Over the last year, the University and our Campus Trade Unions (UCU, UNISON and Unite) have worked together with a common purpose to respond to the needs of our staff community for an open dialogue about workload. Together we have discussed and developed the Workload Principles, ensuring they are relevant to all colleagues, regardless of their role.

We are pleased that following from this positive engagement process, the Workload Principles have been endorsed by both University Executive Board and our Campus Trade Unions.

The Workload Principles are a framework to support us all with developing a culture where workload and wellbeing are discussed openly and where action is taken when it is possible and appropriate to do so.

We share an understanding that embedding these Principles will take time and is an endeavour that all staff, and particularly leaders and managers, will need to commit to for us to achieve sustainable culture change. Continued dialogue and review will be essential pillars of the first year of implementation and beyond.

We encourage colleagues to engage with the principles when they are launched and to discuss them with their colleagues.

We thank all members of our staff community who provided their views and shared their experiences to help shape these Principles.