Welcome and Induction -Information for New Employees

(e version)

Table of Contents

Welcome	3

Induction	4

Regular 1-2-1 Meetings	4

Appraisal	4

Who We Are	5

UECS Organisational Structure	8

Policies, Procedures, Guidance Notes and Forms	9

Governance	10

Induction Checklist	12

Health and Safety Induction	13

Health and Safety Induction Checklist	14

Welcome

We are delighted to welcome you to UECS!

You are now a member of a community of over 700 staff who deliver a set of services that help make the University of Essex a first-choice environment for students and staff. Our services are excellent in quality, relevant to our customers, good value and delivered efficiently.

UECS is made up of:

Accommodation Essex

Day Nursery

Essex Food

Event Essex

Essex Sport

Facilities Support Services including Helpdesk

Finance

Grounds

Marketing and Communications

Post Room

Security and Campus Safety

Soft FM

Travel and Transport

More information about these services can be found on page 5.

Student and customers are at the centre of everything we do, so that our services continually strive to not only meet but exceed expectations. Our services should reflect the demographic of our campus communities, including supporting minorities.

We support the University to deliver its objectives of improving the student experience, facilitating growth in student numbers and improving the financial performance of the University. The work that you do has a huge impact on the University’s ability to meet these targets, so your success in your role is very important.

We hope you enjoy being part of our team at one of three campuses in Essex – Colchester, Southend or Loughton. We are looking forward to working with you.

Induction

As an employer of choice, we recognise the importance of you receiving a comprehensive induction programme that will help you to settle into your new job quickly.

Your induction programme will provide you with the information and support you need to perform in your role. It will need to be completed to successfully pass your probation period.

Your manager is responsible for your induction at Essex and will arrange your induction programme. Your induction checklist is on page 12 and your Health and Safety induction information and checklist starts on page 13. If you have any issues or concerns, please talk to your manager.

More information about starting at Essex can be found on our website.

Regular 1-2-1 Meetings

During your probationary period, you will have regular review meetings with your manager. At a minimum these will be held at one month, three months and between the fifth and sixth month of service.

The review meetings are an opportunity to assess your progress against your training programme, your objectives and the requirements of your role as outlined in your job description.

If your performance is satisfactory, your manager will confirm to People & Culture at the end of the probationary period that your appointment can be confirmed.

Appraisal

After your appointment has been confirmed, you will have an appraisal (sometimes called a Performance and Development Review, or PDR) every year. An appraisal is an important opportunity to reflect on your achievements over the previous 12 months, discuss and agree objectives for the next 12 months and identify training and opportunities for career development.

After your appraisal, you will have objective review meetings during the year, to discuss your progress against the objectives agreed at your appraisal meeting.

Who We Are

Accommodation Essex

Accommodation Essex contributes to a positive student experience by providing a safe and supported living environment in which students can develop personally and academically. We offer a wide range of accommodation at both the Southend and Colchester campuses.

Day Nursery

Wivenhoe Park Day Nursery is a large Colchester based setting offering vibrant and stimulating childcare for children aged three months to five years. Childcare sessions are available to staff, students and members of the public. Find out more about our nursery and how to apply for a place for your child.

Essex Food

Essex Food provides a broad range of food and hospitality facilities to meet the needs of our diverse community of staff, students and visitors at the Colchester and Loughton campuses. Our focus is on using local fresh produce, providing value for money and supporting an ethical approach to sustainability and traceability. Find out more about our food outlets.

Essex Sport

Essex Sport offers extensive facilities providing opportunities for staff, students and the wider community to participate in sport and physical activity at the Colchester Campus. Our staff are committed to, and passionate about improving people’s lives through sport and physical activity. Find out more about the benefits of staff membership.

Event Essex

Event Essex manages a portfolio of events in a huge range of venues at Colchester and Southend, ranging from 2 to 4000 in capacity. We are passionate about events and pride ourselves on the variety of services we can offer at our Colchester and Southend Campus locations, always keeping customer service at the heart of everything we do.

