Author: MSU Human Resources

Job of the Week: Health Care Representative

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This week’s job of the week posting is for a Health Care Representative (Posting #694623) for Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS). MSU’s CAPS is an on-campus facility that provides students with services on mental health concerns, including individual and group therapy, psychiatric services, screening/triage appointments, multicultural engagement, intensive integrated clinical services, clinical care coordination, hospitalization coordination and support, as well as other related services.

As a health care representative, you will be responsible for performing front desk functions in person and over the phone in a mental health setting. Other responsibilities include greeting visitors, scheduling appointments, checking in and checking out patients to the clinic, data entry and medical insurance verification, among other tasks. The positions requires you to greet visitors in a friendly manner and provide assistance and direction within the office, register and schedule patients for all necessary appointments, maintain patients’ medical records, participate in cross coverage, participate in meetings and training as necessary, maintain confidentiality of protected health information, collaborate with providers to develop the master schedule, as well as enter and update the schedule in the electronic medical record as needed. 

The ideal candidate will have the knowledge acquired in a high school education, a minimum of one year of related or expansive work experience in a mental health office, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Desired qualifications include completion of a healthcare assistant certificate or college course work in a health care related field or business or certification as a medical assistant. Knowledge of computer software including Microsoft Office Suite, patient scheduling software and Athena EHR are also preferred. Excellent interpersonal skills are needed to interact with students, visitors and clinicians.

For more details on the responsibilities of this position, and to view all our current postings, visits careers.msu.edu. Internal applicants should access postings through the Careers @ MSU tile in the EBS portal.

Enacting Change, Creating Impact: Women’s Advisory Committee for Support Staff Seeking New Members

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Published on behalf of the Women’s Advisory Committee for Support Staff

The Women’s Advisory Committee for Support Staff (WACSS) supports a culture of equality, equity, engagement, and inclusion by providing a voice for women support staff at Michigan State University. The seventeen representatives of WACSS directly advise MSU’s Chief Diversity Officer, WorkLife Office Executive Director, and Associate Vice President for Human Resources, and are committed to five core purposes:

  • identifying areas of concern for women support staff and other employees and proposing creative solutions to address them;
  • recommending policies, programs, or procedures that impact support staff members, and particularly women;
  • ensuring a productive, safe, and educational work environment;
  • supporting an inclusive community; and
  • serving as a liaison between support staff and the MSU administration.

Since its establishment in 1976, WACSS has been a part of countless initiatives across campus aimed at improving the lives of all support staff, but with particular focus on women’s issues. WACSS was involved in the establishment of the Jack Breslin distinguished staff awards and creation of dedicated private nursing space for mothers, and championed the development of a resource guide on MSU’s Educational Assistance Program.

“WACSS is action-oriented and accomplishes a lot in a short amount of time,” says Ashley Lathrop, the Committee’s 2020-2021 chairperson. “Individuals that want to enact change, be a leader, and have real impact on MSU support staff should apply. You’ll have the incredible support of those sitting around the table with you—virtual or in person. There’s no better way to make change happen than to get involved!”

The Committee is currently seeking applications to fill 5 open positions (terms begin July 1, 2021): 1 Clerical-Technical (CTU), 1 Administrative-Professional (APA), 2 Labor (1585, SSTU, 274, and 324), and 1 At-Large (any category). Interested support staff from all categories are encouraged to apply to WACSS at tinyurl.com/WACSSapp by March 26, 2021. Membership interviews will be scheduled in April for highest-ranked candidates. Questions? Contact Emily Khan, the 20-21 vice chairperson, at wacss@msu.edu.

Job of the Week: On- Call Pharmacist

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There are always plenty of opportunities to join the MSU community. Apart from the faculty and staff jobs posted on the Careers @ MSU website, MSU is hiring for temporary and on- call jobs within different departments on campus. This week’s job of the week is an On- Call Pharmacist (Posting #690043) for MSU’s Clinical Center. MSU Healthcare offers outpatient care to the Greater Lansing area and collaborates with hospitals in Lansing to provide inpatient care. Applications close on April 30, 2021 EST.

As an on-call pharmacist you will be responsible for overseeing Pharmacy operations, including purchasing drugs and supplies, reviewing the budget, and hiring, as well as scheduling, training and evaluating student personnel.  Other responsibilities include ordering supplies and preparing medications and other pharmaceuticals to fill prescriptions issued by physicians. You will also provide professional assistance to staff and patients. 

