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Returning to campus in September
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In June almost 2.000 employees participated in a survey on returning to campus in September. On 6 July, a webinar took place with Rector Rianne Letschert and Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Gerjo Kok, in which the results of the survey were presented and the more practical aspects of our return to campus were discussed.
What do we actually think about returning to campus?
Throughout the pandemic, safety has been paramount for us. With the relaxation of measures, we found it essential to find out what our community thinks about going from home back to campus.
We mentioned last week that the majority of our employees expects to feel safe on campus in September and can't wait to see colleagues again on a regular basis. But a significant number has concerns and reservations about returning. We understand the personal considerations of both groups and want to take these sentiments into account.
How will we make the transition to campus as easy as possible?
First of all, we will continue to focus on creating a safe environment. Matters such as maintaining the required distance, complying with hygiene measures, wearing face masks in our corridors and safety requirement checks for admission to large-scale (non-educational) events will continue to receive our constant attention. Our corona stewards will continue to monitor compliance on the campus for some time. And of course we will also stay on top of government measures and adapt our guidelines accordingly.
But we also want to emphasise that we understand that returning to campus will take some getting used to. We have taken these results of the survey in particular to heart. This has resulted in the following:
- We are organising a transition period to allow you to get used to working on campus surrounded by colleagues again. Since the end of June, you have already been able to work on campus for 50% of your working hours. From the start of the academic year, we will be able to increase this.
- We are being flexible in dealing with personal circumstances. With employees who feel anxious on campus, we will discuss the situation and find a good solution together. There will also be a manual for managers, so that they can manage their employees in the best possible way.
- At the same time, you will be asked for flexibility when you return to campus. Not everything will be perfect from day one. There may for instance be less available workspaces. These are practical matters, which we will have to resolve together in the first few months.
- And that automatically brings us to the last point—hybrid forms of working. The survey shows that many of us have experienced working from home as positive and enjoyable. We are currently working hard to expand the possibilities in this area. That takes time. We therefore ask you to see the months leading up to the end of this calendar year as a transition period in which we will all work together to find solutions. After this, policy will be established.
Overview
By taking the steps above, we hope that the start of the new academic year will be as pleasant as possible for everyone. If you would like to see an overview of all the information again, you can follow the links below:
*Our researchers are still working on the final report. The main results are available in the presentation.
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