Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R)/HR Award

Information for FI staff in one place

A new signpost has been made available to increase awareness of the working environment and processes at FI, benefits, training and development opportunities, communication channels, as well as ethical and gender issues.

In the first half of 2024, FI launched a pilot of an onboarding e-course for new male and female FI employees to guide them through the adaptation process in their new workplace. The successful launch of the course for new recruits has shown that most of the information presented here may also be of interest to existing faculty staff, as the course content acts as a signpost to relevant information from various sources. The course is created using the Interactive Curriculum in IS MU, which offers a user-friendly display on PCs and mobile devices and allows administrators to easily update the content.

The e-course is published on the FI document server in IS MU.

The signpost covers all important information not only about the working environment and processes at Masaryk University and the Faculty of Informatics, but also offers an overview of employee benefits and a wide range of courses and training. A list of important faculty contacts or communication channels across the university may also be useful.

Is there a topic missing from the signpost? Email us at pers@fi.muni.cz and we'll be happy to add them.

For FI HR news, please visit the FI HR department's bulletin board in the MU Information System

Did you know that employee benefits at MU have expanded to include a contribution to a long-term investment product? Did you know that we have launched an informative e-course in IS for FI employees and an optional university e-course "Cyber Security Minimum for MU Employees"? Did you know that we have added new children's groups to the Elanek children's groups and also the Loučka babysitting corner? Did you know that the university sports club has prepared new clubs?

Various news and news from the personnel area are regularly published on the FI Personnel Department noticeboard in the IS MU. If you want to receive published news by email, please enable this functionality in IS.

Faculty of Informatics has adopted the FI Gender Equality Plan (Part 1)

The FI Gender Equality Plan was created on the basis of the outputs and recommendations of the gender audit that FI conducted from April to September 2024 together with external experts from the Gender Information Centre NORA with methodological support from the MU Rector's Office.

The development of the FI Gender Audit and the FI Gender Equality Plan is part of the current Faculty HR Award Action Plan (HRS4R). The same was the case for the 1st Gender Audit and Plan in 2021. The FI Gender Audit covers the following key areas:

• Organizational objectives and institutional arrangements for gender equality policy,
• the organisation's culture and workplace relations,
• the gender dimension in research,
• HR and payroll policies,
• wellbeing and work-life balance.

The six-month audit process consisted of several quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection and analysis:

• Analysis of public and internal university and faculty documents, websites and social media. MU and FI networks,
• processing and analysis of statistical data,
• online questionnaire survey,
• 4 face-to-face focus groups,
• face-to-face and online individual interviews with male and female FI employees who expressed interest in the questionnaire survey.

The Faculty of Informatics adopted the FI Gender Equality Plan (Part 2)

The audit found that FI systematically and actively promotes gender equality and diversity. It has incorporated the principles of equal treatment and non-discrimination at the faculty level. In 2024, the focus was on the development of the adaptation process for new employees, and the evaluation of non-academic male and female employees was introduced. FI also offers a wide range of arrangements for caring male and female staff, helping to reconcile work and personal/family life. Sub-topics for improvement or development have also been identified. A team of external experts proposed more than 30 measures covering 7 areas:

• Transforming organisational culture,
• work/parenting/life balance,
• recruitment and selection and functional progression,
• gender balance in leadership positions,
• measures against sexual harassment and other forms of gender-based violence,
• the gender dimension in research and innovation,
• studies and student population.

Suggested measures include, for example, the creation of mentoring programmes to support women's career development, awareness raising and training on the gender dimension in research, gender-based violence or gender-sensitive language, raising awareness of remuneration, benefits, complaints or anti-discrimination law, and the collection and evaluation of gender-segregated data. The implementation of these measures will be subject to regular annual evaluation and review.

We thank all participants in the gender audit for their participation. We greatly appreciate your feedback, your opinions and shared experiences. To share your suggestions for positive change at FI, please email pers@fi.muni.cz.

