The VOICES of the Staff network shared the success of its volunteer-based initiative at a national conference, and in the process caught the eyes of several universities, including one nearby.
After giving a presentation at the Oct. 14 annual meeting of the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources in St. Louis, several attendees from other higher-education institutions shared interest in the program model, including Eastern Michigan University, says Denise Stegall, director of HR Information Systems for University Human Resources and member of the VOICES Program Management Team.
The presentation focused on how VOICES of the Staff, a volunteer-based program launched in 2005 representing a microcosm of the total staff population, has helped the University foster employee engagement and establish new channels of communication between staff and executive leadership.
It also provided guidance on program design for other institutions seeking to increase employee engagement through similar initiatives and demonstrated how VOICES fostered dialogue between staff and leadership on various issues, including benefits, health and well-being; parking and transportation; diversity; faculty and staff communication; career development; and rewards and recognition.
About 150 of the conference’s 800 participants attended the VOICES session, Stegall says. Those in attendance received a VOICES of the Staff toolkit that included templates, charge documents and many project management tools used to establish the program at U-M.
“Our presentation allowed time for the group to discuss engagement strategies at their universities, and to identify what from the Michigan experience could be replicated or adapted in their culture,” says Etta MacDonagh-Dumler, project manager in University Human Resources and member of the VOICES Program Management Team.
A group discussion followed the presentation, allowing participants to ask specific questions about the VOICES program.
“The group was incredibly impressed that the Michigan program is volunteer-based, crossed all staff employee groups, and included bargained-for employees,” MacDonagh-Dumler says.
The panel discussion also included Wilbur Malveaux, a maintenance mechanic II in Building Facilities Maintenance for the Department of Chemistry, and Latreece Taylor, a security investigator with Security Services at U-M Health System. The two shared their personal experiences with VOICES of the Staff.
“In my job, I hear my fair share of complaints,” Taylor says. “My philosophy is you are not allowed to complain unless you are willing to be a part of the solution. VOICES was my chance to be a part of the solution.
“I think it has given staff a voice that they have never had. They have the ability to give and most importantly receive information from upper level administration. Staff want to feel like their concerns are addressed and they are being asked their opinion about a topic in which they are the expert: the job they do everyday.”
What impressed some attendees, Malveaux says, is how staff members and the administration unite to discuss how to improve working conditions for all employees at the University.
“What made our program so well received is that Voices of the Staff is so diverse across campus,” Malveaux says. “It seems that most institutions have recognized that changes need to be made on their campus and that business cannot continue to be conducted as in the past.”
MacDonagh-Dumler says Taylor and Malveaux, “both did a tremendous job of presenting the values of VOICES: of engagement, empowerment, collaboration, partnering and networking. They described about how they learned about other areas of the University, and became more informed about the decision-making process.”
Stegall says she is grateful for the opportunity to share program outcomes with other institutions.
“I think that VOICES has been a success because it allows staff employees to learn about the University, connect with all types of employees who they would not otherwise meet and participate in a process that connects them to the greater missions of our institution,” she says.
