In 2018, the Portuguese government of Portugal launched the "3 em Linha" program to raise awareness among organisations about the issue of work-life balance. The seized the opportunity and applied for the Administrative Modernization Support System (SAMA) with the aim of obtaining the Portuguese certification that establishes good practices within an organization to elevate well-being and quality of life. UAveiro saw this standard as an opportunity to consolidate the work it has been doing in this area and to make work-life balance an institutional priority.
It was in this context that, in 2020, UAveiro began implementing the Linha 3UA project, to respond to the emerging need to create work environments that promote the balance of professional life with personal and family life. The project relied on a multidisciplinary team – organised in different areas of activity – which brought together elements from different UAveiro services, as well as external partners. In addition to the measures already in practice at UAveiro, the Project sought to create other work-life balance measures in close collaboration with the institution's workers - academics, researchers, and technical, administrative, and management staff, in three areas: services and benefits, good labour practices, and professional support and personal development.
In February 2023, UAveiro became the first Portuguese university to be certified by NP 4552:2016.
On the path to certification, UAveiro established guidelines and practices aimed at improving the quality of life of its workers, including the implementation of measures such as flexible working hours, training and personal development programmes, and initiatives that promote mental and physical health, as well as valuable services and benefits for its workers. During this time, it has implemented measures such as the Gender Equality Plan (2021-2025), the structuring of an Onboarding Programme for new workers, the creation of a Centre for Assessment and Professional Development (CAD), and the structuring of an internal training programme, the (UA)cademy.
The certification is, therefore, the result of UAveiro's ongoing efforts to promote a healthy and harmonious working environment, where the balance between professional, family, and personal life is a top priority. As Daniela Costa, one of those responsible for implementing the project, states, the certification "put the topic of work-life balance on the table" and "is a consequence of the institution's will and action in this regard. What really matters is that the institution is involved and committed to finding measures that allow workers to achieve this balance."
UAveiro reinforced its commitment to the well-being and satisfaction of its workers by promoting its Work-Life Balance Policy. This policy, rooted in the principles and values of the institution, aims to elevate the standards of quality of life and promote a balanced and harmonious working environment. As part of this commitment, UAveiro undertakes to ensure equality in the treatment of employees, considers their family and personal needs, and promotes measures for balancing professional, family, and personal life.
Daniela Costa states that "(...) one of UAveiro's principles, included in the Strategic Plan, is the personal development of its workers, and therefore, the University has endeavoured to put this subject of work-life balance on the institution's agenda", making "workers happy in the workplace, professionally fulfilled but also, from a personal point of view, having the conditions so that there is, in fact, a balance between what is the professional, the family, and the personal life of the people who work at UA".
Professor José Neto Vieira, Vice-Rector for Information Systems, adds that "the University of Aveiro is relatively recent to the European landscape. It is a young, dynamic university, with a strong desire to play a leading role and make a difference in the national and European scene. As a public institution, it is bound by certain rules regarding the hiring and remuneration of its employees," so "promoting the balance between professional and personal/family life might be a distinctive factor in facilitating the retention of talent through better working conditions to its employees." He emphasizes that "pilot projects have been launched to create conditions for employees to work from anywhere, on or off campus, (...) without reducing productivity (...) to make it easier to balance personal life with family and professional life."
Monitoring the perception and satisfaction of stakeholders is one of the most relevant indicators for the Work-Life Balance Management System, as it allows UAveiro to meet the needs and expectations of workers. Involving employees is therefore seen as crucial, which is why a Participation Channel was created, where everyone can proactively share their suggestions and doubts.
Considering the results obtained in the questionnaires applied over the last two years, it can be concluded that the levels of awareness of work-life balance measures are quite satisfactory, with the most used measures including flexible working hours, compensatory time off, birthday leave, having access to the University Health Centre, and free attendance to isolated curricular units and/or micro credentials. Workers are satisfied with how the institution values and allows them to take advantage of personal and professional development opportunities. Workers, in general, consider that they have equal opportunities for success at UAveiro, regardless of age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, cultural background, or beliefs, and that the physical conditions of the workplace and the technological means available are adequate for the exercise of their functions.
Over time, and from a perspective of updating and continuous improvement, the team has been attending training sessions, getting to know other institutions that are working in this area, and trying to be aligned with the best labour practices and the best measures.
The impact of Work-Life Balance is measured by the level of satisfaction and personal and professional well-being of workers. At UAveiro, we want workers to feel supported and valued, and we want the levels of commitment to the institution to increase. By creating an organisational culture that values and promotes the balance between work, family, and personal life, UAveiro is building a work environment that is more inclusive, healthier, and more balanced for all members of its community.
At UAveiro, Work-Life Balance is here to stay.