As many more of us return to campus over the next few weeks, we have a new resource pack to help us prepare.

The Future of Work resource pack builds on our COPE Framework – developed in response to the first Covid-19 lockdown – and reflects feedback from our Future of Work Staff Survey.

Designed for staff and managers, the pack complements all the support already available across the University as we continue to work through uncertain times. It’s a pack to dip in and out of and think about, rather than something for you to try and absorb all at once.

What’s included

The resource pack includes sections on:

• Reshaping our working environment – reflecting feedback from our Future of Work survey responses, including a call for line managers to have open, honest conversations with their staff and the importance of taking an inclusive approach.
• Connecting with life on campus – underlining the importance of working together and supporting each other, acknowledging that some staff may be anxious about returning to campus, and the key role of line managers.
• Managing meetings in a hybrid environment – planning inclusive communications as some team members are on campus and others work remotely. Reflecting feedback from staff, we are recommending a ‘virtual first’ approach for all meetings during the Autumn term.
• Microsoft Teams etiquette – reflecting our increasing reliance on virtual communications, there is new guidance on day-to-day use of MS Teams, as well as advice on using the private chat tool, and setting up new sites and channels.
• Health and wellbeing – highlighting resources, such as our Employee Assistance Programme and new Inclusion Passport.
• Other helpful resources – including the Staff Guide, our Crucial Conversations programme and MIND.

Tell us what you think

Don’t forget to share with us by email on hws@kent.ac.uk what you’re finding works for you in our new hybrid working environment, or anything you think would be helpful to include in future versions of this resource pack.

If you require the pack in another format to meet accessibility needs, please contact Ldev@kent.ac.uk.

Our official Employee Assistance Programme provider, Care first offers a numbers of services and provide useful advice and support, including weekly webinars.

This week’s (Monday 23 August –  Friday 27 August) webinars are as follows:

Monday 23 August 2021 – ‘How Care first can support you’
Time: 12.00-12.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Tuesday 24 August 2021 – ‘Ways to reduce your carbon footprint’
Time: 12.00-12.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Wednesday 25 August 2021 – ‘Compassion fatigue’
Time: 12.00-12.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Thursday 26 August 2021 – ‘Travelling with unvaccinated children and how to manage the risks’
Time: 12.00-12.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Friday 27 August 2021 – ‘Has lockdown made you more spontaneous?’
Time: 12.00-12.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

As part of Kent County Council’s Reconnect scheme for young people this summer, the University is hosting four days of free sports and arts activities for 11 to 15-year-olds next week.

Reconnect is the council’s scheme to encourage young people to reconnect, socialise and take part in fun activities following the Covid-19 pandemic.

There are limited spaces available – on a first-come, first-served basis – for University staff to book their children to join the exciting programme of physical activities and creative arts sessions.

Sports sessions will be led by Kent’s Sports Development Team and include tennis, football and cricket alongside other physical activities and challenges within its campus sports facilities.

Creative arts sessions, including drama, will be delivered by the Gulbenkian Team.

Sessions will cater for all abilities and will take place either side of a free healthy lunch.

Reconnect at Kent runs from Monday 23 to Thursday 26 August (10am-3pm each day).

Individuals can register to attend and find out more by visiting Kent Hospitality’s Reconnect at Kent webpage.

From Nikki Hyde, Deputy Director of Human Resources

Celebrating our campuses as more of us come back to Kent

After such a long gap, it’s hard to believe it’s now nearly time for those who’ve been working off-site to return to their desks. When we first started thinking about our roadmap for staff coming back, it still felt a bit like planning with our eyes closed – and let’s face it, none of us thought it would take this long when we first learnt the language of Teams back in March 2020. 

So, while the impact of the pandemic has thankfully lessened, we recognise what a big impact it’s had on us all. That’s why we’ve put together our Life on Campus programme from 23 August – 17 September to help everyone prepare for our 20 September target of everyone being largely campus-based again. 

I’m sure many will have a few mixed feelings about the return, including those of you who’ve been working on campus throughout – it’s about to get a whole lot busier! It’s going to take time for everyone to adjust and we’ll all need support as we come back; plus a reminder of how special our spaces are and what they mean to us all as a community. 

