Work-life balance

The University has various policies in place to help support and inform staff of their rights and entitlements with relation to achieving a successful work life balance.

As a School, PPLS are dedicated to making sure that access to these policies is fair and transparent, meaning that the opportunity to breakdown any opposition between work and home life is open to all its employees.

  • Annual leave
    • Annual leave is a statutory entitlement to all staff, and it is the responsibility of all line managers to ensure that their colleagues have fair and suitable access to days off as per their entitlement outlined in their conditions of service. The University offers generous annual leave entitlements which are based on grade as stipulated on your contract of employment, with those on a guaranteed hours contract paid a percentage on top of their hourly salary in lieu of days off. The holiday year runs from 1 January to 31 December and in addition to annual leave, staff are entitled to four public holidays when the University is closed (days are stipulated as per University closures). If you work part-time, are joining during the year or are leaving us throughout the year, your annual leave entitlement will be calculated on a pro rata basis. Full information on annual leave can be found on the main HR web page.
    • Please note that if you are ill or suffering from sickness whilst on annual leave you should make your line manager or local HR aware as they will adjust your record to ensure this is taken as sick days as opposed to a holiday.
  • Other leave
    • The University acknowledges that life is complex, and at times, unplanned situations can arise meaning that annual leave is not always an appropriate option. Examples include; sickness and absence for periods of illness, special and other leave for various times when family or home life means you may need limited time off work due to unforeseen circumstances or perhaps you are training for a further qualification, CPD linked to your role or require time off to assist in public life, such as jury service.
    • Please click on the HR leave and absence options link below to find a table which provides a useful overview of the various leave options available to UoE employees, allowing easy access to information for all PPLS staff to explore options that may support their own unique circumstances. Some may be paid/unpaid/annual leave or combination thereof; and some also may be subject to eligibility/qualifying periods, therefore the full policy should be referred to for accurate details. Entitlements are pro rata for part time staff in some cases.
  • Flexible working
    • Employees who meet the eligibility criteria, have a statutory right to request flexible working. The University recognises that flexible working can provide benefits to both the employer and the employee in developing a positive working environment and where reasonably possible it is hoped that solutions can be found which suit both the University and the employee. This may include other options such as, for example, one of the family leave policies. However, in ensuring the needs of the University are met it may not always be possible to accommodate a request. Some variations in working patterns may be possible without application of the formal policy. This may include working from home if suitable on certain days, or a slight change in working pattern to suit a particular period of life (i.e. change in childcare support during school holidays). Please find all details relating to Flexible Working in the formal policy below or feel free to speak to you line manager or local HR team for further advice.
  • Workload Allocation Model
    • The School is currently developing a work allocation model (WAM) that aims to adhere to not only to the guiding principles of the University Policy, but will also intend to reflect the needs of both our School and students, as well as its staff. This policy is currently under consultation and when approved will be available below.
  • Workload
    • If you have any concerns about your current workload please speak to your line manager for advice and support. The university also offers various courses and information sources on how to achieve better workload planning, such as “Focus, Plan, Attack” training (bookable through MyEd) or the learning and development pages contain toolkits and eLearning modules relating to a variety of areas such as leadership, time management and career development skills.

If you require a PDF document in an alternative format, such as large print or a coloured background, please email ppls.sso@ed.ac.uk or contact the PPLS Student Support Office.

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