Work environment policy for the Department of Political Science
- including targets for the period 2024–2026 and action plan for 2026
On this page, you can read the Department of Political Science’s Health and Safety Policy, including its objectives for the period 2024–2026 and the action plan for 2026.
The Board of the Department of Political Science adopted this health and safety policy at its meeting on 17 April 2024. The action plan for 2024 was adopted at the same meeting. The policy is a local application of the Work Environment Policy for Lund University. It has been drawn up in accordance with the requirements set out in ‘AFS 2001:1 Systematic Work Environment Management and AFS 2015:4 Organisational and Social Work Environment’.
The policy, which was developed in consultation between the Head of Department, the health and safety representative, and representatives of teaching staff, administrative staff and students on the department’s board, sets out the overall direction of health and safety work at the department, together with objectives for the period 2024–2026 and short-term goals and measures for 2026 (updated 11 March 2026). The health and safety policy is aligned with the department’s “Plan for Gender Mainstreaming, Equal Treatment and Diversity”, which you can read more about here:
Work Environment Activities at the Department of Political Science – an introduction
Preventive work environment activities lead to a good working environment that benefits everyone. According to the Work Environment Act, work environment activities must be conducted in a systematic manner and form a natural part of daily operations. This means, among other things, that working conditions must be continuously reviewed, risk assessments carried out, risks addressed and followed up, and knowledge and information on health and safety issues disseminated in the workplace. Systematic health and safety work covers all physical, psychological and social conditions that are relevant to the working environment. Issues of gender equality and equal treatment constitute an important and integral part of health and safety work in this regard. These issues are addressed in more detail in a separate plan (Plan for Gender Mainstreaming, Equal Treatment and Diversity).
At the Department of Political Science, it is the Head of Department, as the person responsible for the working environment, who leads the health and safety work. This work is carried out in close collaboration with the department’s staff and students.
In accordance with the regulations AFS 2001:1 Systematic Health and Safety Work and AFS 2015:4 Organisational and Social Work Environment, every workplace must have a health and safety policy as part of its health and safety work. This policy shall describe the working conditions required to prevent ill health and accidents at work and to achieve a satisfactory working environment.
Health and Safety Policy for the Department of Political Science – overarching objectives
Increasing visibility and competition within and between universities and higher education institutions have raised the demands on the Department of Political Science as a research and teaching environment. This has also meant that the demands on the department as a workplace and in terms of the working environment in a broader sense have increased. The research and education conducted at the Department must be competitive, characterised by high quality, and stimulate creativity and innovative thinking. Furthermore, research and education must be carried out pleasantly in suitable and functional premises, accessible and adapted for all staff and students to the extent necessary.
To ensure that research and education are competitive and of high quality, a good working environment for staff and students is essential. It is vital that the department’s most important resource – people – feel at home and function well in their work, and are offered a safe, secure, stimulating and developmental working and study environment. In light of the special nature of a university department in terms of employment, working and study conditions – with high performance demands, a significant element of working alone and sometimes blurred boundaries between work and leisure – the prevention of psychosocial problems, such as negative stress and burnout, forms a particularly important component of work environment efforts. In this regard, a positive atmosphere for dialogue within the department and respectful treatment between staff members, as well as between staff and students, are of great importance for the working environment. Discrimination is not tolerated in the workplace or in the study environment, and there is zero tolerance for all forms of harassment. Alcohol and drug-related issues must also be taken into account in efforts to ensure a good working environment.
Recently, increased international recruitment has led to a growing proportion of staff who either lack proficiency in Swedish or are on fixed-term contracts. This increases the need for information initiatives regarding the department’s activities, organisational structure, administrative procedures and core values.
Work environment efforts form a natural part of the department’s operational planning and must be open to individual input. Resources for preventive work environment efforts and for information and training on these issues must be made available.
