Human Resource Services news
From the associate vice president
Providing new employees with a consistent and positive orientation to the Richmond culture helps them make a smooth transition to their roles at UR.
Our new employee orientation program provides new employees with many of the tools they need to be effective on day one. Follow-up programs after 45, 60 and 90 days provide new employees with a chance to connect with other new employees, meet student and employee leaders and learn about safety and our commitment to diversity.
We see it as just the beginning of our commitment to create and promote a culture of continuous learning at the University of Richmond. To see the goals of Workplace Learning and Performance and the services they provide, go to hr.richmond.edu/ workplace/index.htm.
Carl Sorensen
Associate VP
Human Resource Services
Passport to the University
Being new can be exciting and at the same time, daunting. As we all know, new people are hired for their skills and competencies and with an expectation that they will make a contribution. New employees can expect that they will receive direction, resources and support from their supervisor in order to demonstrate or develop their skills to further their careers and make a contribution.
New employee orientation can be the process whereby these expectations are made explicit. Research has shown that new employees decide whether to truly engage-to get "on board"-within the first 90 days on the job.
Human Resource Services has implemented some changes in the way that the University handles the "on-boarding" of new employees. As in the Middle Ages, when explorers traveled to the East in search of spices, silk and treasures, orientation is a journey or process. On the first day of employment, new employees spend a half-day receiving their "Passport to the Spider Silk Road" by completing employment paperwork and learning about basic safety and security issues and key policies. They also receive an identification card, get connected to Banner Web and learn about benefits for which they are eligible.
Within two months, those same employees are invited to a half-day orientation session where they meet other recent hires and hear presentations from the University's academic, administrative and student government leaders. They also hear "tips for success" from a panel of long-term employees. New employees are encouraged to continue to develop their skills and leisure interests by use of tuition remission and participation in on-campus training and development. The morning concludes with an employee-led tour of campus and lunch hosted by Human Resource Services.
Ninety minute follow-up orientation training has subject matter experts discussing three topics: safety-risk management, security, and diversity and inclusion. New employees have an opportunity to attend these training sessions within their first three months of employment.
An orientation partner program is being developed to help new employees on their road to success at UR. Supervisors will identify current employees who will serve as "go to" people for new employees during their initial months on the job. It is anticipated that these changes in the orientation process will help new employees more quickly get up to speed, learn and add their unique contributions to the UR Spider web.