Staff Hub

• Ensure the content clearly serves staff (e.g. news, policy, service update, guidance). 

• It should be timely and add value (not duplicating existing content). 

Staff Hub is viewed by our entire staff community and therefore articles must appeal and be of relevance to a wide audience. 

• Write for all staff, using plain, inclusive language. 

• Avoid jargon and explain acronyms on first use.  

• Maintain a professional but approachable tone. 

Any submissions that are deemed to be relevant only to small groups may be directed to specialised internal channels (team pages, departmental updates, School newsletters) to ensure the Hub meets the needs of all colleagues. 

To ensure your content is engaging and eye catching, we have a few tips:

• Use a clear, concise headline (ideally fewer than eight words for news items).  
• Use sentence case in the headline (Not Title Case In The Headline).
• Ensure your headline does what it says on the tin – this is important for future searchability (e.g. ‘Pay award 2025’ NOT ‘Good news from your HR team’).
• There is no longer a word limit on articles for Staff Hub as there was for the staff newsletter, so please feel free to send longer form content.
• Supply an engaging, unique, relevant image that will make people want to click your story and tells people what it is about. If no image is supplied, a stock image will be chosen by a member of the Communications team. Images should be landscape, preferably 4:3 or 16:9.

• Make sure content meets accessibility standards (so all staff can access it regardless of device or ability). You can do this on Word by clicking Review > Check accessibility, or in a PDF by clicking Prepare for accessibility > Check for accessibility. 

• Respect copyright, data protection and information governance rules.

• For images ensure that you own the copyright – please do not lift images from the internet that you do not have permission to use. The Communications can allocate a stock image to your article if you do not have an appropriate image to submit. 

• Submit content via the designated submission form.
• Include all required fields: headline, text, images (if any), owner name/department, contact details, date, relevant links.

• Make sure you review your submission for accuracy and you have supplied all necessary information (i.e. if you are submitting an event, have you included the time and date, the location and the booking link?).
• All content submitted may be edited for length, style or tone. 

• The Hub will be updated continuously and content will drop down the order of news/events posted.

• If a submission is for something running over a long time period, it is the responsibility of the contributor to provide updates. Content should be fresh. Consider ways to update your entries e.g. ‘one month to go’ or ‘Friday deadline for applications for...’  

What does a typical day at work look like for you or your team? With a diverse workforce of around 3,000 people, the University has expertise in areas you probably aren't even aware of.

Our “Getting to know…” articles will help you learn more about the work of individual colleagues, or understand the work of different teams across the institution and give you a platform to share more about your role at the University.

If you'd like to tell people about your role at the University, download the template. Or shout about the work your Team is doing here. Send completed forms to communications@abdn.ac.uk.

Do you have a hidden talent, an unusual hobby or a favourite pastime that keeps you busy outwith work? If so, we would love to hear more about it.

Who in your team is stepping back? Which colleagues are getting ready for life after work? Pay tribute to those who have had a big impact in their time at the University of Aberdeen in this feature which give thanks to retiring staff.

Information should be submitted along with supporting imagery.

Requests for volunteers to take part in research studies can be submitted for inclusion in the staff newsletter, however only one of these will be included each week on a first come, first served basis.

With thousands of people living, working and studying at the University, it takes a small army of professionals to carry out the myriad of activities needed to keep us safe, warm and able to focus on our own tasks. Meet the dedicated people who keep day to day life on campus running smoothly.

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Want to share news about what you are doing outside of work with your colleagues? Limited space is available on the Community pinboard for partner events, personal achievements, fundraising efforts and other activities not directly related to the University.

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