The Beacon: Fall 2023
Welcome to Our 1st Volume of the HR Newsletter
Welcome, dear colleagues and friends, to our inaugural volume of the HR newsletter. This is the bastion of our team’s progress, planned initiatives, and notable happenings that we wish to share with the whole organization.
Today, we want to share the inspiration and meaning behind our newly designed HR team logo that many of you might have observed on our recent messages.
Discovering our Beacon: The HR Team Logo
In the dawn of January 2023, our team spent two insightful and invigorating days bonding and aligning our values for the year ahead. Under the guidance of Lisa Scott, we embarked on a journey of self-discovery about HR as a profession. Thus, the symbolic associations between the lighthouse and our profession came forth.
- Guiding Light: Just like a lighthouse serving as a beacon for sailors, we, the HR professionals, guide the organization through uncharted waters.
- Safety and Security: We ensure a safe and secure work environment, similar to how lighthouses protect ships from unseen threats.
- Visibility and Transparency: Like a lighthouse standing tall, we strive to promote transparency in our HR processes.
- Nurturing Talent: As lighthouses offer refuge, we nurture the talent within our organization.
- Adaptability and Resilience: We weather the storms of a dynamic business environment, standing strong just like lighthouses.
- Symbol of Hope: In offering guidance and support, we can become a source of hope for our colleagues.
To visualize our growth and adaptability, we later added growing vines to our HR Lighthouse.
- Growth and Renewal: We enable learning and adaptability, representing an unyielding spirit of resilience and renewal, much like vines.
- Integration and Adaptation: Just as vines adapt and integrate with their environment, we align our HR strategies to the evolving needs of our organization.
Our Goals and Mission
With these principles as our foundation, we aim to redefine and enhance the HR function in our organization. The vine-laden lighthouse in our logo thus represents our team’s values and mission:
Our Values
- Inclusivity: We aim to nurture a compassionate culture that respects our colleagues’ diverse experiences and backgrounds.
- Impact: We model excellence in innovation, engagement, and growth, thus shaping the organization’s culture.
- Integrity: We exemplify consistent transparency in all our interactions and decisions.
Our Mission
Our mission is to empower our colleagues through guidance and partnership to co-create an inclusive and agile culture of success.
How We Serve Our Staff
As HR professionals, our key function is to serve as guides, facilitators, and advocates for all our staff. Through our various initiatives and programs, we aim to enrich the work environment, nurture talent, promote well-being, and cultivate a culture of excellence. We look forward to your continued support and participation as we embark on this mission together.
Please look for our upcoming newsletters where we will be delving into more details about our initiatives, updates, and ways we are working tirelessly to make our organization the best it can be.
Employee Engagement Survey
Your opinion matters to us, and that’s why on Monday we launched the Employee Engagement Survey. It’s your opportunity to help shape the future of our organization.
Please take a few minutes of your time to provide us with your honest feedback – give us insights into what we are doing correctly, and where improvements could be made.
Your feedback is a crucial component for building positive changes in our workplace. It can highlight our organizational strengths, expose areas where we can improve, and help us make informed decisions about where to direct our efforts.
Deadline to submit: October 6
Remember, your voice counts. Together, we can create a work environment that’s productive, rewarding, and enriching for us all!
To participate in the survey, please check your email from a message from Culture Amp.
Thank you in advance for your time and input.
Rock Steady With CREW
We want to take this opportunity to bring you some exciting news about the social and professional events that we have lined up over the next couple of months. These events provide a wonderful platform to learn, network, and make memories.
September
9/26 – MochaMyDay
Coffee & Smoothies in the Lobby from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
9/27 – Wellness Wednesday
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Chair Massages & Happy Tails Therapy Dogs
A fantastic way to relieve some stress and invigorate yourself is waiting for you. We’re offering a 10-minute chair massage in room 109. To book your session:
- Follow this link to our sign-up sheet.
- Choose the time slot that best suits you.
- Complete the online waiver at the bottom of the sheet.
Get ready to relax and unwind! Remember, slots might fill up quickly, so don’t hesitate to reserve yours now!
October
10/4 – Pickleball
Learn to play Pickleball with Lori Burnett & Katie Gass
Discover the joy of playing one of the fastest-growing sports in America — Pickleball! Whether you’re an absolute beginner or you’re looking for some tips, you don’t want to miss this. Step into the world of Pickleball – you might just find your new favorite sport! | Sign up here
10/11 – Refuge Coffee in Lobby
8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
10/24 – MochaMyDay
Coffee & Smoothies in the Lobby from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
10/16-31 – Pumpkin Carving Contest
Other Upcoming Events
Anti-Bias Training
- Tuesday, September 26 | In-Person (at Task Force) | 9 am – 12 pm with Quinn Foster
- Thursday, November 16 | Virtual (Via Zoom) | 9 am – 12 pm with Melody Ridley
- Thursday, November 30 | Virtual (Via Zoom) | 9 am – 12 pm with Quinn Foster
Fall Internship timeline – for New Fall Interns ONLY:
- Requisition Form Submission Deadline: September 22, 2023
- Interviews Deadline: October 20, 2023
- Finalist(s) Selection: No later than October 27, 2023
- Offer Extension Deadline (Offers can only be extended by Task Force HR): No later than October 30, 2023
- Latest Possible Start Date: October 31, 2023
- Last Working Day of the Fall Semester: December 12, 2023
Performance Management Review Process
We are pleased to extend our heartfelt thanks to each of you for your active and beneficial partaking in the annual Performance Management Review Process. Your collective efforts, constructive feedback, and dedication contributed significantly to what we believe was a successful process. While we’re just wrapping up that comprehensive review process, let’s remember that the cycle of feedback and growth isn’t confined to a once-a-year ritual. We have the great opportunity to continually improve and learn from each other throughout the year.
