Workplace Survey Initiatives program update

The 2019 Workplace Survey provided the University with feedback on areas such as: commitment, communication, decision making, development, diversity, innovations, leadership, performance management, productivity, rewards, teamwork, and well-being.

The ITS Leadership Team and the ITS Climate, Culture, and Inclusion Task Force reviewed the survey results and provided consensus on a set of nine improvement initiatives. Initiative leaders were identified (listed below).

Between November 1 and January 19, the following progress has been made on the initiatives:

• Establish ITS work from home guidance for staff (Ted Hanss) - Solicited volunteers from across ITS to participate in this working group. Currently documenting potential new principles and practices and preparing for feedback sessions with staff.
• Promote transparency and provide access to senior management (Ryan Schlagheck) - Skip-level guidance was reviewed and confirmed by SLT, and has been published as a resource to the new Performance Feedback website. Skip-level guidance has also been included in New Employee Orientation for Manager/Supervisor reference.
• Implement inclusive recruiting practices (Diane Fusco / Blanche Temple) - The Office of General Counsel is working on a University Diversity statement, which will be included in all future job postings. Completed interview questions focusing on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Researching tools and processes to address unconscious bias in job descriptions. Collaborating with members of CCI and Staffing’s Diversity Project Team on best practices and deliverables for inclusive recruitment.
• Examine Total Rewards & pay equity/simplify career paths and alignment to market data (Blanche Temple) - Refined milestones and target dates. SLT Strategy meeting held to address career pathing. Established ITS pay philosophy and strategy for managerial and professional staff.
• 25 Science Park safety (John Barden) - Public Safety has drafted a plan for increased presence and patrolling of the area and is working on staffing and implementation through Winter.
• Meaningful performance evaluations for all ITS staff—Assure 1:1 feedback consistency across M&P & C&T (Sandra Germenis) - Completed and published recommended practices and resources for managers.
• Research “high tech” firm employment practices, culture and retention strategies (Hadar Call / Kiran Keshav) - Conducted interviews with Senior Leadership Team and externally with local technical companies. Analysis of key findings and strategic theme development in progress; outline of resulting report started and will be refined throughout the process.
• Ensuring fairness of opportunity—Extend ITS diversity and inclusion training curriculum (Ann Brainard-Dougan / Sandra Germenis) - Diversity & Inclusion training content has been identified, reviewed by CCI/SLT, and set up in a custom training track. The new content will debut at the IT New Employee Orientation in February.

For the latest status, visit the Workplace Survey Improvement Initatives Monthly Tracker snapshot on the IT Teams channel, or contact randal.ritter@yale.edu, Senior Project Manager, Enterprise Reporting & Analytics.