HR News

Take your supervisory skills to the next level

Perri Longley — Thu, 01 May 2025 17:33:22 +0000

Take your supervisory skills to the next level Perri Longley Thu, 05/01/2025 - 11:33

Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue

A Crucial Conversation is a discussion between two or more people where the stakes are high, opinions vary, and emotions run strong. When conversations turn crucial, people tend to follow one of two ineffective paths: they either speak directly and abrasively to get the results they want but harm relationships, or they remain silent with the hope of preserving relationships only to sacrifice results.

Learning Outcomes

Identify problems contributing to poor results and broken relationships.
Keep composure when feeling angry, defensive, or intimidated. Spot the warning signs that indicate safety and dialogue are at risk.
Identify victim, villain, and helpless stories you might be telling yourself to justify behavior.
Recognize when you are at cross-purpose and take steps to rebuild safety and return to dialogue.
Find and cultivate mutual purpose with those who hold opposing viewpoints.
Turn each Crucial Conversation into a course of action that leads to results.

Who should attend
Crucial Conversations training is appropriate for employees at all levels of the organization. Supervisors, managers, and executive leaders will find the course to be particularly relevant to their work. There is a cost of $272 to take this training. You will be asked to provide a department speedtype.

Employee Management and Compliance Essentials

This blended course provides managers and supervisors with a comprehensive overview of legal guidelines, campus policies, and 91�� practices related to employee management and development.

This course includes live facilitated sessions as well as self-paced modules to fit your unique schedule. Participants who attend all live sessions and self-paced online modules are eligible for a certificate.

Learning Outcomes

Pre-employment essentials (position management, compensation, and recruitment).
Employee development guidelines and strategies (onboarding, performance management, and progressive discipline).
Special topics in employee management (federal and campus policies and procedures related to discrimination and harassment; the Americans with Disabilities Act; and the Family Medical Leave).

91�� encourages those in a supervisory role to take Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue and Employee Management and Compliance Essentials.

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July wellness seminars focus on remote work and coping during a crisis

Anonymous — Mon, 15 Jun 2020 21:03:20 +0000

July wellness seminars focus on remote work and coping during a crisis Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 06/15/2020 - 15:03

91��’s Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP) is offering weekly wellness seminars in July focused on mental and emotional well being during challenging times. Programs provide practical tools participants can practice and apply to their daily lives.

Wellness Series Seminars

July 8: Movement as Medicine: Ergonomics for a Healthy Body - Sponsored by Elevations Credit Union
July 15: How to Cope with Anxiety During a Crisis
July 21: Leadership in Action: Supporting a psychologically healthy workplace for a remote workforce
July 27: Work/Life Balance: When working from home has become the new normal

For more information about each program and to register, visit the Self-Care Workshops page.

FSAP is dedicated to serving the emotional and psychological needs of the campus community by providing free services to 91�� faculty and staff. To learn more, visit the Faculty & Staff Assistance Program page.

The Faculty and Staff Assistance Program is offering weekly wellness seminars in July focused on mental and emotional well being during challenging times.

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Hello Summer! These July professional development offerings are hot.

Anonymous — Mon, 15 Jun 2020 18:19:27 +0000

Hello Summer! These July professional development offerings are hot. Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 06/15/2020 - 12:19

FranklinCovey: The 6 Critical Practices of Leading a Team

Dates: July 7 & 9
Time: 8:30 am-12:30 pm, each day
Virtual Session

Supervisors and managers make a significant impact on employee productivity and engagement, innovation, and performance. They are the creators and carriers of culture for their teams and directly influence whether top talent stays or leaves. Their role has always been tough and today’s realities make the role even tougher. Both new and experienced supervisors and managers can struggle when it comes to excelling at leading teams in today’s workplace. In this course, participants will learn six practices that, when consistently applied, will increase the ability to lead others.

Cost

If this is your first FranklinCovey course since September 1, 2019: $110 (Cost includes All Access Pass)
If you have attended one or more FranklinCovey courses since September 1, 2019: No Cost

Facilitator(s): Lisa Nelson, JD, Senior Training and Development Specialist and Alyssa Willet, Training and Development Specialist

Emotional Intelligence

Dates: July 13 & 20
Time: 9:00 am-12:00 pm, each day
Virtual Session

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the ability to recognize and understand emotions in yourself and others, and your ability to use this awareness to manage your behavior and relationships. EI has been shown to increase job performance, productivity, and personal excellence.

Cost: There is no cost for this course.

Facilitator(s): Lisa Nelson, JD, Senior Training and Development Specialist and Alyssa Willet, Training and Development Specialist

Change Management for Managers

Dates: July 14, 15 & 16
Time: 10:00 am-12:00 pm, each day
Virtual Session

Prosci Change Management for Managers provides managers and supervisors with tools and skills to understand change theory, facilitate change processes, and successfully lead teams through change. This workshop is critical for managers whose departments are planning change or in the process of change. Participants receive a comprehensive toolkit and materials.