Something for everyone

We hope there’s something for everyone. All staff can bring their family along to a special day for staff at bOing! on Friday 27 August, including a fantastical VR performance of Alice in Wonderland. Teams can get together for a free game of bat and trap or petanque throughout the month or use our tented village on the Registry Lawn for outdoor meetings, while our Sustainability team will be running special tours that showcase our beautiful surroundings. You can even grab a free coffee with a colleague as a good excuse to get chatting in person again. There are also some more practical things to think about – getting up to speed with what we’ll have in place to keep everyone safe or making sure you’ve popped back to reboot your computer in good time. We’re all going to be learning together, which is the main message in the guidance we’ve put together in our new Future of Work Staff Resource Pack. 

All of this will culminate in our first Staff Conference, where we want to start bringing our community back together after so much disruption. Everyone is also invited to either the Medway Summer Fete on 8 September or the Canterbury Summer Fete on the 17th, so we all get a chance to be together in person for a BBQ on our lawns before the next term begins. 

Having been on site recently, our spaces really are looking beautiful and more than ready to welcome you all, bringing life back onto our campuses before our students join us for the next academic year. I look forward to seeing you there. 

Nikki Hyde | Deputy Director of Human Resources

Throughout September 2021, you can enjoy all things sustainable at Kent. From getting to know our Kent Community Oasis Garden to getting back to nature on a trail walk, the Sustainability team has organised an array of fun activities for you to take part in.

Here’s what in store:

Wednesday 1 September, 12.30 – Sustainability trail and (optional) picnic lunch at the Kent Community Oasis Garden

Location – Leaving from the Senate and finishing at the Kent Community Oasis Garden
(Parkwood)

Environmental Advisor Catherine Morris will be leading a tour of campus following the Sustainable Development Goals trail. Hear about everything Kent is doing for Sustainability, from our net zero carbon targets to our plans to embed sustainability into the curriculum. On
the tour, you can find out how to get involved, ask questions and have your say on
what you think Kent should be doing. The tour will take approximately one hour and finish at
the Kent Community Oasis garden in Parkwood where you are welcome to stay and enjoy a
picnic lunch (bring your own).

Thursday 9 September, 13.00 Campus Nature Trail

Location – Leaving from The Venue Nightclub and finishing at Beckett Court

Sustainability coordinator Emily Mason will be giving staff a guided tour through part of the
campus nature trail. Find out more about the species you can expect to see on campus, how we
manage the campus for Biodiversity and how our new landscape and biodiversity strategy
will be implemented. The tour will take approximately one hour and include walking on trails
and uneven surfaces so please wear appropriate footwear.

Thursday 16 September, 13.00 – Central campus nature walk (accessible)

Location – Leaving from the Marlowe Building entrance and finishing at Darwin college

Sustainability coordinator Emily Mason and Environmental Adviser Catherine Morris will be
giving staff a guided tour focusing on the natural environment of central campus. Find out
more the species you can expect to see on central campus and how to identify trees and
birds. Hear about how we manage the central campus for Biodiversity and how our new
landscape and biodiversity strategy will be implemented. The tour will take approximately
one hour.

Wednesday 22 September, 13.00 – Introduction to the Kent Community Oasis Garden

Location – Kent Community Oasis Garden (Parkwood)

Sustainability coordinator Emily Mason will be giving staff a guided tour of the campus
garden and talking about the plans over the next year. Find out more about what the garden
does and the benefits for the University and wider community. The tour will take
approximately 20-30 minutes and then there will be an opportunity for anyone who wishes to
stay and do some gardening.

To book onto any of these sessions, please email sustainability@kent.ac.uk clearly stating
which event you would like to join.

As you return to campus, be sure to make the most of our outdoor space, including a Tented Village. With additional seating now available in the village and across Canterbury campus for the rest of the year, you and your team can get together outside and enjoy informal in-person meetings in the fresh air.

From 23 August – 20 September there will also be a range of  team-building initiatives to help bring new and old teams back together.

Options available include: 

At Canterbury:

• Petanque, Bat and Trap, Ladder Golf, Mollky and a range of group activities – provided by Kent Sport
• Tombola
• A selection of ‘pub games’ (giant Jenga, skittles)

To book activities at Canterbury, use this Outlook link

At Medway:

• Giant Chess
• Giant 4 in a row
• Giant Jenga
• Raffle Drum
• Shootout Hoops
• Bex Ladder
• Rope Deck Quoits
• Croquet set
• Skittles
• Rounders

To book activities at Medway, use this Outlook link.