Updates on HRS4R implementation at university and faculty level

Overview of activities implemented in the 2nd half of 2024:

• 10/2024: implementation of face-to-face Cyber Security training for MU employees for FI administrative staff.
• 10/2024: completion of the FI Equal Opportunities Audit and development of the FI Gender Equality Plan 2024-2028
• 10/2024: launch of the e-course "Ethics and strategies for working with AI in teaching and learning" in IS
• 8/2024-10/2024: development and implementation of onboarding and offboarding e-courses for FI staff/employees, computerization of the FI exit certificate
• 8/2024-10/2024: implementation of evaluation of non-academic FI staff/employees
• 9/2024: launch of e-course "Cyber security minimum for MU employees" in IS
• 7/2024: launch of e-course "Social Security in Academic Environment" in IS
• Ongoing: participation in HR Award, Gender Equality Plan, Adaptation, Recruitment, Assessment, Postdoc, Training and Development Coordinators working groups, participation in HR events, development of FI internal and external communication, support for FI staff development, cooperation with CERPEK

Second MUNI HR Day

On 3 October 2024, the second edition of MUNI HR Day organized by the Department of Human Resources Management of the MU Rectorate took place. The aim of the meeting was to gain inspiration and practical tips from HR professionals from different working spheres and also to create a space for interesting networking.

MUNI HR Day programme:

• The topic of artificial intelligence. Is it really the future of (un)work?
• Company culture, organization development through people
• Talent management
• Appraisals, motivational interviewing, HR as a partner
• Networking among participants of the HR MUNI Day

Thanks to this event, we were able to get inspiration from well-known experts from the HR world and get an overview of current trends in HR.

New e-course "Cyber security minimum for MU employees"

The training offer for male and female FI employees was expanded with a new optional online course. In the e-course, you will learn how to create and manage strong passwords, secure your devices, recognize and report cybersecurity incidents, communicate securely and protect your data.

You can find the training in the relevant section of the Training application in the Information System. It contains seven thematic blocks and supplements the theory with practical advice. There is also a downloadable checklist containing 19 recommendations and measures you should put in place to ensure personal and organisational cyber security. At the end of the training you will take a short test to verify the knowledge you have gained.

The training has been developed in relation to the obligations arising from Act No. 181/2014 on Cyber Security and Directive No. 10/2017, Use of Information Technology.

The first year of the evaluation of non-academic employees and female employees of FI

On 1 August 2024, the first evaluation of non-academic male and female employees at FI started, in the Dean's Office, Building Management, Library and Computer Centre. The aim is to support the development of the employment potential of male and female FI staff and to identify and meet their development needs.

The entire evaluation process is described in detail in the new FI internal regulations: the FI MU Measure 7/2024 Evaluation of FI Non-Academic Employees and the FI MU Secretary Measure 1/2024 Announcement of the Evaluation of FI Non-Academic Employees.

The evaluation process includes not only the actual evaluation of the work performance for the previous year (from August 2023 to July 2024), but also the planning of work goals and development activities of FI non-academic staff and female staff for the following annual period. The Staff Appraisal application in IS is used to record and evaluate the appraisal.

A new e-course "Social Security in Academic Settings" has been launched.

From 1 July 2024, a new e-course "Social Security in the Academic Environment", developed by the MU University-wide Rights Protection Unit, was launched in the MU Information System. Completion of the course is voluntary.

In the course, you will learn what social safety is, how inappropriate behaviour can undermine it, how to notice inappropriate behaviour, how to intervene against it and who to turn to if you need a helping hand. The course follows the mission of Masaryk University, which is, among other things, to contribute to a free, cohesive and safe society. It can only fulfil such a mission through the members of its university community. By their participation in the academic environment, they accept the values of respect, freedom and responsibility, which are also reflected in the MU Code of Ethics.

By completing the course you will become familiar with the conditions Masaryk University has set for maintaining a safe and healthy learning and working environment in which no member of the university community is exposed to inappropriate behaviour.

Training can be found in the relevant section of the Training application in the Information System.

