Flexible employment options - development, diversity and dissemination

This project will build on Flexible working options within the higher education sector (GMP-150) by focussing on the following three areas that were highlighted by the FEO research:

• the application of flexible options to academic staff
• the link between flexibility and diversity
• the issue of the disinclined manager i.e. the manager who is reluctant to utilise flexible working arrangements.

The project will:

• carry out additional research particularly relevant to academics and people from ethnic minority backgrounds
• design and deliver a training programme for line managers, underpinned by an action learning approach to challenge traditional styles team management.

The work will also begin to address some of the challenges faced by governing bodies and all staff with leadership and management responsibilities – particularly in relation to recent developments such as the Race Relations (Amendment) Act.

Total funding : £160,000