Please distribute the following flyer to all student employees returning from summer break.  This will ensure a swift transaction back to an active pay status.  Contact your HRP with questions.

There are a variety of professional development opportunities available to University employees.  There are self-directed learning opportunities and face-to-face opportunities.

The self-directed opportunities are through Carem, the university’s course management and training system.

To access the training, you will need your name.# username and password. If you do not have a name.# username and password you can create them at the Ohio State Internet Username web site.

Instructions for enrolling in HR training in Carmen

• Log in to Carmen
• On your home page, click Join in the navigation bar.
• The instructions page displays. Click on the Join link.
• Select the desired course from the list.
• Click Register to enroll.
• Fill in the registration information and Submit.
• Click Finish.

Self-Directed Learning Opportunities for Staff

You are encouraged to take responsibility for your own professional development at Ohio State. Set goals, identify learning needs and areas of development, and find what you need to continue growing your career. Below are tip sheets, podcasts, webinars, articles and a host of resources available to you. They are arranged alphabetically by topic.

• Career Development
• Change Management
• Diversity
• Flexible Work Arrangements 
• Improving Performance
• Leadership
• Leaves
• Managing Up
• Performance Management
  • Planning
  • Development
  • Coaching and Feedback
  • Review
• Sexual Harassment
• Strengths

For more detailed information on the above opportunities please visit, http://hr.osu.edu/ole/SelfDirectedLearning.

Professional Development Opportunities in Human Resources

• Diversity in the Workplace
• Effective Conflict Management, Two-Part Series
  • This is a two-part series. Registrants are agreeing to attend two workshops. Part I must be taken before attending Part II.
    
    This two–part series offers concepts, tools, techniques and a process for collaborative communication and effective conflict management. To realize the most effective results from the program, the expectation is that the registrants will attend both Part I and Part II.
•  Empathize This! Empathy and Emotional Intelligence
•  Health & Wellness Benefit Choices Forum
• Know Thy Self
• Manage and Motivate Thyself
• Meeting Management
• Positive Influence
• Reframe & Renew (for Managers)
• Retirement Choices Forum
• Sexual Harassment Policy Basics

For detailed information on each opportunity above and the dates the class is offered, please visit, http://hr.osu.edu/ole/HRStaffPD.

Payroll Deductions Change for Graduate Associates

An important student employee benefits update: Starting Autumn Semester, payroll deductions for graduate associates participating in the Student Health Insurance Plan will be applied on an after-tax basis. Graduate associates enrolled in the university’s faculty and staff health plan are not impacted by this change, and their health plan deductions will continue to be taken on a pre-tax basis. If you have questions regarding this change, please contact Ann Salimbene, assistant dean of the Graduate School, at salimbene.1@osu.edu.

I attended a great presentation on the topic of questions and communications provided by our EAP Partner, Impact Solutions and Kerry Tobin and I thought I would share some interesting portions. The definitions came first; to make common and to share is to communicate.  To seek or inquiry is to question.  As HR professionals, we are expected to do both on a daily basis.  In fact, the actual formation of a question forces us to care about the topic we are asking about.

Both the questioner and the questioned derive several benefits from questions:  Questions show you are listening and actually help you be a better listener; they encourage suspension of assumptions which can lead to stress and misunderstanding; they demonstrate respect for individuals and their ideas; they stimulate courage and sincerity to face a question honestly; and they show vulnerability and captures understanding and insight.

The basics of forming questions harken back to our elementary schools days when we learned the Who, What, When, Where, How and Why method of writing articles.  Who is involved; what is the issue; when does it occur; where else did it happen; how can it be resolved; why does it occur.

When questions are asked in a specific structure, they can provide great insights.  An example is the four questions Deloitte asks in their performance management process.  As you read these, think about how questions that ask what supervisors would do with their employees instead of what they think about them could change your experience with evaluations.  The answers are measured from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree.”

1. Given what I know of this person’s performance, and if it were my money, I would award this person the highest possible compensation increase and bonus [measures overall performance and value to the organization.]
2. Given when I know of this person’s performance, I would always want him or her on my team [measures ability to work well with others]
3. This person is at risk for low performance [identifies problems]
4. This person is ready for promotion today [measures potential]

Speaking of questions; here is one to ponder:  If flies had no wings, would we call them walks?  Answer may be coming from our entomologists.

Reminders: Ohio State has adopted a tobacco free policy that supports a healthy environment for all members of the Buckeye Nation. Effective January 1, 2014, the use of all types of tobacco products is prohibited in all university buildings and on all university-owned properties, including parking lots, garages, and all outside areas. (The full policy can be found at http://hr.osu.edu/policy/policy720.PDF)

Our tobacco free policy is intended to encourage employees, students, and visitors to improve their health by eliminating the use of tobacco products. It is not intended to drive tobacco use from on campus to our off-campus neighbors. The consideration and cooperation of tobacco users and non-tobacco users alike is needed to fully implement the policy. (these two paragraphs will be the substitution for the last two paragraphs for the blog for all)

Have you ever needed to submit a HRA and didn’t know which radio button to use?  You no longer have to wonder!  Below is a list of each radio button with a brief description to assist you in selecting the correct radio button which will ensure accurate and timely processing of your transaction.

Minimum Wage Increase Change

• Please remember, on January 1, 2015, Ohio’s minimum wage increased from $7.95 to $8.10. Be mindful of this increase when initiating HRA to hire hourly employees. If you have any questions, please contact your HR Generalist.

Conflict of Interest and Work Outside the University

• Ohio State University employees are expected to devote their time at work to functions of the university. If an employee does engage in external work, this work should not interfere with his/her duties and responsibilities to the university, or create a conflict of interest with their assigned university tasks. If a staff person would like to pursue external work that may present a potential conflict of interest or ethical concern, he/she must complete the Staff External Work Reporting Form prior to beginning this work. To access the form and more information on the policy, click here.

Vacation Leave and Anniversary Dates

• If you have vacation time you want to use before your anniversary date or retirement, it’s important to have your leave request submitted and approved before the university’s payroll/eLeave deadline. For monthly paid employees, please be sure to have your leave request submitted by approximately the 10^th of the month of your anniversary date or retirement. You have until the end of that month to use the vacation time you’ve requested. For employees who are paid bi-weekly, please have your vacation request submitted within the two-week pay period in which your anniversary date falls. You have until the end of that pay period to use the vacation time you’ve requested. Vacation leave accrued in excess of the maximum carryover will be lost at the end of the month or pay period in which an employee’s anniversary date occurs each year. To view the university’s paid leave policy, please click here. Contact your HR Generalist if you have any questions about your anniversary date and vacation leave.