Valuing our staff: review of progress

Case study: Welcome to UCL

Previously, UCL held termly Provost’s Welcome events, but the OD team found that they were only managing to see around 12% of new starters within the first six months of them joining. With UCL being spread across multiple campuses and with many departments and disciplines for new members to get to grips with, 12% was not good enough.

A new induction event, Welcome to UCL, was designed with input from colleagues across the institution. The first took place in September 2019, starting off the first round of half-day monthly events.

The aim is that all new joiners will attend Welcome to UCL on day one of employment, to get staff ready for their first day in their department on day two.

By January 2020, Welcome to UCL will become a full-day event, held fortnightly. New starters will be fully prepared for their first day at work, with a comprehensive introduction to our complex organisation. They will also be able to access their login details and get a staff pass on day one.

A dedicated Welcome to UCL app is being developed, along with a departmental induction Moodle site and best practice guidelines. Discipline and service area focused induction packs are also being prepared and, from Easter term 2020, the events will be held in a dedicated Welcome Space on campus.

Staff are also being encouraged to host and deliver the “perks and quirks” section of the welcome event, so new starters can feel connected from day one, letting them hear from their future colleagues and get the inside track on UCL.