Reminder:  You have only 60 days from your start date to choose the TIAA retirement plan as an option instead of the Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System (IPERS). Details about these retirement plans are covered in the UI and UI Health Care orientations. Once the deadline has passed, the retirement plan enrollment in IPERS is irrevocable. Please check with your supervisor or Unit HR Representative regarding your orientation date.

Work and Strategic Goal Alignment

Understanding how your work supports the goals of your unit, the University and/or UI Health Care helps you become an integral member of the University and gives meaning to your efforts. Keeping informed about the University’s future plans can also demonstrate your interest in aligning your work to the University's goals. View the UI Strategic Plan and the UI Health Care Strategic Plan for more detailed information about where we are headed.

Performance Expectations

Having clear expectations and goals provides a better understanding of your work duties, priorities, timelines, etc., and helps you be more effective and productive. Talk with your supervisor about these items and specific performance expectations. You should also ask for ongoing feedback about your performance, and at least once each year will have a formal review of your performance by your supervisor. Learn more information about performance management by visiting the University's Performance Management website.

P&S staff have an online tool to document work, goals, accomplishments, and supervisory feedback. You can access this tool at: Employee Self Service/Personal Tab|Performance|Career|Performance Review. Your supervisor or HR Unit Rep can also help you learn how to use the performance tool.

P&S staff are expected to help set the goals they will accomplish. An effective goal is S.M.A.R.T.

• Specific: Establishes exactly what is to be accomplished.
• Measurable: Determines qualitatively and/or quantitatively how you will know when the goal has been accomplished.
• Achievable: Is challenging, and can also be done within the resources and time available.
• Relevant: It is the true desired outcome, and makes a difference.
• Time-bound: Establishes when the goal should be completed.

You also need an action plan to assure you achieve your goal. Here is an interesting internet resource about goals (MindTools.com). 

The Universal Competencies express the behaviors we are expected to demonstrate. We are evaluated on these competencies on an annual basis.

Work Life and Wellness

Your best performance can be linked to feeling healthy and regularly attending work. The University has developed a comprehensive wellness program designed to assist you in feeling your best. You can choose the level of participation you prefer. Get more information about Wellness at the University of Iowa.

The University has also developed a philosophy and expectations regarding staff attendance and use of vacation and sick leave benefits. These are intended to explain how we work to balance needs for a productive workforce and personal time off.

Having supervisors and coworkers that care about each other creates bonds of trust, respect and willingness to help each other. Build those bonds by:

• asking a coworker to lunch, break, or to take a walk; having a friend at work is a great way to feel more connected.
• asking others about the work they do and how you can mutually support each other.

Development

Becoming the best as an employee and helping the University achieve excellence requires developing your skills and seeking opportunities for improvement. Be sure you are completing required training and development to help create an environment of safe and ethical performance. My Training in Employee Self Service provides access to many employee training and development opportunities, including instructor-led presentations, online training (ICON), and resources such as LinkedIn Learning. Learning about UI systems, through the Business Process Series can help you do your job.

P&S staff have technical competencies associated with their job classification and job description. During the recruitment process, select competencies were used to determine if your were qualified for the position. You will continue to be assessed on these competencies and expected to develop additional proficiency and competencies. You can learn about competencies associated with your position through your job description and classification information in your ePersonnel File located within Employee Self-Service|My Career|Career & Performance|My ePersonnel File.

Some ways to talk with your supervisor about your learning might include:

“Have I been meeting your expectations for learning and performance at this point in my orientation?”  or “I completed performing “xx.” Could you please provide me feedback about how well I performed in doing that task?” Demonstrating openness to feedback, and learning from constructive comments will increase your development.

Learning comes to each of us at a different rate. If you need more development, it is okay to ask. You can start the conversation with, “I tried to do “x” but was not as successful as I would like. Could you please provide more assistance by going over the assignment with me again, or providing more resources where I can learn how to do this, etc.?”