University-wide workplace assessment (WPA) action plan approved
The work of developing and implementing local WPA action plans has been in progress all over the university for almost a year now. Themes and initiatives from the local action plans on the organisational and managerial levels have been incorporated in the new university-wide WPA action plan. The plan was approved at a joint meeting of the Main Occupational Health and Safety Committee and the Main Liaison Committee on 6 March.
The university-wide general workplace assessment (WPA) action plan for AU was approved at a joint meeting of the Main Occupational Health and Safety Committee and the Main Liaison Committee on 6 March. The action plan was developed by a workplace assessment advisory group after input from all the main areas that has provided a unique insight into the psychological work environment at AU. The challenges and initiatives that were expressed in the main areas’ action plans have been incorporated in the WPA action plan for the university as a whole. The plan identifies four main focus areas. For each theme, specific goals and initiatives have been identified, along with the persons responsible for them and deadlines.
- Management
- From stress to well-being
- Management communication and involvement
- Administrative support and IT
Progress on local WPA action plans
The work of developing and implementing local WPA action plans has been in progress all over the university for almost a year now. In October, the action plans for all of the main academic areas and AU Administration were approved. The AU action plan includes the themes and initiatives that have resulted from this process.
The joint plan focusses primarily on the O (Organisational) and L (Ledelse, Management) levels of the IGLO model, which describes the interplay between the levels of an organisation that must be involved in ensuring a good working environment. Read more about the IGLO model here (in Danish).
Guidelines for the psychological work environment at AU
The plan should be understood as a parallel to the local WPA action plan processes. The university-wide action plan is intended to complement the work already being done to carry out the local action plans. It is intended to provide a guideline for the psychological workplace environment at AU at organisational and managerial level.
The joint action plan is ‘owned’ by the senior management team, the Main Liaison Committee and the Main Occupational Health and Safety Committee. The two committees will meet once a year to discuss progress on the action plan.
Implementation in process
The next step is to ensure that the university-wide action plan is included in the local follow-up processes that are already in progress. Deputy directors and department heads at AU have a responsibility to follow up on the action plan and to ensure that the initiatives that they have launched or planned are adequate to address the challenges it identifies.
One good example of a local initiative is found at AU Research and Talent. To combat stress in the workplace, a stress policy has been developed and implemented. A mobile task force consisting of management and employee reps from the local liaison committee has appeared at staff meetings at all units of the division to speak about the stress policy. Employees have received support in applying the tools described in the policy, which has led to increased dialogue about and awareness of stress in the workplace.