Work-Life Balance at UCPH: 7 Employee Stories

INSPIRATION
WORKING LIFE IN BALANCE AT UCPH
January 2015
university of copenhagen

2 · Working life in balance at UCPH · Inspiration
LET’S STAY IN BALANCE TOGETHER
Much of the modern labour market suffers from work/life balance problems.
Workplace risk assessments and wellbeing assessments at UCPH show that this
applies here too.
All employees irrespective of who they are and where they are employed at
UCPH sometimes feel challenged by balancing their tasks and working hours on
the one hand and their work and private life on the other. Lengthy imbalances
can lead to stress and loss of wellbeing.
Ensuring the right work/life balance and thus strengthening overall wellbeing
are important action areas at UCPH. Individual employees must assess for
themselves the right balance for him or her but individuals should not be left to
solve the problems that create work/life imbalances for themselves.
Management has a responsibility for creating a workplace in which employees
thrive. But it is only possible to make real improvements in the psychological
working environment if everybody helps identify what helps or adversely affects
work/life balances. So the whole of UCPH needs to be involved – employees,
units and the organisation as a whole.
We need to shine a spotlight on everyday imbalances. Everyone needs to be
more conscious of the options for action if or when the balance tips the wrong
way and to be aware of possible support and allocation of responsibilities. This
demands general openness and discussion – between employees and
managers, between colleagues, between managers and in the collaboration
committee.
This guide provides the tools for taking up the dialogue. We are not identifying
simple, clear solutions but pointing to the options and general conditions. This
is an important step in strengthening wellbeing.
The Central Collaboration Committee hopes that you are willing to take up the
dialogue.
Sincerely,
Ralf Hemmingsen Ingrid Kryhlmand
Rector, Chairman CCC Vice Chairman CCC
A work/life balance is one of the ten basic principles:
KU aims to organise work so as to achieve a reasonable balance between tasks and working hours and between work and leisure time. The
University offers flexible working conditions with due considerations for the requirements of KU and with due respect for the
individual employee.

Working life in balance at UCPH · Inspiration · 3
UCPH IS CHARACTERISED BY FREEDOM AND SELF-MANAGEMENT
– FOR BETTER OR WORSE
UCPH is an ambitious workplace that makes great demands on individual
employees’ performance. This is inextricably bound up with the University’s
quest to provide the highest quality basic research and research-based
education.
But personal ambition and wishing to do a proper job play an important role for
many employees. Laboratory personnel, associate professors, managers,
accounts staff, postdocs and everyone else may find it difficult to achieve what
they want and the quality for which they strive.
Workplace risk assessments and wellbeing assessments reveal that a high
degree of influence on one’s own work is the issue that matters most for overall
employee satisfaction at UCPH. Risk assessments also show that in general,
employees at the University have a great deal of influence on their own work.
Self-management associated with freedom is a condition, perhaps actually a
precondition, for individual employees to be able to do their work and thrive.
UCPH wishes to support this academic freedom and employees’ influence on
their own work.
But the demands, freedom and personal satisfaction that should preferably
come from work can also be the cause of work/life imbalances. Because when
is it time to go home? When are the results you achieve good enough? When
have you got far enough down in your in-tray?
Not everybody has the same view of a work/life balance. Neither do they
impose the same limits on work. And it is not just purely work-related issues
that affect a sense of balance. Personal attitudes, differences in approach to
work, different experience and living conditions can be significant for the
perception of a work/life (in)balance.
The seven cases – personal stories – on the following pages are intended as
inspiration for dialogue on work/life balance issues.
UCPH’s approach to wellbeing
The University of Copenhagen’s Strategy 2016 states that
the University is required to provide a good physical and
psychological working environment. UCPH must also
maintain its focus on employee wellbeing and stress
prevention. This is achieved by undertaking and following
up on annual wellbeing assessments – both those that are
good and should be maintained and further developed,
and those that are not so good and need to be modified.
UCPH works constantly on improving its systematic
approach to occupational health and safety by way of
clarity on tasking, roles and responsibilities in OHS
processes.

