Student Ambassador in Leeds Fun and rewarding workplace
Amazing management and colleagues. Extremely flexible hours, I apply for the time slot that works best for me. Get paid very nicely for what I find to be not too challenging of a job. Treated really well, feel very lucky to have such a nice job with such nice people. I enjoy interacting with the prospective students and their guardians. I think this job has really helped build my confidence and people skills.
PA and Administrator in Leeds Too extreme left wing for a stable working environment
Very anti LGBTQ and antisemitic workplace
Extreme left wing environment causing stress and bullying
Not a great place to work if you have a disability either
Some departments such as the Business school are excellent, professional and political free zones.
Most of the rest of the departments sadly are not
Professor in Woodhouse Lane, Leeds Leadership ambitions repeatedly stifled
The dean of my faculty (now retired) micro-managed too much, including controlling who was appointed to internal roles of responsibility that people were invited to apply for. He liked people who wouldn't rock the boat, so many ineffective, but nice, people were given departmental senior roles of responsibility and the potential of others wasn't nurtured and their progression was blocked. I felt under-deployed and my skills and talents stifled - this was an equality issue. I wasn't the only one to be effectively forced out, by 'stealth' (though I was aware of precisely what was going on), because my face no longer fitted. Academic colleagues in my department were for the most part professional and pleasant, but there were few friendship groups, so very little out-of-work socialising - people were colleagues, but not friends. In my previous place of work (another university) I'd had lots of friends who I sometimes socialised with. I had no trust in the integrity of either the person who was my head of department at the time or my dean of faculty.
IT Manager in Leeds, West Yorkshire ... but some animals are more equal than others
Although there are many nationalities, there are only four distinct races in the University of Leeds. In reverse order the hierarchyb
1. Students (as it should be)
2. Academic staff
3. Administration and office staff
4. Service staff (security, IT etc)
The students were fine and nearly always pleasant. The academics walk around like they are royalty. The admin staff are the worst to the service staff, probably because they are next in line for being the bottom of the pile.
If you are in the fourth and bottom race, the academics and admin staff treat you like dirt. Often you're not even allowed into certain break areas, those in office clothes will actually lock the door in front of you to keep you out!
The culture is so Big Brother and left wing, at times it was truly an Orwellian dystopia. Management will smile to your face, while stabbing you in the back.
PA & Business Support Officer in Leeds, West Yorkshire Culture
Poor management & bullying. Lack of collaboration. Too much expected in hours available to work especially in part time roles requiring home working to catch up. A culture of ‘us’ & ‘them’ with academic & non academic staff. Little training & support available when I first joined and a blame culture.