Staff Development
The
Human Resources office is preparing to launch the Professional
Development Training program in October. Orientation presentations
will be given as an introduction to all university employees.
Melissa Hill, Recruitment and Retention Coordinator for UA, expresses that, "This is an exciting time to
be part of the University of Alaska System. It's a win-win
for employees and the University when administration invests
in our future."
According to Jim Johnsen, Chief of Staff, "Back in 1998, the university administration surveyed staff and found that that among the most critical areas of concern were the lack of clear career ladders and the development of support programs needed for staff to climb those ladders. In response, UA President Mark Hamilton challenged our human resources staff to develop programs that would help us "grow our own leaders." These new programs will help university staff know what skills they [will] need in order to be competitive for the next step in their careers and, hopefully, will enable the university to better recruit and retain these valuable members of the university community."
The professional development program will assist employees in identifying their skill sets, career goals as well as a variety of job enrichment opportunities available. The program will facilitate communication between employees and managers. In addition managers will be prepared to assist employees in attaining their goals. Janet Jacobs feels that an employee's relationship with his or her supervisor is one of the key factors in employee satisfaction. Supervisors will become an integral part of the process who facilitate upward mobility. Jacobs believes that "…supportiveness in the workplace [is one] of the most powerful predictors of productivity."
In a place where retention, as well as career development have come to the forefront, the Staff Development program will look to fill a void. Hill concluded, "An institution of higher education is the ideal place for the professional development program…the current leadership has identified employees as a valuable resources all we have to do is bring our own motivation."