Communities of Practice & Professional Networks - Case Study

Organisational Structure and Design Case Study

While the University’s devolved structure contributes to our achievements by fostering agility and adaptability to the diverse needs of departments and cross-disciplinary collaborations, it can also make it difficult for staff in similar roles to connect across boundaries. This can result in staff feeling isolated, frustrated or confused, or having to “reinvent the wheel”.  

The People and Organisational Development (POD) team has worked across the University to support and create tools to help hundreds of professional services colleagues to connect with colleagues and form professional communities. This work, focussed on Communities of Practice (CoP) and Professional Networks, is part of the Professional Services Together programme.  

Marc Adams, Organisational Development Consultant, working closely with senior stakeholders and colleagues across departments and divisions, is the POD lead for this work. 

“I have definitely benefited from my PA being part of the EA/PA Community. The sharing of best practice, resources and information has meant that there is less reinventing the wheel and more effective use of time. PAs can also be standalone roles; this community brings a sense of being part of a wider profession which is so important.” 

Sophie Gibbons, Head of Administration and Finance, Department of Computer Science.   

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Professional communities are formed by staff who share a common expertise, profession, or field of interest. These specialised groups foster a collaborative environment where members can share knowledge and develop innovative approaches to tackle shared challenges. 

POD focuses on supporting structured Communities of Practice and Professional Networks. 

The aims of this work include bringing together colleagues who feel they are working in silos and promoting a more integrated and cohesive working environment. This interconnectedness enables colleagues to leverage their collective expertise, tap into diverse perspectives, improve career development, and drive innovation throughout the University. 

POD has supported over 17 professional communities and hundreds of their members. 

Working with colleagues across Oxford, POD has: 

Professional communities have numerous benefits for Professional Services colleagues at the individual, team, and University level.   

In a member survey: 

  • 91% agreed their CoP reflected being better connected with each other 

  • 86% agreed their CoP reflected sharing ideas across divisions  

  • 84% reported a positive impact on collaboration with others 

  • 77% agreed their CoP reflected finding solutions together 

  • 63% reported a positive impact on their approach to work 

 

The CoP has helped me learn different ways to go about my role. How to connect with more people, how to interact with people, how to encourage/influence people to join your network and what you can offer them in return for doing so.

Being part of a community of practice is a transformative experience. You gain a sense of perspective, how your work fits into a large organisation – and how valuable it is. The network offers professional support, paths to professional development and opportunities to shape new ways of working.

It is really gratifying to talk (face to face) with others who experience the same frustrations. We eat cake and drink coffee when we meet and our twice-monthly meet ups are something that I really, really look forward to. What I have learned from my peers has definitely helped me in my job, so it is time well-spent from that perspective, too.

 

 

 

 

Related links

Supporting Technicians

Communities of Practice

Organisational development links

Change and Transformation

Management and Leadership Development

Fostering Positive Culture

Organisational Structure and Design

Strategic Planning

Team Effectiveness