UHR News
University Human Resources
June 18, 2008
Questions? Please use the contact information found within each article for the fastest reply.
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Career Path Navigator helps chart the course for staff
Ever wonder what paths others have taken in their fields, and what is possible in a career at U-M? University Human Resources has developed a new online tool called the Career Path Navigator to provide information about career movement from one job classification to another within the University.
“By entering their uniqname, the system will access real-time data and display a staff member’s current market job description,” says Dick Lederer, compensation manager for University Human Resources. “That’s a quick way to set a pin on the map to show where you are now in the organization, but more importantly you can also view jobs that represent upward movement from your current role as well as see those jobs that would likely be lateral moves from your current position.”
The system uses a variety of data about the career paths of actual employees, including market relationship of the jobs. Lederer says that information is used to estimate whether a move from one classification to another is likely to be considered as a positive career option.
“Once a staff member identifies an interesting position, he or she can also view the core knowledge, skills and abilities required, and even see how many jobs in that category are typically available at U-M,” he says. “If a job in that classification is currently open, one click takes the user to the job posting.”
The Career Path Navigator was piloted and tested with multiple constituents, including the Voices of the Staff Career Development Network. “It connects well with other work being done to support staff in the development of their careers and their longer range planning,” says Laurita Thomas, associate vice president for Human Resources. “A new Career Services for Staff Web site is now being developed based on a proposal from Voices of the Staff, and each site will be a valuable compliment to the other.”
The Career Path Navigator is now available at http://careernavigator.umjobs.org/.
Send questions or feedback to careerpathfeedback@umich.edu.
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U-M Earns American Heart Association Awards for being ‘Fit-Friendly’
The American Heart Association recognized the University of Michigan with two Start Fit Friendly Companies Awards. AGold level award and a Workplace Innovation Award were presented to LaVaughn Palma Davis, senior director, University Health and Well-Being Services, at an awards dinner on May 22, 2008.
Palma Davis had this to say about receiving the awards, “In 2005, Mary Sue Coleman shared a vision of making the University of Michigan a model community of health. These awards recognize our progress toward making her vision a reality.”
The first award, the Start! Fit-Friendly Gold Award, recognizes employers that champion the health of their employees and work to create a culture of physical activity in the workplace. To be considered for a Gold Award, an organization must implement at least six activities in the area of “Physical Activity”, at least two ‘Nutrition” activities and at least one “Culture” activity.
The University of Michigan won the Gold award for its Health System Employee Wellness Program and the University-wide Michigan Healthy Community initiative with programs including: ActiveU physical activity for life, Good Choice healthy eating program, Ergonomics Awareness program and leadership and community engagement activities. The University of Michigan implemented five or more activities in each of the areas considered by the Fit Friendly award.
The second award, The Workplace Fitness Innovation Award, is given to a worksite/company that achieves all criteria for Gold recognition, plus demonstrates the development and implementation of innovative and effective efforts that promote physical activity specifically in the workplace.
According to Ryan Davis, the American Hear Association’s corporate development director for Washtenaw County, “The Innovation Awards were exceptionally difficult to achieve. Out of 58 applications nationally, only 21 were successful. The national volunteer advisory panel was looking for very unique, creative, never-before-done programs to recognize, and I am so proud that the University of Michigan was recognized with this.”
The University of Michigan received this award for ActiveU, an eight-week physical activity challenge and charity fund raiser. Designed to allow equal opportunity for success for all members of the university’s diverse population, ActiveU let participants set their own goals and track weekly activity in an online tracker. Any type of physical activity qualified, from walking, jogging, dancing, doing yoga or logging miles in a wheel chair. Winners are selected by average percent of goal achieved, leveling the playing field between the marathon runners and those just starting to exercise. Participants also have the option of making a voluntary donation to a charity fundraiser. At the end of the program, the money is given to charities chosen by the winners. More than $50,000 has been raised for charity in the first two years that the program has run.
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Practical Tools for Building a Great Workplace—Two free half-day workshops coming in July!
In two free upcoming half-day programs at HRD, you can acquire the knowledge and tools you need to build a better workplace. Based on the core principles of the University of Michigan’s Building Great Places to Work (BGTW) initiative, these free workshops are available only on July 8 and July 16, 2008.