Responsibility for the working environment
The Head of Department is responsible for the day-to-day work environment management at the Department of Political Science and for ensuring that work environment considerations are included in the planning and implementation of all activities. The Head of Department is responsible for ensuring that work is carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Work Environment Act and the Discrimination Act, with the aim that no employee or student is harmed or suffers harm in the workplace or in the study environment, either physically or mentally. In instances where this responsibility cannot be fulfilled for any reason, the Head of Department must inform the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences for further handling of the matter.
Everyone working at the Department has a responsibility to ensure that irregularities or risks are identified and addressed. Instructions, regulations and procedures must be followed, and irregularities and risks must be reported to the Head of Department. The health and safety representative, as well as the student health and safety representative, are, through their roles and expertise, an important resource in health and safety work, as are the Department Board and the department’s working group for gender equality, equal treatment and diversity. However, none of these bodies are responsible for the working environment. It is always the Head of Department who bears ultimate responsibility.
Action plans and procedures
A cornerstone of efforts to ensure a good working environment is the existence of action plans and procedures for preventing and addressing any problems that may arise. These action plans and procedures, which are drawn up in consultation with and monitored by the Department of Political Science’s board, must be well known to all concerned. A skills development plan shall be drawn up in consultation with the individual and updated annually. A well-thought-out induction programme for staff, and for students at the start of both single-module courses and programme courses, shall be in place.
Another cornerstone of health and safety work is that the Head of Department keeps both themselves and the Departmental Board continuously informed about developments in the working environment. Regular staff meetings, health and safety inspections, staff appraisals, departmental retreats and the follow-up of action plans for the working environment are examples of preventive health and safety-related activities that take place at the Department of Political Science. Active rehabilitation and occupational injury management are undertaken once an injury has occurred. Monitoring of the students’ working environment takes place through special safety inspections and course evaluations that include questions regarding the physical and psychosocial environment.
Knowledge requirements and allocation of duties (delegation)
The Head of Department and others with responsibilities in health and safety work must have a good understanding of the department’s activities and be familiar with the health and safety regulations applicable in both the physical and psychosocial spheres. It is the head of department’s responsibility to ensure that staff and students are informed about how these regulations are to be applied, and to ensure that those concerned have the knowledge required to avoid injury or ill health. Particular emphasis must be placed on the induction of new staff, both Swedish-speaking and non-Swedish-speaking. The Head of Department is also responsible for ensuring that the department as a whole applies the regulations.
Where necessary, the Head of Department may delegate tasks relating to health and safety work to someone with the necessary competence for the tasks. Such delegation of tasks must then also include the powers and resources required to carry out the work. However, responsibility for supervision always remains with the Head of Department.
Risk assessment, measures and follow-up
Risks in the workplace at the Department of Political Science are investigated and assessed in a systematic manner. This applies to both physical and psychosocial risks, such as the risk of negative stress and burnout. Examples of factors that may affect the working environment and which are included in the risk assessment are management, workload, work organisation, work pace, working hours, the location of work, the form and content of work tasks, insecure employment conditions, conflicts of various kinds (including academic), abuse, threats, harassment and opportunities for influence. The risk assessment is carried out through, amongst other things, daily contact with staff, staff appraisals, staff meetings, surveys, safety inspections and various forms of measurement, for example, of air flow in teaching rooms. Risk assessments must always be documented and result in proposals for measures to eliminate or minimise the risks. The Head of Department is responsible for ensuring that risk assessments are carried out.
Before decisions on reorganisations, cost-cutting measures, redundancies, new investments, new builds or refurbishments, or other changes to the department’s operations, health and safety aspects must always be taken into account, risks investigated and consequences assessed in consultation with staff and students. Measures shall be taken to prevent negative effects as far as possible and minimise risks in ongoing operations. The systematic work environment management as a whole is reviewed annually in consultation with the University’s chief safety representative and the Buildings Unit in accordance with the review cycle established by the Faculty of Social Sciences.