The ideal candidate has a Pharm D. or B.S. in pharmacy degree, an active Michigan Pharmacy and Controlled Substance License, and a certification in administering immunizations. You must have a BLS certificate. 

For more information on this position and to apply visit the link above. To learn more about MSU Health Care visit healthteam.msu.edu. Visit careers.msu.edu to view all our current job postings.

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Want Greater Power and Influence? Establish Trust and Credibility.

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“Influencers” are all over the news, but what does it mean to be a true influencer in the workplace? It’s not about your number of Instagram followers, but rather knowing — and practicing — the skills that strengthen personal power and influence.

Positional vs. Personal Power

To start, it’s important to be aware of the characteristics and value of both positional and personal power.

Positional power is influence directly related to your position. People react to this form of power because they have to. It can help ensure strong leadership and resolute decision making and enables the direction of others to complete tasks, establish processes and procedures, and make decisions quickly.

Personal power is influence you earn by obtaining the respect of others. People respond to this form of power because they want to, not because they have to. This form of influence is often shown by people who are great at their jobs — they have strong networks and relationships, expertise and knowledge, and have established themselves as being reliable and trustworthy.

Personal power can be as influential as positional power and is completely unrelated to your job title.

Building Personal Power: Trust Is Key

True, positive influence is not coercion or manipulation. Rather, the foundation of influence and personal power comes from trust. Keep in mind the traits that help build trust:

  • openness
  • reliability
  • humility
  • use of facts
  • empathy and loyalty
  • authenticity

Think about experiences you have had and how you responded — or could have responded — to build trust:

  • When there have been problems, in what ways have you helped through your expertise, empathy, or reason?
  • When someone has required your assistance, have you helped willingly while keeping confidences and being reliable?
  • What have you done, or not done, to build trust during periods of conflict or turmoil?
  • How have you responded to opportunities to listen and try to understand others?

Remember that trust can be built or broken. To establish and maintain trust, it’s imperative to be open and honest, admit shortfalls, stick to the facts, and don’t betray confidences.

The Power of Credibility

Being trustworthy is a major component of credibility, and developing credibility is critical to wield greater influence. Ways to build credibility include:

  • Be open to sharing knowledge and resources. Establish and utilize your networks and relationships to do your best and help others when you can.
  • Be confident in your abilities but not arrogant. Acknowledge and be open to the expertise and contributions of others. Have the capacity to say, “I don’t know. What are your ideas?”
  • Walk the walk. Be authentic, fair, and transparent. Show integrity and display good character. Prove your reliability by always following through.

To be a skilled and powerful influencer, you must be trustworthy and credible. Use your credibility to demonstrate that what you want will help others achieve what they want. Follow through on your agreements and commitments, and you’ll achieve the personal power that comes from being a true influencer.

Source

Skillsoft Ireland Limited. Personal Power and Credibility. Retrieved March 1, 2021 from https://elevateu.skillport.com/skillportfe/main.action?path=summary/COURSES/comm_42_a01_bs_enus  

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OPD Course Spotlight – Everything DiSC®: Behavioral Styles at Work

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“Eye-opening”

“Inspiring and fun”

“True game changer”

Everything DiSC®, a popular virtual training and personalized learning experience from HR Organization and Professional Development (OPD), has earned rave reviews from participants and is currently open for registration in the EBS Portal for October 20, 2022.

The DiSC® program provides you with a pre-course, individual assessment — a tool powered by more than 40 years of research — which is then analyzed to deliver detailed information regarding your preferences and tendencies. The live, online portion of the course, led by OPD’s knowledgeable and experienced DiSC® facilitators, offers an opportunity to learn more about relating to others and how to utilize actionable strategies to help you improve your interactions and, ultimately, your performance.

In this OPD course, you will:

  • Gain insights into your own behaviors and those of others.
  • Understand and appreciate the work styles of others.
  • Learn how to communicate and persuade more effectively.
  • Create strategies for overcoming challenges when working with people of different DiSC® styles.

“Everything DiSC® can benefit everyone in an organization,” explains Carrie Galdes, MSU HR Senior Learning and Organization Development Specialist and DiSC® facilitator. “The program teaches participants to understand themselves and others while learning to appreciate the different priorities and values each person brings to the workplace.”

DiSC® participants have cited everything from decreased stress to increased productivity to an improved work environment as examples of the program’s positive results.