Updates on HRS4R implementation at university and faculty level

An overview of activities undertaken in the first half of 2024:

• 4/2024-9/2024: equal opportunities audit FI
• 2/2024-6/2024: creation and implementation of e-adaptation plans for new employed and contracted FI staff, creation of e-brochure for new FI staff
• 2/2024: approval of the Code of Ethics for Practitioners by the FI Academic Senate, launch of a new FI website on ethics and rights protection
• Ongoing: participation in HR Award working groups, Gender Equality Plan, Adaptation, Recruitment, PhD academia, Training and development coordinators, participation in HR events
• Ongoing: support for the development of female and male FI employees, cooperation with CERPEK
• Ongoing: development of FI internal and external communication (activities of the External Relations Department and cooperation with partners (among others, information about the achievements of male and female employees on the website, FI newsletters, activities of the HR Department - updating of the career pages including Women in IT; development of the Employee Portal)
• 1/2024: A new MU Code of Ethics was issued as of 1 January 2024

FI equal opportunities audit (gender audit)

In April 2024, we began processing the FI Equal Opportunity Audit or FI Gender Audit, working with the NORA Gender Information Center.

The processing of the audit includes the following sub-activities:

• Content analysis of internal and publicly available FI and MU documents,
• processing and implementation of an online questionnaire survey, analysis of the data obtained,
• preparation and implementation of individual interviews with FI employees,
• Preparation and implementation of focus groups of senior staff, foreign (English-speaking) employees, caregivers, technical and administrative staff,
• preparation of the final report and gender equality plan.

We would like to thank all FI staff/women for their abundant participation in the survey, focus groups and interviews. We managed to complete all these activities by mid-June and are now in the process of processing all the data and drafting the final report.

Code of Ethics for Practitioners at the Faculty of Informatics

On February 16, 2024, the FI Academic Senate approved the Code of Ethics for Practitioners in the Faculty of Informatics.

This code describes the standards of the practitioners' approach to their teaching and to the students, as agreed by the FI MU academic community. It supplements and explains the provisions of the MU Code of Ethics in the context of FI MU practitioners. Its purpose is to contribute to the quality of teaching at FI, the professionalism of practitioners and a fair approach to learners.

The Code sets out values and principles in the areas of:

• 1. Uniformity and fairness.
• 2. Professionalism.
• 3. Relationship with learners.
• 4. Belonging to the faculty and the university.

The new MU Code of Ethics

A new MU Code of Ethics has been issued as of 1 January 2024.

The Code of Ethics is a declaration of moral values and general moral principles relevant to the academic environment to which Masaryk University and its university community actively subscribe. The extent to which an individual human act corresponds to these values is not a matter of simple conformity or non-conformity with a particular provision, but of responsible and impartial consideration of all the moral dimensions of a given situation.

MU and its university community - made up of everyone who works or studies at the university - are committed to honouring and respecting the following values:

• 1. Freedom and responsibility.
• 2. Moral and academic integrity.
• 3. Decency and respect.
• 4. the University's role in ethics and culture.

Revised Charter and Code for Researchers

Recommendation C/2023/1640 of the Council of the European Commission of 18 December 2023 on a European framework for attracting and retaining research, innovation and entrepreneurial talent in Europe contains a revised European Charter for Researchers - the full text of the Recommendation including the Code in English and Czech.

The Council Recommendation states, inter alia, that the Charter and Code for Researchers are revised to respond to new realities and current challenges facing researchers and institutions, including better integration of gender balance, gender equality and inclusiveness, with the inclusion of measures aimed at a research environment free from gender-based violence, as well as open science practices. The new version of the Charter is simplified to facilitate its implementation and to encourage its use outside the academic sector.

Updates@FI: Newsletter for staff

On 20.12.2023 the first newsletter for FI staff was published. It is available on the Staff Portal.

You can read, for example, an interview with the Dean of FI, Prof. RNDr. Jiří Barnat, Ph.D., an interview with Assoc. RNDr. Petr Sojka, Ph.D. about his life, his academic journey and his connection with the Faculty of Informatics or an interview with Mgr. Helena Lukášová, ArtD., about augmented reality.

The newsletter also includes information about the HR Award, employee benefits, statistics on student numbers, etc.