The IGLO model was developed by Michael Martini Jørgensen in collaboration with Michael Munch-Hansen and Karina M Nielsen. “Temaledelse med det rette twist” (Theme management with the right twist), NFA, 2008.
HOW TO USE THE INSPIRATION GUIDE
On the following pages, seven personal stories describe a series of imaginary
situations at the University that could be taken from daily life here. For various
reasons, employees face specific dilemmas that have an impact on their work/
life balance. If you do not feel that your own dilemma is described, you could
use these stories as inspiration for describing your own case.
Each case reflects the fact that creating and maintaining a work/life balance is a
shared task. Employees as well as colleagues, management and union/OHS
representatives have a range of possible options when working lives become
unbalanced in some way. The fact box gives a schematic view on different levels
of input.
Cases can provide inspiration for:
• Individual employees discussing specific work/life balance issues with their
line manager (at an annual PDR - performance and development review for
example)
• Dialogue in individual units or research teams on common processes to
ensure a work/life balance for all staff (for example as part of a group PDR).
• Management forums on interviews and exchanging experience on how, for
example in following up on workplace risk assessments and wellbeing
surveys, they can provide support for life/work balance problems.
• Collaboration committee and OHS Committee discussions on following up
on workplace risk assessments and wellbeing assessments.
IGLO
– A common approach to creating wellbeing together
Every level of the organisation is able to contribute to
wellbeing by taking various actions. This is reflected in the
seven dilemmas.
IGLO stands for input taken by Individuals, Groups, Leaders
and the Organisation.
IGLO means that the whole workplace shares the responsibility
for providing a good psychological working environment and
wellbeing.
INDIVIDUAL
GROUP
LEADERSHIP
ORGANISATION

What could the head of
department do?
• Assess whether the external
funding will mean a
temporary reduction in Lars’
teaching duties.
• Assess whether the external
funding could be used to
take on more VIPs.
• Discuss the department’s
policy for sabbatical/research
leave with the Department
Council and Collaboration
Committee.
• Discuss with the Council and
Committee whether the
department should continue
to seek to increase external
funding and any implications
this has for assignments.
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR WITH MORE AND MORE ASSIGNMENTS
Dilemma 1: Lars Andersen, Associate Professor
Lars Andersen is a tenured associate professor in a department. In recent years, Lars
has been given responsibility for multiple new research and teaching assignments.
Lars thrives on long working days but now finds it difficult to do things as well as he
would like.
Lars loves his research. He has just been awarded a major external grant for a research
project. Lars does basic research that adds strongly to the department’s profile. He shares
great responsibility for applying for external funding. Lars often does not manage to work on
his own research and several assignments are outstanding.
Lars supervises two postdocs and three PhDs. He also supervises three postgraduate students,
teaches several courses and is a course leader. Preparing and correcting assignments/exams
involve a considerable amount of work as does designing exam questions. Lars spends many
hours a week on this.
Lars’ dilemma
Lars feels that all his work is important and does not know what he could cut back on. If he
spends less time on his own research, he will be weaker in competing for external funding for
the department. If he cuts back on preparing for teaching or exams, it could affect quality. If
he cuts back on supervision time, it could have consequences for the students doing their
theses and the postdocs and PhDs he supervises which his conscience and sense of
responsibility will not allow him to do.
Questions for discussion
• What could Lars do to maintain job satisfaction if he were to cut back on his own
expectations for what he can cope with?
• How could the department support Lars’ success in applying for external funding?
• How could departments maintain and improve teaching?
What could the line
manager do?
• Assess whether work could
be allocated differently.
• Help assess whether work
could be done more
efficiently.
• In the department, discuss
whether external funding
needs to increase and what
this could /will mean for
work allocation.
What could colleagues do?
• Provide sparring on
planning teaching.
• Help in doing some parts of
his assignments.
What could union
representatives do?
• Provide sparring.
• Take the initiative to discuss
the problem with
management.
What could Lars do?
• Think whether he is
demanding more quality
from himself than the
department and students
expect.
• Get help in prioritising the
time he spends on work.

