Principal and co-investigators (PI), heads of department, and research leaders should follow these guiding principles to support members of their research community:
Environment and Culture
- Remain up-to-date with equality, diversity, and inclusion practices, inclusive of relevant CPD and implementation into practice
- Ensure that they and their researchers act in line with the highest standards of professional conduct and research integrity
- Promote a healthy working environment, inclusive of reporting and addressing discrimination, bullying, harassment, and poor research integrity
- Promote a healthy working environment that prioritises researchers’ well-being and mental health
- Consider flexible working requests (and other appropriate arrangements)
- Actively contribute to creating a more positive research environment and culture by engaging with policy development
Employment
- Ensure their ability to manage researchers and fulfil their duty of care by engaging with relevant CPD
- Become familiar with and act in accordance of relevant employment legislation, codes of practice, institutional policies, and terms and conditions of grant funding
- Commit to (and evidence) the equitable, inclusive, and transparent recruitment, promotion, and reward of researchers
- Engage in regular constructive performance management with researchers
- Contribute to relevant policy development in relation to employment
Professional Development
- Engage in regular career development discussions, and conduct annual career development reviews, with researchers
- Engage with and utilise a diverse set of mentors to support researchers in exploring and preparing for a diversity of careers
- Encourage researchers to engage with professional development by allocating a minimum of ten days per year (pro rata) for CPD
- In addition to professional development CPD, allow time for researchers to develop their research and engage with broader leadership skills, and provide credit and recognition for their development
- Engage in leadership and management training to enhance their own effectiveness and promote a positive attitude to professional development
Research staff should develop the following guiding principles to ensure lasting improvements in their working environment and employment conditions, as well as the impact of their professional development:
Environment and Culture
- Develop and maintain a fair, supportive, and inclusive research culture; be a supportive colleague
- Act in accordance with employer and funder policies
- Actively work towards maintaining their well-being and mental health
- Report staff who do not meet expected standards of behavior, especially in relation to harassment, bullying, discrimination, and research misconduct
- Aim to contribute to policy development aimed at developing a more positive research environment and culture
Employment
- Work in accordance with institutional policies, employment legislation, and funder requirements
- Be aware of reporting obligations
- Engage with performance management and CPD discussions with managers
- Engage with their role as key stakeholders within their institution as well as the wider academic community
Professional Development
- Actively engage with their career by identifying and engaging in opportunities to work towards their goals, inclusive of at least ten days CPD per year
- Explore and prepare for a range of employment opportunities across different sectors by engaging with mentors, professionals, training, and secondments
- Remain up-to-date with, and evidence, their CPD plan
- Engage in opportunities to develop leadership skills and research identity
- Develop their awareness of the wider research system
The broader faculty and university should follow the below guiding principles to maintain and improve research culture:
- Ensure all relevant staff are aware of their obligations with regards to the 2019 Research Concordat
- Ensure relevant processes are in place to monitor dissemination and implementation of a minimum of ten days of CPD for research staff, and an additional set of time for researchers to engage with broader research identity and leadership development opportunities
- Commit to annual reviews with researchers to support their research and professional development