Angela Levack Michael, Associate Director for MSU Recreational Sports and Fitness Services, notes, “DiSC® training helped me see my colleagues from a different point of view. Understanding their personality styles allowed me to assess my communication style and gear interactions towards their strengths.”

DiSC® for Teams

OPD also hosts unit-specific DiSC® sessions, which can improve engagement, collaboration, and overall quality of a team and organization.

Lisa Duffey, Executive Staff Assistant and Graduate Program Assistant in MSU’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, shares, “Our team took advantage of the work-from-home situation to do some professional development and team building by taking the DiSC® assessment and having OPD help us understand the results. We learned about our own behavioral tendencies and those of our coworkers as well as ideas about how to facilitate teamwork and approach each other when things are awkward. It was an excellent opportunity for growth as individuals and as a team.”

Interested in learning more? Register for an upcoming Everything DiSC session in the EBS Portal, or complete an online OPD Work Request Form to schedule a DiSC® program for your department.

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Make a Plan During America Saves Week

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America Saves Week (Feb. 22-26, 2021) is an annual event that encourages you to make a plan to increase your savings and improve your financial situation by utilizing your workplace retirement plan and the tools and resources they provide. Both of MSU’s retirement vendors, Fidelity and TIAA, have resources and tips on saving money, getting out of debt, and planning for retirement with live webinars, courses for financial literacy, and other tools. Be sure to review their resources on preparing for financial emergencies or managing unexpected expenses, which you may find especially useful during this difficult and uncertain time. 

Fidelity Resources

Fidelity is offering online workshops on a variety of topics including creating a budget, paying off debts, managing unexpected events and expenses, taking the first step to investing, preparing for retirement, and more. Fidelity members should consider registering for sessions (see link for details) that may be useful to your family’s current financial needs. If you can’t make the online workshops, check out this on-demand workshop called Taking Control: 3 Ways to Start Feeling Good About Your Finances. Other tools and calculators provided by Fidelity to their members can be found here.

Additionally, find resources on health and financial emergencies, building your financial “immune system” and emergency savings that are available for everyone.

TIAA Resources

TIAA’s Goal Planner webpage offers calculators and resources on how to save for things outside of your retirement plans, such as emergency funds, vacations, a home, and more. Additionally, TIAA has a financial goal planning PDF that allows you to track your money in detail. Use these tools to map your income and expenses, write down your goals, and match them to a time frame to complete them. 

If you’re struggling with debt, TIAA’s debt calculator tool will help you evaluate your current situation and then offer resources and tips to help. Additionally, their Retirement Checkup tool allows you to create a projection of how much income is needed in retirement.

Schedule a Virtual Consultation with Fidelity or TIAA

Both Fidelity and TIAA offer virtual appointments with financial consultants and encourage you to set up an appointment with them to ask any questions you have at no additional cost as part of your MSU retirement plan. Set up an appointment with your  TIAA consultant here or set up an appointment with your Fidelity consultant here. 

For general questions about retirement, visit the HR website or contact the HR Solutions Center at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or 517-353-4434. For questions about your specific retirement plans, please contact your retirement vendor directly.

woman writing on paper.

The Three Steps to Positive Personal Accountability

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Written by Andrea Williams, MSU HR Organization & Professional Development

When many of us think of accountability, we associate it with negative connotations such as stress or even fear. We’re used to hearing about “accountability” as a disciplinary measure when something’s gone wrong. Because of this, many of us don’t understand what accountability actually entails, why it’s important, or where it starts.

The first step toward fostering positive, personal accountability, as well as a culture of accountability in the workplace, is to understand and redefine what true accountability means. Accountability doesn’t mean punishment. Rather, accountability is an empowering factor, not a consequence, and involves a willingness to accept responsibility for your own actions. In other words, making clear commitments that — in the eyes of yourself and others — have been kept.

Accountability vs. Responsibility

Although they’re sometimes used interchangeably, it’s important to make the distinction between accountability and responsibility. Having clear definitions of responsibilities in the workplace is essential but going a step further to be personally involved ensures better results. When you make the choice to go beyond your responsibilities with feelings of ownership, involvement, and engagement, you are then in a position of personal and positive accountability.

Accountability is a broader concept than responsibility — it’s something you do to yourself, not something that someone does to you. As such, accountability starts with you. No matter what your role at MSU, when you work toward personal accountability, you model the positive behaviors you want to see in your team and organization.

Create a Personal Accountability Framework

Accountability is not a one-time or occasional thing; it’s an everyday activity that applies to and benefits everyone. Take a simple and positive approach to establish ongoing personal accountability by following these three steps.

