Job Shadowing Scheme
Explore, Learn and Connect Across the University
What is Job Shadowing?
Job shadowing enables a staff member (the "shadower") to work alongside a University colleague or colleagues (the "host(s)") to gain insights into their role(s) and workplace experiences. This process provides a unique opportunity to observe different aspects of a role, understand the challenges and opportunities it presents, and explore how decisions are made in a real-world context. Through job shadowing, the shadower can:
- Gain first-hand experience of the host’s daily activities, key responsibilities, and professional interactions.
- Develop a broader understanding of different roles across our University.
- Learn about diverse perspectives and practices within different teams.
Types of Job Shadowing
Cross-team shadowing: Spend time with a different team, department, School or Service to learn more about what they do. This can help you understand how different parts of the University work together, build new relationships, and develop a wider perspective.
Project shadowing: Join a colleague working on a specific project to see how it is planned, managed and delivered. This gives you practical insight into project work, working with stakeholders, and decision-making.
Reverse shadowing: Senior colleagues spend time observing junior colleagues in their day-to-day roles. This helps leaders better understand the experiences of staff, identify challenges, and gain fresh ideas to support effective and inclusive leadership.
Approaches to Job Shadowing
Observational shadowing: Spend time with a colleague and gain first-hand insight into what their role involves on a day-to-day basis. You may attend meetings, observe different tasks and responsibilities, and learn how they approach their work and make decisions. This is a great way to explore career options, understand a role more clearly, or learn more about a different team, School, Service or area of the University.
Hands-on shadowing: Take a more active role by getting involved in selected tasks and activities, with guidance and support from your host. This provides practical experience, helps build new skills and confidence, and offers a deeper understanding of the role in practice. It can be particularly useful if you're considering a similar role in the future, looking to broaden your experience, or preparing for a new opportunity.
How the Job Shadowing Scheme Works
Step 1: Identify Your Development Goals - Consider what you would like to learn, experience or achieve through job shadowing. This could include developing new skills, gaining insight into different areas of the University, or exploring future career opportunities. Your goals may form part of your PDPR or be identified through a development discussion with your line manager.
Step 2: Find a Host - You may already have a colleague, team, School or Service in mind that you would like to shadow. If so, we encourage you to have an initial conversation with them before applying. If you're unsure where to start, the P&OD team can help identify suitable opportunities during the Job Shadowing Scheme application window. All hosts take part on a voluntary basis.
Step 3: Plan Your Experience - The People & Organisational Development (P&OD) team will support you and your host in agreeing clear objectives, expectations and arrangements, helping to ensure a valuable and meaningful experience for everyone involved.
Step 4: Take Part in Job Shadowing - You'll spend an agreed period of time observing and learning from colleagues in their role. This may include attending meetings, observing projects and day-to-day activities, understanding workflows, and, where appropriate, participating in selected tasks.
Step 5: Reflect and Apply Your Learning - After your job shadowing experience, take time to reflect on what you have learned, discuss key insights with your line manager and host, and consider how you can apply your new knowledge, skills and perspectives in your current role and future development.
What is Expected?
Shadowers: As a shadower, you should approach the experience with professionalism and a willingness to learn. This includes respecting confidentiality, actively engaging in activities and discussions, following agreed arrangements, and taking time to reflect on and apply your learning afterwards.
Hosts: Hosts support colleagues by sharing their knowledge, experience and insights. They provide opportunities to observe relevant activities, answer questions, and help create a positive, welcoming and inclusive learning experience.
Line Managers: Line managers support staff in identifying development opportunities and setting learning goals for job shadowing. Following the experience, they should encourage reflection and discuss how learning can be applied to the employee's current role and future development.
How do I apply for job shadowing?
You can arrange job shadowing at any time of the year by identifying and contacting a suitable host who is willing to support your development. In addition, the University runs an annual Job Shadowing Scheme between March and June, ahead of the PDPR review period. Before the scheme begins, the People & Organisational Development team works with colleagues across the University to identify hosts who are willing to share their knowledge, skills and experience.
Staff are then invited to apply, and successful applicants will be matched with an appropriate host based on their development goals and interests. A link to a pre-recorded briefing will be provided for both shadowers and hosts and line managers to ensure everyone has the information and support they need to make the most of the experience. If you are interested in job shadowing or would like to find out more, please contact us using the details at the bottom of this page.
Interested? Please get in Contact …
If you would like to know more about job shadowing, or if you are interested in becoming a host, please contact Christian McGrath: through MS Teams, email c.mcgrath2@hud.ac.uk.