Specific focus areas – consequences of cost-cutting measures and increased remote working
The economic situation has deteriorated recently, leading to various cost-cutting measures whose consequences must be monitored. Furthermore, since the COVID-19 pandemic, the increased prevalence of remote and home working has altered the working situation for many staff members. Key areas to consider in occupational health and safety work include the following:
- Consequences of changed working conditions for research due to cost-cutting measures for researchers and research students
- Consequences of changed working conditions due to cost-cutting measures for teachers and students
- Consequences of changed working conditions due to cost-cutting measures for administrative staff
- Physical working environment with an increased proportion of home working (e.g. ergonomics)
- Psychosocial working environment with an increased proportion of home working (e.g. perception of a lack of information/exclusion)
- Blurred boundaries between work and leisure time, with an increased proportion of home working
- The scope and implications of health and safety responsibilities with an increased proportion of home working
- Increased sick leave among staff as a result of changed working conditions
Goals for work environment management for the period 2024–2026
| Goals for work environment management at the Department of Government for the period 2024–2026 | Implementation | Responsible person/function |
|---|---|---|
| Organization | ||
| Annual performance reviews must be conducted with all employees; Salary discussions/salary-setting discussions must be offered to all employees. | The head of department and/or deputy head of department conducts development discussions/salary discussions/salary-setting discussions. | Prefect; bitr. the prefect of the FU; bitr. Prefect of the GU |
| Skills development plans must be in place for all employees. | A competence development plan is compiled after each development discussion. | Prefect; bitr. the prefect of the FU; bitr. Prefect of the GU |
| All supervisors in the doctoral education must undergo supervisor training or be able to demonstrate equivalent competence. | Supervisors in doctoral education who have not completed supervisor training shall be encouraged to complete such training. | Bitr. Head of Department FU; Director of Doctoral Studies |
| Work on issues of gender equality and equal treatment must be integrated into the systematic work environment management. A special plan for gender mainstreaming and equal treatment will be in place. | The plan for gender mainstreaming and non-discrimination is revised regularly. | Head of Department; Working Group on Gender Equality and Equal Treatment; Safety representative |
| The systematic work environment management must be followed up annually. | The head of department and safety representative carry out follow-up in accordance with the current annual cycle, in consultation with both the chief safety representative and the Faculty of Social Sciences, and with the department board and the doctoral student council. | Head of Department; house prefect; safety representative; Department Board; Doctoral Student Council |
| Employees must be given great insight into and the opportunity to influence work environment management. | The department has a safety representative who acts as a link between employees and management. The safety representative is a key way for employees to influence the systematic work environment management. Work environment-related issues are also raised regularly at various types of meetings, including kick-offs and workplace meetings. At such meetings, employees are given information about work environment issues and the opportunity to influence these. Employees also have the opportunity to participate in the annual safety inspection. | Head of Department; Safety representative; Department Board |
| Illness and sick leave | ||
|---|---|---|
| Negative stress in the work environment must be counteracted. | The work of clarifying expectations in different staff groups continues. | Head of Department; Assistant Head of Department for doctoral studies; Assistant Head of Department for undergraduate and master's education; Director of doctoral studies; Convener of the research council; Safety representative;Department Board; Doctoral Student Council |
| A special psychosocial safety inspection must be carried out annually. | Psychosocial safety rounds are carried out annually by the head of department and safety representative. The results are reported to the department board and to employees in connection with staff meetings. | Head of Department; Safety representative |
| Zero tolerance for occupational injuries. | See preventive measures. Any incidents must be reported in the IA system (the staff web) | Head of Department |
| An annual compilation of any work environment-related incidents must be made. | The head of department makes a compilation in consultation with the safety representative. | Head of Department; Safety representative |