Step #1: Set SMART, HARD Goals

To begin, ask yourself the questions: What are my priorities? What am I passionate about? What do I want?

Establish a definite direction and clear, measurable goals that align with what’s important to you to keep motivated and achieve better follow-through. Ensure your goals are formulated to achieve results by using a combination of the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely) and HARD (Heartfelt, Animated, Required and Difficult) goal-setting frameworks described in this When SMART Meets HARD: Setting Goals that Matter article.

Step #2: Develop an Action Plan

Once you have established a SMART, HARD goal, develop an action plan to bring it to fruition.

  1. Identify limiting factors – It could be a shortage of time or resources, a lack of buy-in, or any other number of issues. Be realistic about any limitations and prepared with potential workarounds.
  2. Remove obstacles – Very few obstacles are insurmountable. Think first about the biggest obstacle you’ll likely face in reaching your goal. How can you overcome it?
  3. Divide your goal into subgoals – Utilize the SMART and HARD frameworks for your subgoals to give yourself the best chance of success.
  4. Plan actions for each subgoal – What are the specific, actionable steps you’ll take to reach each subgoal?

Step #3: Manage Priorities and Energy to Achieve Your Goals

It’s essential to recognize that time and energy are finite resources, and it benefits you to intentionally prioritize how you use both. When moving forward on your path to personal accountability, categorize the tasks that will help you complete your goals into three categories and assess the time and energy they require:

  1. Maintenance tasks – These are the routine tasks that must be done for your day to run smoothly (e.g., answering messages, maintaining your calendar). Avoid becoming overinvolved in these tasks or becoming distracted while doing them. Develop strategies to help. For example, schedule specific times during the day when you check and respond to your messages and have an effective system to keep information in order.
  2. People tasks – Whether it’s a meeting, interview, or social interaction with a colleague, these activities often require high emotional energy, so be mindful to pace yourself.
  3. Creative and analytical tasks – These can be anything from time spent developing a presentation to researching suppliers to analyzing data. This work typically requires significant time and energy, so ensure you plan out sufficient periods for these tasks during the days and timeframes that make the most sense for your work style and preferences.

Follow-through is a critical component of personal accountability. To avoid stalling out before your goals and commitments are realized, protect your time and prioritize activities that keep your physical, emotional, and mental energy reserves high.

Interested in Learning More?

Personal and team success are closely linked to positive accountability. When you take actionable steps to demonstrate personal accountability, it can generate a strong impact on not just performance and results, but also your personal and team satisfaction. Find additional resources around the topic of accountability, including short videos and courses, using MSU’s free online resource, elevateU.

Sources

Skillsoft Ireland Limited. Developing a Personal Accountability Framework. Retrieved February 10, 2021 from https://www.inc.com/gordon-tredgold/7-truths-about-accountability-that-you-need-to-kno.html

Skousen, Tracy (2016, April 12). Responsibility vs. Accountability. Retrieved February 10, 2021 from https://www.partnersinleadership.com/insights-publications/responsibility-vs-accountability/

Tredgold, Gordon (2017, September 14). 7 Truths About Accountability that You Need to Know. Retrieved February 11, 2021 from https://www.inc.com/gordon-tredgold/7-truths-about-accountability-that-you-need-to-kno.html

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Organizational Change as a Pathogen: An Analogy for Leaders

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Written by Sharri Margraves, HR Associate Director for Organization and Professional Development.

As we continue to navigate the current normal, we must also move forward. Budget constraints, retirements, realignments and other changes are just a part of life in every organization, even in non-pandemic times. Even though changes may be substantial, we retain people, systems, processes, facilities, and our shared understanding to create our new reality. Change may be rapid, but generally, it is also incremental.

In the article The University Immune System: Overcoming Resistance to Change an unusual, yet useful, analogy is described of change in complex systems. Think of implementing change in organizations in a similar context as the immunological response to a pathogen introduced to the human body. No relationship exists between these two systems on the surface; however, the parallels can illustrate the difficulties of introducing and making change stick.

Reacting to Change

As change is introduced within your team, staff and faculty may resist change, often affecting operational and financial realities. Even when a change is likely to produce benefits, there will be resistance expressed in various ways. Change is relative to each individual and how individual team members affect the system in their response to change. The resistance lies within the innate response of the system to change, and this resistance has been referred to as the “institutional immune system.”

