1
Goals and Action Plan for Work Environment Management 2014–2017
Approved by the Vice-Chancellor on 5 June 2014
1Goal: To clarify work environment organisation for employees and students
Problem: It is currently difficult for managers, employees and students to understand the organisation and its agents. It is also difficult to find all current steering documents relevant to the work environment.
Action plan/concrete measure: To clarify work environment organisation and the duties of the various agents by creating a common portal for work environment issues.
Responsibility for the measure: Head of the University Administration
Responsibility for follow-up and resources: Vice-Chancellor
Timetable: 31 December 2015
2Goal: To achieve clarity regarding overall responsibility for the work/study environment of students
Problem: There is no mandate concerning issues of responsibility for students and there is therefore no unit with overall responsibility for student work environment issues.
Action plan/concrete measure: To assign the task of investigating how issues concerning the work/study environment of students, including doctoral students who are not employed under a doctoral studentship, are to be managed at the central level.
Responsibility for the measure: Head of the University Administration
Responsibility for follow-up and resources: Vice-Chancellor
Timetable: 31 December 2015
3Goal: To increase knowledge of the significance of work environment management within the group of managers responsible for the work environment
Problem: Managers to whom responsibility for the work environment has been delegated sometimes lack basic knowledge of the requirements placed upon them by the Work Environment Act.
Action plan/concrete measure: The dean/equivalent is responsible for ensuring that the managers with responsibility for the work environment (heads of department, heads of division, research team managers and other managers to whom work environment duties have been delegated) undergo compulsory work environment training.
Responsibility for the measure: Deans/equivalent
Responsibility for follow-up and resources: Vice-Chancellor
Timetable: 31 December 2014 and ongoing thereafter.
4Goal: Early detection of mental illness and stress
Problem: The employee survey within LU revealed signs of illness connected to negative stress. There are also indications that students are affected by negative stress.
Action plan/concrete measures: To draw up and implement strategies, methods and tools for detecting early signs of illness and stress-related problems for both employees and students. To develop a range of activities within the field of health promotion.
Responsibility for the measures: Human resources director, LU Human Resources for employees, and another unit within the administration with responsibility for overall issues concerning the work/study environment of students.
Responsibility for follow-up and resources: Head of the University Administration
Timetable: 30 June 2016
5Goal: Account of the system for staff planning, budget work and follow-up for the supervision of doctoral students
Problem: It has long been known that one of the most essential conditions for successful research studies is that the University provides well-functioning, good quality supervision. The latest report on third cycle education by the Evaluation Office* (Report no 2013:270) revealed that one in five doctoral students have had problems with their supervision, which can lead to stress and risk of sick leave.
Action plan/concrete measure: In order to ensure effective implementation of the minimum norms for supervision hours, which must be in place according to the regulations for research studies, the faculties are to account for how they ensure that
- supervision hours are allocated within the framework of staff planning
- supervision hours are budgeted with direct government funding or other research funding
- observance of the plan and budget is followed up
Responsibility for the measures: Deans
Responsibility for follow-up and resources:Vice-Chancellor
Timetable: 31 December 2015
* Current Quality and Evaluation Office
6Goal:Prevention of victimisation at Lund University
Problem: Victimisation occurs both amongst and between employees and students and it is not clear how LU as a whole deals with these problems.
Action plan/concrete measures: LU-wide instructions with improved and clearer procedures are to be drawn up.
Responsibility for the measures: Human Resources director, LU Human Resources for employees, and another unit within the administration with responsibility for overarching issues concerning the students’ work environment.
Responsibility for follow-up and resources:Vice-Chancellor
Timetable: 30 June 2015
7Goal: Directions and instructions for the management of crisis situations
Problem: There is a lack of LU-wide procedures concerning emergency crisis support and rapid internal communication. Likewise, there are no instructions for managing situations involving violence and threats.
Action plan/concrete measures: LU-wide instructions for crisis management are to be drawn up.
Responsibility for the measures: Head of security, LU Estates
Responsibility for follow-up and resources: Head of the University Administration
Timetable: 31 December 2016
8Goal: Better indoor environment for everyone and good work environment for cleaners
Problem: Sometimes complaints are made concerning the standard of cleaning of University premises. One reason for unsatisfactory cleaning outcomes can be insufficient frequency. Cleaners often suffer occupational injuries due to heavy physical workload mainly when vacuum cleaning wall-to-wall carpets, cleaning wall-hung pictures and doing heavy lifting.
Action plan/concrete measures: 1- To introduce LU-wide cleaning standards with minimum requirements. Organisation and procedures for the cleaning of University premises are to be changed in order to reduce the workload.
2- The work environment of cleaners is to be taken into account in building projects for which LU Estates is responsible.
Responsibility for the measures and follow-up: 1-Service manager, LU Service, 2-Head of LU Estates
Responsibility for follow-up and resources: Head of the University Administration
Timetable: 31 December 2015