Cost: $350

Facilitator: Mike Murray, MLIR, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Strategic Initiatives

FranklinCovey: The 4 Essential Roles of Leadership

Dates: July 22, 29, August 5, 12
Time: 8:30 am-12:30 pm, each day
Virtual Session

Every day leaders are making countless decisions and facing problems they’ve never encountered before. What worked yesterday can change overnight. The rewards are great for those who can lead a team to consistently achieve extraordinary results. So how can leaders stay ahead of the curve and differentiate themselves and their teams when so much is changing so quickly? The 4 Essential Roles of Leadership develops the roles leaders play that are highly predictive of success.

Cost:

If this is your first FranklinCovey course since September 1, 2019: $110 (Cost includes All Access Pass)
If you have attended one or more FranklinCovey courses since September 1, 2019: No Cost

Facilitator(s): Lauren Harris, MS, CPTM, Training Manager and Lisa Nelson, JD, Senior Training and Development Specialist

Crucial Conversations

Dates: August 4, 6, 11, 13
Time: 9:00 am -11:00 am AND 1:00 - 3:00 pm, each day
Virtual Session

Crucial Conversations is a two-day course that teaches skills for creating alignment and agreement by fostering open dialogue around high-stakes, emotional, or risky topics – at all levels of the organization. By learning how to speak and be heard (and encouraging others to do the same), you’ll surface the best ideas, make the highest-quality decisions, and then act on your decisions with unity and commitment.

Cost: $250

Facilitator(s): Lauren Harris, MS, CPTM, Training Manager and Alyssa Willet, Training and Development Specialist

Join 91�� Human Resources for these virtual professional development programs.

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Produce Boxes on Wednesdays in June

Anonymous — Fri, 29 May 2020 19:00:17 +0000

Produce Boxes on Wednesdays in June Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 05/29/2020 - 13:00

The Volunteer Resource Center will be distributing produce on Wednesdays in June 3,10, 17, 24, from 3-5 p.m. in the parking lot between the University Memorial Center (UMC) and the Center for Academic Success and Engagement (CASE).

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Campus approves flexibility for leave sweeps

Anonymous — Tue, 26 May 2020 17:17:39 +0000

Campus approves flexibility for leave sweeps Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 05/26/2020 - 11:17

On Tuesday, May 19, the Board of Regents unanimously voted to allow flexibility to Regent Policy 11.E, for employees who have been unable to take vacation due to the coronavirus crisis. This flexibility allowed for the Chancellor to approve a new maximum of vacation hours that can be retained by an employee before the leave sweep occurs on July 1. The state personnel board rules were changed through emergency rulemaking, effective April 1, 2020.

For the 91�� campus, changes to the leave sweep are as follows:

University staff and 12-month faculty

Employees may carry up to 80 hours over maximum – temporary maximum of 432
Any amount over 432 hours will be swept on July 1, 2020
On July 1, 2021, the leave sweeps will bring anyone over the maximum back to 352 hours.
Under no circumstances will an employee be paid over the maximum 352 hours upon separation from the university.
Per APS 5062 (https://www.cu.edu/ope/aps/5062), supervisors can approve or deny vacation requests: “Upon approval by the supervisor, vacation may be taken after the close of the pay period in which the leave is earned.”

Classified Staff

Employee may carry up to 80 hours over the maximum
- 1 through 5 years – temporary maximum is 272 hours
- 6 through 10 years – temporary maximum is 320 hours
- 11 through 15 years – temporary maximum is 368 hours
- 16 years and above – temporary maximum is 416 hours
Any amount over the temporary maximum will be swept on July 1, 2020.
On July 1, 2021, the leave sweep will bring anyone over the maximum back to correct maximum accrual based on length of service:
- 1 through 5 years – maximum is 192 hours
- 6 through 10 years – maximum is 240 hours
- 11 through 15 years – maximum is 288 hours
- 16 years and above – maximum is 336 hours
Under no circumstances will an employee be paid over the original maximum hours (not temporary maximum hours) upon separation from the university.
Per State Personnel Board Rules 5-4, supervisors can approve or deny vacation requests: “Annual leave is for an employee’s personal needs and use is subject to the approval of the appointing authority.”

On Tuesday, May 19, the Board of Regents unanimously voted to allow flexibility to Regent Policy 11.E, for employees who have been unable to take vacation due to the coronavirus crisis

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6 thoughts on leading virtual teams

Anonymous — Tue, 19 May 2020 21:43:10 +0000

6 thoughts on leading virtual teams Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 05/19/2020 - 15:43

We were all thrust into a new world of leading others virtually due to COVID-19. Our daily personal and professional lives were upended. Along with a new way of working and living came the added challenge of learning to lead teams in a virtual environment amid a pandemic. Over the past nine weeks, there have been hard conversations, dramatic changes to operations and lessons learned on leading others during this time. This article focuses on sharing six thoughts on leading virtual teams right now.

