Fact. The GCU Trade Unions were not consulted about the contents of the survey nor questions within it.

Fact. The survey was issued after a long period of senior management  minimising real consultation with the unions at GCU.

Fact. The result of the survey is a damning indictment of long term inept management at the university which is clearly linked to the practice of ignoring the views of staff and their elected representatives.

If this was the business community, boardroom changes would have taken place long before now.

Fact. It is about time University Court did something about this and proved they act in the interest of the university community, its staff, the students who we serve, and the Scottish people who deserve more from a publicly funded and top class higher education establishment.

How the staff feel:
While 84% feel valued by colleagues, only 34% feel valued by the University.
Staff feel proud of what they do but despair at how they are treated.

Only 19% agree that senior management manages and leads the university well.

Only 14% agree to any extent that senior management listens to and responds to the views of front line staff.

Only 43% – less than half – of senior management agree to any extent that they themselves set out a clear vision of where the university is headed.

This can only be described as an abject failure of leadership.

Perhaps this is reflected in the fact that a higher proportion of senior management (21%) than staff across the board (19%) are actively seeking to leave the university. Lets hope that this 21% includes the 7% of senior management that isn’t particularly interested in the university – it’s just a job!

The chaotic process that was restructuring
Very few staff agree to any extent that the changes brought about by restructuring were ‘about right’ (17%), ‘well planned’ (19%) ‘well explained’ (28%) or ‘managed well’ (22%).

Even senior management wouldn’t admit to the effective planning (29%), explanation (36%), or managing (36%) of change.

Fact: Senior management admit they are not doing their job effectively.

In spite of these fundamental issues of concern, 71% of staff agree to some extent that they feel inspired to do their best work every day. Most (70%) still think that GCU is a good place to work and 85% do claim to enjoy their work.

What the staff opinion survey shows is that GCU can celebrate its staff – but not its leadership.

Any inaction on these statistics would discredit  GCU Court as much as senior management seem discredited in the opinions freely given by university staff, – union and non-union members – alike.

For more information on GCU governance see our blog page here