In comparison, an invading pathogen needs to infect a host to carry out its mission, and the body will then marshal its forces to fight against this change. In an organizational sense, change is that threat, and the people in the system can form a response that reacts or overreacts to a threat, be it real or perceived. This response to the threat—the new idea or change—is designed to maintain the status quo and reduce unknowns and unproven risks.

Effective Leadership in Times of Change

There are many barriers present in an organization preventing the adaption of change. We can overcome these barriers—these intrusions to the system—by anticipating and being prepared. Have several strategies at the ready to foster acceptance of the change intended to improve the organization. These strategies include:

  • Improving leadership development skills around change and communication.
  • Recognizing and focusing attention on effective communication.
  • Effective rewards for new expectations.
  • Pacing/timing changes realistically.

Leaders should take the time to plan strategies for individuals’ varied responses—those who are eager, those who take a “wait and see” approach, and those who are slow to accept change. These strategies will help reduce the threat of change and improve adaptation.

Follow the steps below to support the implementation and acceptance of change within your team:

  1. Plan for change as a system of people, process, and culture.
  2. Embrace resistance as natural and not personal.
  3. Give the “why.”
  4. Establish open, two-way communication.
  5. Celebrate the wins, regardless of how small.

Collectively, we will not be returning to our previous, pre-COVID state, and attempting to do so would hardly signal progress toward the future. Resistance is a natural defense mechanism. Your challenge is to be mindful of different strategies and appeals for the different members of your team to effectively work with the resistance and move forward together.

Source:

Gilley, A., Godek, M., & Gilley, J. W. (2009). The University Immune System: Overcoming Resistance to Change. Contemporary Issues in Education Research, 2(3), 1-6.

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Motivational Monday Round-Up

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The new year is in full swing! While resolutions are made with the best intentions, it can be hard to maintain high spirits as time progresses. If you find yourself doing the same old routine and those new year’s resolutions are a distant memory, Todd Bradley, HR Learning and Organization Development Specialist, is a great source of motivation to get you back on track.

Todd’s Motivational Monday videos are a monthly series of short videos that began during the summer of 2020. These videos were designed to motivate and inspire MSU employees, exploring topics like rational thinking skills, emotive skills and more for both professional and personal development. Visit the MSU HR YouTube channel to view Todd’s full series of Todd Talk videos.

Motivational Monday: Problem Solving 101

Todd outlines a foundational approach to problem-solving in our everyday challenges.

Motivational Monday: Strategic Critical Thinking

To sharpen rational thinking skills, Todd shares quick and easy ways to enhance strategic thinking and influence long-term success.

Motivational Monday: Emotional Intelligence

In this video, Todd explores the different facets of emotional intelligence and ways to boost it both professionally and personally.

Motivational Monday: Gratitude

Todd ends this series with a video on gratitude and the benefits of expressing it in our lives.

Visit the MSU HR YouTube channel to view Todd’s full series of Todd Talk videos.

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Submit a Nomination for the 2021 Ruth Jameyson “Above and Beyond” Award!

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Do you know an MSU employee pursuing a post-baccalaureate degree who deserves to be recognized for going above and beyond what is expected of them in their work and studies? Now is your chance to show your appreciation for your coworkers and all the outstanding work they do by submitting a nomination for the 2021 Ruth Jameyson “Above and Beyond” Award! MSU is currently seeking nominations for this award and will accept nominations through January 20, 2021.

This annual award recognizes a support staff member who most closely exemplifies the contributions, personal characteristics, and commitment to MSU demonstrated by Ms. Jameyson, going “above and beyond” what is reasonably expected in supporting the mission of MSU. In recognition of Ms. Jameyson’s own pursuit of a graduate degree while working at MSU, the award recipient must be pursuing a graduate degree at MSU or elsewhere concurrent with their employment at MSU. A stipend of $2,500 will accompany the award and may be used as determined appropriate by the recipient.

Last year’s Ruth Jameyson Award winner, Michelle Gunn Van Deuren, was a Research Assistant II in the Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation in the College of Veterinary Medicine pursuing a graduate degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Disease Ecology and Conservation Medicine from MSU. Learn more about the 2020 Ruth Jameyson Award Winner and what her colleagues had to say.

Individuals may be nominated by any member of the university community (colleague, administrator, faculty, support staff, student). A nominee must be a regular, active employee with at least five years of service to MSU in a support staff position.

To learn more about the nomination process, and find the nomination form, visit the MSU HR website. The deadline for nominations is January 20, 2021.