| Long-term sick leave must be monitored and, if possible, reduced. | See preventive measures. | Head of Department |
| Rehabilitation conversations should be held with each long-term sick person; rehabilitation investigation must be carried out. | Head of Department/Deputy The head of department is responsible for ensuring that rehabilitation interviews are held and that rehabilitation investigations are carried out. The work is done in consultation with the personnel coordinator and the occupational health service. | Head of Department; Assistant Head of Department for doctoral studies; Assistant Head of Department for undergraduate and master's education |
| Preventive measures | ||
|---|---|---|
| The department must have a well-functioning digital work environment, physically as well as psychosocially, when working from home and remotely as well as when working on the department's premises. | Employees must be given the opportunity for digital skills development. Regular information activities will raise awareness of the opportunities and limitations of home and remote work, as well as of OSH challenges related to digital interaction. | Head of Department; Assistant Head of Department for doctoral studies; Assistant Head of Department for undergraduate and master's education; Department Board; The Doctoral Student Council |
| Wellness | Encourage and inform about the possibility of wellness, including the possibility of receiving compensation for "wellness costs" of a maximum of SEK 3,000/year. | Head of Department; Deputy Head of Department; Safety representative |
| Wellness | The opportunity for wellness/walking must be given for all employees, 1 hour/week, between 11 am and 2 pm. | Head of Department; Safety representative |
| Comfort care | "Kick-off" in August; Christmas celebrations in December; joint coffee breaks in connection with higher seminars and seminars for doctoral students, as well as "inspirational seminars" for teaching staff. Additional opportunities for socializing are provided for increased social cohesion. | Head of Department; Assistant Head of Department for doctoral studies; Assistant Head of Department for undergraduate and master's education; Deputy Head of Department; Director of undergraduate studies; Director of doctoral studies; Working Group on Equality and Non-Discrimination; Safety representative |
| Comfort care | Lavish common lunch and meeting room with free coffee and free fruit; Fruit basket 2 times/week. | Head of Department |
| The department strives to be an alcohol- and drug-free work and study environment. Alcohol may be allowed to occur to a moderate extent at staff parties and at representation. No one should feel questioned if they choose to abstain from alcohol. | All alcohol consumption in connection with staff parties and representation must be approved by the head of department. Alcohol consumption must be handled with discretion and non-alcoholic alternatives must always be offered. | Head of Department |
| New employees must be given good information about the workplace and about the work environment management, as well as about the benefits that come with a government employment. | Documentation regarding routines for the introduction of new employees is revised regularly and must be available on Svetnet. | Head of Department; Assistant Head of Department for doctoral studies; Assistant Head of Department for undergraduate and master's education; Director of doctoral studies; Web Editor |
| Visiting researchers staying at the department must be given good information about the workplace and about the university and, as far as possible, be offered office space. | Documentation regarding procedures for receiving visiting researchers is revised regularly and must be available at Svetnet. | Head of Department; House prefect; Assistant Head of Department for doctoral studies; Web Editor |
| The department should be a well-functioning parallel language environment, where all relevant information should be available in both Swedish and English. | The implementation of the department's language policy must be followed up regularly. All staff must be encouraged to develop their skills in Swedish and/or English. | Head of Department;Assistant Head of Department for doctoral studies; Assistant Head of Department for undergraduate and master's education; Deputy Head of Department; Director of undergraduate studies; Director of doctoral studies; Department Board |
| Job descriptions and division of roles between administrative staff, including back-up functions, shall be clear. | Job descriptions are updated continuously, especially in connection with new recruitment of administrative staff, and must be available on Svetnet. | Head of Department; Web Editor |
| Work and teaching premises must have a satisfactory indoor climate. | All perceived problems are reported to Akademiska Hus, either by employees, caretakers or head of department. | Head of Department; House prefect; Safety representative; Caretaker |
Work and teaching premises and associated equipment shall be in good condition, including equipment for digital and hybrid teaching.
