Supporting work-life balance

At NTU we're committed to creating an environment that enables our colleagues to flourish, and we understand that a healthy work-life balance is crucial. We have a number of flexible working and family-friendly policies available to support colleagues’ work-life balance.
We are proud to hold an Athena SWAN Institutional Bronze Award, which recognises our good practices towards the advancement of gender equality: representation, progression and success for all.
How we work
We’re on a journey to build the future of work at NTU, based around our strategic ambitions to create a University of the future. With a huge range of job roles, departments and working patterns, working at NTU looks different for every single one of our colleagues.
While all colleagues have to spend some time on campus to fulfil their roles, we are empowering our colleagues to be flexible in how they work. Teams work together to define how the space in which they work and the technology they use, can enable us to work at our best for the benefit of our students and each other.
If you're interested in a role at NTU, please contact resourcing@ntu.ac.uk to arrange an informal discussion about working arrangements.

Shared parental leave
Shared parental leave allows parents to choose how to share time off work for the care of their child during the first year. This allows both partners to be able to spend time with their families and keep in touch with their employers.
If all employers were as supportive as NTU then it would go a long way towards helping families get off to the very best start.

Maternity and Paternity leave
All pregnant staff are entitled to maternity leave and protected from any discrimination as result of taking this leave. NTU also offers up to 3 weeks’ paternity leave. NTU aims to be as supportive and flexible as possible for expectant mothers and their families.
NTU has shown me that I can achieve career progression and have a family as well.

Flexible working
All eligible colleagues are able to request flexible working with their line manager. This could include job-sharing, part-time working, staggered hours (start and finish times are specific to the individual), or annualised hours or term time only working.
A few years ago flexible working wasn’t that common. It is now more so and acceptable, and people often don’t think about it once they realise that the job is being done.

Flexible retirement
As part of our flexible working options, colleagues can choose to apply for flexible retirement. This means that staff can reduce their contractual hours and access part of their pension benefits prior to retiring from the University.
I feel more recharged when I come to work, I really look forward to it and seeing my colleagues.

Career Break
Eligible members of staff at NTU can apply to take an extended period of unpaid time away from work In order to balance their career with other commitments, responsibilities and interests.
In a demanding job it can be difficult to find the time and space to figure out the answer to the question – ‘What do I want to do?’