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Tom Gausvik, Chief Human Resource
Officer
Times
are changing Human Resources
In
his book Human Resource Champions, University of Michigan
business professor Dave Ulrich identifies four roles that human
resources staff must assume for the future: strategic partner, administrative
expert, employee champion and change agent. Like many human resource
practitioners, University Human Resources (UHR) takes his message
to heart.
As
employee champion, UHR is initiating change, both locally and statewide.
We continually advocate to give employees a wider range of options
within the workplace, whenever possible. We actively support better
pay and better benefits, especially for our lowest-paid employees.
We encouraged the state to study the "living wage" issue,
but legislation failed to pass in the 1999 General Assembly session.
UHR also participates in a statewide initiative to reform the classified
compensation plan, which seeks to establish a flexible and modern
compensation system for nearly 70,000 classified employees of the
Commonwealth.
As
change agent, UHR is helping employees and customers reap the benefits
of new opportunities and rapidly changing technologies. One recent
change makes certain part-time employees eligible for retirement
benefits, and work is in progress to create a health insurance plan
for part-time salaried and hourly employees. Employees can enjoy
the security of short- and long-term disability coverage at no cost
to them. A University Health Plan ombudsman now assists employees
with their questions and concerns. A new pre-tax parking benefit
will soon increase take-home pay for eligible employees. The New
Employee Orientation program, begun last year, welcomes new faculty
and staff. And we are working with the state to study the feasibility
of offering long-term care benefits and increasing annual leave
for longer service employees.
UHR,
as administrative expert, helps management and employees apply policies
and practices fairly and consistently. UHR receives approximately
20,000 employment applications annually. Our "paperless"
system allows U.Va. hiring officials to post jobs on-line and receive
electronic applicant referrals the same day. Did you know University
Payroll processes a monthly payroll averaging $30 million, issuing
approximately 21,000 paychecks?
Our
new web site tailors
HR information for employees and managers. Future expanded web site
opportunities may allow employees to submit on-line job applications,
change or enroll in benefits and maintain personal data.
As
strategic partner, UHR continues to improve opportunities for employees
and managers. Videoconferencing, laptop and palm computers, cell
phones and an array of portable office accessories enable employees
to work outside a four-walled office, so UHR is creating programs
to help managers adapt, such as telecommuting (work-at-home) programs
and flexible scheduling.
Our
new approach and your input have helped us improve UHR programs
and services. It's an ongoing process. We welcome hearing from you
on how we're doing.
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