'Engaging in a cultural change is something you do together'
'Only together we can improve the faculty culture,' say FGGA Dean Koen Caminada and Head of HR Monique Jongman, among others. In a conversation, they emphasise how important it is for everyone to sign up for the FGGA dialogue sessions.
‘We genuinely care about the faculty and the people who work here, which is why everyone should attend these dialogue sessions, even when things are going well or if you feel sceptical about it’, emphasise Koen Caminada, Monique Jongman, and Hanne Cuyckens, university lecturer at LUC and ISGA researcher Sophie Vériter.
Improvements are needed in social and psychological safety, as well as work-life balance and diversity and inclusion, as revealed by a staff survey in 2022. For years, efforts have been made within FGGA to address these issues. The assistance of Downside Up, a consultancy specialising in cultural change, has now been enlisted, and a programme has been initiated.
Sophie Vériter has been engaged with inclusivity issues within ISGA for some time. She is pleased with the approach to this cultural change. 'The fact that this is being communicated for the entire faculty with a professional, independent consultancy shows how important we consider this. This approach makes me feel that we are seen as staff.'
Every FGGA employee has received an invitation to a dialogue session. These sessions are being held within all departments of FGGA. It is an initiative supported at the faculty level, but now we are having conversations in smaller groups. From here, tailored interventions will be developed, making these sessions a starting point.
‘Different issues arise at different levels’
The first sessions took place before the summer within various management teams. 'At LUC, this session was received so positively that we requested an additional session for middle management. Following this, there will be a session for the entire institute. This is crucial for every layer of the organisation, as different issues arise at different levels,' Hanne enthusiastically explains. 'During our session, we received immediate tools to work with, and I already notice the benefits.'
‘This is not something we can tackle as a management team alone; everyone shares responsibility for it.’
Puzzle pieces
‘But one should not think that this is a static programme or that it’s a problem we can solve with just one session. These are puzzle pieces that we hope will lead to a better work culture,‘, Monique adds.
Once all sessions have been completed, all outcomes will be collected, and advice will be formulated for the next steps. 'This is not a uniform recommendation for the entire faculty; what scientists experience may be different from what support staff face. This is something we cannot tackle as a management team alone; everyone shares responsibility for this. These sessions are not optional,' Koen emphasises.
Text: Eveline van Boxel
If you have any questions or comments regarding this article, you can reach out via together@fgga.leidenuniv.nl or confidentially at fgga@downsideup.nl.
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