Finance

The Finance team provide financial support and information to all the different services within UECS.

Grounds

The Grounds team maintains Wivenhoe Park, home to our Colchester Campus, and the grounds at our Loughton Campus. Both are grade II listed. At the Southend Campus, the Grounds team maintains the garden of the student accommodation, University Square.

Helpdesk

The Helpdesk provides a dedicated customer care facility for the Colchester campus and is the first point of contact for most facilities requests such as fault reporting, car parking, lost property and contractor support. Find out more about us and the support we provide.

Marketing and Communications

The Marketing and Communications team provide marketing activities and support to all the different services within UECS.

Post Room

The Post Room team provide a high quality, customer focused post service to all staff and students at the Colchester campus.

Security and Campus Safety

Security and Campus Services are responsible for the welfare, safety and security of staff and students at our Colchester, Southend and Loughton campuses. They are available 24 hours a day, every day including weekends and bank holidays.

Soft FM Services

Soft FM Services are responsible for cleaning and portering services to the academic, administrative, and residential estate and supports key events such as graduation and open days.

Travel and Transport

Travel and Transport aims to reduce the negative impact of activity on the local environment such as air quality and local congestion. We are here to help with any queries you may have about travelling to and from (and within) our campus.

Our web pages are full of links and information to help you with your journey and staying as environmentally friendly as possible.

There are discounts for bus and train travel as well as help and guidance for walking and cycling. We have Tier e-scooters and e-bikes at Colchester Campus and the Dr Bike repair service once a week during term time. Servicing and maintenance are free, you just pay for parts.

We encourage active travel wherever possible and have cycling facilities on campus to help, including showers & lockers, bike repair stations and a cycle to work scheme.

If you live near to campus, we encourage you to leave your car at home if you can, it is the most environmentally friendly thing to do and it saves you money on fuel and parking charges.

Everyone needs the car sometimes so we have a rewards system whereby if you cycle most of the time you can have a free parking day for your car each month. You could join the Essex car share scheme as a passenger or driver to minimise use of a car.

If you need any further help, please contact us on travel@essex.ac.uk.

UECS organisational structure:

Policies, Procedures, Guidance Notes and Forms

The following UECS policies, procedures, guidance notes and forms can be accessed on our website.

Absence policy

Annual Leave Arrangements

Appraisals

Appraisal Meeting Record

Review of Objectives Form

Bereavement policy

Capability procedure

Performance Improvement Plan (PiP)

PiP record of review meetings

Contract of Employment Change Form

Disciplinary procedure

Family leave policies

Keeping in Touch (KIT) and Shared Parental Leave in Touch (SPLIT) completion form

Maternity/adoption curtailment notice form

Maternity/adoption leave application form

Maternity/adoption leave return to work form

Notice of entitlement and intention to take shared parental leave form

Notice to book shared parental leave form

Paternity leave application form

Unpaid parental leave application form

Flexible working policy and reasonable adjustment requests

UECS request for flexible working form

Grievance procedure

Formal Grievance Form

Health and safety policy

Employee guide to the health and safety policy

Managing Structural Change Policy

Probation Guidance for Managers

Probation Policy for New Employees

Special leave policies

Staff search policy

Record of Staff Search

Where there is not a specific UECS policy, procedure, guidance note or form, the University of Essex policy, procedure, guidance note or form will apply.

Governance

UECS is a subsidiary company that is wholly owned by the University. UECS has a Board of Directors. The composition of the Board is as follows:

Current Membership	Role
Paul Jackson (Chair)	Pro Chancellor and Member of University Council
Chris Oldham	Deputy Registrar (Infrastructure and Environments)
Andrew Keeble	Director of Finance, University of Essex
Paddy Jackman	Non-Executive Director
Jason Fergus	Non-Executive Director
Kerry Simmons	Non-Executive Director
Officers in Attendance	Role
Bryn Morris	Registrar and Secretary, University of Essex
Helena Newton	Director of Campus Services, UECS
Craig Stephens	Chief Executive, University of Essex Students’ Union

The Board meets four times a year and is responsible for:

Ensuring that UECS supports and contributes to delivery of the University Strategic Plan and core mission.

