The University provides a fulfilling environment in which to work, learn, and live, reflecting our values and encouraging the open exchange of ideas and opinions.
Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it.
Gautama Buddha
UBC’s workforce is 14,173 strong. That’s 14,173 unique worlds: individuals with their own families and friends, volunteer commitments, and myriad personal passions. Where they meet is at work, and together they have created not only a world-leading academic institution but also one of Canada’s best places to work.
Recognizing that an organization is its people, UBC strives first to retain the faculty and staff who have shaped its present success and then to attract those who can best help it uphold the commitments made in this plan.
UBC sustains an inclusive atmosphere of collegiality and respect by focusing on , development and recognition programs, respect, health and well-being initiatives, and leader training and support.
Spectacular natural surroundings and visionary campus plans help make UBC an outstanding place to work, learn, and live. But at the heart of UBC’s world are its people.
Actions
- Ensure processes and supports are in place to recruit first choice applicants for staff and faculty positions
- Expand opportunities for professional and personal development and career progression at UBC
- Collaborate on the implementation of the Housing Action Plan
- Increase linkages between performance and academic priorities, administrative effectiveness and the budget framework
- Support effective communications for faculty and staff
Outcomes
- Reviewed recruiting processes for faculty and staff and refreshed careers website.
- Developed road map to align orientation and onboarding activities for new staff and faculty across the University,
- The Ideas Lounge opened in November in the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies, providing an environment for faculty and staff to come together to exchange ideas.
- Launched Career Navigation at UBC to support employees to navigate possible career opportunities, and create a personalized career development plan.
- Launched a pilot of Lynda.com, an online collection of instructional videos designed to provide just-in-time training in a variety of areas, including professional business practices and new technology skills is underway.
- The goal of this plan is to improve housing affordability and choice on the Vancouver campus for faculty, staff and students. Implementation and refinement of other Housing Action Plan policies ongoing. Launched 3 year pilot Faculty Home Ownership program – currently accepting applications for 2nd cycle.
- Administration procedures under development for Rent-Geared-To Income program, targeting implementation late 2015.
- Budget models, drivers, planning and rationale for budget decisions shared with Faculties and Departments with the goal of increased transparency.
- Launched pilot to expand planning culture to include workforce planning.
- Implementation commenced on the Internal communication strategy. Aspire consultation process provides for internal & external community involvement in vision planning for the Kelowna campus.
- Conducted the Workplace Experiences Survey.
Actions
- Increase coordination of mid-level plans to provide a respectful, inclusive and collegial work environment
- Diversify and expand healthy workplace initiatives
- Ensure that academic and administrative heads and directors have the training, time and support they require to be effective
Outcomes
- Respectful Environment Statement for Students, Faculty, and Staff was revised to include a greater emphasis on bullying and harassment. A bullying and harassment complaint process, website, and training plan was developed and training was conducted for all faculty and staff.
- Implemented a number of recommendations of the Point Grey Campus Safety Working Group
- Continued focus on health promotion activities with focus on mental health and expansion of Thrive week activities.
- Implemented recommendations provided in the review of the Academic Leadership Development Program.
- Successfully recruited UBC’s Associate Vice-President, Equity and Inclusion.
