General Information
Through a series of consultative workshops and 10 institutionally-led case studies, the Work-with-IT project identified useful insights into staff issues and opinions surrounding the use of technology. Developed from the findings of the project, this advice and guidance document provides managers responsible for implementing change or for staff development with advice on the impact of technology-enhanced working on staff and guidance on how to support staff in such changes effectively. This document will also be of interest to staff affected by technology-enhanced changes to working practices.
As part of the project we have developed some Advice & Guidance for stakeholders. Download the associated document here:
The Work-with-IT project identified 5 key trends in working practices – Life without borders, The electronic office, Technology-enhanced delivery, Digital students and Changing loci of control and relationships. These changes are leading to an evolution in staff roles with hybrid roles and local experts emerging. Relationships are also changing with staff increasingly working in cross-functional collaborative teams and being members of wider Communities of Practice. On the whole, these changes are viewed positively, with a prevailing view of technology as ‘enabling’ although dichotomous reactions to the same change were expressed by different individuals. Some negative attitudes and feelings can be observed – scepticism, concern, frustration, increased stress and pressure.
Opportunities and indeed challenges exist in this evolving FE and HE environment. Technology affords four key opportunities; (i) introduction of innovations to improve time effectiveness or enhance quality of core activities or business processes, (ii) redesign of business processes to meet statutory requirements, (iii) a tool for driving institutional change and (iv) a tool for improving staff and student satisfaction. Challenges fall into three categories, relating to physical and technological infrastructure, change management and staff development. The Work-with-IT case studies clearly illustrate that a holistic approach, embracing effective project management, change management and staff development procedures and involving key practitioners from the outset, is key to effective implementation of technology-enhanced working, as well as to staff and student satisfaction.
Personal development is key to individuals being able to work effectively with technology. The pace of change makes planning staff development difficult, requiring an iterative process. Development of an evolving baseline of required skills and competencies for institutional staff, which is complemented by role specific skills requirements, is recommended. Importantly, both ‘hard’ technology skills and ‘soft’ skills are necessary. Recommended skills fall into three broad categories – coping with change, social and relationship skills and IT-related skills. If staff are to be supported in developing these skills, design of staff development programmes that support staff in becoming reflective and innovative practitioners will be critical.
The “Handy Tips” at the end of the advice and guidance report provide a brief summary of the recommendations and tips for effective practice for supporting technology-enhanced changes to working practices. These tips are detailed below and can also be found at the end of the report: Advice & Guidance Report
Summary of effective practice key tips for supporting technology-enhanced changes to working practices
The key tips are summarised below and will be of interested to senior managers and those involved in managing change and staff development. Many of the tips and recommendations, especially the staff development ones will also be highly relevant to individual members as well as line managers.
General:
- Establish a holistic approach that embraces effective project management, change management and staff development procedures and key practitioners from the outset of the new working practice;
- Monitor and update relevant policies and strategies on a regular basis to ensure that they are kept up to date with current working-practices and their wider implications for university staff and students.
Change Management:
- Establish a staff consultation and communication programme that begins well-in advance of the roll-out of the new working practice. This is most successful where staff stakeholders, including those who will deliver or be affected by the new working practice are given the opportunity to inform development from the outset. Given the wide ranging impact, this will need to cover a wide range of stakeholders and business areas, potentially covering a range of institutions.
- Establish a horizon scanning facility that identifies emerging technologies and innovative practice. This is increasingly important as institutions need to both keep abreast of and support individual staff and student led innovative practice.
- Establish and communicate appropriate support structures for the technology-enhanced working; solutions will depend on scale, location, expertise and competency base and the particular technology involved.
- Consider carefully whether it would be more beneficial to make hidden change agendas explicit. This helps technology to be viewed as the solution rather than change for changes sake.
Staff Development:
- Build in career evolution as part of the change management process. Careful consideration needs to be given to not only internal opportunities but also how developing roles fit within academia and other sectors.
- Establish a baseline skills requirement for digital fluency for staff that includes both ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ skills. Given the rate of change of technology this will need to evolve over time.
- Develop a staff development policy that is not only linked to Personal Development Planning at key intervals, but is also sufficiently flexible to allow staff and line managers to recognise and satisfy key training needs as and when they arise
- Establish a Recognition and Rewards Scheme that celebrates staff achievement to ensure staff are not only rewarded for their innovations but also encouraged to engage in good practice
- Establish a staff training provision that not only meets ‘hard’ technology related skills but also ‘softer’ skills such as communications, coping with change and managing boundaries. Staff should be supported in their Personal Development Planning to assess these softer gaps. Ensure support and training is provided not just to those staff directly affected but also to those impacted by the change.
- Develop line manager leadership and innovation skills. This is key as line managers are pivotal to successful, flexible and innovative team working and helping staff overcome concerns regarding technology
- Encourage a collaborative ‘can do’ culture where staff support each other to solve problems. Key here is to allow staff to try new things in a supportive environment.
- Monitor and evaluate changes to working practices to identify what works, what does not and the implications for future changes. Qualitative and quantitative methods should be used and the lessons learned synthesised for wide dissemination, so others may learn and fine tune their own effective practice.