Staff Excellence: Human Resources — Organizational Effectiveness

Coordinating and implementing universitywide strategic communication pieces, training programs, benefits offerings and more are critical components of the Organizational Effectiveness team within Human Resources. In an effort to recruit, retain and develop a talented workforce, this eight-member team — including instructional designers, communication specialists, and graphic and web designers — works with HR leadership, stakeholders and others to formulate effective action plans for key initiatives. 

Some projects take weeks or even months of brainstorming and planning to roll out a new training course, benefits website, health and wellness program, or other tool to help increase employee awareness and knowledge.

“When it comes to training, you have to remember that we’re living in a different world than just face-to-face standup training,” says Linda Baer, director of Organizational Effectiveness. “It takes a special set of skills and talents to be able to design a course that’s interactive and engages employees throughout their coursework.”

Whenever a request for a new training course or other project comes in from one of the university’s units, departments or committees, Baer and her team start working toward a solution. They carefully listen to the area’s needs, invite key stakeholders into the conversation when needed, create a communication plan, design a program or training template, and — with training pieces specifically — often organize a pilot session to test the concept before it officially becomes available for employees.

Once every question has been answered and every detail scrutinized, the team packages the finished product and uploads it to the SuccessFactors Learning Management System — an online library that houses all 580 employee-related training courses. From start to finish, the entire process is rooted in strategy, partnership, and a shared desire to support employee growth and development. 

“Our goal is kind of simple — we want to help every employee learn and grow,” says Cindy Bryant, senior manager of Human Resources communications and change management. “That’s what we’re about, and we do that by partnering to make sure they have the right training resources in our system.”

But their work extends far beyond program and training development. The Organizational Effectiveness team supports all of Human Resources’ communication, branding and change management efforts. So when time sheets are updated or new features are added to the SuccessFactors website, they step in to make sure everyone in the campus community is aware and understands how it impacts them.

The team is also responsible for sharing Purdue’s Employer Value Proposition, using social media, an updated careers website and other outreach efforts to position Purdue as an employer of choice. They’re behind the emails Human Resources sends covering benefits, business, training and much more. The team also updates and maintains the Human Resources website, ensuring all visitors — more than 124,000 of them so far this year — can easily access the information they need.

And a big part of Human Resources and the website is benefits. Organizational Effectiveness team members are responsible for highlighting important benefits and employee wellness initiatives, including annual benefits open enrollment, leaves, mammogram and flu shot campaigns, mental health resources, and the Healthy Boiler Program, which sets the foundation for all aspects of the university’s comprehensive benefits package.

Working together, Organizational Effectiveness team members have the ability to quickly pivot from one project to the next, no matter how busy they are. They bring their very best to each task they approach, and they’re never afraid to navigate uncharted territory if it means improving the employee experience at Purdue.

“Our team is here to help employees thrive and flourish,” says Cindy Moscrip, senior organizational development specialist. “We help lead the Human Resources team across the board in innovation, and we’re really oriented with supporting employees and allowing them to make their highest contribution here. That’s the guiding principle for all the work we do.”

That innovative spirit shines through in nearly everything this team sets out to accomplish. In the fall of 2023, Organizational Effectiveness staff members played a key role in establishing Human Resources’ One Hour with HR program, which offers monthly in-person and virtual opportunities for staff and supervisors to learn more about a variety of human resources topics like employee wellness, mentoring and managing conflict. More than 700 employees have attended sessions so far.

They were integral in crafting and implementing New @ Purdue, a comprehensive program designed to optimize the onboarding experience for new university employees throughout their first year of employment. After establishing a committee, conducting a strengths assessment and building out each individual learning component of New @ Purdue, they successfully rolled out the program to 12 different pilot areas, with almost 600 employees having taken part, and plan to begin offering it to the entire university this summer.

And even as they were designing these new universitywide programs, they still managed to achieve other major goals, like integrating LinkedIn Learning courses within the SuccessFactors Learning Management System and revamping the I-9 training for the university’s Payroll and Tax Services team, leading to an enhanced compliance rating. 

“I love the interactions with those across the university and having the ability to help create, innovate and help our employees grow in what they’re doing,” Baer says. “The satisfaction of being a part of that and having the opportunity to witness employee accomplishments afterward is a fulfilling part of my role.”

Employees all over the university consistently look to these employees to provide expert guidance, and they always deliver. Their creativity, ingenuity and precision add value to every project they touch — from Human Resources campaigns to employee development initiatives and beyond.

The relationships formed along the way serve as foundations for future collaboration, and Organizational Effectiveness team members will partner with anyone and walk alongside them to create impactful messaging, training and programming that aligns with the area’s strategic goals. Their pursuits are rewarding every day, but all the hard work pays off when they see that learning and growth in action.

“It’s always enjoyable when a lightbulb goes off for an employee because they read an article in Purdue Today or the Healthy Boiler newsletter, completed a training, went to One Hour with HR, or found that missing piece in an email and they’re like, ‘Oh, now I get it,’” Bryant says. “Those moments are fantastic when you get to witness them.”