EDI workload and recognition
This information relates to an agreed approach to the recognition of and provision for work undertaken as part of a formal EDI role within Loughborough University.
Following discussion and input from many staff involved in University EDI work, a recent paper regarding provision for, and recognition of, formal EDI roles was developed by a subset of members of the EDI Advisory Forum, further developed via the EDI Subcommittee, and presented at ALT and PSLT in March 2022. This resulted in endorsement, by email following the meeting, of the following principles:
- EDI work is strategically and practically important to the organisation and should be discussed and recognised as part of the annual PDR process.
- Undertaking of formal EDI roles, or progression of EDI work associated with recognised roles and structures, is not voluntary and therefore should be acknowledged in the workload of individuals.
It should be noted that the above principles work together; therefore, the undertaking of new or additional EDI activity, where this does not appear in job descriptions, should be discussed with an individual’s manager before commencing.
Notwithstanding the undertaking of formal EDI roles or progression of discrete pieces of EDI work, EDI development will be an integrated part of many roles, even when this is not specifically stated in job descriptions. This will be especially the case for colleagues in managerial or leadership positions or with a developmental aspect to their role. This guidance is not intended to apply in those instances.
Within the paper, guidance regarding suggested workload allocations for a variety of formal roles was provided. This is reproduced here in order to aid discussions within Schools and Services regarding the implementation of these principles at a local level. While it is recognised that Professional Services colleagues do not utilise workload models, this guidance is still considered relevant for managers to consider when allocating duties.
Working hours guidance for undertaking recognised EDI roles
These hours have been informed by discussions with EDI Subcommittee, EDI Advisory Forum, and individuals at multiple levels of the organisation currently involved in undertaking this work.
| Post | Required annual hours |
|---|---|
| EDI (Sub)committee Chair or Secretary | 150 hours |
| EDI (Sub)committee Member | 75 hours |
| EDI Advisory Forum Co-chair or Secretary | 75 hours |
| School EDI Director (may be shared) | 150-320 hours (the range indicates for the variety of activity across Schools. The role may be shared, and 150 hours given minimum for an individual director, plus an extra 10% if role-sharing) |
| Charter Mark School Leads or Champions (e.g. Athena Swan, Race Equality) | Additional 100 on top of any Director or School EDI committee roles, plus additional 50-100 in year before a submission |
| Mental Health First Aiders and Wellbeing Champions | 40-60 hours |
| EDI Working Group Chair or Secretary (e.g. REWG, Gender PMB) | 50-200 (depends on group workload and duration) |
| Staff Group or Network Chair or Core Member/Lead | 50-150 hours (depending on level of group activity) |
Roles that may potentially require smaller allocations (less than 50 hours) but which should be considered in the round of a portfolio of EDI work include:
| Post | Approximate annual hours |
|---|---|
| School EDI Committee Member | 20-50 hours |
| EDI Working Group Chair or Member (previous examples: Gender PMB, Race Equality Working Group) | 20-50 (depends on role, group workload and duration) |
| EDI specific mentors (e.g. MAIA mentoring, BAME mentoring) | 20-40 per mentee (including time offered to mentee, time for supervision and training or networking) |
| Ad-hoc EDI leadership and initiatives (e.g. extended trainings, advocacy, awareness-raising) | 25-60 hours |