The University of Alabama’s approach to human resource services is being reimagined by a team of representatives from across campus to help the University prepare for the UA faculty and staff of tomorrow.
The team of 20 stakeholders represents a diverse variety of campus offices, organizations and employees, and is tasked with identifying HR best practices across higher education, assessing strengths and weaknesses, updating the HR service delivery model and implementing necessary changes.
The project has been appropriately dubbed HReimagined and includes a dedicated website to keep the campus community informed about the team’s progress and collect feedback about its work.
“HReimagined is an exciting opportunity to update human resources into an even stronger asset for our employees and our campus,” said Matt Fajack, vice president of UA Finance and Operations.
Dr. Kay Palan, dean of the Culverhouse College of Business, is serving as the leader of the team. The process is being supported by Sibson Consulting, a higher education consulting firm.
HReimagined aims to improve the overall quality, effectiveness and efficiency of HR strategies, services, programs and systems to better serve the University’s faculty and staff, and to prepare for future challenges and opportunities. Recent reviews of the HR process have revealed several opportunities to enhance the quality of HR services and systems.
“This is an opportunity to identify and implement HR best practices in a way that will enhance The University of Alabama as a premier place to work.” — Nancy Whittaker, associate vice president for human resources
The HReimagined team has been meeting regularly since September and is committed to conducting its work in an inclusive, transparent and collaborative manner, stressed Palan.
In addition to the HReimagined team’s efforts, all UA employees will be given the opportunity to contribute to the process through an anonymous online form available on the website.
The first of the two-phased HReimagined project will conclude in January. The team has spent its time this fall assessing the quality and effectiveness of HR practices and systems, and focused on the future vision for UA’s HR services.
Phase II, scheduled from January to May 2020, will allow the team to address HR roles, structures, functions, communication, culture and technology.
At the conclusion of phase II, the HReimagined team will submit final recommendations for improvements to UA’s administration.
“We are in an era of tremendous change across our workforce with a high number of predictable retirements, a new generation of workers, low unemployment, increased competition for talent and more demands for elevated technology skills and knowledge,” Fajack said. “For all these reasons, we need a human resources department well-positioned to meet our future challenges and provide our faculty and staff with state-of-the-art services and programs.”
To stay up to date with the progress of the project, go to the “What’s New” section of the HReimagined website. Announcements concerning the project will be made on the UA News Center and through other avenues, as needed.