach continues to evolve and develop.

You can access the recording from the recent webinar on 'Engaging People in the Process of Change' at the link below. Please be aware that there is an option to turn on/off captions as required and a full transcript can be viewed via the Microsoft Stream link option.

If you have any questions or comments on the People & Change Approach or any of the related policies, please contact your local HR manager or speak to your line manager.