In addition to supporting the University of Iowa’s Strategic Plan 2022-2027, University Human Resources is committed to:
- attracting and retaining the most talented and diverse employees
- promoting leadership excellence and development
- enhancing workforce operations through agility and innovation
- fostering overall health and well-being for faculty and staff.
Our work helps to affirm Iowa as a first-choice destination.
Past years in review
2022 Year in Review (PDF) (Note: For 2021-2022, UHR shifted from calendar-year reporting to fiscal-year reporting. This year-in-review summarizes accomplishments since the 2020 report.)
2020 Year in Review (PDF)
2019 Year in Review (PDF)
2018 Year in Review (PDF)
"Supporting Iowa’s people is job #1 for University Human Resources. As we reflect on the past year, University Human Resources embraced innovative ideas and created positive impact," Cheryl Reardon, chief HR officer and associate vice president.
2023 Year in Review
Staff Success SPARC
- Developed an Employee Value Proposition for staff
- Developed pathways and a sourcing strategy to attract more diverse and robust applicant pools
- Established a talent acquisition model for staff positions
- Mapped the Merit employee lifecycle and determined key touch points to drive retention
- Identified and defined attributes contributing to leadership excellence and aligned to UI core values
- Refreshed supervisor training courses to include mental health support, change management, and supervision of hybrid and remote teams
- Partnered with Staff Council to explore and propose expanded tuition assistance opportunities
- Implemented employee-centric Flexible Spending Reimbursement Process with third-party vendor
- Implemented pilot program to reimburse partial cost of adoption
- Implemented and evaluated Future of Work strategies, including flexible work practices to support staff recruitment/retention
Flexible spending reimbursement
implemented an employee-centric flexible spending reimbursement process with third-party vendor
Well-Being SPARC
- Inventoried existing well-being and mental health programs, resources, trainings, and initiatives across campus; 500+ opportunities identified for students, faculty, and staff
- Engaged campus partners in dialogue and solicited feedback about the work of the Well-Being and Mental Health Campus Collaborative
- Developed a stand-alone training for supervisors to support well-being and mental health in the workplace
- Created a “Guide to Promoting Well-Being in the Classroom” and a corresponding pressbook
- Began work on a campus well-being website, identified funding, and established an advisory group
- Created a well-being evaluation framework
Development
- 29 participants gained leadership skills through UI Lead (record number)
- Trained staff in team coaching; piloted team coaching; and launched campuswide service
- Supported organizational development needs through Organizational Effectiveness (OE) partner model with HR seniors in each org; provided consultation on change management strategy, org structure, and business processes
- Prioritized and implemented recommendations from OE external review, including enhancements to My Training
- 120 employees recognized with Improving Our Workplace (IOWA) awards
25%
increase in practical application of supervisory skills (PASS) supervisor training participation
Well-Being
- 97% of participants in the Child Care Subsidy Program reported feeling a greater commitment to the UI because of the program
- 200 workstation evaluations performed to support a comfortable and inclusive work environment
- 50% of employees using Recharge+ who reported increased resilience thanks to program
36% increase
in individuals prioritizing mental health through employee assistance program (EAP) counseling services
Recruitment and retention
- Developed compensation strategies to increase pay for Merit staff, e.g., higher starting rates, market/equity adjustments, and performance-driven increases
- Expanded exceptional performance awards to include faculty; standardized awards at $200 net maximum, 6 times per year
- Awarded public-private partnership (P3) grant for Merit staff retention initiatives
- Deployed a campuswide staff exit survey to improve retention efforts
- Created documents for job seekers in French, Spanish, and Chinese
- Partnered with Division of Student Life to host in-person hiring events focused on Merit staff recruitment
- 69% participation in 2022 Working at Iowa survey; coordinated results rollout with Campus Climate survey
Operations
- Developed compensation strategies to increase pay for Merit staff, e.g., higher starting rates, market/equity adjustments, and performance-driven increases
- Expanded exceptional performance awards to include faculty; standardized awards at $200 net maximum, 6 times per year
- Awarded public-private partnership (P3) grant for Merit staff retention initiatives
- Deployed a campuswide staff exit survey to improve retention efforts
- Created documents for job seekers in French, Spanish, and Chinese
- Partnered with Division of Student Life to host in-person hiring events focused on Merit staff recruitment
- 69% participation in 2022 Working at Iowa survey; coordinated results rollout with Campus Climate survey
