What specific behaviors or habits will your team commit to changing or reinforcing?
We opted to take the top three issues identified in the 2024 EES survey and develop action plans for them. The top three issues the staff felt we needed to strengthen were communications, fair treatment of employees, and workplace stress. We felt directing our attention and efforts to very specific areas, rather than the entire survey, would allow us to make impactful changes to the areas staff felt were most needed.
How did you seek input from your team when crafting your action plan?
We decided to create short-term Employee Engagement Committees for each of the three issues identified. The committees are each made up of a diverse cross-section of employees who volunteered to share their insights and experiences to develop actionable items to be shared with our leadership team and me for further discussion before being shared with the entire EHS staff. To facilitate free and open conversation, members of the leadership team did not serve on the committee.
In essence, we tasked our staff members with identifying issues and developing ways to improve. We also relied on our expert partners throughout the university to help lead these efforts.
The Employee Well-being and Stress Committee was led by Lisa Kimmel, director of Employee Well-Being. The EHS Acceptance and Culture Committee was led by Deborah Stanley-McAulay, associate vice president for Employee Engagement and Workplace Culture. The third committee focusing on communications will be led by a partner in the Office of Public Affairs and Communications.
How will you continue to gather feedback from your team to refine or evolve your action plan?
Prior to even forming our Employee Engagement Committees, we created an online staff suggestion box to allow staff the opportunity to present issues or suggestions anonymously. Each suggestion is shared with the entire department, along with the next steps, in weekly staff emails, if appropriate. The EHS Acceptance and Culture Committee also created and launched a Pulse Survey on Workplace Fairness and Fair Treatment for EHS staff, which had a response rate of roughly 90 percent. This feedback is being evaluated to help create action items around this topic.
What role do you see yourself playing in creating an environment where engagement can thrive?
As a leader at Yale, I believe I am responsible for creating the conditions where engagement can thrive. From my perspective, that means setting clear expectations for staff, communicating openly, and modeling the behaviors I ask of others. As part of an ongoing process, I work to build trust by listening, respecting different perspectives, and ensuring staff feel supported. It also means creating safe opportunities for employees to share ideas and provide constructive feedback. Most importantly, I aim to recognize staff contributions, so they feel valued, connected to our work, and empowered to support Yale’s mission.
How can other staff members or departments get involved or learn more about your efforts?
One of the things I value most about EHS is the strong sense of partnership we have with the many groups we support across Yale. Our work is most effective when we collaborate closely with others, and those relationships are essential to advancing our shared mission. I would be glad to connect with other leaders or teams across the university if our experience could be helpful as they consider their own employee engagement efforts.
