Pay & Conditions implementation and next steps

Last updated: 8 August 2024

 

In May 2024, University Council agreed a package of action in response to the Pay & Conditions review. This plan was shared via an email to all University staff from the Vice-Chancellor, an update in the University Bulletin newsletter, and information on the Pay & Conditions homepage in June 2024. 

Implementation timelines 

The initial action on pay takes effect on 1 August 2024. To allow time for relevant conversations and payroll changes to be completed, the Oxford University Weighting for all staff on grades 1– 10 and the uplift of Associate Professor salary scales at grade 10a (payroll system codes 30S, 36S, 38S and 39Q) will be implemented in the September 2024 payroll and backdated. This timeline was shared in the University Bulletin newsletter sent to all staff on 8 July. Implementation dates for other pay measures will be confirmed shortly.

The increase in value of pay awards available through the University's Recognition Scheme for staff in grades 1-10 also takes effect on 1 August 2024 and updated guidance is now available on the Reward & Recognition Scheme webpages. Action to increase the value of pay awards available through the annual Awards for Excellence takes effect when the new round of awards launches in 2025.

It is envisaged that all other measures for short-term action will be delivered within the next 12 months, and in many cases sooner. Subject-matter specialists in various University services are involved in planning and delivering. Updates will follow on these webpages, in the University Bulletin newsletter and via other relevant communications channels, with further details and estimated dates of completion. The programme FAQs are being updated regularly.

By Hilary term 2025, action will get underway in other areas where resource has been approved to scope or review options. It is anticipated that some of these measures will be completed by the end of Trinity term 2025, ready for consideration through standard governance processes.

Supporting infrastructure and systems

As well as the actions listed on the Pay & Conditions homepage, the following measures will be taken to support successful implementation: 

By the end of Hilary term 2025: 

  • Investment in pay and reward expertise: Capacity of the Reward team which leads on pay, benefits and reward across the University (currently three permanent posts in the central HR Support team) will be expanded. New roles will be distributed across the central team and divisions. It is envisaged that initial recruitment will get underway this summer.

Work to get underway from Hilary term 2025:

  • People data: Where appropriate the University will increase its use of the standard Higher Education Statistical Agency (HESA) categorisation of staff data. This will support improved benchmarking of University people data against the Higher Education sector. In addition, the University will continue to drive data quality improvement activity to increase people data completeness.
  • Annual pay benchmarking reviews: Systems will be put in place to ensure that all salaries are reviewed annually, using appropriate benchmark data, with relevant data made available to team leads and HR teams in divisions and departments. 

Governance and oversight 

The Pay & Conditions programme is managed by a dedicated programme delivery team based in the HR team, overseen by a newly formed Operational Board. Members of the programme delivery team are being recruited this summer and the Operational Board met for the first time on 15 August, with members drawn from the Finance Division, Estates Services, HR and the Divisions.

The programme delivery team is accountable to People Committee, on behalf of the University Council, for successful delivery of the measures that have been approved by Council for implementation. This will ensure that impacts are monitored and evaluated effectively.

Any further proposals for action in response to the review will be developed through consultation and subject to approval by Council. 

Divisional office contacts for academic staff


Humanities

  academic.appointments@humanities.ox.ac.uk 

Social Sciences

   academic-hr@socsci.ox.ac.uk

MPLS

  gwen.booth@mpls.ox.ac.uk

Medical Sciences

  gillian.morris@medsci.ox.ac.uk

Or

 ingunn.haugen@medsci.ox.ac.uk

Continuing Education

 personnel@conted.ox.ac.uk

 

Review timeline

Expand All


October - Complementary Mental Health Training made available to University staff.

September - Implementation of pay and reward measures in September payroll, backdated to 1 August 2024. 


August–September - Ongoing implementation of review outcomes; new project team members joining

July–August – Initial preparation work and implementation underway, including pay and reward measures taking effect on 1 August 2024 (pay actions actioned in payroll from September and backdated)

June–July – Scoping and planning by teams delivering specific review outcomes; recruitment of fixed-term project team to manage ongoing delivery of review response 

 


w/c 24 June 2024 – Outcomes of the review shared with all staff 

13 May 2024 – Council met to discuss a plan of action in response to the review

April/early May 2024 – Discussion with divisional and college leadership, and through University committees; further discussion as part of the Week 1 Council meeting of Trinity term, on 22 April


March 2024 – Review findings and implications discussed by Council

February 2024 – Review findings reported to Council

January 2024 – Steering Committee met to agree recommendations to progress to Council


December 2023 – Initial findings shared with the Vice-Chancellor

November 2023 – Staff feedback form closed 

October 2023 – All-staff Town Hall meeting on Pay & Conditions; nine staff focus groups convened 

September 2023 – Pay & Conditions FAQs launched 


August 2023 – Staff feedback form opened

June 2023 – Benchmarking and data analysis work began 

June 2023 – First Steering Committee meeting 

May 2023 – All-staff Open Forum on people, pay and conditions

May 2023 – Pay & Conditions webpages launched


April 2023 – Steering Committee formed and Project Charter agreed 

February & March 2023 – Project team and administrative resource assembled

January 2023 – Report commissioned in the Vice-Chancellor’s Admissions Speech 

Contact us


Email payandconditions@admin.ox.ac.uk with any questions about the review or feedback on this webpage

 

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