That’s where the Bullseye Engagement Check-In feature comes into play. This valuable tool is ready for your use. It has been designed to facilitate open dialogues with your managers, away from the pressures of mid-year or year-end formal evaluations. This can be our cornerstone of fostering continual communication and progress.
It provides you with an avenue to discuss your thoughts, suggestions, challenges, and developments, opening up a platform for both personal and professional enrichment.
We urge you to seize this opportunity. Ask for feedback, discuss your plans, and express your thoughts and concerns. Seeking feedback and support is not just welcomed, but highly encouraged.
As the saying goes, ‘There is no failure. Only feedback!’
Best Practice Tip: Commit to using the Check-In feature in Bullseye
Top 10 reasons Supervisors and Employees Should Engage in Regular Check-ins during the performance period
- Alignment and Expectations
- Feedback and Coaching
- Goal Progress Tracking
- Recognition and Appreciation
- Employee Engagement
- Professional Development
- Course Correction
- Relationship Building
- Documentation and Accountability
- Continuous Improvement
Open Enrollment
Emory’s annual benefits enrollment will take place October 23 – November 6, 2023 providing you with the opportunity to review your benefits and make any changes you need to. More information about annual enrollment will be mailed to your home address next month. Be sure to look out for it.
Enhancing Workplace Connectivity with BambooHR Employee Directory and Organizational Chart
In this age of remote and hybrid work environments, fostering teamwork and collaboration becomes more critical than ever. We are excited to introduce the new Employee Directory and Organizational Chart features in BambooHR, which streamline HR processes and promote stronger connectivity within the organization. These tools serve as a bridge to facilitate communication and collaboration among employees by providing a centralized platform where they can access each other’s profiles and contact information. The organizational chart will be useful in grant writing and other activities where having hierarchical knowledge is a benefit. Having an accessible and centralized Employee Directory reduces the time spent searching for colleagues’ contact details, thus improving efficiency and promoting more seamless collaboration.
Employees are encouraged to update their profiles with relevant details, such as their work number and professional photo, ensuring that their information is accurate and easily locatable by colleagues. With the Employee Directory integrated within the BambooHR platform, accessing and searching for colleagues becomes a quick and seamless process.
- Log in to your BambooHR account.
- Navigate to the Employee Directory.
- Find and click on your profile.
- Click Edit Profile.
- Update your profile with relevant information.
- Save your changes.
Every employee should take advantage of these powerful features and contribute towards a more connected and interactive work environment.
HR Open Hours
Get ready for an enjoyable and insightful meet-and-greet with your HR team! We’re excited to welcome you to our Fall HR Open Hours!
Date: October 31
Time: 1 p.m.
We will be focusing on two important themes that are crucial for our organization’s growth and enrichment:
Insight into Employee Engagement Survey Results: We will present the results of the recent Employee Engagement Survey, understand the insight it brings, and engage in discussions on what it means for our organization’s future.
Let’s Talk Money – Compensation Practices: An interactive session about the company’s compensation practices. It’s time to address your questions and broaden your understanding!
Additionally, we will provide light refreshments and a chance for staff members to win a prize.
Open interactions make us stronger as a community – let’s come together and contribute to our vibrant workplace culture!
Talent Aquisition Corner
Emory University’s “It Pays to Have Friends” program offers a $500 bonus to current staff members and postdocs who refer friends or family for job positions. The bonus is given for each successful referral, without any limits. Eligible referrers must be in regular positions, not supervisors, faculty, HR professionals, health care employees, or temporary/contract workers. Referred individuals must meet job qualifications, start after September 1, 2022, and remain employed for the first 90 days. Referral bonuses are paid after three months of successful employment, subject to the referrer’s continued employment and good standing.
Current Openings
Emory University Openings
Rafting Up With Emory
- Emory Executive Education is offering a 50% discount for select courses this fall semester with the code EMORYEMPLOYEE2023. All Emory employees are eligible for the discount, which expires on December 4. View the list of upcoming courses.
- Don’t forget, from events and gyms to public transportation, our employees have access to a variety of unique discount programs.
- If you need to check Emory’s policies or figure out how to change address in PeopleSoft, this well-organized Staff Resources webpage will get you what you need and much more. Make sure you bookmark it!
Your Human Resources Team
- Cici Roberts: “Even though I am an introvert, I identify as a felinetrovert.”
- Lisa Scott: “Golden Rule … Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.”
- Almeta Collins: “I enjoy finding ways to use technology to solve problems and help others. Outside of my work time, I like karaoke and trying new restaurants with my children and grandchildren. I believe kindness matters.”
- Shweta Pandey: “Driven by empathy and an insatiable curiosity, I find solace in nature, animals, and the art of capturing life’s moments.”
