The Human Resources team in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences received the university’s Improving Our Workplace Award for creating a new standard for operational excellence and collaboration in the workplace.
Supervisors can nominate individuals or teams who demonstrate initiative, innovation, measurable results, and a lasting impact in the workplace.
Awardees include: Merry Aamodt, Chris Crawford, Anna Kelly, Kellie Kucera, Nancy McCallister, Vance Morris, Melia Pieper, and Ali Romano-McClain.
The team was nominated and sponsored by Neda Barrett, the college’s senior director of human resources. Barrett nominated the team for creating the CLAS Human Resources Operations Manual (CHROM), a document which sets a new standard for operational excellence and collaboration in the workplace.
With the CHROM project, the team addressed the need for clarity and consistency in HR functions in CLAS.
"Recognizing the gap, the HR team took the initiative to define high-level topics and break them down into detailed steps," Barrett wrote in her nomination letter. "They provided necessary explanations and assigned roles for each task to ensure accountability. The project required extensive collaboration and high-intensity, detailed-oriented work."
The team came up with innovative ways to solve workplace challenges, including a communication plan and open feedback mechanism that allows stakeholders to contribute their insights.
"Despite several difficult discussions, the team's creative problem-solving fostered a new level of collaboration and mutual understanding among stakeholders," Barrett wrote.
The impact of the CHROM project is measurable in several ways, such as improving the onboarding process for new HR and administrative team members and enhancing operational efficiency.
As the project continues, CHROM will continue to be a living document with regular updates, which helps foster a culture of shared responsibility and continuous improvement.
"Its accessibility through the CLAS ICON site allows employees to benefit from its guidance," Barrett wrote. "This adaptability not only sustains its impact but also ensures it can grow alongside the needs of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences."