April 15, 2004

HR news

Recruitment, new hire experience enhanced

Human Resources Consulting and Staffing and Develop-ment have teamed up to help enhance the recruitment process and new hire experience in an effort to support the University’s mission of attracting and retaining a talented workforce.

This will include the development of an online guide for new hires and enhancement of the recruitment process and the existing New Employee Orientation program based on employee feedback.

The online new staff guide will provide new hires and supervisors a one-stop place for information regarding orientation schedules, downloadable and printable new hire forms, links to helpful information, transportation information, and instructions for obtaining a WildCARD and an email account.

The enhancements to the New Employee Orientation sessions will be driven by information gathered though implementation of a detailed evaluation tool. Human Resources will gather feedback and suggestions from New Employee Orientation attendees for improving the content of the existing program.

The feedback tool also will capture valuable data that may help identify improvement areas in the recruitment process. This includes how the candidates hear about open positions, the length of the hiring process, and interactions with the Human Resources staff. This feedback is critical to Human Resource’s ongoing efforts to improve recruitment.

New Employee Orientation is open to new staff members, faculty, research faculty, research associates and post doctoral fellows.

For more information and the 2004 Orientation schedule see www.northwestern.edu /hr/training/newemployee.html or contact Valerie Proctor (Evanston) at (847) 491-7459 or Kelly Todd (Chicago) at (312) 503-8481.

Five honored for service excellence

Five employees were honored by President Henry S. Bienen at the annual Service Excellence Awards luncheon reception.

They were cited for receiving at least two service excellence commendations in 2003.

Honored for their exceptional contributions to the University were Sharon Jacknow, materials science and engineering; Martha Sancen, University housing administration; Mary Louise Smith, human resources benefits; Nora Pineda, University housing administration; and Paula Wong, student accounts.

Through the University’s Service Excellence program, members of the University community can nominate exceptional employees for work that goes above and beyond ordinary service levels.

Employees can be recognized numerous times in one year, and nominations are accepted at any time. Additional information and nomination forms are available at www.northwestern .edu/hr/training/servrec.html.