In addition to supporting the University of Iowa’s Strategic Plan 2022-2027, University Human Resources is committed to:
- attracting the next group of diverse and talented 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.
"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."
2024 Year in Review
Staff Success SPARC
- Initiated a phased implementation of the staff Employee Value Proposition (EVP).
- Developed a strategic communications framework. Reviewed and updated highly visible HR content and identified metrics to report quarterly.
- Identified two P&S job families for a Student Pathways Internship Program developing Iowa students into employees.
- Mapped student employees to new categories and developed market compensation structures for their job families.
- Working group successfully combined elements from the Campus Climate and Working at Iowa surveys.
- Defined five attributes of leadership excellence at Iowa:
- Adaptive
- Culture Builder
- Emotional Intelligence
- Integrity
- Intentional Inclusion
- Completed an inventory of leadership development opportunities on campus; identified gaps and opportunities to align offerings.
- Launched team coaching services to campus leaders and teams.
- Explored new voluntary benefits for employee groups through a survey. Results reviewed by Shared Governance and FRIC, leading to a future RFQ.
- Promoted expanded use of the P3-funded external job placement services for dual career partners of newly relocated faculty and staff.
Well-Being SPARC
- In partnership with the Center for Advancement, outlined funding plan for UI Food Pantry.
- In collaboration with Staff Success and Staff Council, mental illness is included as a reason to use sick leave.
- Implemented the U.S. Surgeon General’s 5-for-5 Connection Challenge, encouraging faculty, staff, and students to strengthen their personal relationships.
- Continued development of peer well-being support models, including You Can Help and R U OK?
- Piloted the integration of well-being considerations in the Iowa Memorial Union Modernization Project.
- Using feedback from stakeholders, revised the campus definition of well-being: Well-being at Iowa is fostered by an environment that promotes healthy and purposeful living for all campus members.
13,000
Employees took advantage of well-being services provided by the Employee Assistance Program, liveWELL, and Family Services.
94,339
Transactions processed, including leaves of absence, changes to employment status, special compensation, and more.
Development
- 262 tuition assistance awards granted for faculty and staff pursuing a college degree.
- 428 supervisors completed all four courses of Supervisor Training@Iowa.
- 86% of Supervisor Training@Iowa participants indicated they would “Probably” or “Definitely” use what they learned in the training.
- “Please rate your knowledge about how to positively impact employee engagement” saw a 53% year-over-year increase for those who responded with “Very” or “Extremely Knowledgeable.”
- 200 hours of coaching was provided to nearly 50 individuals participating in leadership programs.
Well-Being
- Expanded the UI Support and Crisis Line to faculty, staff, and postdocs.
- Implemented supervisor training on well-being and mental health.
- 139 student families received over $360,000 in childcare subsidies.
- 91.5% respondents indicated the childcare subsidy program improved their experience at Iowa.
- 200 participants completed QPR suicide prevention training.
Recruitment and retention
- Implemented recommendations that improved the candidate recruitment experience, including RSS feeds allowing colleges and departments to automatically feed jobs to local websites.
- P3 Merit Experience Pilot Project developed a peer mentor program featuring 12 peer mentors.
- 121 staff appreciation grants impacted 6,100 employees.
- 100 participants in the P3 Merit Experience Pilot project, including staff and supervisors from the College of Dentistry, Office of Animal Resources, and University Housing and Dining.
Operations
- Benefits offered improved student health insurance plan (SHIP) to undergraduate, graduate students beginning Jan. 1.
- Partnering with UI Health Care, multiple UHR units successfully transitioned 1,000+ Mercy Iowa City employees to UI.
- Faculty and Staff Immigration Services filed 246 cases for 221 faculty and staff.
- FSDS served 1,315 people requesting leave or accommodation.
- 1,618 workers’ compensation claims reviewed and processed.
- 243 ergonomics assessments and departmental projects completed.
- Benefits transitioned about 450 employees into retirement.
- 1,100 responses (45% response rate) to a staff exit survey conducted in FY24.
- Payroll Services processed 40,000 W-2s in CY23.
Past years in review
Past years in review
(Note: For 2021-2022, UHR shifted from calendar-year reporting to fiscal-year reporting. This year-in-review summarizes accomplishments since the 2020 report.)