Every day, thousands of people communicate with one another across the University of Lodz: employees, students, researchers, teachers, external partners and others involved in the university’s activities. Good communication is the foundation of this cooperation. However, we want it to be not only effective, but also thoughtful, considerate and respectful of both working time and private time.
For this reason, the UniLodz Work-Life Balance Team has prepared a practical guide to professional communication culture.
It is a set of straightforward recommendations and good practices that help strike a balance between the efficient completion of tasks and the wellbeing of the people who make up our academic community. It offers, among other things, guidance on planning and assigning tasks, choosing the appropriate time to send messages, using delayed email delivery and auto-replies, and communicating with students.
Time for Work and Time for Yourself
One of the key ideas behind the guide is the right to disconnect: the right to rest and enjoy personal time without the expectation of being constantly available for work-related matters.
We recommend that professional communication take place within agreed working hours and that messages sent outside those hours should not imply a need for an immediate response. Whenever a prompt reply is not required, we should make use of tools that allow messages to be scheduled for delivery on the next working day.
These are small changes to everyday habits, but they can make a significant difference to workplace comfort, a sense of autonomy and a healthy work-life balance.
Good Communication Is a Shared Responsibility
The guide is not a set of rules or prohibitions. Rather, it is an invitation to work together in building an organisational culture in which we respect one another’s time, remain mindful of others’ needs and remember that there is a person behind every email, phone call and message.
We believe that caring for wellbeing is not at odds with efficiency. On the contrary, good working conditions, mutual respect and the opportunity to rest foster effective cooperation and enable us to achieve our shared goals more successfully.
We encourage everyone who is part of the University of Lodz community to read the guide and make use of the recommendations it contains.
Because good communication begins with respect, including respect for another person’s time, boundaries and wellbeing.
Text: mgr Eliza Gaust (Centre for External Relations and Social Responsibility of the University, University of Lodz)