Ensuring the activities and policies are in line with the core values and principles of UECS, these being:

To deliver a set of services that make the University a first-choice environment for students and staff with services that are excellent in quality, relevant to our customers, good value and delivered efficiently to ensure future sustainability including investment.

University student and staff customers should be at the centre of everything we do, so that our services continuality strive to not only meet, but exceed their expectations. The services should reflect the demographic of our campus communities, including supporting minorities.

Our services should look to support the University strategy of providing excellence in Education and Research as the main priority. Financial targets should look to create surpluses that are subsequently fed back into the student experience, either through investment within the company or through gift aid to support services within the University.

To approve and guide the development of the UECS supporting strategy.

To approve the annual action plan for UECS.

To approve and guide strategic business reviews and associated business plans.

To promote the delivery of customer led services, in order to optimise the student experience.

To support and guide the development of facility and service enhancement.

To provide oversight for Health, Safety, Compliance and Risk Management.

To approve budgets and financial forecasts, ensuring they are challenging and realistic.

To review and scrutinise performance against plans and targets.

To ensure efficient and effective business practices.

To promote the development of a high performing and supportive team culture.

To provide mentoring to executive team members, where required.

To provide an external, outward point of view and focus for the discussions and decisions.

To report to the key stakeholders and shareholders of the University on the performance and decisions within Campus Services.

Induction Checklist

First Day

Welcome by line manager and introduction to colleagues.	☐
Check workplace documents received, including employment contract and Payroll Information Pack.	☐
Check IT account is working, and you can access email and other required IT systems.	☐
Collect equipment such as uniform, keys, key cards, SWAE laptop.	☐
Collect staff card.	☐
Arrange parking permit if based at Colchester Campus (leave blank if not applicable).	☐
Check access to Building User Guide If based at Southend Campus (leave blank if not applicable).	☐
Discuss induction programme, essential training programme and operational training programme.	☐
Tour of local workplace.	☐

First Week

Meet with manager at the end of the first week to discuss your induction experience and progress so far.	☐
Agree times to meet regularly for the following few months.	☐

First Six Months

All essential and operational training completed.	☐
Regular reviews held with manager feedback progress with role and performance.	☐

Health and Safety Induction

The Health and Safety Induction checklist covers basic health and safety information that all employees need to know.

Your line manager is responsible for ensuring you receive a complete health and safety induction. They may arrange for this to take place with another member of the team who is competent in Health and Safety inductions.

The checklist must be completed to confirm that you understand your responsibilities and risks relating to your work.

The checklist should be completed within the first month of your employment. However, some items will need to be covered on the first day, such as fire and first aid procedures.

Health and safety training needs should be identified in your first week of employment. All employees must complete the essential health and safety courses. In addition, you must not carry out hazardous activities until you are familiar with the relevant risk assessments, have received appropriate training, or your competence has been assessed.

More information about health and safety can be found on the Staff Directory under Workplace Health, Safety and Wellbeing. Health and safety information for new employees can be found in the Moodle Welcome to Essex course.

The Health and Safety Competence and Training Matrix supports you and your line manager to identify training and development needs.

You can find details of health and safety courses run centrally or search the Training Opportunities directory.

Online courses are available on Moodle.

You can book onto face to face training through HR Organiser.

Health and Safety Induction Checklist

First Day

Introduction to emergency procedures. See Emergencies website.

I know the emergency telephone number for campus and when it should be used, as well as the Section’s emergency contacts for other emergencies.	☐
I know the location of the fire exits, assembly point and fire alarm call point closest to my usual place of work.	☐
I am aware of the emergency evacuation procedure, including fire alarm zones, evacuation stewards and who takes charge at a fire assembly point.	☐
I know how to summon first aid for both urgent and non-urgent assistance in the event of an accident, and I have identified first aiders.	☐
Where relevant, I have been introduced to emergency procedures relating to specific hazardous activities within the Section (leave blank if not applicable).	☐
I know about Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEPs) and where relevant have one. I am also aware of my responsibilities for visitors who may require a PEEP.	☐

First Month

It is recommended that the new employee completes the How We Work at Essex online course before completing the following section.