| Work and teaching facilities are inspected regularly. During the period, special attention will be paid to equipment for digital teaching and teaching in hybrid format, as well as competence development regarding such teaching. | Head of Department; House prefect; Director of first and second cycle studies; Safety representative; Caretaker |
| Eden's outdoor environments should be inviting and in good condition. | Regular follow-up in connection with house meetings with Akademiska Hus. | Local project Campus Paradis, Head of Department; Akademiska Hus |
| The physical and digital accessibility of the workplace must be good for both employees and students. | Continuously monitored and taken into account especially during annual safety rounds and course evaluations. Digital accessibility issues will be given special attention during the period. | Head of Department; Safety representative; Working Group on Equality and Non-Discrimination; Web Editor |
| Each workplace must be individually adapted to avoid musculoskeletal injuries. Special requests for the design of the individual workplace must be accommodated as far as possible. | Helen Fogelin acts as a general resource when it comes to questions related to the physical design of individual workplaces. In case of problems with musculoskeletal injuries, occupational health care should always be contacted. | Head of Department; Assistant Head of Department for doctoral studies; Assistant Head of Department for undergraduate and master's education; Helen Fogelin; Safety representative |
| First aid-trained personnel must be on each floor (2, 3 and 4). The department must have a total of at least eight people with first aid training. | The department currently meets Lund University's requirements. Subject to availability, additional persons shall be given the opportunity to participate in first aid training. | Safety representative; Head of Department
|
| All staff must be informed about the placement of defibrillators in Eden and its basic function. | All staff must be reminded of the location of the defibrillator. New staff are given a brief introduction to the function of the defibrillator. | Safety representative; Head of Department |
| All personnel must undergo general fire safety training or refresher training. | Employees undergo continuous practical fire safety training. Practical fire protection training was carried out in the spring semester of 2023. The next training session is planned for the spring semester of 2028. Catch-up heats are carried out continuously, either practically or theoretically. | Head of Department; Fire Safety Officer |
| Annual evacuation exercises must be carried out and followed up. | Evacuation exercise is planned and carried out in cooperation with the rescue services. | Head of Department; Fire Safety Officer |
| Escape routes must be kept clear; The fire and rescue services must have good access to our premises. | Students are regularly informed about the ban on bicycle parking in front of Eden. | Head of Department; Akademiska Hus |
| Annual safety inspections and fire safety inspections must be carried out and followed up. | Safety inspections are carried out annually, usually during the month of May. The results are reported to the department board and to employees at staff meetings. | Head of Department; House prefect; Fire Safety Officer; Safety representative; Department Board |
| Crisis and disaster plan must be in place. | Crisis and disaster plan is revised regularly. | Head of Department; Crisis group |
| Staff and students must be supported in considerations in connection with business trips and fieldwork (from a safety point of view). | A special working group may be convened on individual matters if necessary. Central travel policy at LU is integrated into the department's activities. | Head of Department;Assistant Head of Department for doctoral studies; Assistant Head of Department of the University of Gothenburg; Supervisors |
| Staff and students must be supported with regard to ethical considerations in the role of researcher. | Seminars on ethical review and ethical considerations in the role of researcher are arranged regularly. | Head of Department; Assistant Head of Department for doctoral studies |
| The list of relatives must be updated annually. | Updating of the list of relatives is done continuously. | Head of Department; Safety representative |
| The personal safety and security of employees and students, e.g. protection against theft and assault in the workplace and in the study environment, must be guaranteed as far as possible. | Information about appropriate action in the event of an incident must be easily available under the heading "If something happens" on the department's website and Svetnet. The perimeter protection for Eden, both externally and up to the third and fourth floors, is evaluated annually, in consultation with LU Bygg and the security company on duty. | Head of Department; House prefect; Safety representative; Web Editor |
| Doctoral students should have access to their own workspace as far as possible. Project assistants shall, as far as possible, be given access to their own workplace. | Room allocation is made by the head of department in consultation with the head of department, assistant head of department. Heads of department and staff concerned.