News on HRS4R implementation at university and faculty level

An overview of activities implemented in the 2nd half of 2023:

• Ongoing: participation in HR Award working groups, Gender Equality Plan, Adaptation, Recruitment, PhD academy, Training and development coordinators, participation in HR events.
• Ongoing: support for FI staff development, cooperation with CERPEK
• 12/2023: publication of first FI online newsletter, new design of FI website
• 10/2023: participation in the HR Department's kick-off workshop on talent management (6/10/2023)
• 10/2023: Participation in the first MUNI HR Day (4/10/2023)
• 9/2023: Implementation of a workshop on selection procedures for FI committee members (9/18/2023)
• 9/2023 onwards: Staffing of the External Relations and Partnerships Department, presentation of the department's goals and agenda, meetings with the different departments, setting up collaboration
• 9/2023: Issue of updated Organizational Regulations
• 9/2023: Introduction of a new employee benefit - the school fees allowance
• 8/2023: Issuance of the FI MU dean's measure 10/2023 FI MU staff recruitment and adaptation process

Course on Effective communication within international/intercultural teams

A short-term course on "Effective Communication within International / Intercultural Teams" will be held from 11/24/2023 - 11/26/2023.

Do you want to learn tips on how to work effectively in an international team, how to manage time management or remote communication? Sign up for a free three-day course organised by the MU Language Learning Centre.

The course is available for MU employees and PhD students who are also employees. Try out exercises and scenarios from practice together with foreign lecturers. The course must be registered for via the CJV website and is conducted in English. Preliminary program and link from the registration can be found HERE.

First MUNI HR Day

On 4 October 2023, the first MUNI HR Day organized by the Department of Personnel Management of the MU Rectorate took place. The aim of the MUNI HR community meeting was to bring practical knowledge and experience from sub-areas of HR.

MUNI HR Day programme:

• Market data and its use in practice - research and other data sources mapping the main phenomena and trends in the interconnected worlds of education and work
• Recruitment - how to get the candidates we want
• Onboarding - tips on how not to discourage newcomers
• Offboarding - how to break up nicely
• Appraisal, wellbeing and motivation of employees in line with the needs of management, employees and entire teams and organisations

Thanks to this event, we were able to get inspiration from well-known experts from the HR world and gain insight into current trends in HR.

The workshop "How to approach the selection process with questions" for non-academic staff

On 18 September 2023, a workshop "How to go about the selection process by asking questions" was held with the participation of 11 non-academic FI staff members who are or could be involved in the selection process for filling positions. This workshop is a complement to the practical skills on the new selection procedure regulations.

Workshop topics:

• Who is a suitable candidate,
• why it is a dialogue: how to fight and how/what to present,
• preparation and logical sequence of the interview,
• what all matters - what to find out and verify about the candidate (erudition is not enough),
• how to ask appropriate questions (how/why to ask),
• specific tips for interview questions.

This is the third workshop on this topic provided by CERPEK MU and led by Mgr. Hana Ondráčková.

Introduction of a new MU employee benefit: contribution to school fees

As of September 2023, MU employees can now benefit from a school fees allowance. MU has introduced a new employee benefit to support the reconciliation of work and family life and the return of parents from maternity and parental leave. This is the possibility to draw a contribution from the social fund for kindergarten or a children's group instead of a contribution to a pension insurance or supplementary pension savings.

The allowance to cover part of the school fees is given to the employee, not to the child. Each employee is therefore entitled to one allowance. However, both parents (if they are MU employees) can draw the allowance for one child, but the allowance cannot be drawn more than once for more than one child.

If you are interested in this allowance, please contact the FI HR department.

The process of recruitment and adaptation of FI employees

As of 1 August 2023, the FI MU Dean's Measure 10/2023 Process of Recruitment and Adaptation of Employees at the Faculty of Informatics of Masaryk University was issued.

This measure regulates the procedure for the on-boarding and adaptation of new employees assigned to the Faculty of Informatics of Masaryk University and serves as a support document for key persons in the adaptation process - namely the Head of the Department and the person in charge of the Department. The measure describes in more detail the individual steps important not only for ensuring the effective integration of the employee at the workplace, but also for successful orientation and integration into the workplace and the work team, usually during the first 3 months at the workplace.

