Chapter 3 Group Culture

Fostering a positive group culture is crucial for our success!

3.1 Values

At CAMARADES Edinburgh, our mission is grounded in the pursuit of excellence in research, driven by a commitment to collaboration, diversity, equity, and inclusion. These core values underpin every facet of our group’s activities and interactions.

Excellence in our work and research integrity

We study and are interested in improving research. Therefore, it is paramount that we all conduct our research with unwavering integrity, ensuring that it aligns with our mission to promote reproducibility. By joining the CAMARADES group, you are pledging to adhere to the highest ethical standards in research.

Don’t make up data, fabricate results, or otherwise misrepresent findings. For any reason. Ever.

Under no circumstances should data be fabricated, results falsified, or findings misrepresented. This principle is non-negotiable—scientific misconduct, in any form, is unacceptable. No deadline, grant, or publication should ever justify compromising the integrity of our research. Given our ongoing scrutiny of transparency, methodology, and reproducibility-related issues, every aspect of our work must meet the highest standards of quality. We expect all members to hold themselves and their peers to this elevated standard. It is crucial to have confidence in your work and seek guidance from fellow members when uncertainty arises. Should you detect any errors, promptly inform project leaders and notify Emily and Malcolm.

We are immensely fortunate to have had exceptional members whose integrity has been exemplary. As a result, the work produced by CAMARADES is esteemed, trusted, and frequently cited. As a member of CAMARADES, it is incumbent upon you to uphold and perpetuate this tradition of excellence.

Collaboration

Collaboration lies at the heart of our approach. We recognise the power of collective wisdom and actively seek out partnerships with researchers, institutions, and stakeholders worldwide. By fostering interdisciplinary collaborations, we amplify the impact of our work and accelerate progress toward our shared goals. We also encourage collaboration within the team.

An important note: Emily and Malcolm kindly ask you let them know about any collaborations outside the team. Given the nature of our work, you may be directly approached for assistance, advice, or other tasks that require your time and expertise. While we wholeheartedly encourage collaboration, it’s helpful that all such requests or activities are discussed with Emily or Malcolm beforehand. This is to ensure proper acknowledgment for your contributions and to safeguard your dedicated time for internal activities.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We embrace diversity in all its forms, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, disability, and socioeconomic background. We believe that diverse perspectives enrich our research, enhance creativity, and foster a more inclusive scientific community. Our commitment to equity ensures fair and equitable access to opportunities, resources, and recognition for all our members and beyond.

We recognise that upholding our values is not just a statement but a continuous commitment that must be reflected in every aspect of our group’s culture and operations. We strive to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where all individuals feel respected, valued, and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives. By fostering a culture of openness, empathy, and mutual respect, we cultivate a vibrant community that thrives on collaboration and collective success.

3.2 Expectations

Professionalism - While we operate in an informal manner, it remains crucial that we uphold a standard of professional conduct that reflects our commitment to excellence, integrity, and mutual respect. As members of the CAMARADES group, we uphold the highest standards of professionalism in all our interactions, both within our team or with external collaborators and stakeholders

Working hours - We encourage you to work regular hours (i.e. 09:00-17:00) but we understand and fully support those who require flexibility due to personal or professional reasons. However, we ask you to exercise common sense when arranging your schedule. Working extremely early hours, such as starting at 05:00 and finishing at 13:00 will likely hinder effective communication and collaboration with your colleagues. If you wish to adjust your hours (e.g. condense your hours), please discuss it with Emily and/or Malcolm. Please see the University’s Flexible Working Policy for further details.

Hybrid Working - Whilst we acknowledge that traditional Monday to Friday in-person is long behind us, we encourage you to spend at least 3 days per week in the office. Additionally, we request that one of these days is a Tuesday when we expect all members to be on campus for the in-person meetings that happen on that day. Please be aware that the University has implemented a Hybrid Working Policy, which we advise you to review for further guidance on remote and in-person work arrangements.

Absences - Absences are a natural part of professional life and may occur for various reasons, including attendance at conferences, workshops, or due to illness.

If you’re feeling unwell, it’s crucial to inform us as soon as possible. You can do so via your preferred method of communication – whether it’s a message in the CAMARADES WhatsApp group, a text to Emily or Malcolm, or an email. Your health and well-being are paramount to us, and we also prioritise the health of the entire group, so please refrain from coming to work if you’re unwell and risk infecting others 😉

For planned absences, such as attending conferences or workshops, we kindly request that you include these in your Outlook calendar. While you may have already notified us in advance, keeping track of everyone’s movements can be challenging, and we will utilise your Outlook calendar to help us stay informed of your whereabouts. Additionally, enabling your out-of-office auto-response will help notify colleagues of your absence, ensuring smooth communication within the team.

In the unfortunate event of illness, please prioritise your recovery and take the necessary time off before returning to work. Your health is of utmost importance, and we encourage you to rest and recuperate fully before resuming your duties.

By maintaining open communication about absences and taking proactive measures to manage planned or unplanned time away, we can ensure continuity of work and support each other in maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Scheduling meetings - Meetings should be scheduled during the working day. However, considering the nature of our work and our extensive collaborative network spanning multiple time zones, there may be occasions when virtual meetings need to be arranged outside of the standard working hours to accommodate global colleagues. Such instances are rare but may be necessary for effective collaboration.

For meetings held on campus, we recommend scheduling them between 10:00 and 16:00. This is especially crucial for accommodating individuals with caring responsibilities, allowing them to balance their work commitments with their personal obligations.

