From 1 October 2022, we will be changing how we organise and assign operational HR support

The HR Operations Team help staff and managers with issues such as: people management, management procedures, planning and departmental restructuring. Under the current model, each department has a named HR Partner (HRP) and named HR Adviser/s (HRAs).

What's changing with the HR Advisers?

Under the new model, HR Advisers will work in small flexible teams each covering a Faculty or Directorate. Departments will continue to have a named HRA as their key point of contact, however you can expect to work with one of the HR Advisers from the relevant team at times of peak workload; during periods of absence etc. By using this approach HRAs can share workload more evenly, collaborate and cover activity effectively. For managers, it means that queries will be picked up more quickly and there will be greater continuity in the support you receive.

What's changing with the HR Partners?

The role of the HR Partners (HRPs) will also change in October. Whilst the HR Partner role was originally created to be a strategic role, operational and managerial demands have meant that HRPs haven't had as much time to focus on strategic work.

We have decided to move the HR Partners from the HR Operations team into the People and Organisational Development (POD) Team. Whilst the HRPs will still be aligned to a portfolio of faculties and directorates they will no longer be line managing HR Advisers or carrying out operational activity. Instead they will be able to offer a more strategically focussed service, and work closely with POD to provide change programmes and bespoke support for the people challenges at a strategic level.

A new Senior HR Adviser, Layla Hemingway, will lead the HRAs on a day to day basis. To help with the transition to the new way of working one HR Partner, Colin Jobber, will remain in the Operations Team until summer 2023.

When is this happening?

We appreciate that the current model of operational support has been in place for many years and that you may have developed strong working relationships with your current HRAs and HRPs. Therefore we want to make sure there is a period of transition before the new model is introduced.

In September we will share further details on team structures so you know which colleagues will be offering support in each area.

For any current casework you will continue to be supported by your current contact/s in Operations.

What will I need to do differently?

As new issues and queries arise, instead of contacting your current HRA or HRP on their named email address or phone number, please contact hr-operations@york.ac.uk. From there, requests will be assigned to the correct team and a member of the relevant HRA team will then take the lead on your query, offering all the usual support.

From 1 October we will ask that all requests for operational support be directed to the central hr-operations@york.ac.uk email address.

Other HR queries

General queries around HR issues, such as recruitment, annual leave, HR policies and procedures should continue to be directed to the HR Services team via hr-enquiries@york.ac.uk.