With the support of senior leadership, the University’s Central HR team is undertaking a very large and complex assignment to revamp UGA’s position management and classification policies. The UGA Staff Competency Model Initiative encompasses two major efforts: 1) analyzing and identifying the key tasks that must be performed in a given position; and 2) defining the critical behaviors and characteristics to successfully perform in a particular role—more specifically the Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other Characteristics (KSAOs) it takes to perform well in a job.

Develop a common definition for staff professional development across the University.

• Ensure staff professional development is acknowledged as a University priority. The following offer potential opportunities to instill this priority:
• Revisit the university’s vision, mission, and values statements;
• Mandate professional development as a core element of any unit’s strategic plan;
• Cite “people” as the strongest asset of the university;
• Include a budget for staff professional development (e.g., onboarding, grant funds, etc.)
• Require staff professional growth plans as part of the annual review process.
• Create a broad policy that will allow staff in good standing to participate in a certain number of hours for professional development monthly or annually.

 Engage & Learn Week is a series of personal and professional development opportunities designed to enhance, elevate, and celebrate the incredible work of UGA staff. Engage & Learn Week will offer a variety of synchronous and asynchronous events and programs at no cost to staff and developed to meet the needs and interests of UGA staff from every functional unit.

Create an Expert Bench among UGA faculty-staff led by Training and Development who can assist with providing staff professional development offerings (i.e., leverage existing expertise within schools-colleges-PSO).

Further invest in staff by establishing a Staff Professional Development Grant Program housed in the President’s Office, for staff or mangers to apply yearly for funds to support developmental opportunities; with a minimum of 10 awards to be decided by a special committee.

Operationalize staff professional development into all units, by giving managers a toolkit that will assist them in being more intentional about offering staff professional development in both technical and durable or “soft” skills.

Fully implement the Professional Education Portal (PEP) as defined by the PEP Task Force Recommendation to:

• Expand focus of the program from compliance-based training to supporting and promoting professional development across the enterprise
• Appropriately align resources within Human Resources to manage the program for all of campus
• Create a multi-tiered model with stakeholder inclusion, necessary administrative roles, prerequisites, onboarding processes and requirements

 Ensure that the success and development of our staff is set as a priority across the university by highlighting the importance of these programs and all staff professional development across the UGA community.  

Launch the Engage & Learn beginning with infusing the new Staff Life Cycle framework into all units’ human resources practices. This framework ensures that staff begin on the right foot and have professional development support throughout their entire career at UGA. At a minimum, the program will address onboarding, a mentor program, professional growth plans, professional development opportunities, talent management and exit interviews.