| Head of Department; Deputy Head of Department; House prefect; Director of doctoral studies; Safety representative |
| Students must be given a great opportunity to influence the work environment. | Questions about the students' work environment are dealt with on an ongoing basis by the department board. The students' work environment is also taken into account in course evaluations and in connection with safety inspections. | Head of Department; Safety representative; Director of undergraduate studies |
| Students must not participate in teaching in case of illness. | Students are urged to stay at home if they have symptoms of illness. | Director of undergraduate studies; Study counsellor; Teachers |
| High availability of study workplaces; Generous opening hours in premises available to the department's students. | Opening hours in premises available to the department's students are continuously reviewed. Information about opening hours must be made visible on the department's website, on information screens and on course pages in Canvas. | Head of Department; House prefect; Director of undergraduate studies; Faculty of Social Sciences |
| Employees and students must have good knowledge of the systematic work environment management, including the procedure for handling violations and harassment. | Information on the department's website and Svetnet about the work environment and the work with gender equality and equal treatment is updated continuously. | Head of Department; Safety representative; Web Editor |
| Information about the department's various working groups/persons with special areas of responsibility must be made available via the department's website. | Information on Svetnet regarding different working groups/people with special areas of responsibility is updated continuously. | Head of Department; Safety representative; Web Editor. |
Action plan for 2026
| Short-term goals for work environment management at the Department of Political Science in 2026, as a complement to the overall goals for the period. | Implementation | Responsible person/function |
|---|---|---|
| Improved accessibility of information about work environment management, especially information about procedures and measures in the event of incidents. | Continued review of information about work environment management on the department's websites. | Head of Department; bitr. Head of Department; safety representative; web editor; Department Board |
| Monitoring of the consequences (negative and positive) of cost-cutting measures on all professional groups within the department. | Ongoing monitoring. Brought up in connection with various employee meetings, board meetings and development discussions. Evaluate the quality of courses that have suffered from savings. Ongoing development work to enable continued high quality of work and a good working environment. | Head of Department; bitr. Head of Department; director of undergraduate studies; director of doctoral studies; safety representative; Department Board |
| Monitoring of AI and its impact on teaching and research. | Ongoing monitoring, discussion and training on the use of AI in teaching and research, as well as its consequences. | Head of Department, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Director of Doctoral Studies |
Be aware of risks: - Trips to "difficult countries" - Media in an increasingly polarized world (vulnerability, threat of violence) - Academic freedom - Turmoil in the outside world | Continuous monitoring and information. Risk analysis. Discussions and seminars. Information about requests for public documents (e.g. email). | Head of Department, Deputy Head of Department Heads of Department, Communications Officer |
| Violence in the vicinity (Campus Paradis) | Crisis management plan. Training of management team etc. Exercises (e.g. containment) Continuous discussions. | Crisis management group (Head of Department, Deputy Head of Department, House Perfect, Communication Officer, HR) |
Follow-up/evaluation of the annual work environment policy
| Short annual report. Use external evaluations of undergraduate and postgraduate education. | Head of Department, Safety Representative |
Contact
Please contact us if you have questions regarding work environment management at the Department of Political Science or at Lund University as a whole:
Department of Political Science
Kristina Jönsson, Head of Department 046 – 222 89 43
kristina [dot] jonsson [at] svet [dot] lu [dot] se (kristina[dot]jonsson[at]svet[dot]lu[dot]se)
Åsa Knaggård, Safety Representative 046-222 01 64
asa [dot] knaggard [at] svet [dot] lu [dot] se (asa[dot]knaggard[at]svet[dot]lu[dot]se)
Psychosocial work environment
Occupational health care
Reception (Occupational Health Doctor, Occupational Health Nurse, Occupational Physiotherapist, Occupational Psychologist): 046 – 222 32 80
Occupational health care | HR web
Student Health Service
Reception (Occupational Health Doctor, Counsellor, Psychologist, Occupational Health Nurse, Physiotherapist): 046 – 222 43 77
Student Health Service | Lund University
Social Sciences Student Union at Lund University
Responsible for student social issues: pres [dot] stu [at] samvetet [dot] lu [dot] se (pres[dot]stu[at]samvetet[dot]lu[dot]se)
Social Sciences Student Union at LU - Home
More information on questions about the work environment can be found here:
- Home | Department of Political Science
- Internal website | SVETNET – Internal Department of Political Science
- Lund University's page on work environment and psychosocial work environment: Work environment and health | Staff Pages
- If something happens at Lund University (unified portal with information): Security | Staff Pages
- The Swedish Work Environment Authority: Start - Arbetsmiljöverket