Goals for work environment and equal terms 2025–2026

Responsible unit: Human Resources Office

Contact: Parasto Rosencrantz

Introduction

Stockholm university’s strategy with work environment and equal terms aims to create a safe and inspiring environment to work and study in.

The Council for Work Environment and Equal Conditions (RALV) is Stockholm University’s safety committee, and it, together with the local councils/groups, forms the university’s structure for its systematic work with work environment and equal terms issues. Stockholm University has the ultimate responsibility for the work environment and equal terms work based on two perspectives: as employer vis-à-vis the employees and as education provider vis-à-vis the students. However, every manager, employee and student are expected to take personal responsibility for the shared work and study environment and contribute to a positive working climate.

Based on the Work Environment and Equal Opportunity Policy, a number of overall goals has been defined – goals that the university should always strive towards.

To achieve this, the goals need to be broken down into sub-goals. The selection of these sub-goals is based, among other things, on various surveys – for example the employee survey – but also from problem descriptions and needs raised from the operations, safety organization, the unions and the Student Union.

This goal document is divided into five areas:

• Systematic work environment and equal terms
  
• Organizational and social work environment
  
• Equal terms
  
• Physical work environment
  
• Study environment – the students' work environment.

The goals and a description of the area can be found under each heading in this document.

The overall goal and sub-goals apply to the entire university, and should be broken down and worked with at the respective department/equivalent. The overall goals will be followed up at the end of the validity period of the governing document.

Systematic work environment and equal terms

The Council for Work Environment and Equal Conditions – RALV – is Stockholm University's safety committee, and the structure that Stockholm University has chosen for its systematic work environment and equal terms issues. It is important that all managers, employees and students are aware of this and that everyone actively contributes to constantly improving the work and study environment. The employer has the main responsibility for the work and study environment, and to ensure this, the responsibility for the implementing work environment and equal conditions tasks is delegated to managers within the organization. In order to succeed in these tasks, managers should have sufficient knowledge and prerequisites for the assignment.

Cooperation and collaboration are a prerequisite for creating a good work/study environment. In order to create a forum for local collaboration, all departments/equivalents have a local council where collaboration takes place between the employer, work environment representatives, study environment representatives and PhD student representatives (also known as doctoral student representatives). The local councils are also an important part of ensuring that work environment and equal terms work is carried out systematically, scheduled and documented.

An important part of the systematic work environment and equal terms work is to carry out risk assessments before major changes, in order to prevent risks of ill health and accidents arising.

General objective

Heads of departments/managers should have sufficient knowledge and prerequisites to conduct active and systematic work environment and equal terms work, and employees should have knowledge of how the systematic work environment and equal terms work is conducted and participate actively in this work.

Objectives 2025–2026

1. The work in the local council should promote collaboration and contribute to the systematic work environment and equal terms work at the department/equivalent. It should be known to the employees how to work with work environment and equal conditions issues at the department/equivalent.
   
2. Equal terms issues and active measures should be included as a natural part of the systematic work environment and equal terms work.
   

Organizational and social work environment

An unhealthy workload can lead to a deteriorating working climate, which in turn increases the risk of conflicts and, in the worst case, victimization or other forms of abusive actions. A healthy workload is, in other words, also an important component of a good working climate, and an important issue to work with in order to ultimately prevent employees from feeling exposed to various forms of abusive actions.

In order to prevent the risk of an unhealthy workload, it is necessary to work with both organizational and psychosocial work environment aspects of the work environment simultaneously. To succeed in this work, one needs to balance the needs of the operations with the individual conditions of the employees, and this requires knowledge and competence on the part of both managers and employees.

One area that needs to be developed and followed up is digital work environment and digital accessibility.

One aspect of organizational and social work environment includes active efforts to counteract and manage situations involving threats and hatred. A workplace should be a safe environment free from violence.

General objective

As an employee at Stockholm University, you should experience that you have a good organizational and social work environment. Everyone should take joint responsibility for constantly improving the work environment and everyone actively contributes to this work.

Objectives 2025–2026

1. Increase managers´ knowledge on how to prevent an unhealthy workload and how to identify early signs of ill health among their employees.
2. Increase employees´ knowledge on what they can do to manage and influence their work situation, as well as how to identify and recognize their own signs of ill health.
3. Knowledge and competence regarding the digital work environment should increase and clearly be included as a part of the systematic work environment and equal terms work.
4. Raise awareness about threats and hatred related to work, and clarify the support functions available.
   

Equal terms

In order to be able to identify and work preventively with risks of discrimination and offensive actions, systematically active measures are required at both local and central level. Work environment and equal terms issues should be included as a natural part of the operations.