MORE WORK PUTS A BRAKE ON CAREER
Dilemma 2: Henriette Larsen, Postdoc
What could the line manager do?
• Help prioritise work.
• Help cut back on her work.
• Assess whether Henriette’s work is
done well enough.
• Help by getting colleagues involved
in doing her work.
• Help with the application for
funding.
• Help in doing some parts of her
work.
• Make suggestions for methods and
materials for doing her work.
What could the union
representative do?
• Discuss the problem with
management.
• Arrange for a dialogue between
Henriette and management.
• Participate in specific negotiations
on Henriette’s working conditions
(only union rep.).
What could Henriette do?
• Get an overview of her
assignments.
• Assess how much extra time
she could allocate.
department do?
• Support and help her line
manager in clarifying
Henriette’s future
opportunities in the
department
• Clarify who could assist with
the funding application.
• Assess whether teaching
could be done in some other
way.
studies do?
• Assess whether teaching
could be done in some other
way.
Henriette Larsen is young and ambitious and wants to make a career. She is
employed in her second postdoc contract in a department. Her contract
expires in four months and she would like to apply for an assistant
professorship that will be advertised shortly. But now she has been asked to
do more teaching.
The head of studies has asked Henriette to take over teaching for a colleague on
long-term sick leave. The subject is within her specialty but even so it will require
some preparation.
She is already in the process of completing a major article, teaching a subject which
requires some preparation and is also working on an application for funding which
could be crucial for being considered for the assistant professorship.
Henriette’s dilemma
Henriette cannot cope with all her work, however much work she does.
Without spending enough time on the grant application, she risks not getting the
funding to continue her career at UCPH. At the same time, she does not want to
turn down the teaching. She thinks management would take it a dim view of her if
she did so and this could affect whether she has a future in the department.
• What could happen if Henriette says no to more teaching?
• What would happen if management insists that she should cope with all
her work, including the extra teaching?
• What could happen if he r colleagues are under just as much pressure as
she is?
• Can you think of other solutions?

department do?
• Help Birger’s line manager
identify whether resources are
available for temporary staff
cover or other options for
supporting the section.
FAMILY ILLNESS DETERIORATES
Dilemma 3: Birger Jensen, Administrative Officer and Project Manager
Birger Jensen is employed as a departmental administrative officer.
He is the project manager for a major project and coordinates several
other colleagues’ work. But Birger’s wife is seriously ill and it now
looks as if he will have to spend more time with her.
She was diagnosed with cancer six months ago. Looking after his work while
supporting his wife and for example taking her for treatment has been a
major challenge for Birger. He is often in the office in the evening and at
weekends or takes work back home with him.
It now turns out that treatment has not been effective enough and that her
cancer has spread. Birger will have to be with her constantly in the upcoming
period of intensive treatment.
Birger’s dilemma
Birger is very glad for his role as project manager. But he cannot see how he
can cope with his job in its present form and be with his wife as much as he
wishes.
• Can you be a part time project manager?
• What is Birger’s manager’s most important role?
• What should Birger do if his line manager will not help him sort the
situation?
• How much of his work should colleagues and personnel take on?
What could Birger do?
• Clarify what he wishes to do
over the coming period.
• Clarify how much he reckons on
being able to work.
• Show understanding and concern for
Birger’s situation.
• Take on some of Birger’s work where
possible.
What could be union/OHS
representatives do?
• Take the initiative to discuss the
problem with management
• Arrange for Birger to discuss the
problem with management.
• Participate in specific negotiations on
Birger’s terms of employment (only
union rep.).
What could the line manager do?
• Help in assessing whether Birger can
continue as hitherto, whether he
should have less work or whether he
should cut back on his hours for a
while or possibly take leave.
• Clarify the best way to do Birger’s
work.

department do?
• Consider whether the head of
research’s organisational
changes are in line with
departmental rules.
• Consider and ensure compliance
with current personnel policy.
PRESSURE FROM NEW WORKING HOURS
Dilemma 4: Camilla Henriksen, Lab Assistant
Camilla Henriksen is a laboratory assistant and works closely with a VIP
team in a high profile research project. She provides coordination
services for the team. Until now she has had fixed hours which has
fitted well with her having to take and fetch her two small children. But
a new head of research has other ideas.
The new head of research has decided to organize work so that in future,
working hours will depend on projects currently running in the laboratories. For
Camilla, this means if she cannot be certain that she can be free of work in time
to collect her children.
It is almost impossible for her husband to collect their children because he is an
executive and often travels. The grandparents cannot help either.
Camilla’s dilemma
On the one hand, Camilla is very happy with her work and thinks it is exciting
and challenging. On the other hand, she is worried about the children spending
long days in their day care. Some day she would not be free of work before the
day care is closed and then what should she do?
• How flexible should a manager be and how much consideration
should he or she give to Camilla’s situation?
• How far should her colleagues go to help out?
• What part could the head of department play?
What could Camilla do?
• Get an overview of current
situation and options.
What could her colleagues do?
• Be flexible about organizing work and
working hours together.
What could the union/OHS
representatives do?
• Arrange for Camilla to discuss the
problem with management.
Camilla’s terms of employment (only
union rep.).
• Help clarify the rules and agreements
in this area.
What could her line manager do?
• Discuss Camilla’s work/life balance
situation after the change in working
hours.
• Review the rules and agreements in
this area and ensure they are complied
with.