Managing direct reports is different.

Check-in’s need to be more frequent in a virtual environment. Connecting with your direct reports for 30 minutes once or twice a week will allow you to stay connected to the needs of your team, provide resources and support, and keep project and work momentum moving.

Flexibility is essential.

With the home now being the office, the classroom, and the playroom, employees need more support and flexibility. Employees are in a variety of physical and psychological states. Some are doing okay, some are not. Some have adequate resources and support, some do not. Some are caregivers in their homes, some are living alone and coping with isolation. Meet the individuals on your team where they are. For example, a parent may need time to homeschool their child during the middle of the day. Focus on supporting people and producing results and not when the work gets done.

Zoom fatigue is real.

Nonstop video meetings can quickly sap valuable energy that could be better put to projects and solving problems. Schedule breaks between video meetings to reset the mind, rest the eyes, and enable sustained energy - encourage your employees to do the same. Hold some meetings via phone and walk while you talk.

Inclusion is vital.

As a 91�� core value, it is vital that we maintain our commitment to inclusion while working remotely. Use these strategies to intentionally build an inclusive team culture. 1.

Create accessible content. Ensure virtual materials are accessible, mobile friendly, and shared before, during and after meetings, trainings and events. Need help with accessible materials? Review the accessible resources page.
Use alternative engagement strategies. Consider employees’ circumstances when setting expectations for engagement. Do they have adequate internet? Can they participate via phone? What is the best time of day to engage given other responsibilities such as childcare?
Be aware of how different identities and communities are impacted. Mental health, physical and psychological safety, resources and support, and competing priorities are impacting people differently. Educate yourself on these differences.
Ask employees how they like to be included. Inclusion and belonging are specific to individuals. One helpful strategy is to ask employees how they like to be included.
Know your resources. Familiarize yourself with campus resources to support your supervisory needs in this virtual and pandemic environment. Begin by familiarizing yourself with the supervisor resources located on the COVID-19 HR Guidance Page.

Vulnerability is humanizing.

Check-in with your team to understand their experience and how you can be supportive. Be honest about your own experience. This will give them implicit permission that they can do the same – better yet, explicitly encourage them to do so. Be informed about the resources available to you and your employees. Looking for a different question to ask other than ‘how are you doing?’. Check out this resource.

Focusing on work drives purpose.

It is easy to feel lost during times of uncertainty. Supervisors can help employees feel more connected by focusing them on purposeful work. Collaboratively, identify short term (one to three months) goals with each of your direct reports. Commitment to producing outcomes that continue to support students, faculty and staff will aid in providing clarity and control during times of disruption.

Lauren Harris is the training and development manager for 91��. For information about training opportunities in HR, visit: /hr/learning-development/employee-learning.

Over the past nine weeks, there have been hard conversations, dramatic changes to operations and lessons learned on leading others during this time.

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HR launches online learning opportunity for Employee Management and Compliance Essentials

Anonymous — Mon, 18 May 2020 19:48:41 +0000

HR launches online learning opportunity for Employee Management and Compliance Essentials Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 05/18/2020 - 13:48

Employee Management and Compliance Essentials (EMCE) provides a comprehensive overview for managers and supervisors of legal guidelines, campus policies, and CU-91�� practices related to employee management and development. This blended learning opportunity will include both self-paced and live online sessions. The live-online sessions include interactive workshops on performance management and addressing discrimination and harassment in the workplace. The self-paced online modules, ranging from ten to thirty minutes in length, cover essential topics in managing people including hiring and compensation processes, the Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), progressive discipline processes, and policy framework at 91��.

Learners can expect a participatory online environment including engaging in break out rooms, sharing in pairs and small groups, reflection activities, and responding to questions in the chat function of Zoom.

Who Should Attend

This workshop is for anyone who supervises professional staff at the University.

Upcoming Sessions

Blended Series One

Live Online Zoom Sessions: June 10 & June 30: 9-11am & 2:30-4pm each day, Zoom
Online Self-Paced Module Work: Between June 10 and June 30

Blended Series Two

Live Online Zoom Sessions: July 8 & July 30: 9-11am & 2:30-4pm, each day, Zoom
Online Self-Paced Module Work: Between July 8 and July 30

Instructors

The blended course is taught by OED Trainers and HR/Campus Subject Matter Experts.

Cost

There is no cost for this course.

Human Resources (HR) is launching an online learning opportunity for the Employee Management and Compliance Essential course. Register today to begin or continue your supervisory journey at 91��.

