Spotlight: Finance and Administration (IUPUI)
Survey results led the Finance and Administration (FIAD) team at IUPUI to continue and enhance a popular event that lets staff see its leaders in a new light. Learn how the team uses a fun event to address question five (Q05) and build staff engagement below.
My Voice at IU Engagement Question:
My supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person.
Serving up fun at FIAD's Ice Cream Social.
Employees get excited about the Ice Cream Social. And the involvement of leadership at all levels demonstrates that our leaders care and take the time to connect with employees.”
- Lisa Elko, Administrative and Project Coordinator, Finance and Administration–IUPUI
Background
The Finance and Administration (FIAD) team at IUPUI is continuously working to improve its employee culture through its Culture of Caring initiative. So, when survey results showed question five (Q05) as an area of opportunity, focusing on opportunities to bring leadership and employees together was a natural fit.
Actions
The FIAD team chose to continue refining a popular, fun event for staff: an ice cream social. The FIAD Ice Cream Social is a staff appreciation event hosted by the Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration’s office where leaders personally thank staff members for all they do for the staff, faculty, students, and visitors at IUPUI. FIAD staff from across Indianapolis are invited to enjoy ice cream treats served by leadership and spend quality time with each other away from the office. An afternoon and evening event helps accommodate the different work schedules of FIAD employees.
Discussions around survey results also led to incorporating new ways of recognizing individual departments and even employees within FIAD at this event. This added another flavor of recognition to an event that brings staff together with leaders to celebrate their work.
Impact
More than 400 staff employees attended the 2019 ice cream social. Feedback from staff shows appreciation for it bringing FIAD departments together, being a successful networking event, for representing different shifts, and for leadership’s role in the fun event.
The event also highlights how different areas of the FIAD team work well together. With the help of the Office of Sustainability (part of FIAD) the celebration is a zero-waste event. “We are passionate about this idea not just because of the sustainability aspect, but because this initiative falls under our division,” said Elko. “It gives us another opportunity to highlight our amazing staff and what we are able to do for the IUPUI campus when we work together.”
