GDD and SDD begins in January
At AGRO, we prioritize well-being, cooperation and high-quality work. It does not happen by itself. It is something we have to work on every day. And we all have a shared responsibility for job satisfaction and for supporting high quality.
We also have a responsibility for our professional development. This applies not least in relation to the great upheavals that we are facing in the coming years. We will have to scale up our research efforts and increase collaboration internationally and with industry to deliver on the green transition. At the same time, we must establish new good educations in Foulum with a changed learning focus. At the same time, we have a major task with successional change among both the scientific and technical staff. We can only solve this together.
To support our well-being, cooperation and professional development, we implement GDD (Group Development Dialogue) and SDD (Staff Development Dialogue), where GDD is implemented first and then SDD. GDD starts in January.
GDD is implemented in the individual sections and operating units. GDD can be carried out for individual staff groups or collectively for the units. The Head of Department participates in GDD. The purpose of GDD is to discuss the issues that relate to the unit's work. This includes the following areas:
- Well-being and coherence
- Cooperation, division of labor and quality of work
- Innovation and the department's development
- Successional change
- Policy support
- Education
SDD is implemented after GDD during the spring. All personnel in sections and operating units must have an interview with the section manager or operations manager. Prior to the interview, a conversation guide for SDD is sent. This time we have chosen to use the interview guides that AU HR has prepared, and which are available for different staff categories. At SDD, well-being is discussed for the individual employee, but otherwise the focus is on career development. During the interview, an agreement form is completed.
To support the career development among the younger researchers, a further career development interview is offered for postdocs, in which the supervisor also participates. In addition, an expectation interview is also introduced at the start for postdocs and assistant professors. At these interviews, an agreement form must be completed, which is also used as a basis for follow-up at SDD and career development interviews. Such an agreement form already exists for tenure tracks.
For senior staff about 5 years before retirement, SDD can include a senior interview. Here the focus is on the employee's wishes and plans for the last years of working life.
Unfortunately, the development in the corona situation may affect the course of GDD and SDD. We are trying to carry out according to plan, as there is a great need for these conversations. But we must, of course, implement them in a safe way.
I wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.
Jørgen E. Olesen