In addition, between now and July 30, a limited number of times are available for departments to schedule any one of the program modules described below in your department. These special reservations are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Anyone interested in learning to apply BGTW principles to building a better working climate will benefit from the tools and strategies presented.
Tuesday July 8, 1-4:30 p.m. (Location: HRD South Room)
Three modules based on the BGPW model will be presented:
- BGPW Program Overview
Discover what makes a great work place, how creating a great working climate pays off, how U-M departments have used BGPW ideas to enhance working climate and staff engagement, explore U-M research that contributes to this knowledge, and introduce you to available resourses.
- BGPW Jump Start
Learn how you can get your own department started on the “great workplace” path. Focus on ideas and tools for building trust, establishing mutual respect, creating camaraderie, and enabling pride.
- An Inquiry into Trust
Explore your own and others’ definitions/perceptions of trust, how individuals develop trust, and how to enhance trust in your own work team. Take away a clearer understanding of how to foster trust that fuels high-performance.
Wednesday July 16, 8:30 a.m.-12 noon (Location: HRD South Room)
Two modules focusing on positive communication and developing trust will be presented:
- On a Positive Note: Creating Positive Communication in Your Organization
Explore the effects of communication on our physical selves, how to create positive interactions and avoid negative ones, how to avoid giving/being hurt, and strategies for managing conflict.
- Building an Atmosphere of Trust: Secrets Great Supervisors Use
See supervision from a new perspective. Understand the role of the supervisor in creating great work climates, gain a fresh perspective on how to respond to performance concerns, learn what staff members really need from you, and explore the key attributes of successful supervisors. Leave with a step-by-step framework for leading your group through change.
To register for these either of these free program offerings or to reserve any single module to be presented in your department, call Cheryl Byrd at 615-4789.
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Walkstation helps Service Center team stay active
Desk duties can keep staff sedentary longer than they might like. University Human Resources has implemented a unique solution for staff in the HR/Payroll Service Center who can now choose to walk while they work. Their new Walkstation is a combination of quiet, slow-paced treadmill and adjustable work desk. With the addition of a computer and phone, staff can integrate more movement to their work routine.
“Employee satisfaction surveys and informal conversations told us that our staff wanted options for being active while working,” says Sue MacDavitt, senior director of Human Resource Records and Information Services. “I happened to see a Walkstation, and discovered that they are commonly used in some telephone call centers.”
“Our people spend their entire day on the phone and on-line and that makes for a tough job,” says Jane Miller, manager of the HR/Payroll Service Center. “They have to stay near their phones so I was very excited to give them an option of being more active while remaining responsive to our callers.”
 Miller describes a positive response from staff. “Some people were hesitant, but once they got comfortable, it has become an item that many people like to use – especially me,” says Miller.
Walkstations are just one way to increase physical activity. "A regular physical activity routine is very important, but health benefits can also be realized with even smaller amounts of moderate activity spread throughout the day," says Peggy Sheagren, spokeswoman for Michigan Healthy Community.
"Whether or not we have equipment available at work, it's beneficial to find ways to build even moderate physical activity into our daily routine, whether that's taking the stairs, walking at lunch with colleagues or parking farther away from our worksite."
For more ideas about enhancing wellness in the workplace, visit www.mhealthy.umich.edu.
For Walkstation questions, contact Jane Miller at janekm@umich.edu.
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GOOD CHOICE News
New June GOOD CHOICE Healthy Eating Challenge Now Available!
 MHealthy’s GOOD CHOICE program has launched a new online Healthy Eating Challenge for June! This month’s challenge focuses on fruits and vegetables and the benefits of adding more to your diet.
Complete this month’s Healthy Eating Challenge and a brief post-survey to be entered into a monthly drawing for great prizes, including cooking classes, kitchen gadgets and gift certificates. Faculty and staff are eligible to enter the prize drawing once per month.
Look for June’s GOOD CHOICE of the Month vending machine item!
It's easier than ever to make healthier snack choices at campus vending machines. Each month, a GOOD CHOICE item is selected and sold at a reduced price of 60 cents. June’s GOOD CHOICE of the Month vending machine item is Quaker Caramel Corn Quakes Rice Snacks. It’s a perfect opportunity to try something new!
Michigan Healthy Community’s GOOD CHOICE program has selected dozens of healthier food and beverage items, each identified with the GOOD CHOICE logo. MFit nutrition guidelines for fat, sugar, sodium, cholesterol and fiber are used to determine healthier choices in vending machines, at participating dining locations and through U-M Catering.
