by Whitney Daly
Over the past several years, there has been a massive shift in the employee perspective on institutional support, professional growth, and work/life balance. Several issues have contributed to this. The focus on the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) has forced many higher education institutions to re-evaluate their approach to staff compensation. Also, the demands of the job, from handling student mental health issues to being routinely on call, have staff questioning how much more responsibility they can take on and still be successful. All staff want to be recognized, supported, and valued. How does management meet them where they are in their work life and provide the resources that will help them succeed today and in the future?
There are a few examples of guiding principles for managing all staff that can be crucial to setting the stage for a team, whether new or seasoned. Wilmar B. Schaufeli and Arnold B. Bakker revisit a definition of work engagement in an article published in the Journal of Organizational Behavior in 2004. They highlight three aspects of this definition that contribute to workplace satisfaction: vigor (energy for one’s work), dedication (pride in one’s work), and absorption (the ability to maintain focus and flow). They point out that employees who can arrive at a healthy balance of these three aspects of work achieve greater job satisfaction. Supervisors can support this balance by prioritizing time with team members to review projects, give feedback, and identify effective means of positive reinforcement. Achieving employee well-being and self-care does not lie in a supervisor saying it’s important. Managers must put actionable items into place to create this environment. Sandy Chan, director of summer housing and housing operations at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, shares her approach. “As a supervisor, I believe it is important to show appreciation and recognize staff achievements. Showing recognition does not have to be expensive or glamorous. It can be as simple as a ‘thank you’ email or verbal recognition during staff meetings. I believe that showing appreciation is crucial in motivating and building sustainable relationships with staff at all levels.â€
Realistically, employee engagement begins with the job posting. Candidates will glean a significant amount of information about the institution and the department from the search process alone. Periodic reviews of job descriptions can help keep details up to date and effectively align first impressions for employees. Additionally, conducting job interest meetings with current employees allows internal applicants to express interest and can shed light on possible career goals previously undisclosed. Understanding the needs of key stakeholders can be a tool to reset expectations and relieve external pressures on an employee prior to beginning work. Conducting a review of interview processes can also set the tone for how an employee will be managed and the culture of their work.
While employees new to the field may still be absorbing information, seasoned professionals will bring a more critical eye to operations.
As employees begin work in their new positions, it is important to assess their job readiness. Most new employees will have the energy for the work but need guidance from supervisors on how to focus priorities, as well as feedback on performance, in order to establish pride in their work. “It is important to communicate and set expectations with any new professional staff,†Chan states. “Part of this is the give and take process where I allow them to share their expectations, their passion, what ‘drives’ them. Some key points to explore would be why they chose to get into this field, what their future goals are, and how I can assist them in achieving their goals and preparing them for their next step in their career.â€
Supervisors should also help new employees build trust with the team, understand their strengths and areas for growth, and establish connections and expectations. And it is important that supervisors identify time to nurture these aspects of work, or new employees will identify their own goals, which may not align with the mission of the position or institution. Abigail Holcomb, assistant dean of student affairs for residence life at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in Illinois, takes a focused approach to training new staff. “New professionals have the challenge of learning how to be a professional while also learning the specific expectations of their institution. I want to allow them to learn and define their work and professional style while ensuring that it meets my and the department’s expectations.†Furthermore, an appreciation for incremental growth can pay off for supervisors. If they routinely check in on staff job performance, they can reward or correct staff quickly and effectively without diminishing pride in their work. “I focus on outlining values and expectations on a progressive timeline, which helps me to give new professionals space to develop structure and creativity within their responsibilities,†Holcomb adds.
Supervisors work not just with new employees but also with seasoned professionals moving into a new role – for example, a hall director with three years of experience. Individualization for this worker is key. “I use the individualization approach when working with [seasoned] staff and recognize their skills and utilize these skills effectively, but at the same time I continually challenge them to grow as a professional,†Chan explains. Managers will also need to separate field knowledge from institutional knowledge, as strength in the field does not necessarily translate to expertise in a certain institution’s political dynamics. Additionally, it is vital for a supervisor to be open to change when hiring an experienced professional. While employees new to the field may still be absorbing information, seasoned professionals will bring a more critical eye to operations.
Helping employees understand the “why†while being open to a new “how†can empower employees, honor their experience, and increase vigor for the role. “Instead of asking a staff member ‘What do you think?’ which can be overwhelming,†Holcomb says, “I choose to refocus the question – ‘What is important for us to consider in making this decision?’ or ‘What other topics do we need to consider as we make this decision?’ These questions have the same intentions but tend to create space for us to discuss, debate, and critique, which helps them develop, pulls out their great ideas, and guides them to independent decision making.â€
Most new employees will have the energy for the work but need guidance from supervisors on how to focus priorities, as well as feedback on performance, in order to establish pride in their work.
Administrators should also work with seasoned professionals to ensure that they approach new roles with a new method for self-care. What worked for them in a different role might not translate to a new position. Hiring a professional with experience might also have implications for their tenure in a role. Managers can specify if this is a transition to a long-term role or a launch pad to the next career goal and then plan professional development opportunities accordingly.
Managing seasoned professionals is a valuable experience, and because it involves a much deeper relationship than meeting basic job expectations, it can shape the way a department functions. First, and most obvious, new employees may hear about expectations from their supervisor but will learn from the behaviors of their experienced peers. Supervisors must work with their continuing staff to address attitudes and expectations in order to sustain a positive workplace.
Second, gaining a mastery for basic job functions can create time and energy for seasoned professionals to deepen their skill base and contribute to larger goals. Supervisors should work with them to identify new areas of growth. Chan discusses her approach. “I give my seasoned staff autonomy to do their job – for example, giving them the opportunity to be in charge of new projects. They would also provide training to new professionals and would have meaningful input in making improvements to their current roles or the department and provide professional development opportunities such as being involved with university committees and professional organizations.†Additionally, encouraging seasoned professionals to document their practices can catalog vital institutional history and encourage a practice of setting future staff up for success.
Third, allowing experienced professionals to take on leadership roles paves the way for them to receive feedback on a larger scale, and external positive reinforcement can increase dedication. When preparing staff for their next endeavor, Holcomb notes, “I like to focus on decision-making skills, thought expression, and management skills. These are transferable to any new position.â€
At times, it is also necessary for supervisors to identify when employees are ready to move on from a position, and honesty is crucial to setting them up for success. Understanding the culture and climate of the institution when it comes to a job search can help managers advocate appropriately for team members. Good supervision also means being aware of when a professional is not a good fit and is in need of a job transition. This may be a product of positive or negative changes, and not all needs can be met by flexibility within the institution. In this case, equity, compassion, and transparency can help to create a positive exiting environment for professionals.
Supervision is an exciting, active role and sets the tone for the entire operation. Learning to nurture employees at a variety of points in their professional journey strengthens the entire team and creates a working environment capable of sustaining a workforce with greater productivity. Ultimately, employees have the responsibility for their own vocational course. Supervisors are responsible for providing fair, honest, positive leadership while their paths converge.
Whitney Daly is the assistant director of facility services at Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. whitney.brown@augie.edu