As we return to campus there’s plenty to look forward to and catching up with our colleagues over a nice cup of coffee is one of them!

From 23 August – 20 September, there will a Buy One Get One Free offer available at both Canterbury and Medway campuses!

On Canterbury campus visit the Gulbenkian and Dolche Vita café , where if you buy two hot drinks, you’ll get the cheapest one free. All you have to do is show off your staff ID card!

On Medway campus visit the Starbucks café located in the Pembroke Building to claim your free coffee with the Buy One Get One Free offer. Show your staff ID card and add your name to the list that the café staff will provide.

Be sure to make the most of this offer and enjoy seeing your colleagues in-person!

Gulbenkian Arts Centre are offering Kent staff and their families an opportunity to see Jasmin Vardimon Company’s new virtual reality performance ‘Alice’ for free at the University of Kent staff day at bOing! Festival.

The experience is sold out over the weekend, but we have a limited number of timeslots on Friday 27 August for University of Kent staff and their families to experience Alice (VR).  Step out of the ordinary and into the unexpected, fantastical and fearless world of Jasmin Vardimon’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’ VR experience. Tickets must be booked in advance for Alice.

University of Kent Staff Day at bOing! Festival is an extra special day before the festival weekend kicks off just for University of Kent Staff and their families on Friday 27 August!

Organised as a big thank you from the University to all Kent Staff in recognition for the tremendous effort put in by all throughout the year, the Staff Family Day at bOing! is FREE for Kent Staff and their families to attend.

Whether you’ve been working on site or remotely, this is an opportunity to reunite with family and colleagues in person for an amazing summer day on campus filled with FREE live performance, music and fun for all!

Everybody’s invited, so say a proper farewell and invite colleagues who have left while we have all been working remotely.

Free refreshments will also be on offer with a £5 credit loaded to Kent Staff KentOne cards that can be redeemed at any University of Kent catering outlet on campus.

All events are free to attend, but please register your attendance by following the booking link.
Tickets for Alice (VR) must be booked separately.

Friday’s Schedule

12 – 5pm (timeslots throughout the afternoon) – UoK Staff timeslots for Alice (VR) – BOOK TICKETS

12.30 – 12.50pm – The Puppet Van: The Lost Colour

Outdoor chaos 2m in the air featuring clowning and puppetry from Kent Alumni company Half A String.

1pm – 1.30pm – Gandini Juggling’s Smashed2
Funny and inventive juggling performance featuring a lot of fruit.

2 – 2.20pm – UPSWING’s Catch Me
A playful mix of dance, circus and chairs.

3.30 – 4pm – Gandini Juggling’s Smashed2
Funny and inventive juggling performance featuring a lot of fruit.

4 – 4.20pm – The Puppet Van: The Lost Colour

Outdoor chaos 2m in the air featuring clowning and puppetry from Kent Alumni company Half A String.

4.30 – 4.50pm – UPSWING’s Catch Me
A playful mix of dance, circus and chairs.

5 – 7pm – Global Sounds Music Stage
Programmed by Music for Change, enjoy some summer sounds under the sun.

Find out more about bOing! Kent’s Family Arts Festival

bOing! Kent’s Family Arts Festival is open to the general public on Saturday 28 and 29 August 2021 with a range of free and ticketed events. Funded by Arts Council England and the University of Kent, bOing! welcomes the most innovative and exciting performers from across Europe to the Gulbenkian Arts Centre and our beautiful Canterbury campus. All events at bOing!2021 will be performed in line with Government guidance on Covid-19. 

Watch the bOing! Festival trailer

Become a bOing! Volunteer

Follow in the paw prints of our amazing volunteers of previous years, don a pair of ears and become a bOing! Volunteer. Find out more about volunteering at bOing!

We’re happy to announce that the Library Café in the Templeman Library is now open weekdays from 09:00 till 15:00.

Visit the Library Café for tasty and healthy snacks so you can stay refreshed and keep going throughout the day. Pop by for a selection of hot food, pastries, cakes and snacks, or choose from our delicious coffees, teas and cold drinks.

Both the main Café servery in B Block and the Grab and Go service in A Block will be open, so if you just want to grab a quick drink or snack you can use either the Terrace or Grimond entrances.