UCL Human Resources is changing

UCL's tremendous success as one of the world's best universities has enabled significant growth as we continue to recruit and develop the world's best people.

This growth has placed significant pressure on the delivery of the world class HR services that UCL requires and expects. In response, following a process of review, consultation and reflection, UCL's Human Resources Division will restructure itself early next year.

Informed by the objectives of UCL 2034 and feedback from staff, our new structure will be defined by the professional services we provide to our customers: each and every UCL staff member. Through restructuring ourselves according to the nature of the services we provide, we will improve the timeliness, quality and effectiveness of those services and improve customer satisfaction as well as our own satisfaction with the services we provide.

So how are we changing?

From January 2016, HR services delivered by the HR Division will be categorised into one of three different service areas:

Corporate HR Services

These services relate to UCL wide HR governance, institutional HR policy and process review, workforce reporting, University strategy, organisational development and the representation of the University as a whole, rather than its constituent parts. These are the areas where the University must speak with one voice. Employment policy, equalities and diversity, organisational development and some aspects of occupational health are examples of corporate HR services.

HR Advisory Services

These services directly support a School or Professional Services Division. They are comprehensive and as the need for speed, flexibility, innovation and personalised support is strong they need to operate as a 'one stop shop' in providing the full range of HR services to their local customers. These are services that are currently provided by HR Consultancy Services.

Shared HR Services

These services directly support all Faculties, Departments and Professional Services Divisions and would ideally be delivered locally but for economic or consistency reasons are best provided centrally on behalf of all Faculties, Departments and Professional Services Divisions. Payroll, pensions, some occupational health services, recruitment advertising and professional development programmes are all examples of Shared HR Services.

How will this change improve HR services?

Categorising HR services according to the type of service they provide, and the customers those services are provided to, will better improve the focus and understanding of service delivery by both HR staff and customers.

It will provide a framework to document the services we provide and develop service catalogues which will outline the responsibilities of the service provider and the customer and the relevant service standards and the inputs required from customers to meet them.

Customer satisfaction with HR services and the quality of their delivery will be measured on a combination of a formal annual consultation and at point of delivery. This feedback will be used to inform future structural, resourcing and development needs. An improved understanding of the services, processes and standards to which we deliver them will improve customer satisfaction as well, as our own satisfaction with the services we provide.

When will this change happen?

The structural changes will commence from 4 January 2016. There will be some staffing changes to replace a number of colleagues who took the opportunity to leave UCL under the terms of the restructure. As the restructure is being undertaken without additional cost to UCL, these staffing changes will be rolled out gradually over the course of 2016. Further information, including new organisational charts, will be released in January 2016. Plans to develop service catalogues, service standards and charters in conjunction with customers will also be released early in 2016.

How will the restructure affect me?

Initially, customers may notice minor disruption to services as some current HR staff transition to new roles. Customers may also notice some new names and faces in HR as recruitment is finalised. As the new structure is embedded over the course of 2016, customers will experience an improvement in service delivery as service catalogues, service standards and charters are developed in conjunction with them.

Where can I get further information?

Further information is available from the relevant HR Consultancy Services staff (http://www.ucl.ac.uk/hr/consultancy/index.php) or by emailing hrdirector@ucl.ac.uk.

Nigel Waugh, Director of Human Resources