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Thank you for sharing your ideas for enhancing the hybrid working experience.
Ahead of the PS Conference, we wanted to give you the chance to create a change to improve our hybrid working experience and bring the UCL community together. We had some fantastic ideas, and shortlisted six of these to be put to the vote at the conference.
The three winning ideas will receive £1,000 budget to go towards the project, and senior sponsorship from a member of the Professional Services Leadership Team.
Winning pitches
‘Manufacturing self-care products’
Allison Dolling, Senior Technician, School of Pharmacy
Running a session where staff learn how to make self-care products such as bath bombs and bath salts would demonstrate in a fun way the type of work that technicians do on a daily basis when preparing equipment and chemicals for research labs and practical classes. It would also give attendees the skills to make self-care products at home.
Sponsor: Donna Dalrymple, Chief People Officer
‘Happy to chat’
UCL Astrea
With changes in working patterns and more staff working remotely, many find themselves on campus when their team aren’t around. Installing a series of ‘Happy to Chat’ benches across campus could create distinctive places providing space to talk and re-connect. Sitting on one of these benches would signal that you’re open to people stopping by to talk.
Sponsor: Ian Dancy, Executive Director of Operations
‘Nearby Nature’
Sally Belcher, Head of Workplace Wellbeing, Workplace Health
Evidence suggests making time for ourselves in outdoor green spaces can have positive impacts including reducing stress, improving sleep, and boosting attention, memory and creativity. There is a wealth of green spaces surrounding the UCL campus waiting to be enjoyed. The community could share their favourite ‘nearby nature’ spots around Bloomsbury create an online map.
Sponsor: Andy Smith, Chief Information Officer
Shortlisted pitches
‘PS Buddy Scheme’
Katie Canada Chwieroth, Director of Operations, Faculty of Social & Historical Sciences
The PS Buddy Scheme could provide the opportunity for central and departmental staff to share experiences and perspectives and to learn from each other. Staff would be able register an interest in a particular service and be matched with a colleague to spend time each month for at least three months, based in each other’s office and supporting each other, gaining an alternative perspective on each others work.
‘Learning Day’
Nicole Izurieta, Teaching & Learning Administrator, Department of Political Science
A day for departments across UCL to give short interactive sessions on how they work, to share their processes or to give an overview of what a role entails, could help attendees better understand how their work fits into the bigger picture of UCL, and help teams form stronger relationships with each other and exchange ideas.
‘UCL Together’
Vania De Toledo and team, Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health
UCL Together networking events – hosted by individual departments and open to all staff - could give staff from across UCL the chance to spend some time with colleagues from different departments and exchange ideas, to meet new people in a relaxed environment, and help them feel part of the wider UCL community.