To streamline meeting organisation and avoid unnecessary back-and-forth communication, we encourage everyone to keep their Outlook calendars up to date. This practice facilitates efficient scheduling by providing visibility into each person’s availability. Additionally, it is entirely acceptable to block off times in your calendar when you prefer to keep meeting-free, allowing you to focus on uninterrupted work or personal tasks.

Supervisory meetings - All team members will have one-to-one supervisory meetings with either Malcolm or Emily; or where appropriate another senior member of the team. These sessions will be scheduled by mutual agreement (normally between fortnightly and monthly) and are crucial for our team’s dynamics.

These meetings provide regular feedback and guidance, ensuring that you receive the support you need to excel. We use these sessions to monitor the progress of projects, swiftly addressing any challenges that may arise to maintain momentum and productivity. By discussing goals, timelines, and responsibilities, these meetings reinforce accountability for both supervisors and supervisees, ensuring that everyone remains committed to our collective success.

These sessions also ensure that everyone is aligned in terms of expectations, goals, and priorities, minimising misunderstandings and maximising synergy within the team.

Conflict resolution - At CAMARADES, we strive to cultivate a collegial, supportive and collaborative environment where conflicts are addressed promptly and constructively. While conflicts may arise from time to time, we believe in resolving them swiftly and positively for the benefit of our team’s cohesion and effectiveness.

Most conflicts stem from misunderstandings or differing perspectives. When faced with a disagreement or conflict, we encourage team members to approach the situation with openness and curiosity. Asking questions such as “What led you to this conclusion?” or “Can you clarify your perspective?” can help uncover underlying reasons and promote understanding. It’s important to recognise that misunderstandings are common and that clear communication is key to resolving conflicts.

If efforts to resolve the conflict through discussion are unsuccessful, we encourage team members to reach out to Malcolm or Emily for assistance. We value open communication and transparency, and we would much prefer to address conflicts early on, rather than allowing them to escalate and become more challenging to resolve later.

3.3 Work-life balance

We understand the challenges of balancing personal life with academic commitments and research demands. If you find yourself struggling, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Emily or Malcolm. We’re here to support you in any way we can, whether it’s offering advice, adjusting responsibilities within the group, or providing assistance.

It’s important to emphasise that you are not expected to check or respond to emails or messages outside of your regular work hours. Simply check your email and messages at the start of your next workday and respond accordingly. As part of the CAMARADES team, you will quickly realise that communications may come at various times, including nights and weekends. However, please be assured that there are no hidden expectations or agendas—we do not expect you to maintain these hours or respond to CAMARADES communications during your time. In an emergency, you will likely be contacted directly, but this should be very rare.

An important factor in a healthy work-life balance is the use of your annual leave entitlement.

Take time off! Please take all 36 days of your annual entitlement.

The holiday year runs from 1 January to 31 December and in addition to annual leave, staff are entitled to four public holidays when the University is closed around the festive period in December and January.

If you are ill whilst on annual leave you should make your line manager in People & Money or our local HR Anna Gordon aware as they will adjust your record to ensure this is taken as sick days as opposed to a holiday.

Please refer to the University’s Annual Leave Policy.

3.4 Professional development

Your ongoing development is a priority for us, and in alignment with both University and College policies, you are expected to undergo an annual Performance and Development Review (PDR; also known as an appraisal). This review serves as a significant moment of reflection. It is in no way a pass/fail assessment, but rather an opportunity for self-evaluation and growth

Conducted by both Emily and Malcolm, these reviews focus on evaluating your progress against predetermined objectives and identifying learning and development needs to bolster both your individual growth and that of the team. Participation in these appraisals is mandatory for all staff, and for the academic year, they should be completed by 30th June.

In early April, we will begin scheduling these review meetings. In advance of the meeting, you will be required to complete the College Performance & Development Review (P&DR) Form and the CAMARADES annual reflection form. Can you please send your completed forms to Emily and Malcolm on the working day prior to your scheduled meeting. The College HR site has some useful guidance on preparation and process.

Typically, these meetings last about an hour, but we can allocate more time if necessary. It is important to bring along your signed form from the previous year for reference and continuity.

In addition to these annual reviews, we firmly believe in the significance of allocating time for ongoing development activities. We highly encourage you to reserve approximately half a day per week for engaging in continuous training and development.

The Institute for Academic Development (IAD) offers plenty of excellent resources and courses accessible to both staff and students. Should you identify an external course that may incur costs, discuss this with Emily and/or Malcolm during a supervisory meeting or your annual appraisal. Rest assured, we are committed to supporting your professional development and will make every effort to accommodate relevant courses within our budgetary constraints.

3.5 Academic Citizenship

We take great pride in the commitment demonstrated by many of our team members towards academic citizenship. The inherent value of academic citizenship lies in its ability to strengthen the academic community, propel the advancement of knowledge and scholarship, uphold ethical standards, and champion inclusivity and diversity. Embracing the principles of academic citizenship is a vital step towards contributing to the collective pursuit of excellence and the enhancement of society through education, research, and scholarly engagement.

We wholeheartedly encourage you to engage in citizenship activities that align with your interests and capabilities. These activities may encompass a range of endeavours, including mentoring, peer review, participation in institutional committees, organisation of conferences and workshops, outreach and public engagement initiatives, and advocacy for equity, diversity, and inclusion. It’s important to acknowledge that citizenship activities can be time-consuming.

To ensure a healthy balance, we encourage open discussion of these activities during supervisory one-to-one meetings. This allows us to collectively ensure that these endeavours enrich our academic community without overwhelming individual commitments.