Tag Archives: training

Human Resources

Learning, Growing, Developing…at your Fingertips

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Does your team have a specific need that you aren’t sure how to address?

Are you looking to spend meaningful time creating shared knowledge and culture?

Perhaps you just want to spend some quality time with your team learning and growing together?

We now have the option of providing several Franklin Covey courses as self-paced, on-demand learning opportunities.  These micro-learning courses can be used for skill reinforcement, leader-led training or as a standalone learning option.

Courses are short and  self-paced, and many contain interactive activities, assessments and tools.   All may be completed in person or virtually!

 

Topics fall under these general themes:

  • Communication
  • Conflict Management
  • Execution
  • Innovation/Creativity
  • Managing Change
  • Performance Management
  • Personal Productivity
  • Problem Solving
  • Strategic Leadership
  • Talent Development
  • Trust/Integrity
  • Vision/Purpose

Email us at developu@smu.edu  to learn more about these new learning options and how they can become part of your team’s strategy for success!

Human Resources

5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace

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According to the Gallup Organization’s latest report the numbers for employee engagement have barely moved since they started tracking engagement numbers in 2000.

Engagement is defined as being involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to the employee’s work and workplace.  Gallup goes further to suggest the world is in a state of crisis with employee engagement and that in the United States, employee engagement is only at 32%!

The connection between engagement and appreciation

Employees need to know that the work they do is important and that it is appreciated by those around them.
Without a sense of feeling valued engagement decreases, negativity increases, and general apathy sets in.  You may have observed the resulting behaviors:

  • arriving late to work
  • calling in sick repeatedly
  • increased complaining
  • negative conversations with others
  • delivering less than stellar work
The Five Languages of Appreciation Training

Do you recognize these behaviors with your team or want to prevent them from getting there?

Contact HR about bringing the 5 Languages of Appreciation training to your team!

You will learn the 5 languages, how to deliver authentic appreciation, and ways to ensure that appreciation, when shared, hits the mark as intended, instead of falling short.

Email us at DevelopU@smu.edu or call Mary Stall directly at 8-2194.

Read the full engagement report:  The Worldwide Employee Engagement Crisis

Human Resources

Sharing Authentic Appreciation at Work

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As a manager, do you make encouraging others part of your workday?

Do you understand the value of authentic appreciation in creating a supportive work environment?

Do you know when and how to share appreciation?

Read this recent article by Tim Brown in “A” Magazine titled “applauding employees good work – you can do it”  to learn some tips and best practices.

5LanguagesAnd if you answered “no” to above questions, a new language might help!

HR can support you.  Contact us about bringing the 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace training to your team!

Email DevelopU@smu.edu or call Mary Stall at 8-2194 for more information.

 

Human Resources

Manager Orientation – Don’t Miss These Opportunities to Complete the Program

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SMU offers the New Manager Orientation Program for:

  • Newly hired staff members who supervise others
  • Current staff or faculty promoted to a managerial position
  • Current staff and faculty managers who wish to participate
  • Staff and faculty members aspiring to future management positions

managersNewly hired staff members who supervise others or current staff members promoted to a managerial position are required to complete the program. Staff or faculty members who aspire to management and wish to take courses may enroll as well.

Required Workshops:

Legal and Risk Management for Managers March 31 10:00am-12:00pm

SMU is committed to a strong and active risk management program which includes appropriately managing contracts entered into on behalf of the University. Knowing the resources and programs available to manage risk at SMU, as well as the appropriate procedures to follow when risk is encountered, will support the University’s goal of creating a safe and healthy environment for all employees.

Workplace Diversity Issues for Managers April 123:00pm-5:00pm

A solid working knowledge of SMU’s policies and procedures will help promote a healthy workplace, free of discrimination, that will not subject the University and its managers to liability. In addition, you will learn how to provide effective defenses to meritless claims.

Introduction to HR:  the next regularly scheduled session will be in the Fall of 2016.

Elective Workshops:

Managing and Coaching for High Performance March 22 1:00pm-5:00pm

Learn how to encourage employees to strive for excellence and take more pride and ownership in their work. Discover the five steps to creating an environment for success and then encourage the talents of your staff to grow.

Speed of Trust March 29 1:00pm-5:00pm

Learn about the 13 behaviors common in high-trust organizations and how these behaviors can increase both productivity and employee engagement on your team.

5 Choices April 6 9:00am-5:00pm

In today’s world, there is a greater abundance of opportunity for both organizations and individuals to accomplish extraordinary goals. However, all too often, the demands of our jobs, coupled with the barrage of information coming at us from so many sources (e.g. texts, emails, reports, tweets, blogs, web-sites, etc.) is overwhelming, exhausting and distracting. If we react to these stimuli we may fail to accomplish the things that matter most in our professional and personal lives.  The 5 Choices to Extraordinary Productivity provides you with tools that help you re-assign significant amount of time and energy on your most important goals – both inside and outside of work.

Employee Relations Essentials April 7 9:00am-11:00am

Pre-Requisite:  Managing and Coaching for High Performance

Attendance in this workshop will acquaint managers with the tools and resources available to them to manage employee performance, as well the policy and procedures that support a manager in holding an employee accountable for job performance.

