YOUR PATHWAY, YOUR VOICE SURVEY RESULTS 2025

Throughout March and April, our branch opened a survey on the use of research and teaching pathways at MMU. We did this as an increasing number of members have been coming to us with questions and concerns about the REC and EPC pathways.

We have raised these with management but have not been reassured.

We said that we consider this a significant change to job descriptions, and a potential variation of contact, with changes limiting the opportunities for some staff, reducing career and role flexibility, and introducing scope for stricter performance management.

They said the pathways aren’t new, that existing contracts allow for this, that there haven’t been changes, just clarifications e.g. of workload, job descriptions, and progression expectations, and that the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

We know this is not the case.

The survey summary below and report support our view that colleagues feel disenfranchised and overloaded as a result of the strict adherence to pathways without flexibility. We will continue to represent this view to the employer.

SUMMARY

There was an unprecedented response to the survey with 331 responses, indicating how significant an issue this is. A need for control and agency was a common theme throughout, as were change, a lack of clarity, and demands. These are identified by the HSE Management Standards as crucial to a healthy workplace.

• 82.3% indicated that pathways are either very important or important to them. 
• More than half of respondents did not choose their pathway (55.7%), and 56.4% indicated they did not have the opportunity to discuss which pathway was most suitable for them.
• Just under half (48.2%) of respondents are happy with their current pathway.
• Those on the REC pathway were significantly happier on their pathway (REC = 59.8%, EPC = 36.2%).
• Only 20% of respondents answered “Yes” to the question of whether we should have separate pathways.
• 86% of respondents felt their pathway should be their choice, and 87% feel they should be able to move between pathways throughout their career.
• Only 34.7% of respondents feel confident that their current pathway will help them to develop their career in the way they want.
• 72% of respondents disagree that the EPC and REC pathways are equally respected by MMU.
• Those on the EPC pathway had significantly less confidence than REC colleagues that their pathway would help develop their career (EPC = 26.2%, REC = 42.9%) and make them more competitive in applications to other universities (EPC = 6.2%, REC = 54.3%).
• 64.3% disagreed that the demands and outputs on their pathway are manageable within their contracted working hours.
• While those on the REC pathway were significantly happier on their pathway, BUT they were also significantly less likely to feel that the demands and outputs expected were manageable (REC = 16.3%, EPC = 23.8%), and significantly more likely to report stress due to this (REC = 68.5%, EPC = 47.7%).
• Language tutors and G7 staff indicated they are excluded from the pathways.
• There was a difference in the responses of REC and EPC respondents with 79% indicating their current pathway reflects or partially reflects the contract they signed, compared with only 46.4% of EPC responses.
• There was a strong theme throughout, that whilst the pathways suited some, many felt they were restrictive and inflexible, and that they created barriers and challenges. Language in the qualitative responses was often emotive, showing a strong sense of feeling, and in some cases upset, about how their role was changing, and their work was being determined and evaluated.
• Demands for management were:  1. Abolish the pathways, 2. Allow for Flexibility and Choice, 3. Reintroduce research into EPC, 4. Realistic workload expectations and research, 5. Transparent, consistent, and realistic targets, expectations and opportunities for progression and 6. Address unequal esteem and resentment between pathways
• Only 6.8% of responses had confidence in university management to implement suggested changes, with 61.8% indicating they had no confidence, and 31.4% selecting maybe.

This summary is an extract of our full report which can be found here – Your Pathway Your Voice Survey Report 2025