Roles and Responsibilities

I understand my own health and safety responsibilities and those of my manager.	☐
I have read the UECS Employee Guide to the Health and Safety Policy.	☐
I have read the Section’s Health and Safety Management Statement.	☐
I have read fire safety responsibilities.	☐
I have been shown the Section’s health and safety contact list and notice board.	☐
I have been shown the “Health and Safety Law” poster or leaflet.	☐
I have been introduced to my Section’s Health and Safety Officer (DHSO) or Health and Safety Liaison Officer (HSLO) and understand their role.	☐
I understand other key health and safety roles relating to my work location (e.g., DSE Facilitator, or Evacuation Chair Steward).	☐
I understand the role of the Workplace Health, Safety and Wellbeing team and how / when to contact them.	☐
I know about the University’s Employee Assistance Programme.	☐
I am familiar with the wellbeing services and resources available at the University.	☐

Reporting Procedures

I know the procedure for reporting accidents and incidents, including near misses, and can find the Health and Safety Incident Report Form.	☐
I know how to report premises / safety hazards and health and safety concerns within the Section or on campus.	☐
I know the procedure for reporting sickness absences or work-related health concerns.	☐

Communication of Health and Safety Information

I know where to find health and safety information on the University’s website.	☐
I know where to find UECS / work specific health and safety information.	☐
I know how health and safety is communicated within the Section.	☐
I know about consultation arrangements, including identification of safety representatives.	☐
I am aware of the role of the Health and Safety Group (and specialist sub-groups if relevant to my role).	☐

Risks and Safety Procedures Associated with Work

I know where to find UECS and Section health and safety standards relevant to my role.	☐
I have seen local risk assessments (e.g., my Section’s office risk assessment) and procedures and know where these can be found (including responsibilities for each work area / activity, and any work or access restrictions).	☐
I have carried out a DSE workstation assessment and forwarded it to my manager or the Section’s DSE Facilitator (leave blank if not applicable).	☐
I understand basic fire safety precautions (e.g., no candles or unauthorised portable heaters, don’t leave combustibles around recycling bins, don’t block fire escape routes or leave doors wedged open).	☐
I understand the policy on electrical safety and rules on personal electrical items, prohibited and dangerous items, responsibility for visual checks.	☐
If I will be driving, I have been shown the Section’s risk assessment or Policy for driving and advised of need for business use insurance. I have checked my insurance certificate is covered for business use and my driving licence is valid for driving in UK (leave blank if not applicable).	☐
If travel to non-UK destinations will be part of the role, I am aware of University requirements and guidance (including completion of Travel Insurance Application Form) and of any Section requirements (leave blank if not applicable).	☐
If fieldwork will be part of my role, I am aware of UECS and Section requirements (leave blank if not applicable).	☐
I am aware of my responsibilities for student safety when supervising student activities and procedures for risk assessing activities (e.g., field trips, events) (leave blank if not applicable).	☐
I know how to contact Security personnel and the procedures for lone working or working late.	☐
Where necessary, I have been introduced to the relevant permit to work system and responsible person (leave blank if not applicable).	☐
Where required, I have been issued personal protective equipment and trained in safe fitting and use, selection and storage (leave blank if not applicable).	☐

Individual Health and Safety Needs

Reasonable adjustments have been implemented for me if I am an employee with permanent or temporary disabilities or health conditions (leave blank if not applicable).	☐
My training and development needs have been identified.	☐

Employee and Manager Confirmation

I confirm that I have completed my induction checklists and induction programme:

Employee Name:

Signature:

Date:

I confirm that the employee has completed their induction checklists and induction programme:

Manager Name:

Signature:

Date:

You can sign the form by either:

Uploading a JPEG image of your signature, OR

Printing and signing the form, then scan and save it on your computer.