Serving the diverse needs of TCU’s employees and teams has rapidly evolved over the
last few years. Changing dynamics of higher education and competition for TCU’s talented
workforce inspires Human Resources to continually introduce meaningful experiences
that support employees in all stages of their career journey at TCU.
One area of focus in 2023 is how TCU welcomes and engages new employees. Beyond checklists and hiring paperwork for new employees, HR wants to ensure managers and supervisors are informed, communicate well and create an inclusive environment in their home department.
An updated roadmap with hiring dates for all staff that align with TCU’s payroll calendar was introduced in January. The positive impact was immediate! Soon after, a redesigned new staff orientation and onboarding experience launched. The process and format are designed to ease the stress and learning curve encountered in the early days of a new job.
“Orientation” for new staff now involves a week of culture-building, learning and technology sessions and Connection Coaches. The first week also includes intentional opportunities for meeting with managers to focus on setting goals and expectations. The schedule allocates time for departments to incorporate additional welcoming activities specific to their teams. The second week of orientation highlights online learning and follow up from a Connection Coach. By the end of the second week, new staff hires will have completed their Core Strengths assessment and signed up for a session to discuss and apply this tool in their daily practice.
“Onboarding” is the term used for programming and support provided to new employees over the course of their first year. Research suggests it takes new employees an average of 9 months to master their core duties and responsibilities. With this in mind, new staff hires will receive 30-60-90-day surveys to ensure they are getting the support and resources they need to be successful. Anyone with responsibilities of managing others is encouraged to complete a Mini-Manager Bootcamp within their first two months and the Manager Foundations course within their first year.
In the near future, HR will incorporate an additional Page Up module specific to orientation and onboarding. This module will further streamline the process for completing required tasks and communication between new hires and managers.
Beyond orientation and onboarding, HR continues to implement programs and processes to leverage technology, convert paper processes to digital, and amplify positive employee experiences. Later this summer, employees can expect improved navigation and streamlined content on the HR website to find information most relevant to where they are in their career journey at TCU.
These efforts reflect HR’s ongoing commitment to employee success through recruiting, supporting and retaining exceptional talent, while also achieving recognition as a desirable, purpose-driven employer in the DFW area. Reach out to HRemployeesuccess@tcu.edu or HRTraining@tcu.edu to learn more or get involved!