Dear Strathclyde colleagues
I am writing to you as a follow up to the Principal’s message on Friday.
The current situation is unprecedented and affects every one of us. We will all be worrying about family and friends and adjusting to the new reality of our lives which COVID-19 has forced upon us. Like me, many of you will have caring responsibilities, with school age children and older relatives whom we are trying to look after from a distance. There will be significant disruptions to our personal and domestic routines and our ability to work productively will clearly be impacted. Please be assured that the University appreciates this.
We are incredibly thankful to our staff for doing what you can – from those of you who are part of the staffing rota looking after our buildings and our students who remain on campus, to those who are working at home to maintain student learning or to support other staff across the University, for example ensuring that the payroll runs as normal or supporting the IT queries of colleagues adjusting to home working. Your collegiate approach to our changing situation has been quite remarkable.
In the days ahead we will be publishing resources to support your home working, sharing some of the imaginative ideas you have already had on how to stay healthy and to communicate with your team members. Working remotely and agilely, often while looking after young children, brings particular challenges and we want to ensure that we are doing all that we can to help you, and to help your line managers support you, at this time.
In the Principal’s email message, he confirmed that he wanted each and every one of us to have one working day this week and one the following week when we rest; a day fully devoted to supporting our families and loved ones, and for us all to recuperate. The Executive Team have been considering the practicalities of this and I can now confirm that, where it is possible, University staff should not work on this coming Friday, 27 March.
- on that day, you should not use your phones or IT equipment for business purposes and spend a day without work concerns
- if Friday is not suitable for you, for example because you have previously arranged Zoom meetings or student sessions, or because you are part time and would not normally work on a Friday anyway, then please choose another day in consultation with your line manager; let your line manager know and put your 'out of office' on so that other colleagues know that it is your recuperation day
- please do likewise on the following week ie if you can, do not work on Friday 3 April or, if that isn’t possible for you, choose another day during week commencing 30 March in discussion with your line manager and put your 'out of office' on to confirm it is your recuperation day
Please take care of yourself and your family at this time. Do what you can when you can to keep your University work going and look out for further communications on how the University aims to support your health and wellbeing in the weeks ahead.
Best wishes,
Sandra