ABSTRACT
It was apparent from the studies that the reconstruction of relationships was an iterative process, involving articulation of needs and aspirations by rank-and-file faculty and listening skills by both middle managers and senior management teams. Some changes were happening incrementally, almost by default, becoming incorporated locally as part of implicit agreements, and then being formally rationalised into policy post hoc, with policy moving forward on that basis. This process has been accelerated by a more diverse workforce than even a decade ago, including, for instance, those in professional practice subjects, professional staff working on academically-oriented agendas, and individuals on segmented contracts that might, formally at least, focus exclusively on teaching, research or knowledge exchange. This has also led to a broader range of contracts, rewards and incentives, career paths and professional development requirements. Many of these requirements are managed via annual review processes and informal conversations over time, along with opportunities for development. Acknowledgement and recognition of individual circumstances are a key element in building and sustaining positive relationships, which in turn enable policy renewal, even if the action it is possible to take at any point in time represents a step towards, rather than the precise achievement, of a goal. This chapter considers examples of good practice of building relationships via such an iterative approach.
