The University of Cambridge is making dynamic changes to its recruitment and employee benefits strategies to create a resilient HR culture.

Speaking at the CIPD Annual Conference yesterday, the university's assistant director of HR Rebecca McIntosh said: "Because of the way our funding is structured, we have a two or three-year time lag on other sectors. We are planning now for turbulence in the years ahead and we are focussing on our long term strategic direction.

"Research tells us HR needs to be a change agency. This is a big ask of our leaders so HR must change itself to provide support. HR cannot be static - it must be flexible and agile."

The organisation is six months into an 18 month recruitment campaign and has introduced salary sacrifice arrangements to its cycle to work scheme and pension provision.

McIntosh added: "We are not taking punitive action towards staff. We are still awarding payrises to staff to increase motivation. [But] we have to prepare for the long term so we will look at cutting costs else where."