Thriving at Oxford Action Plan 2024-25

Developing the staff wellbeing programme at Oxford

The Pay and Conditions review recognised the need to invest in staff wellbeing and this Thriving at Oxford Action Plan sets out our ambition for creating a truly cohesive, inclusive and holistic wellbeing package for staff. It builds on the existing good practice demonstrated in multiple departments and the services and resources provided centrally.

Everyone has a part to play in staff wellbeing and the concept of empowering staff to support themselves and their colleagues will be central to the strategy going forward.

- Vice-Chancellor, Professor Irene Tracey

The Thriving at Oxford Action Plan 2024-25 will contribute to the work-life balance, health and wellbeing priorities identified by the Vice-Chancellor's Pay & Conditions review, and will form part of the University’s People Strategy due to launch in Michaelmas Term 2024.  

The Thriving at Oxford Action Plan aims to:

  1. Set out a new direction for the University's Staff Wellbeing Programme; and
  2. Create a mandate for the development of a medium-term Staff Wellbeing Strategy to be published in Trinity Term 2025

Data gathered by the Pay & Conditions review, the Academic Career and Reward Framework project and the People Strategy project will be used to inform the strategy. We would like to acknowledge the time and commitment of staff who have contributed their feedback to these projects.

The Wellbeing Programme Team would like to thank divisions and departments for their ongoing work to support staff wellbeing across the University and look forward to working together to develop a truly collaborative approach to staff wellbeing.

The following resources are already available via Thriving at Oxford and associated programmes. This list will grow as the recommendations of the action plan are carried out:

  1. Employee Assistance Programme: Health Assured
  2. Mental health crisis support
  3. Line manager toolkit for managing staff welfare
  4. Wellbeing Champions Network
  5. Mental Health First Aider guidance and resources
  6. Occupational Health Services

Visit the Looking after you webpage to view the full list of wellbeing resources and services available to staff.

The vision

‘Everyone is empowered to feel and perform at their best as part of the University community’. 

Our mission

From June 2024 to June 2025, the Wellbeing Programme will collaborate with central University teams, divisions, departments, colleges and interested staff of all grades, types and characteristics to develop a structured, inclusive and holistic approach to wellbeing in support of the institution’s vision. This approach will incorporate evidence-based, quality assured resources, services and training, grouped within the prevent, detect, respond, treat model, whilst addressing the key organisational barriers to wellbeing.    

Core areas 

The action plan will cover three core areas: wellbeing culture, services and structure. Each will include themes such as inclusive and accessible provision, preventative measures and staff design. 

Data gathered from the Pay & Conditions review, University People Strategy project and Staff Experience Survey has been used to identify the most pressing wellbeing and mental health concerns at Oxford and associated actions. These objectives are short-term and will evolve with the development of a medium-term strategy, as part of this action plan. 

Wellbeing Culture 

Foster a positive, compassionate and inclusive workplace environment and culture to support psychological safety and mental wellbeing.  

We will:  

  • support leaders, managers, supervisors and Principal Investigators (PIs) to actively promote healthy behaviours which are open, authentic and compassionate to themselves and others

  • give wellbeing champions the tools to facilitate healthy conversations in the workplace around wellbeing and mental health

  • instil a University culture of the individual’s responsibility for their own wellbeing and that of their work colleagues

Wellbeing Services 

Develop a clearly structured and comprehensive University wellbeing provision equipping staff with the resources and services they need to support their own wellbeing and that of their colleagues. 

We will:  

  • centrally provide evidence-based services to support staff wellbeing;

  • use organisational-level approaches as the foundation for good mental wellbeing, as per National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines;

  • provide clear support pathways for common workplace issues, to include support around all six domains of wellbeing and support tailored to specific staff groups; and

  • provide staff with regular opportunities for engagement with the programme in order to tailor services to requirements

Wellbeing Structure 

Create a structured approach to wellbeing at the University, clearly defining the roles and responsibilities of the central University, divisions and departments including steering, delivery, funding and accountability.   

We will:  

View the Thriving at Oxford Action Plan 2024-25 here. 

Governance

This Action Plan has been developed in collaboration with the Wellbeing Delivery Group and approved by People Committee.

The Wellbeing Programme Team will report on the progress of these actions and the development of the medium-term wellbeing strategy to the Wellbeing Delivery Group, HR Senior Management Team and People Committee.

This project aims to represent the needs of all staff types, grades and characteristics. If you would like to get involved, or recommend staff who should be involved in any stage of the strategy development, please email wellbeing@admin.ox.ac.uk. 

Whilst colleges are not immediately in scope for this project, they are welcome to participate. 

The medium-term wellbeing strategy will be developed in four stages.

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Data gathered from projects including the Pay & Conditions Review and Academic Career and Reward Framework will be collated and presented to divisional leadership, and further consultation will be undertaken to address the requirements of the Action Plan. 

Depending on the gaps identified in the existing data, targeted information gathering activities will take place in October 2024 seeking the views of specific staff groups and wellbeing practitioners.

Specific staff group consultation could include line managers, supervisors and principal investigators (PIs), research technicians, minoritised groups and staff on lower pay scales. 

Wellbeing practitioners include staff with expertise in this area, such as HR professionals, Occupational Health and Safety advisers, departmental wellbeing committees.

Based on the need identified for wellbeing provision and the input of departmental and divisional colleagues and wellbeing practitioners, a draft medium-term wellbeing strategy will be presented to divisional and departmental leadership in November 2024.

Their views will be sought regarding the priorities identified in stages 1 and 2 and the creation of a University-wide framework for wellbeing provision. 

This stage of the consultation process will aim to create clear information around responsibility and accountability for staff wellbeing, clear expectations of wellbeing champions and other health and wellbeing roles.

Colleges will also be invited to collaborate on the development of a framework for colleges.

A draft medium-term wellbeing strategy will be presented to People Committee in Hilary Term 2025. Based on committee feedback, the strategy will be further refined and published in Trinity Term 2025.

Please watch this page for further updates.

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Read the full action plan here 

Contact us

For enquiries, contact wellbeing@admin.ox.ac.uk.

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