When opinions differ, conflicts can arise. Learn about the conflict resolution process at MSU Human Resources and ways you can utilize these same steps for your own unit, department or office.
Category: Development and Training
Training, education and ongoing professional development is very important to your ongoing success at MSU. This category highlights professional development news, views and opportunities.
Benefits of Taking The Spartan Experience
There are plenty of benefits to participating in The Spartan Experience program. The purpose of the program is to inspire a high-performance service mindset to Deliver Outstanding Spartan Experiences (DOSE) with pride in everything we do and to all we serve. Ultimately, we want the quality of our service to improve. We, as MSU staff, must act with the understanding that Spartan Experiences occur each and every day.
So far, we’ve had around 800 people participate in The Spartan Experience from about 70 different MSU units. This is a great amount of people, but we know we can get even more involved! This is a free program, built for MSU staff by MSU staff. Become a part of this initiative that has been developed to make MSU a better place for faculty, staff, students, visitors and the many people that interact with our university. Attending The Spartan Experience benefits you and your unit as a whole.Continue Reading… Benefits of Taking The Spartan Experience
Further your Financial Knowledge!
Take a second to think, what is your Financial IQ? Do you know what an IRA is? What about stock certificates? April is “Financial Literacy Month” and MSU has partnered with TIAA-CREF to offer the “What’s your Financial IQ?” challenge. MSU Human Resources is proud to be a part of this initiative.
The challenge not only allows you to check your financial knowledge, but you also have the chance to win one of three tablet computers! There are 15 unique quizzes for you to explore. TIAA-CREF offers all types of online tools and information to help prepare you for the challenge. Check out their website Check out their website here. They have information on retiring, budgeting, investing and plenty of other helpful tips! The challenge goes through Wednesday, April 30.
The challenge questions are fun and informational for anyone willing to participate! Participants are entered to win one of the tablet computers every time they play. So go ahead, participate in the challenge. You have a ton to gain just by being willing to learn.
Get Started with elevateU and Go Further!
MSU Human Resources and IT Services are proud to announce that the new e-learning program, elevateU, is now available for all MSU staff and faculty to access through the EBS portal. ElevateU is a learning initiative that supports the ongoing commitment to create a high-performance work culture at MSU. With elevateU, employees have access to a variety of books, videos, courses and simulations that will highlight the various development and training needs associated with the work they do. The wide range of content covers a variety of topics such as desktop software applications, human resources, change management, project management, leadership, communication and much more. Each unique resource that elevateU offers can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at no cost to employees.
To begin exploring elevateU, employees can log on to EBS,go to their Employee Self Service (ESS) tab and click on Professional Development. The link to elevateU will be on the top left-hand side of the page under Training Opportunities. Elevate your knowledge, inspire others and go further with elevateU!
Learn more about elevateU on HR’s Professional Development Services page.
Expand Your Reach with Pinterest
Visuals speak louder than words. In 2013, MSU Journalism Professor Karl Gude conducted a competition using Pinterest, which was designed to promote the Media Sandbox program in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences. Professor Gude and the CAS faculty and staff decided that Pinterest would be an effective social media tool to promote the program to high school students and build their interest in MSU.
Karl Gude shares a few tips for using Pinterest for marketing and communications needs derived from the competition and his professional experience with the platform. Check out the video with his tips here!
Spotlight on HR Toolkits for Hiring Faculty and Academic Staff
This month we are spotlighting the toolkits for determining the requirements and process for running background checks and degree verifications when hiring Faculty and Academic Staff.
The questions are simple, sometimes the answers are not. When do you need to run a background check when hiring faculty? How do you initiate a background check degree verification? How do you complete it? The answers to these questions are in our latest toolkit postings under Toolkits for Administrators, Managers and Supervisors.
- When a Criminal Background Check is Required
- How to initiate a Criminal Background Check Degree Verification
- How to complete a Criminal Background Check Degree Verification
The links to these toolkits can also be found on the Human Resources home page under What’s New.
January is National Mentoring Month! Make a Difference in a Child or Teen’s Life through the Michigan 4-H Youth Development Program.
January is National Mentoring Month. According to mentorscout.com, “a mentor is a coach, guide, tutor, facilitator, counselor and trusted advisor. A mentor is someone willing to spend his or her time and expertise to guide the development of another person.”
Youth can benefit from positive and caring mentors. Mentors can help youth discover their interests, pick careers, make better choices in life and so much more. Michigan 4-H Youth Development, is a mentoring program overseen by MSU Extension and serves as a resource to help build long-term positive mentoring relationships between youth and adults.
Michigan 4-H has more than 200,000 youth between the ages of 5-19 that participate. All 4-H’s policies and procedures are based on child development research.Continue Reading… January is National Mentoring Month! Make a Difference in a Child or Teen’s Life through the Michigan 4-H Youth Development Program.
Spotlight on HR Toolkits for All Employees
This month we are spotlighting the toolkits for form and time deadlines related to monthly and bi-weekly payroll.
Payroll runs on a bi-weekly or monthly basis for all employees. To ensure employees are paid accurately, HR and Payroll have established deadlines for submission of changes that might impact payroll. Personnel forms (e.g., hire, rehire, change of status) must be submitted by the HR Cutoff Date deadline for the applicable payroll.  Time must be submitted by the Time Due Date deadline for the applicable payroll. The deadlines for each payroll cycle can be found on the Payroll website.
The toolkits explain where you can find this information and what the date columns really mean in the display. The toolkit links are here and on the Human Resources website home page.
New Toolkits for Administrators, Supervisors & StaffÂ
– Monthly Payroll Form & Time Deadlines
– Bi-Weekly Payroll Form & Time Deadlines
State of Mind Awareness
Calming your mind allows you the opportunity to learn new information and develop new insights. EAP Counselor and HRD Facilitator Lisa Laughman (formerly Davidson) offers tips on learning how to manage your thoughts and become aware of your state of mind. Check out the video here.
Build your skills and grow professionally by enrolling in one of several upcoming HRD course offerings in the spring of 2014, or check out Lisa’s upcoming Health4U courses.
Tips for using Tech Gifts Safely
Some of the most popular gifts this holiday season are tech toys. Make sure you take steps to protect your personal information and that great new toy in the best way possible.
At any given time you may have your financial information, family photos and contact information on one or several devices you carry daily. It’s important to protect yourself against digital pickpockets, hackers and identity thieves by following some basic safely rules:
- Protect your device first and its contents second.
- Never leave your computer, phone or tablet anywhere out of your reach or sight. Keep them hidden in your car, and don’t attach your phone to an outside visible pocket on your purse or backpack.Continue Reading… Tips for using Tech Gifts Safely