Frequently Asked Questions

Why are we doing this?

There are 3,800 people working in Trinity College (3,500 FTE). We need staffing plans in place so that we know the posts we have, the vacancies we have, the people who are due to retire or finish up on fixed term contracts and how we can best use our resources to meet the needs of the university. We need to determine the posts required to run the School/Unit this year. We want to avoid making staffing decisions in isolation or in a reactive way. Advance planning gives better outcomes.

What if the School / Unit doesn’t complete a staffing plan?

The area will continue to deal with each request as it arises.

What if the School / Unit needs a post but does not have the funds?

Consider utilisation of reserves, where relevant and appropriate. Alternatively, a business case may be made to the Recruitment Sub-Committee, with Dean/Chief Officer approval. Note the Recruitment Sub-Committee cannot allocate funds.

Why don't we do staff planning and budgeting at the same time?

The Baseline Budgeting Model is currently under review. Ideally staff planning and budgeting would occur together however they need to occur in parallel streams at present.

What data is used in the Planning process?

School Reports (provided monthly) and Recruitment Pipeline (provided monthly, or more often if required) and Staff Approvals (posts currently in the approval process)

What if all the posts in my area are identified as being necessary on an ongoing basis (green) - Does that mean they will be funded?

The categorisation of posts does not provide funds for the posts. This is a staff planning exercise, not a budgeting exercise.

How are new posts treated in the staff planning process?

New posts are categorised like any other post and included on the plan if they are known about at the planning stage.

What exactly is submitted to Planning Group for noting?

A high-level summary of the posts in the School / Unit, including any posts in recruitment or posts in the approval process that are about to be approved. There is a template slide deck that outlines the level of detail required for Planning Group. The individual lists are not necessary for Planning Group.

How often does the Plan need to be reviewed after it has been noted at Planning Group?

The Plan is a live document and planning is an iterative process so the Plan can be reviewed as often as the Faculty/Division wishes.

If the Plan changes after it has been noted by Planning Group, what happens then?

If the Dean / Chief Officer wishes to resubmit the plan for noting, they can do so. Depending on the nature or significance of the changes, it may not be necessary to re-submit the plan.