section do?
• Help his line manager
determine whether extra
resources are required or
whether the section
should be supported in
some other way.
NEW SYSTEM MEANS LONG WORKING DAYS
Dilemma 5: Søren Madsen, Accounts Assistant
Søren Madsen, an accounts assistant, works in a shared accounts office. He
is experienced and competent and is often the person the University’s users
contact for help. But now the old accounting system is about to be replaced.
Søren has been on the project team preparing for the transition to the new
accounting system. For some while, he has had lengthy, busy working days while
working on the project and covering his normal daily duties.
He was prepared to make an extra effort in the transitional phase but now
commissioning the new system is dragging on.
Now Søren is constantly behind in his work. He is constantly being called by
dissatisfied users who expect him to sort their problems here and now. But he often
has to consult other colleagues or his line manager to be able to respond properly.
He also has to look after his daily duties. This means that he often gets home from
work late and the same applies to his colleagues.
Søren’s dilemma
He has very long working days and even so he is constantly behind with his work.
He feels he cannot provide the advice he wants to, or the quality users know him
for.
• What can reasonably be expected of employees in a commissioning phase
and how long should such a phase last?
• What can be reasonably expected of the rest of the organisation?
• What options does Søren’s line manager have for making it easier to be an
accounts assistant?
What could Søren do?
• Clarify the situation, for
example how long he is
willing to make an extra
effort.
• Accept that for a while,
quality will not live up to
the standard Søren
wishes for.
What could his colleagues do?
• Be open about organizing work and
working hours jointly.
• Talk about dealing with dissatisfied
users.
representatives do?
• Take the initiative to discuss the problem
with management
• Arrange for discussions between Søren
and management.
Søren’s terms of employment (only
union rep.).
What could his line manager do?
• Help prioritise Søren’s work, tighten up
on his workload and possibly shed some
of it.
• Help determine whether the quality of
his work is satisfactory.
• Help by getting colleagues involved in
doing his work.
• Help determine and inform users of the
service they can expect.

department do?
• Discuss and clarify how
the department’s
academic ambitions
interact with the work
culture.
• Discuss the culture in the
workplace with the
Collaboration Committee.
• Ensure that John takes the
necessary management
training.
• Inform him how salaries
and working conditions
operate in Denmark.
• Support the University’s
top level international
ambitions.
CHANGE IN WORK CULTURE CREATES CONCERN
Dilemma 6: John Smith, Research Project Team Leader
John Smith is a new employee at UCPH and heads up a large research team. He
was recruited from similar post at a prestigious foreign university. He wonders
about the Danish work culture.
He heads up a research team of Danish and foreign personnel. He was recruited to UCPH
because his breakthrough research will give a significant boost to research at the
department. He has brought a different work ethic with him to Denmark. This means
that he has long working days and feels for example that it is absolutely natural to work
on Saturdays.
He wonders about the Danish work ethic. As do some of the other foreign personnel in
the research team. In contrast, some of their Danish colleagues find it difficult to accept
their foreign colleagues’ work culture.
John’s dilemma
John is convinced that his way of working is necessary to achieve a breakthrough in top
quality research results. But he is aware of the friction in the team as a result of his
approach.
• What is the best way for the head of department to take responsibility for the
work culture in the department?
• How much pressure will be put on employees of they find the ‘new’ culture
unacceptable?
• How do you tackle disagreement about the work culture?
What could John do?
• Use discussions with
employees to achieve
common acceptance for
the different work cultures
in the team.
What could colleagues and
employees do?
• Be open about organizing work
and working hours together to
achieve a consensus.
representatives do?
• Clarify the rules and agreements in
this area.
problem with colleagues.
• Consider the international
competitive situation.
What could his line manager do?
• Introduce John to the rules and
agreements in this area.
• Introduce John to the Danish work
culture.