To learn more and take a Healthy Eating Challenge or for more information on the GOOD CHOICE program, visit www.mhealthy.umich.edu.
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Election for Department of Public Safety Oversight Committee Closes June 30
Non-union-member elections for the Department of Public Safety Oversight Committee are now underway. This year, the term of the non-union staff member is expiring. All Ann Arbor campus and UMHS staff members not represented by a collective bargaining unit are eligible to vote in the election. The candidate with the greatest number of votes will be appointed to the committee in July 2008.
Online voting is now available and will remain open until 4:00 p.m. on June 30, 2008.
The six-member oversight committee is comprised of two student members, two faculty members, and two staff members (one union and one non-union), who are nominated and elected by their peers for two-year terms. The committee considers grievances against any public safety officer deputized by the University.
Visit
https://www.hr.umich.edu/dps/ballot.php to review the statements of the candidates and vote. (Please note: Voting more than once or for more than one candidate will result in disqualification.)
For information contact Shirley Sindlinger
in Staff Human Resource Services at sshirley@umich.edu
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Connecting the Dots Work/Life Conference: Save the Date
The Work/Life Resource Center’s 3rd Annual Conference, Connecting the Dots, will be held on October 14 at the Michigan League.
This full day conference will address the many facets of life and work:
- Caring for an Aging Relatives
- Healthy Living and Fitness
- Blended Families
Management sessions include:
- Change Management
- Flexible Scheduling
The keynote address, How to Thrive and Stay Healthy in a World of Non-Stop Change, will be delivered by Dr. Al Siebert.
Dr. Siebert is an internationally recognized expert in resiliency psychology. He is Director of The Resiliency Center, and author of The Resiliency Advantage. Dr. Siebert is an ex-paratrooper with a PhD in psychology from The University of Michigan.
Registration information will be available in September.
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Choose Success:Professional Development Courses from HRD
HRD is in the process of creating the new website and catalog of courses for the 2008-09 year – more details coming soon! There are still several courses available during June and July. Please forward this message to anyone in your department who might be interested. Below you'll find links to courses that are coming up in the next month. To register for any of these courses, you can click on the link on our website for online registration or fill out and fax the form found here: http://www.umich.edu/~hrd/forms/0708%20reg%20form.pdf. The paper form can also be used if you need to register other people.
Business Communication: Writing With Power
Wednesday 6/25/08; 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.; http://www.umich.edu/~hrd/programsandcourses/readingwrittencomm.html#2
Mentoring: Preparing Today’s Staff to be Tomorrow’s Leaders
Thursday 6/26/08; 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.; http://www.umich.edu/~hrd/programsandcourses/performance.html#6
The Art of Managing Multiple Projects and Multitasking
Wednesday 7/9/08; 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.; http://www.umich.edu/~hrd/programsandcourses/projectandtask.html#1
FOS Alumni Series: Discipline Strategies
(formerly only for FOS Alumni, now open to anyone)
Friday 7/11/08; 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.; http://www.umich.edu/~hrd/programsandcourses/supervision.html#3c
For further information, visit our site at: http://www.umich.edu/~hrd. Further information about custom courses can be found at: http://www.umich.edu/~hrd/customizedtraining.html and about our consulting services at: http://www.umich.edu/~hrd/consulting.html.
Check our website (http://www.umich.edu/~hrd) often for updates to our course lineup! Remember, many of our courses can also be customized and brought to your unit.
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A Day of Leadership from HRD!
The following leadership programs on July 22nd are designed to not only complement existing training efforts, but also empower University of Michigan professionals to excel at all of the leadership roles they fill.
There will be two half-day sessions available, facilitated by Angie Morgan and Courtney Lynch, founders of Lead Star, LLC. Details on each session can be found below. Participants in both programs will receive a complimentary copy of the presenters’ bestselling new book Leading from the Front.
Leading from the Front: Essential Practices for Leading a Dynamic Workforce
Managers experience complex challenges when leading dynamic, diverse and multi-generational workforces. However, a strong commitment to leadership development allows you to transform obstacles into opportunities and get the most from all of your key players.
