Well-being at work

The UMCG supports the principles described in Room for everyone’s talent, 2019 (UNL Universities of the Netherlands (formerly VSNU - Association of Cooperating Dutch Universities) ). These principles have been incorporated into UMCG policy for academic staff.

• The academic promotion policy is transparent and focused on quality based on robust indicators and on room for narrative input. The promotion committee is prepared for its task via training and does its work while also accounting for the context of each candidate. The policy has four profiles: research, education, society and valorisation, and healthcare. It is possible for staff to change profile.
• There is an educational leadership trajectory for lecturers.
• To increase the attention paid to recognition and reward in the workplace, there are academic leadership courses for both starting researchers and more experienced supervisors.
• Open Science (see Open Science and Access) is promoted by encouraging open access, FAIR Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable data, and patient participation.

Many staff members perform multiple core tasks (research, teaching, training, knowledge utilisationKnowledge utilisation (or valorisation) is the application of knowledge to generate social value or impact. Promoting knowledge utilisation is a statutory core task of universities and university medical centres (UMCs) in the Netherlands. , care, management) and/or need to perform substantial work in short periods of time. In addition, the organisation’s level of ambition is high. However, this should not lead to the workload being structurally too high and to working beyond the appointed work hours becoming the norm. The manager’s role is important here.

Work must be distributed among a team, with priorities, team member accessibility, and deadlines set jointly so that staff members can forget about work after working hours and during holidays. If staff members find their workload is too high, they can talk to their manager and together look for solutions. A confidential adviser can be contacted if this does not lead to a satisfactory result (see Confidential advisers for academic integrity). 
In some cases, help can be provided to reduce the workload through training or coaching from the UMCG or the UGUniversity of Groningen . In other cases, the work will have to be distributed differently, or the team goals adjusted.

The UMCG strives to become an inclusive culture where everyone is welcome and feels valued and respected. All staff members should be given equal opportunities, regardless of their background, religion, gender identity, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, education, or nationality. The Gender and Equality Plan: Diversity and Inclusivity in the UMCG (2021) describes the actions that the UMCG is taking to foster social safety and inclusion. To promote inclusion, the UMCG also organises seminars and training together with the UG and pays special attention to this in leadership courses also for junior researchersA researcher who does not (yet) have final responsibility for a project, such as a master’s student, PhD student, or starting postdoc, who conducts the research under someone else’s supervision. . Researchers and research staff are expected to respect differences and be aware of their own biases. SupervisorsThis refers to both principal investigators/primary supervisors and daily supervisors (e.g. co-supervisors). In addition to cross-project and cross-content activities, primary supervisors are responsible for monitoring the teaching and training activities and career development of junior researchers. Daily supervisors are available almost daily and focus more on practical monitoring of the implementation and progress of the research. However, the distinction between the different levels of supervision is fluid. are expected to provide an inclusive research environment. If a problem occurs, it can be reported to the D&I team. Personnel and Organisation and the D&I team, led by the D&I ambassadors, are jointly responsible for D&I at the UMCG.

A socially safe working environment is extremely important for the well-being of UMCG staff members and students and for the quality of research.

Therefore, the UMCG does not tolerate unacceptable behaviour. By this, we mean any form of unwanted verbal, non-verbal, or physical behaviour that has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity.

As a general guideline, staff members should recognise each other’s work, treat each other with kindness and respect, and not pressure each other. The UMCG offers support through an intranet page with information and guidelines and, in collaboration with the UG, leadership courses and active bystander training. Staff members who are nevertheless confronted with misconduct can report this to their manager, one of the UMCG confidential advisers, or their personnel consultant. See also the Misconduct of staff members manual. A manual for managers is available here.