HR News

After the 2022 Gallup Faculty and Staff Experience survey, Julie Zobel and the visionary RSR leadership team took the reins, delving deeper into their unit-specific survey results. Thus began the inception of a proactive, employee-centric approach to elevate engagement and experience within their unit. The team shared insights and sought input from every member of the RSR team, fostering a culture of transparency, inclusivity, and unwavering commitment to employee engagement.

RSR’s journey didn’t stop there. A collaboration with the HR Faculty and Staff Engagement team followed, where Julie harnessed insights that became the building blocks of the RSR Employee Engagement Action Plan. More than a plan, it was a strategic focus on three pivotal areas that would redefine their workplace dynamics.

Identified Engagement Areas:

Understanding Expectations (connected to Q1. I know what is expected of me at work.)

In the wake of post-pandemic turnover, the team set out on a mission to clarify roles and responsibilities, ensuring new team members seamlessly assimilated into the vibrant fabric of the university culture.

Recognizing Staff/Accomplishments (connected to Q4. In the last seven days, I have received recognition or praise for doing good work.)

The unit's innovative response was the introduction of an internal Star Award, a quarterly celebration of genuine appreciation. They actively harnessed Central HR reward and recognition programs to elevate their acknowledgment game.

Team Cohesion (connected to Q10. I have a best friend at work.)

Beyond office walls, RSR emphasized social outings and collaborative work sessions. This was a conscious effort to unravel each other's expertise, functions, work styles and enhance team harmony.

Beyond creating the Employee Engagement Action plan, RSR made a bold commitment to periodic plan reviews, sharing updates at quarterly All-Staff meetings, and a genuine desire for ongoing employee feedback.

With the upcoming launch of the 2024 Faculty and Staff Experience survey on April 3, the RSR Leadership team eagerly anticipates benchmarked data that, on top of showcasing change, will provide a detailed roadmap for continuous improvement. This data will empower units to turn insights into actionable strategies, driving employee engagement and workplace satisfaction to new heights.

Julie’s advice to those action planning with the 2024 Faculty and Staff Experience survey results is, “Seek input from the team when developing an action plan, be committed to implementing the plan, carve out time to assess progress against the plan.”