2007-2008 Staff Survey Progress Report

Dear Colleagues,

As the 2008 Staff Survey kicks off today, we wanted to take the opportunity to encourage you to participate in this important process.  Expressing your opinion really can make a difference--your responses to the 2006 survey provided us with important information about what matters to you and led to a number of significant changes at HLS.  Specifically, the 2006 survey identified performance recognition, performance management/pay for performance and career mobility as three primary areas of concern for HLS staff.  Based on this feedback from you, HLS implemented the following changes in these three key areas:

Recognition

• The Peer to Peer Recognition Award program was developed and launched by a team of your colleagues from departments across the School.  To date, more than 130 HLS employees have received one of these awards.  In addition, we continue to enter all recipients in a monthly drawing to win an iPod Shuffle, while all nominators are eligible to win a pair of movie tickets.
• With the support of a cross-departmental advisory committee, the annual Dean’s Award for Excellence program was instituted to recognize HLS staff members who demonstrate excellence and exceptional innovation in their work.  The Dean recognized the first seven recipients of the Award at a ceremony in June 2008.
• A program of lunches with the Dean was implemented, to which staff in each department are invited on a rotating basis.  The Dean also began hosting a series of breakfasts to which all new hires are invited, and she speaks to new hires at the HLS orientation sessions.    
• HLS Administrative Staff were recognized during Administrator’s Week with a variety of events, including a plant giveaway, a luncheon and other celebratory and educational events.
• On a less formal basis, staff priorities were recognized with the ongoing extension of the morning coffee service during student vacation periods and with a number of community-building events such as the winter skating party.   

Performance Management/Pay for Performance

• In 2007, a new performance management process was implemented in an effort to increase the number of HLS employees receiving formal performance feedback from their managers.  As a result, the roughly 40% participation rate for 2006 more than doubled to 87% for 2007.  And this year, we experienced continued success with a participation rate of 88%. 
• With regard to pay for performance, July 1 merit increases for exempt staff were directly tied to performance ratings for 2007 and 2008.  We also strengthened the link between pay and performance by adopting the requirement that managers complete a performance review for every staff member receiving a July 1 bonus.       
• To ensure that our new performance management process was fully understood by all staff, we partnered with the Center for Workplace Development to offer HLS-customized training.  Approximately 80% of HLS managers and 53% of non-managers attended one of these sessions in 2007.  Similar sessions were offered in 2008 for newly hired managers and staff, and for those who had been unable to attend last year.

Career Mobility

• The HLS recruitment process has been redesigned to promote career mobility and to improve customer service in this important area.  A major component of this redesign was the creation of a new position, Assistant Director for Recruitment, wholly dedicated to developing and implementing the enhanced recruitment process. Jessica Cronin assumed this role in January. 
• Improved communication and service for internal candidates is a major priority of the recruitment process redesign.  Accordingly, we have published and are adhering to a formal commitment that all HLS employees applying for jobs at the School will receive an interview as well as prompt feedback regarding their status.
• HLS partnered with the Center for Workplace Development to develop and deliver an-HLS customized briefing on career opportunities at Harvard.  We also participated in a forum regarding career paths for faculty assistants.   

Your 2006 survey feedback was instrumental in the development of these initiatives, and your thoughtful contributions to the survey response effort to date are very much appreciated.  We owe a particular debt of gratitude to the HLS Action Planning Team that spearheaded our response to the 2006 survey—Juliet Bowler, Faculty Support Services; Trevor Harley, formerly with the Dean of Students Office; Ayanna Hines, CJI; Josh Kantor, Library; Ken Lafler, Student Financial Services; Karen Pemstein, HR; Bridget Testa, Alumni Affairs and Development; and Kathy Long Thurman, HR.  The members of the HLS Joint Council also have provided invaluable assistance in our efforts to respond to the 2006 survey.

Please take the time to respond to this year’s survey, and help us continue the effort to make HLS the best that it can be. 

Regards,

Marie

Marie H. Bowen
Assistant Dean and Chief Human Resources Officer