Read about additional Professional Development Workshops (link to PDW blog post)

Questions?  Email us at DevelopU@smu.edu

Human Resources, OIT

SMU Resources for Developing Your Employees

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Guest post by Laurene Klassen, Manager, IT Training and Communications

gallupWe hear often about the research that the Gallup organization conducts on employee engagement and if you’ve attended training offered by the Department of Human Resources, you’ve most likely heard about the “Q12”, or the 12 questions developed by Gallup that can help determine the level of an employee engagement.   However, did you know that the number one reason employees leave their job is the lack of a relationship with their supervisor?  One of the 12 questions is “Is there someone at work who encourages my development?”.

growAs managers it’s our responsibility to develop our employees. Taking an active role in developing an employee’s skillset can not only demonstrate confidence in building a  team but it can greatly impact the people you’re working with by showing genuine concern for their development.

What resources are available to assist employees who may fall short of the skillset that they need or are looking to go to the next level?

Begin with a goal setting conversation

As we enter the annual performance review season HR has made many resources available to managers, including the Target and Gaps grid tools. These are great resources to engage your employee and evaluate current circumstances. Once you’ve identified additional skills for development it’s time to arm your employees with the resources they need to be successful in their roles and to develop themselves.

Provide readily available resources

How frustrating would it be to learn that you had to show up at a specific place but not be told how to navigate there? When you’re looking to coach your employee in their development provide clear direction and communication not only of what you need from them but resources on how to get there.   HR regularly offers a variety of  Professional Development Workshops and Customized Learning Experiences for your team and/or employees.  Did you know that OIT offers many resources as well?

training
Technical Training sessions are regularly offered by OIT. These are often essential tools for getting your employee up and running with the latest technology; especially new employees.

SMU has also purchased a campus license for lynda.com. Managers can assign self-paced training for their team members on a wide variety of topics.

This can be customized to assign specific topics or entire courses. With over 3,700 courses at your fingertips don’t miss out on this opportunity to utilize this valuable resource for your team. Below are a few examples of training, visit smu.eduedu/lynda to log in.

Avoid Scrap Learning

Scrap learning is learning that is delivered but not applied back on the job.  So how do we avoid it?  Though a manager may provide time for training, getting the employee to take the leap in changing behaviors or applying a new skillset to the job may be challenging. Studies have shown that when managers follow up with their employees on learning received and assist them with practical application, the chance for scrap learning is greatly reduced.

Want to learn more about OIT Training resources – both training opportunities and lynda.com tutorial based learning?

Email ittraining@smu.edu.

Interested in HR Training resources? Email DevelopU@smu.edu.

Human Resources

Last Scheduled Session on the New Performance Review Process at SMU

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Join us for the last scheduled session for an overview of NEW CAMPUS-WIDE FORMS, strategies for hosting an effective performance review and creating employee goals that motivate and engage.

perfrevHR has developed an interim Annual Review Process complete with new forms that will help managers and their team members review performance from this past year and plan for the upcoming year. This interim process will help prepare you and your team to use the new online performance management system, which is currently scheduled to launch within my.SMU in early 2017.

We’ll review the new  forms and talk about best practices for hosting performance review meetings, as well as provide an overview of the upcoming performance management process.

Thursday, March 17 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm in Huitt Zollar Pav, Embrey Bld, Room 115.

Enroll in this session via my.SMU>Self Service>Learning and Development>Request Training Enrollment.  Search by Course Name of “Performance Review Workshop”.

Visit the updated HR webpage for Performance Reviews and click on the Annual Review tab.

If you are unable to attend this last session, please email us at DevelopU@smu.edu so that we may find an alternative way to share this information with you.

General, Human Resources

Crucial Conversations: This Award Winning Training is Now Available at SMU

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Most of us could offer a guess as to what a “crucial conversation”  might look like.  We can also likely recall some of these conversations  we initiated or have stumbled into – often with less than stellar results!

ccCrucial Conversations is the title of a book co-authored by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan & Al Switzler.  They define a crucial conversation as one where stakes are high, emotions run strong, and opinions vary. Their signature statement is “if you feel stuck — in a relationship, in your career, at home — chances are a crucial conversation is keeping you there”.

Training Course:  Tools for Talking When Stakes are High:  quote

Crucial Conversations is also offered as a training course, developed by Vital Smarts, which teaches skills for creating alignment and agreement by fostering open dialogue around high-stakes, emotional, or risky topics throughout all levels of an organization. Skillsets covered include learning how to speak and be heard (and encouraging others to do the same), in order to begin to surface the best ideas, make the highest-quality decisions, and then act on decisions with unity and commitment.

What Makes This Training Program Successful?

There are three concepts that make the training engaging and allow for participants to build the skill to handle these conversations well.

1.  Hands-on skill-building: participants lecc4arn a new skill, apply the skill via practice, and receive helpful feedback in order to get better.
2.  Videos  which show the correct, near miss and disastrous results for situations in order to learn from the success and failure of others.
3.  Follow up tools to support the transfer of skill from the classroom to the office.

HR is Certified to Offer Crucial Conversations Training!

HR can partner with your team or organization to deliver this one day training course.  There is a cost associated with the training and we are happy to visit with you about this and investigate the most effective way meet your needs.

What Changes Can You Expect After Your Team Has Completed the Training?

With crucial conversations skills, you’ll be able to:

  • cc2prepare for high-stakes situations
  • transform anger and hurt feelings into powerful dialogue
  • make it safe to talk about almost anything
  • be persuasive, not abrasive
  • improve nearly every professional and personal relationship
  • yield professional improvements in areas like productivity, quality, safety, diversity, and change management.

Interested? Email us at DevelopU@smu.edu.

Learn about additional resources available to you on our Managing Through Change webpage.

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