Outcome of the Assessment of Human Resources Function
Dear Saint Mary's Community,
I am writing to provide an overview of the recent assessment of the human resources function at Saint Mary's College, identify issues raised, and to report on initial responses. The assessment of the human resources function at Saint Mary's College was undertaken earlier this academic year as a continuous improvement effort and as a follow-up to a similar assessment effort five years ago. Its purpose was to assist the College, as well as the staff in the Human Resources (HR) Department, assess and improve the way in which human resource services are provided to the campus community, and to determine the degree to which service delivery is in alignment with the current needs of the College, its leaders, faculty, and staff.
The College initiated the assessment process during the 2009 fall term with Merit Resources Group. The process included interviews with College leadership, HR Department staff (HR staff), and representatives from the faculty, staff, and the CCIE.
An overview of the assessment, the identified issues, and initial responses is provided below and is grouped according to five areas of focus:
1. Pro-active Client Support
2. The Use of Technology
3. Management of Core Responsibilities
4. Communication of Systems and Processes
5. Value Added Services
1. Pro-active Client Support. Merit recognized the dedication of the HR staff and their desire to provide consistent high quality services. Merit also noted that members of the HR staff received praise by those interviewed for their efforts to respond to requests for information and assistance from campus departments and groups. However, Merit also believes that a more proactive approach to service delivery could help to improve communication and collaboration between the HR Department and other departments and leaders across campus.
Response: The HR Department strives to align its services with the goals, objectives and mission of the College. In this spirit, the department's mission is to "Provide leadership and support to the Saint Mary's College Community by identifying, communicating, and resolving human resources issues in a manner that respects the College's Catholic, Liberal Arts, and Lasallian traditions."
Consistent with this stated mission, in the weeks and months ahead, the HR Department will develop a more pro-active client support approach. Shortly, you will receive communication directly from HR staff regarding these initiatives. These efforts will likely include information and services related to current recruitment support, discussion of and tactical planning for future hires, diversity, campus climate issues, benefits, and compensation. These efforts may be in the form of newsletters, HR website updates, campus bulletins, and direct meetings.
2. The Use of Technology. Merit pointed out that the expanded use of available technologies within the HR Department could help accelerate efficiency and effectiveness. Depending upon the available technologies, human resources business data might be made more readily available to leadership, faculty, and staff for informed decision-making, management, and most importantly, planning. Furthermore, cross training within the department to use the existing technologies could assist the department in increasing its efficiency in delivering the information that is available, notwithstanding the limitations that are present within the technology systems presently in use.
Response: The College acknowledges that the current technologies (Novus, Footprints, and Colleague) present certain limitations in useful data delivery. This complicates the HR Department's ability to develop, compile, and utilize data in ways that may efficiently and positively impact campus departments as each attempts to evaluate its own human resources needs. Nonetheless, the HR Department is continuing to increase its familiarity with the capabilities that currently exist within these systems and will further explore methods of data extraction that could ultimately assist the College in departmental level assessments. Additionally, the HR Department is presently investigating options related to the implementation of a variety of new systems, including online benefit enrollment, software for tracking training attendance, and enhancement of the recruitment online system (NOVUS).
3. Management of Core Responsibilities. Merit found that there is a general desire for increased communication between campus departments and the HR Department when addressing core service areas and that increased communication could lead to improved trust, confidence, and transparency in HR service delivery.
Response: As previously noted, the HR Department will be working on various outreach activities. Some of these activities will be better sharing and explaining general information related to a variety of core HR service areas including benefits, compensation, hiring, and recruitment. The HR Department believes that better communication and education regarding core HR processes will help College's departments better manage their HR related activities. The HR staff also plans to improve its response time to general inquiries, improve consistency of staff responses to general inquiries, and apply provisions of the Faculty and Staff Handbooks more clearly and consistently.
4. Communication of Systems and Processes. It was noted that the existing procedures and systems used by the HR Department would be better understood if they were more widely available for reference by the community. Increasing the transparency of these procedures and educating the campus community in their use will assist the community in understanding these processes better and allow the HR staff to work collaboratively with the community in the refinement of various HR processes.
Response: The HR staff will review, and as needed, update HR processes, including, for example, the recruitment process. Some of this review has already begun. Through such reviews the HR staff will create opportunities to educate community members on how these processes work, as well as to clarify expectations, ensure consistency, and understand the role of support staff during the process. Potential areas for outreach include at Community Time, time with the Senate and Staff Council, and time at other campus events. The HR staff is also in discussion with CaTS regarding available options for initiating an online feedback tool.
5. Value Added Services. There is a significant opportunity for the HR Department to add value by working with the Cabinet, Staff Council, Academic Senate, and Deans to identify and implement strategies to build and maintain a diverse workforce and healthy climate at Saint Mary's. It is acknowledged that the Leading in a Diverse and Multicultural Environment program has been a positive contribution, as has been the Sexual Harassment Prevention Training, and Leadership Development Training. The CCIE also presents an avenue for HR related value added services.
Response: The HR Department formerly had a dedicated training position to aid in the provision of various value added programs. Upon the retirement of the individual in that position, the position was not refilled due to the College's current economic challenges. Though not likely to be refilled in the near future, the HR staff intends to address these service needs through the current staff and other sources. This effort will benefit from coordination with the work of the CCIE and the work of the campus facilitator. At present, HR staff is reviewing and considering additional training programs for managers and department leaders in organizational consulting, including productivity coaching and strategic plan design, professional development advising, and other employee retention programs.
Conclusion
The HR Department has made substantial progress in the past five years in addressing various areas of service delivery; yet, there is more to be done. In particular, the HR staff should be acknowledged for its work on the Faculty Salary Task Force and Staff Compensation Committee, the systematic review of several staff positions, and the provision of informal services for employee relations that have been recently offered to address campus climate issues, including individual coaching and group facilitation. They should also be acknowledged for updating the Leading in a Diverse and Multicultural Environment program in response to participant feedback, contributions by the HR Director in the emergency response and business continuity planning process, and the role of HR in the ongoing emergency planning work. The HR Department is excited and motivated to address the issues in the five areas described in this memo and to continue this work as part of its ongoing efforts to respond to the College's developing human resources service needs. The timeline for addressing some of these issues will necessarily be dependent upon the recruitment and hiring of a new Director for Human Resources. The individual selected for this critical position will be charged with working with existing staff to systematically approach each area of focus. The search will begin in April, and as previously announced, Ann Kelly will be serving as the Interim Director until the position is filled.
In addition to the steps that the HR staff are taking to address the issues summarized in this memo, I am reviewing, with input from the Cabinet, the long range positioning of the HR Department within the College's organizational structure in order to evaluate to what extent a repositioning of the department within the College might further enhance its ability to serve its clients on campus. Thank you to all who participated in this assessment. The HR staff and I look forward to working with you to improve service levels to the campus community.