ARCISS Workshop
MANAGING THE RESEARCH CENTRE’S HUMAN RESOURCES
27-28 March 2003 • Loughborough University
OBJECTIVE
Research employment is subject to change - changing expectations of researchers about their
jobs and their
careers and changing obligations on employers regarding terms and conditions. In this context,
the seminar
will provide an opportunity for research centre directors and administrators to exchange
experience and
reflect upon ways of improving the productivity, creativity and job satisfaction of research centre
staff.
PROGRAMME: Thursday 27 March 2003
13.30 Registration (no lunch is provided)
14.00 Session 1 - the context of changing expectations and experiences of
professional work Presentation by Professor John Purcell, Department of
Management, University of Bath
15.30 Tea
16.00 Session 2 - Challenges and practices in recruitment and retention of
research and support staff in research centres. Brief presentations by Jim
Skea, Seamus Hegarty and others and discussion
Issues -
How much autonomy should (HEI) centres have in recruitment?
Which selection techniques are most reliable?
What contractual terms and conditions should be offered?
What formal induction is needed?
Why do people leave? What is an acceptable level of staff turnover?
How should reward relate to experience and performance?
How is underperfomance best handled?
How to offer continuity of employment with an uncertain income stream?
18.00 ARCISS AGM
19.30 Dinner

PROGRAMME: Friday 28 March 2003
Breakfast
09.00 Session 3 - Challenges and practices in work organisation for creativity
and productivity: Group discussions, report back and discussion
Issues -
How can research and support staff become ‘signed up’ to the centre’s
mission?
Should centres structure work in subject groups? for work planning? as cost
centres?
How to balance individual researchers interests with centre priorities?
How important is morale? what influences it?
How permeable should the centre’s internal and external boundaries be?
What work planning and project management practices aid productivity and
creativity?
Are others working in the field regarded as collaborators and/or competitors?
10.30 Coffee
11.00 Session 4 - Challenges and practices in professional and career
development: Brief presentations by Leela Damodaran, Meriel Barclay and
others and discussion
Issues -
What are the skills and competences required at various research career stages?
What systems of staff monitoring and appraisal work best? how devolved
should they be?
Do deals like sabbaticals, personal projects, writing time pay off?
Do staff and centres benefit from variety of experience - in topics, style of
research, role?
How big an investment in training and development? which approaches give
the best returns?
12.30 Session 5 - What have we learned? What do we do about it?
Introduction by rapporteur and general discussion
Lunch and departure

ARCISS Workshop
MANAGING THE RESEARCH CENTRE’S HUMAN RESOURCES
27-28 March 2003 • Loughborough University
BOOKING FORM
To be returned to
Gill Clisham, NIESR, 2 Dean Trench Street, Smith Square, London SW1P 3HE
Fax no. 020 7654 1900
Fees (please indicate which option you require):
ARCISS members:
£160 Residential fee including dinner on March 27th
£135 Non residential fee including dinner on March 27th
£110 Non residential fee excluding dinner on March 27th
Non-ARCISS members:
£220 Residential fee including dinner on March 27th
£195 Non residential fee including dinner on March 27th
£170 Non residential fee excluding dinner on March 27th
Delegate Details:
Name:
Position:
Organisation:
Address:
Tel:
E-mail:
Invoice address: (if different from above)
OR cheque enclosed (made payable to “ARCISS”: please also tick which option you require
above)