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Virtual One-on-One Financial Consultation Available

Anonymous — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 21:32:50 +0000

Virtual One-on-One Financial Consultation Available Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/30/2020 - 15:32

CU employees are eligible to meet virtually or over the phone with financial professionals from the university’s retirement plan service provider Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA) at no cost. Discuss any financial issue—from everyday budgeting to managing debt and (of course) retirement planning.

You can meet with a consultant by scheduling an appointment at 1-800-732-8353 or the TIAA website.

Discuss any financial issue—from everyday budgeting to managing debt and retirement planning.

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Let's Relax & Laugh Together! Virtual Workshops for Self-Care

Anonymous — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 15:45:31 +0000

Let's Relax & Laugh Together! Virtual Workshops for Self-Care Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 03/25/2020 - 09:45

Workplace Relaxation Toolkit: Chair Yoga, Breathing and Nervous System Regulation Practices

Stress is neither inherently good nor bad; yet stress can create physical, mental, and/or emotional tension. Stress is how our body responds to pressures, responsibilities, and threats (regardless of if they are real or imagined). The workplace is filled with potential stressors—interactions with colleagues, responsibilities and deadlines. This workshop is intended to provide practical tools to help mitigate stress. Participants can expect a combination of lecture and discussion about nervous system regulation and its relevance to the workplace.

Additionally, participants will experience a guided, gentle chair yoga session, including breathing techniques and mindfulness practices — all of which can be done conveniently at your current remote working location/home and eventually back at our work places. Please wear comfortable clothes to assure flexibility and movement.

Session Information

Date: Apr. 2 - Virtual: Zoom
Time: 12:00 to 1:00 p.m.

Learning Outcomes

Participants will be able to:

Understand how stress affects their minds and bodies
Identify potential stressors at work
Utilize breathing and movement practices to help promote relaxation and reduce stress responses at work
Apply self-regulation tools in the workplace

Who should attend

This workshop is intended for any 91�� faculty or staff member who wants to learn more about how to build a relaxation toolkit for the workplace.

Cost: There is not cost to attend.

Meet the Facilitator: Meredith Lopez, MA, LPC

The Power of Laughter

Laughter helps to reduce stress by providing a boost to the immune system and enhancing brain chemistry through the release of serotonin and endorphins. Creating more self-induced boosts of serotonin can help enhance one’s ability to tolerate stress. Participants will learn how humor can be an effective means of dealing with overwhelming emotions and learn how to incorporate more humor into our lives.

Session Information

Date: Apr. 22 - Virtual: Zoom
Time: 12:00 to 1:00 p.m.

Learning Outcomes

Participants will be able to:

Describe how humor affects mood and the immune system
Identify the body’s chemical reaction to laughter
Utilize humor to support the body’s stress response to everyday issues

Who should attend

This workshop is intended for any 91�� faculty or staff member who wants to learn more about how humor can help with mood, physiology and mental functioning.

Cost: There is not cost to attend.

Meet the Facilitator: Meredith Lopez, MA, LPC

The Faculty & Staff Assistance Program (FSAP) is dedicated to serving the emotional and psychological needs of the campus community. All FSAP staff are trained as generalist counselors and are equipped to deal with a wide range of personal and work related issues.

Join us for Workplace Relaxation Toolkit and Power of Laughter workshops presented by the Faculty & Staff Assistance Program.

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CU Discover Series: Who? Who are the Ombuds and Why Should I Care?

Anonymous — Thu, 05 Mar 2020 16:47:17 +0000

CU Discover Series: Who? Who are the Ombuds and Why Should I Care? Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 03/05/2020 - 09:47

Register for an Intro to Ombuds session

Date: Friday, Mar. 20
Time: 12:00 - 12:45 p.m.
Location: East Campus, ARC 620

If you find yourself saying….How do I talk to…? I’m lost in the bureaucracy…. Am I misreading this situation? What are my options? Ombuds can help! Join the Ombuds Office for an informative session discussing the role of the Ombuds at 91�� and the services they provide staff, faculty and students. Bring your lunch and join other new employees to learn from Liz Hill, Associate Ombuds for the 91�� campus.

At the end of the session, participants will understand:

Understand the unique role of the Organizational Ombuds
Learn how the Ombuds Office operates and the services Ombuds provides
Identify how Ombuds can help you and the organization

What is the CU Discover Series?

The CU Discover series is a component of the comprehensive, year-long onboarding program offered to new employees at 91��. The series offers opportunities to learn more about the values, mission, operations and initiatives of the 91�� campus.

CU Discover elective sessions are held over the lunch hour once a month. Attendees are invited to bring a lunch for these interactive, informative sessions. Learn more about the CU Discover Series.

Join the Ombuds Office for an informative session discussing the role of the Ombuds at 91�� and the services they provide staff, faculty and students.

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