The measure and its annexes are available on the document server.

News on the implementation of HRS4R at university and faculty level

Overview of activities implemented in the first half of 2023:

• 5/2023: Achieving HRS4R embedded status.
• 5/2023: Seminar on Flexible Work Options at MU in relation to work-life balance
• 5/2023: Implementation of a workshop on selection procedures for FI committee members
• 5/2023: Development of a revised FI Action Plan
• 5/2023: FI Information Colloquium with Mgr. Mentioned in the FICI Mentoring session of the FICI Consultation on Information Technology.
• 4/2023: Start of psychological counseling for employees
• 4/2023: Establishment of MU ombudsman and effectiveness of the MU Rights Protection Directive
• 4/2023: Implementation of FI webinar on the growing role of diversity in IT
• 3/2023: FI IT Colloquium with Assoc. The IT Informatics Colloquium
• 3/2023: Introduction of occasional telecommuting at FI
• 2/2023: Implementation of an online FI survey in connection with the preparation of the self-assessment report
• 2/2023: Implementation of a workshop on selection procedures for FI committee members
• 1/2023: Implementation of the MU Selection Procedures Regulations and the FI Selection Procedures Rules

Workshop "Flexible work options at MU in relation to reconciling work and personal life"

On 22 May 2023, FI HR staff attended the seminar "Flexible work options at MU in relation to reconciling work and personal life". The aim of the seminar was to present flexible working options as a tool for reconciling work and family. The seminar also focused on the trend in the development of the home-office mode in the European labour markets in the pre- and post-covid era. The theoretical part was complemented by practical experiences with the introduction of flexible working arrangements in various companies, institutions and at MU.

Seminar topics:

• Introduction of flexible working arrangements, employer vs. employee needs,
• practical input from the Centre for Family and Social Care (introduction of the sandwich generation, their needs, how to work with this group from the employer's perspective),
• rules, practices and tools at MU (practical input),
• Motivation Labs will share practice with the introduction of flexible working arrangements from other companies and institutions (benefits for employers and employees).

Workshop "How to do the selection process by asking questions" for academics

On 19 May 2023, a workshop on "How to go about the selection process by asking questions" was held with 11 FI academic staff who are or could be involved in job selection processes. This workshop is to complement the practical skills on the new selection procedure regulations.

Workshop topics:

• Who is a suitable candidate,
• why it is a dialogue: how to fight and how/what to present,
• preparation and logical sequence of the interview,
• what all matters - what to find out and verify about the candidate (erudition is not enough),
• how to ask appropriate questions (how/why to ask),
• specific tips for interview questions.

This is the second workshop on this topic provided by CERPEK MU and led by Mgr. Hana Ondráčková. The first workshop for 12 academic staff took place on 3 February 2023.

HRS4R workshop with Mary Kate O'Regan from University College Cork

On 11 May 2023, FI HR staff participated in a workshop on Human Resources Strategy for Researchers led by Mary Kate O'Regan, who is HR Research Manager at University College Cork, Ireland.

The workshop focused on the following topics:

• Benefits of implementing HR Excellence in Research for researchers,
• the implementation of the HR strategy at University College Cork, Ireland,
• Recommendations and tips before preparing a self-assessment,
• Preparing for a site visit.

This unique workshop was organised by the Faculty of Science, MU, thank you very much.

Internal self-assessment, creating a revised FI Action Plan and obtaining HRS4R embedded status

In May 2023, the Faculty of Informatics submitted a self-assessment of the implementation of its HR strategy and a revised HRS4R Action Plan for the period 2023-2025. On 23 May 2023, the European Commission granted FI the "HRS4R embedded" status.

The development of the revised action plan was preceded by an online questionnaire survey conducted in February 2023, with a 77% return rate. This survey followed the questionnaire survey conducted in 2020 as a basis for the preparation of the HRS4R certification documentation.

The results of the questionnaire survey and the revised Action Plan can be found in the "Implementation of the 1/2021-5/2023 Action Plan" section above.