My Voice at IU

Background

With about 10,000 students and more than 600 faculty and staff across three buildings, the size of the Kelley School in Bloomington could lead staff to feel isolated or lose sight of the bigger picture: how they fit in to the larger Kelley community, and how Kelley fits in to the larger IU community. “Part of what we’re doing with staff engagement is to emphasize how each staff member contributes to the success of our students and to our mission. We’re saying, ‘What you do is important. You have value.’ And I hope they see that and feel that,” said Jeni Donlon, Director of Executive Communications for the Office of the Dean at Kelley. Donlon said another goal is to help staff learn more about the Kelley School’s beliefs, and to encourage staff members to exhibit the same qualities Kelley expects from its students: collaboration, personal and professional growth, humility, and tenacity.

Actions

When engagement survey results were shared, Dean Idie Kesner established a strategic planning team—which includes all unit directors at the Kelley School—to meet and discuss ways to inform and engage staff. Staff participation in the decision-making process and staff feedback is used to ensure the team is providing valuable information and meaningful engagement opportunities. Many ideas—both large and small—have come from the team’s meetings, and some were implemented immediately.

Here are just a few of the initiatives influenced by ongoing engagement work:

Employees taking a Third Thursday break with tasty snacks.

• We Are Kelley e-newsletter
  A monthly, staff-driven newsletter, overseen by a committee with representatives from each of the school’s major units. It features multimedia spotlights on the people and programs within the school. In addition to helping spread awareness about events and collect input from staff via surveys, it offers staff a creative way to share and learn more about each other. The video and themed staff photo slideshow are the most popular features.
• MOMENTUM Conference
  An annual, one-day, off-site conference for Kelley staff that focuses on personal and professional development. With the support of faculty and unit directors, staff are encouraged to attend, network, and learn from a variety of educational sessions on topics such as navigating generational differences, creative thinking, conflict management, personal finance, and the Kelley brand.
• Twice-annual updates from Dean Kesner
  Presented to staff by Dean Kesner in the spring and fall with accompanying question and answer sessions, these events help staff connect their work to the mission of the Kelley School. Staff are invited to the State of the School Address in the spring and the Strategy Info Session in the fall.
• Increased training opportunities
  More skill development opportunities are being made available to staff, based on what they’re interested in: Excel, PowerPoint, Photoshop, and Zoom video conferencing.
• Kelley Wellness
  The staff-run program was revived to help emphasize physical and mental health while providing a service to the community. The program committee has hosted several events and activities, such as a Saturday dog walk, a water-drinking challenge, a donation drive for Monroe County United Ministries, and a healthy lunch potluck.
• Kelley Staff Clubs
  Kelley has seven staff clubs developed and led by staff volunteers: Book Club, Board Game Club, Cookbook Club, Hiking Club, Knitting Club, Wine Tasting Club, and a group for Parents of Young Children. Some meet during the lunch hour, while others meet after hours. Participation ranges from five to 24 people.
• Third Thursdays
  Specially themed breaks are hosted each month that allow staff to do something fun away from the office. Staff is invited to have a themed snack, meet coworkers, and enjoy time together.
• Onboarding Committee and Staff Ambassadors
  An ad-hoc committee was created in the summer of 2019 and tasked with developing an onboarding protocol to welcome new employees in a broader way, make sure they feel connected beyond their unit, and help them understand the Kelley brand from the start. Part of that effort will involve 32 Staff Ambassadors who volunteered to pair with new hires outside of their unit to welcome them and help ensure their first year at Kelley is a good one.

Impact

The events and clubs have proven to be popular with staff, and they continue to grow and develop. Guided by staff feedback and participation levels, the team leading engagement continues to meet to ensure their efforts help staff feel connected to their co-workers, embrace the philosophy behind the Kelley School, and understand what makes Kelley unique. “It’s important that we keep the information that staff needs available, that staff have ways to enhance their personal and professional lives at Kelley, and that staff have the opportunity to engage in events with co-workers,” said Donlon.