What could the head of department do?
• Ensure that working conditions in the
department are attractive for everyone.
• Possibly discuss career opportunities with
Freja.
• Would it be possible to leave the
University for another job and return
later and make a career?
• What does the fact that Freja is
probably competing with some of her
closest colleagues for the professorship
mean for her working environment?
• There would be situation have been
different if Freja was called Frej?
CHALLENGING ASSOCIATE PROFESSORSHIP TEMPTS
Dilemma 7: Freja Rasmussen, Assistant Professor
Freja Rasmussen is an assistant professor and is employed in a
department. She is married to an associate professor and they have
two small children. Freja is ambitious and has now been urged to
apply for an associate professorship which will mean less time for
the children – she already has a bad conscience about them.
When doing her PhD, she had a short stay abroad but she did not like being
away from her family. She and her husband already have long working days
and the children keep saying they miss her.
She is behind in getting the results of her research published. Finding the
time and peace to write articles is a constant challenge.
But she is also very happy about her work. She is ambitious and enjoys the
challenges and the freedom that she gets from the world of research.
Freja has now been urged to apply for a vacant associate professorship
which has been advertised in the department. She has also been offered
another job outside the university with fixed working hours and only a few
days of travel.
Freja’s dilemma
Freja is in doubt about whether to apply for the associate professorship. She
is in doubt about her qualifications and whether she has a chance because
she has not published so much and does not wish for lengthy research trips
abroad. She thinks that a male applicant with for example an extensive
international network will get the job. She also knows that the
professorship will involve some travel, something she does not want to do.
What could Freja do?
• Trust own qualifications.
• Decide for her selves whether she will invest
what it takes to be an associate professor.
• Consider whether the requirement of
research activities abroad can be met in
other ways.
• Ask immediate line manager on a
conversation about her career opportunities
at the department.
What could her colleagues
do?
• Be open about the fact that
the amount of work one
has to do varies over an
entire working life.
representatives do?
• Provide sparring on the
situation.
What could her line
manager do?
• Help clarify what would be
expected of Freja if she gets
the professorship.
• Help Freja clarify whether
she has the right
qualifications to apply for
the associate professorship.
• Help Freja to clarify her
career opportunities, both
within and outside the
University.

DIALOGUE GUIDE – ALL ROUND DISCUSSION
Read more about UCPH’s fundamental Personnel Policy and policy guidelines in the employee guide on KUnet.
UCPH’s HR policy guidelines contain more detailed basic principles in areas where management and personnel
find a specific common direction is required. These are about issues such as the mental working environment,
employee PDRs, opportunities for leave and other themes that could be relevant for dealing with balance
problems.
You can find more information about wellbeing
on KUnet in the Employee Guide and on the
OHS job portal.
As an employee, you have the option of
contacting UCPH’s psychological counselling
scheme if you need advice about a work/life
balance problem. As a manager, you can
also contact Falck Healthcare on
T: (+45) 7010 2012.
If you need help or guidance, you can contact HR OHSC (amos@adm.ku.dk) or the
Faculty HR Department.
?
GROUP
I
N
D
I
V
I
D
U
A
L
L
E
A
D
E
R
S
H
I
P
ORGANISATION
Efforts to improve your work/life balance should be directed as precisely as possible at specific problems.
Discussing the seven cases is only the first step in this process.
• Can we solve our work life balance problems ourselves or do we need help?
• How should we follow up on the initiatives we take?
• What specific initiatives should we implement to solve our work/life balance problems?
• Are employees, colleagues and managers aware of their roles and responsibilities with respect to balance
problems?
• Are work/life balance problems a general issue with us or for example are they concentrated in specific units
or individual groups of personnel?
• Do we feel that we have long-term balance problems or could we see a reasonable balance in a relatively
short time?
• Do we have a culture that especially challenges the possibility of having a work/life balance and can or
should we do anything about it?
• Do we have the necessary systems in place to deal with imbalance cases?

University of Copenhagen, HR OHSC
Photos: UCPH, Anne Trap-Lind, Martin Ørsted, Søren Osgood and Christoffer Regild · Graphic Design: Kliborg design

Work-Life Balance at UCPH: 7 Employee Stories

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to Work-Life Balance at UCPH: 7 Employee Stories

Similar to Work-Life Balance at UCPH: 7 Employee Stories (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Work-Life Balance at UCPH: 7 Employee Stories