I’M IOWA – Your HR Newsletter – November 2018

New Volunteer Time Release Policy

A new Volunteer Time Release for university employees was recently posted to the University Operations Manual.

As proposed by University Staff Council and adopted by the president, the policy is intended to allow university employees to volunteer in support of university-sponsored events, whether directly serving the university or university activities that foster community engagement.

Individuals wishing to volunteer during working hours are encouraged to communicate with their supervisor, whether in scheduling paid leave through vacation, utilizing a flexible work schedule or in requesting to be released/reassigned from their normal responsibilities to volunteer during their regular work time with pay. Departments are not required to approve time away from the employee’s primary responsibilities for this purpose specifically, but as part of the university community, support toward other university activities is always appreciated.

For more information and questions, please email IntMed-HR@uiowa.edu.

Supervisor Onboarding is Here!

A lot of supervisors come into their role with little formal preparation or training for what it means to be a supervisor. The Supervisor Onboarding Series is now available to help! Four stand-alone sessions cover topics like authentic leadership, performance management, communication skills, and emotional intelligence in the workplace, to help prepare you for your role as supervisor in the ever-changing world of higher education. Each session will provide various available resources, as well as discussion about UI culture, supervision, and developing the right mindset for supervision and leadership. Sign up for as few or as many as you’d like through Self Service | Personal Tab | Learning and Development | My Training | Enroll in Courses, type “SO” in the Course Number box, and click the blue “Search Courses” button to bring up all series sessions. Space is limited, so sign up today!

FLU SEASON IS COMING… Get your flu shot by the deadline of November 9.

Getting vaccinated is convenient and considerate; protect yourself, your families, and your coworkers by getting a vaccination and avoiding the spread of this year’s flu. UI regular full-time and part-time (50% or greater) faculty and staff are eligible for a free vaccine. ALL UI Health Care employees and volunteers, regardless of percentage of time worked, are eligible and encouraged to obtain a free flu vaccine as well. More information can be found here, including a schedule of flu clinics avaialbe at various locations across campus for your convenience.

Internal Medicine is currently at 72% compliance.

Learn Online!

The Leadership Core Series consists of four stand-alone courses designed for easy online access, and addresses a few basic tools for the emerging supervisor. Complete all or any of interest to you. To enroll, visit Self Service | Personal Tab | Learning and Development | My Training | Enroll in Courses and enter “Leadership Core” in the yellow search box. All four Leadership Core classes will appear: Agility (WLEAD2), Awareness (WLEAD1), Communication (WLEAD4) and Influence (WLEAD3). Click through to view the course details, self-enroll, and complete at your convenience.

And don’t forget about your other online resources:

My Training ICON for University-specific courses like Electrical Safety, Cash Handling, or FERPA Training. Hint: after logging in to Self Service | Personal Tab | Learning and Development | My Training | Enroll in Courses, hit the little arrow in the “Course #” column header to show the classes in reverse order—most ICON course numbers will start with a W.

myquickcoach for quick insights, like 3 Ways to Master Your Focus or Understanding 4 Identity Triggers that Shape Your Success, print out transcripts, or share videos with someone else, log in to Self Service | Personal Tab | Learning and Development | myquickcoach.

Lynda for tutorials on the latest in programs like Excel, Canvas, Learning Instagram, or even videos on Managing Your Career, Communication Foundations or Designing a Resume: Self Service | Personal Tab | Learning and Development | Lynda.com.

Reminders

Annual Open Enrollment, November 1-16
Review your current benefit elections, understand your benefit options and evaluate your anticipated needs for the coming year, add or remove dependents and enroll in the Flexible Spending Account (FSA) program. University Benefits strongly encourages faculty and staff to sign into Employee Self Service and complete Open Enrollment. Please learn about the 2019 Benefit Changes, you can also attend one of the Open Enrollment Q&A sessions in November and general Benefits Q&A sessions in December.

Health Fair: Wednesday, November 7, 7:30 am-4 pm, Field House
You can also win door prizes, get your blood pressure checked, see demonstrations, and more! Find additional information here.

Performance Review Period Begins, November 1, 2018 – March 31, 2019
The UIHC performance year begins November 1 and ends on March 31 following year. Employees and supervisors can access the tool directly by entering their Hawk ID and Password. The tool is also accessible through Employee Self-Service by selecting the Personal Tab and selecting Performance Review in upper left corner under Performance/Career section. All staff types (P&S non-bargaining, P&S bargaining, merit, and merit-exempt) in a regular appointment can utilize this platform. For more information, please review the Performance Evaluation Process.

Did you know?

Temporary Employee Benefits
Temporary health and dental insurance is currently available to Professional & Scientific staff and faculty working 50% or greater time and appointed for at least 6 months or a full semester. Departments may contribute toward the cost and share the cost with the employee, or the employee may pay the full cost. Click here for more information.

Back-up and Mildly-ill Child Care
The University partners with two organizations in the community to provide programs for back-up and mildly-ill child care. Handicare can provide back-up child care in the event your child care provider closes temporarily due to illness or weather. Caring Hands and More can provide mildly-ill child care in your home if your child is too ill to attend their regular child care or school. Visit this site to learn more about back-up, mildly ill and occasional child care resources. Questions? Call 319-335-1371 or email familyservices@uiowa.edu.

The Wellness Hero Award honors UI faculty and staff who are doing inspiring things for their own health and well-being that, in turn, help inspire other colleagues. To acknowledge someone’s efforts, consider nominating them here. We will connect with the nominator regarding a certificate and award for the Wellness Hero. All nominated receive an award!

Important Dates and Upcoming Training

New and long-time employees are welcome to attend a variety of training and informational sessions throughout the year. Some upcoming topics of interest are listed below.

Date	Activity/Session	Time	Location [maps]
Nov 1, 2	Beginning Spanish for Medical Personnel	12-1pm	2114 Med Labs
Nov 8	Introduction to Conflict Management for Supervisors	8:30-10:30am	112 USB
Nov 9	Navigating Diversity and Inclusion	9-11 am	112 USB
Nov 20	Driven to Decide: 6 Ways of Value-driven Decision making	9-11 am	112 USB
Nov 29	How to Handle Your Own Conflicts	2:30-4pm	4999 JPP, Heart and Vascular Center
Nov 29	Managing Talent – Addressing Performance	9-12am	112 USB
Nov 30	UI Health Care Tour	11am-12pm	Elevator I, Level 1, Pappajohn Pavilion

If you have HR newsworthy information about recent events or happenings regarding your division or team, or questions regarding any content, please email Int Med HR.