Evidenced by comprehensive market research of Chief Executives and building on the recognised Quality Students’ Unions’ framework of NUS, the Organisational Health Assessment allows CEOs to tailor the scope and outputs to their own context, focussing on elements which will show greatest benefit.

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Utilising a combination of key documents review, in-person stakeholder interviews, and rigorous desk-based research, the assessment results in a set of valuable recommendations that offer the best potential outcomes for the students’ union.

The Organisational Health Assessment is most effective when tailored to the unique needs of the Students’ Union; each proposal to deliver the work is based on an initial conversation with the CEO to determine the purpose of the assessment, optimal outcomes, and subsequent areas of focus from the themes below :

1. Strategic goals development, considering progress, KPIs and useful benchmarks

2. Engagement with the membership – breadth and depth

3. Representation of students to the institution, and potential improvements

4. Relationship with institution across tiers of the SU and its principal funder

5. Trustee board effectiveness and Full Time Officer development

6. People development, culture, EDI, wellbeing and performance

7. Financial resilience

8. Marketing & Communications, Insight & digital engagement

9. Risk management – financial, reputational, and structural

10. Impact of the organisation and/or its programmes on key stakeholders

As indicated, the Organisational Health Assessment relies on a collaborative approach with each students’ union that we work with; CEOs will benefit most from the Assessment, providing clear lines of future priorities and workstreams.

 

`There will also be specific benefits derived from this work being conducted in certain circumstances, including:

• A newly-appointed Chief Executive looking to expedite an initial assessment of the current strengths andweaknesses of the organisation

• A CEO seeking supporting evidence for increased or targeted investment from the institution in specific areasof work

• A CEO approaching a strategic planning cycle keen to align operating strategies beneathoverarching objectives

• A CEO about to embark on Quality Students’ Unions, before commitment to the self-assessment or verification

• A CEO desiring objective external advice on areas for improvement

 

If a students’ union were to find itself with an interim CEO, the Organisational Health assessment would greatly assist the subsequent recruitment process for a permanent senior staff member.