Employee Engagement Work Groups

Improving the Employee Experience

Our employees are our greatest asset. We are keenly aware that our organization, and the campus, would not function without the dedication and hard work of our staff. After reviewing the results of our 2022 Employee Engagement Survey conducted by McLean & Company, three areas were identified that could improve the employee experience - Career Advancement, Recognition & Appreciation, and Work Life Balance.

In July 2023, we dedicated our annual Strategic Planning Reset to launch work groups tasked with focusing on these key areas. Each group was formed through a process designed to solicit nominations from HDAE leadership for employees who would serve on the committee for a 10-month duration. Each committee is made up of two co-champions as well as eight to ten employees representing a diverse cross-section of HDAE. With this launch in July, these groups began a year-long journey finding ways to enhance the employee experience and make our organization stronger. 

At the Fall 2023 Town Hall meeting, each work group introduced their members and presented their initial findings in the form of a problem and opportunity statement, along with their plan for a path forward. The Work Life Balance group began brainstorming a survey to gather more information on what exactly work life balance means to our employees, hoping to hear from more voices in the process, while also exploring more about what work life balance means to each of them. The Recognition & Appreciation group began with hosting a lunchtime Halloween gathering for folks to bring their lunches and have sweets-filled fun in the Loma Pelona Center with their colleagues across our division. The Career Advancement group researched how to make job listings for HDAE more transparent and how to automate the process for accuracy without the need for a person to update the list manually. 

Throughout the remainder of the academic year, each group has continued working toward their respective areas. In spring quarter, the Work Life Balance and Career Advancement groups are teaming up to host an HDAE Department Open House & Resource Fair. There you’ll have an opportunity to learn more about resources available to support your work life balance both on campus and in the community, while also discovering more about the departments that make up the whole of Housing, Dining & Auxiliary Enterprises. This Open House & Resource Fair event is scheduled for May 14 and more information will be shared in the coming weeks.

The work groups have been critical to implementing employee driven change within our organization, leading to improvements across departments and teams. The final presentation of their work, the culmination of their countless hours working toward Work Life Balance, Recognition & Appreciation, and Career Advancement, will take place during the Spring Town Hall meeting on May 8. Keep an eye out for the flyer and calendar invite! This meeting will aid the work groups in entering the closing phase of this endeavor, as well as create an opportunity to reflect on where we should set our sights for the next academic year.