Audience:
Any manager wanting to strengthen their leadership skills and be more effective in their role
Tuesday 7/22/08; 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.; Location
Great Lakes Rooms, Palmer Commons
To register for this session, you can click on the link on our website for online registration here: http://www.umich.edu/~hrd/programsandcourses/specialevents.html#2
or fill out and fax the form found here: http://www.umich.edu/~hrd/forms/0708%20reg%20form.pdf.
The paper form can also be used if you need to register other people.
Leading from the Front: Moving From the Ordinary to the Extraordinary
Leadership is not about a job title, a senior management position or a fancy office. Leadership is about influencing outcomes and inspiring others: two things busy professionals have to do every day.
Audience:
Professionals who want to enhance their personal effectiveness and further develop their leadership skills.
Tuesday 7/22/08; 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Location: Great Lakes Rooms, Palmer Commons
To register for this session, you can click on the link on our website for online registration here: http://www.umich.edu/~hrd/programsandcourses/specialevents.html#1 or fill out and fax the form found here: http://www.umich.edu/~hrd/forms/0708%20reg%20form.pdf.
The paper form can also be used if you need to register other people.
Angie Morgan and Courtney Lynch are founders of Lead Star, LLC, a consulting firm dedicated to providing relevant, practical and inspiring ways to help individuals grow and develop as leaders. They are also the authors of the best-selling new book Leading from the Front, which has been heralded by management guru Tom Peters as one of the best leadership books published in the past seven years. Both women received their foundational leadership training during their time as Marine Corps Officers. Since their time in uniform they have achieved tremendous success through applying their leadership backgrounds to all areas of their lives.
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Celebration of Childcare at U-M
All children and families, past and present, affiliated with the UM Pound House and Children’s Center for Working Families are invited to bid a fond farewell to these wonderful programs, as well as welcome the new Towsley Children’s House Early Childhood Program.
Celebration for the UM Pound House and
Children’s Center for Working Families
Date/Time: June 20, 2008 - 5:00-7:00pm
Location: 710 South Forest Avenue
Please RSVP to Cathy Smith, 734-998-7600 or csmithr@bf.umich.edu.
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Have questions about Retirement? Fidelity can help.
Schedule a complimentary one-on-one consultation with a Fidelity Representative
Feel more secure that you are on track to achieve your retirement goals with a complimentary
retirement portfolio consultation. Meet with a Fidelity Representative to receive guidance on
selecting the retirement account that might be right for you.
You’ll get answers to common retirement questions like:
- Does my retirement portfolio have the right mix of investments?
- Am I saving enough to retire when and how I want?
- Will I have enough money to last throughout my retirement?
- What do the market’s ups and downs mean to investors like me?
Fidelity Representatives are available on the North, South and Central campuses daily. Specific locations include:
- Pierpont Commons
- Michigan Union
- UM Hospital Cafeteria
- HR/Wolverine Tower
- Michigan League
- Ann Arbor Investor Center
Schedule a consultation today by calling 1-800-642-7131 or by visiting
www.fidelity.com/atwork/reservations.
Before investing in any mutual fund, please carefully consider the investment objectives,risks, charges and expenses. For this and other information, call Fidelity at 1-800-343-0860 or visit www.fidelity.com for a free prospectus. Read it carefully before you invest.
Guidance is provided by Fidelity representatives through the use of Fidelity’s suite of guidance tools. These tools are educational tools and are not intended to serve as the primary or sole basis for your investment or tax-planning decisions.
Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, Member NYSE, SIPC
492042.1.
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Get More Help on Your Retirement Plans – Anytime – with TIAA-CREF
In Person
TIAA-CREF has a consultant who is available to meet with you individually to discuss your investments needs and to conduct retirement planning workshops at many different U-M locations including Ann Arbor Campus, Health System, Flint and Dearborn. To view upcoming dates and locations and to register for an appointment or seminar, please click here http://www.tiaa-cref.org/umich or call the TIAA-CREF Ann Arbor office at 866 842-2949, extension 6804.
Online
Two of the more popular Financial Education Seminars (Pre-retirement and SRA/IRA) created specifically for U-M employees continue to be available for viewing 24/7 by clicking here: U-M Web Presentations http://www.umich.edu/~benefits/tiaa-cref .
On the Phone
You can talk to a TIAA-CREF representative about investment choices, income options, pre-retirement illustrations and other ways to help get the most from your retirement plan, Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET, and Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET at 800 842-2776.
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