At Stockholm University, there is zero tolerance towards offensive actions.
In order to be able to support employees and students who feel subjected to offensive actions, it is a prerequisite that everyone knows where to turn to for support and where to find information regarding this. Another important prerequisite is that the university has a clear process regarding handling these issues which also clarifies the employer/education provider's responsibilities are in this work. Furthermore, it is crucial that information and support for employees and students reported for offensive actions is available.

General objective

The work and study environment should make use of the resources that employees and students with different backgrounds, life situations and skills bring to the university. Everyone should treat each other in a respectful manner and at Stockholm University there is zero tolerance for discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment and victimization.

Objectives 2025–2026

1. Increase awareness among managers and employees about inclusive workplaces.
2. Employees and students should know where to turn to if they feel subjected to harassment, sexual harassment, or victimization.
3. Employees and students should know where to turn to for support if they are reported for harassment, sexual harassment, or victimization.
4. Develop clear information regarding accessibility and work assistive devices for employees.

Physical work environment

Physical work environment is part of the systematic work environment and equal terms work. With clear guidelines on physical work environment regarding where the work should be conducted and where support is available, negative health effects of a poor physical work environment among employees and students can be prevented.

An important part of the preventive work is to investigate, address, and follow up work-related injuries and accidents. Core operations representatives, the unions and the safety organization have expressed that they find the current handling of work-related injuries and incidents unclear in terms of responsibility which creates difficulties during investigation and follow-up. To be able to work preventively with these work environment issues, routines, tools and system support need to be developed.

According to the Work Environment Act, working conditions should be adapted to people's different conditions in physical and psychological terms. Physical accessibility involves minimizing obstacles in the work environment so that as many people as possible can use the workplace on equal terms. Different aspects of the work environment – physical, psychological, cognitive and social – need to interact in order to create the conditions for performing good work. In addition to accessible premises and work tools, employees with disabilities may require personal assistive devices.

The work environment efforts within laboratory operations are particularly challenging, as there are many more risks involved compared to regular workplaces. Additionally, the departments have progressed to varying degrees in their systematic laboratory safety efforts. Stockholm University strives for a unified approach to systematic laboratory safety work, where the University Administration will actively support and provide the right conditions for the operations to achieve the common goals.

General objective

Stockholm University should be a safe and secure place for both employees and students.

Objectives 2025–2026

1. Stockholm University should work preventively and systematically with work related injuries and incidents. It should be clear to both employees and students where reporting should take place, who is responsible for investigating work-related injuries, and managers should have knowledge about responsibilities and obligations related to legislation.
2. All operations should conduct annual work environmental (safety) rounds with the support of university common procedures and, if desired, the participation of the university administration's work environment engineer. The protocols should also be documented and followed up in the IA system.
3. All operations at Stockholm University should work in the same way regarding laboratory safety to prevent accidents and ill health.
4. All doors to spaces containing any form of hazardous equipment/chemicals/radiation sources/infection risks, etc., are labeled in accordance with the Instructions for labelling laboratory and hazardous areas. Additionally, external employees granted access to these premises should comply with the Safety Routine for Laboratory Premises at Stockholm University (in Swedish).
5. Information and routines regarding the physical work environment (lighting, sound, ventilation, etc.) and systematic fire safety work (including storage and charging of electric bike/electric scooter batteries) should be developed.
   

Study environment – the students' work environment

A good working environment is essential to ensure students succeed in their studies. The systematic work environment efforts for students follow the university´s approach for employees. The head of the department is responsible for the study environment at each department, and student representatives are invited to the local work environment council (RALV). The legal requirements for students' work environments are the same as those for employees' work environments, with a few exceptions. For the university to succeed in addressing study environment issues, good collaboration between the student union, the department, and the university administration is required. The psychosocial study environment can be influenced both positively and negatively in the interaction with teaching staff depending on the conditions provided for both students and teaching staff. The student union, various offices within the university administration and departments take part in students' experiences, which the university needs to systematically take into account to improve the study environment.

General objective

Stockholm University should work actively to offer students a study environment that promotes the conditions for succeeding in their studies.

Objectives 2025–2026

1. Increase managers' knowledge of the systematic work environment and equal terms work related to students' work environment.
2. Develop the general accessibility, primarily for premises and outdoor environments, and specialized support for students with hearing and visual disabilities.
3. Develop the university´s competence and working methods regarding accessible and inclusive teaching.
4. Conduct work environment rounds in areas where students spend time.
5. Review and clarify information about study spaces, with a focus on accessibility.

The policy document in pdf format

Goals for work environment and equal terms 2025–2026 Pdf, 279.3 kB.