A New Paradigm for Human Resources
At the heart of the University at Buffalo’s missions: research, education, and public service, you will find a common element requisite for our success – our people.
In 2004, our University community embarked on an ambitious journey to transform UB and to strategically prepare for the future. UB 2020, our framework for the future is an open challenge to each campus unit, department, and member of our faculty and staff to be innovative in pursuing new opportunities and overcoming traditional obstacles and challenges.
University Human Resources has seized upon this challenge and developed a new paradigm for partnering with individuals, unit leaders, labor unions, the community, and the institution as a whole.
We take pride in being....
Champions of a campus climate that fosters performance excellence, full participation, and personal and institutional growth
Highly Responsive and supportive to the needs of the institution as a whole as well as those of our individual units
Flexible & Creative problem-solvers, with collaborative and participatory work styles
Well Trained, technically competent and knowledgeable in our fields
Accountable at the individual, managerial, and programmatic levels for being a strategic asset to the University
To prove our commitment to that vision, we are working hard to
- Create value for our workforce and to the institution as a whole
- Deliver exceptional service to our customers
- Be innovative in our approaches and responsive to workplace demands
- Continuously improve our processes and systems for simplicity, timeliness and improved service
- Model behaviors that are consistent and supportive of a great place to work
In 2004, in connection with the University’s UB 2020 process, University Human Resources was charged to conduct a careful and thorough examination of the existing organizational structures, processes, systems, programs, and resources presently used to deliver HR services across the campus.
Through a broadly representative task force, we identified a comprehensive set of opportunities for improving existing delivery methods, processes, systems, programs and structures. We also completed an external assessment looking at both comparable universities and industry.
As a result we developed a new service delivery model that improves both the quality and efficiency of current HR services.
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What We Found
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How We Are Evolving
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- HR was highly decentralized
- There were 60+ points of delivery, resulting in variable levels of service
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- Creating three Divisional HR units, Administrative, Student Affairs and Academic, reducing the number of points of delivery to three
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- HR processes were cumbersome and inaccurate
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- Redesigning and streamlining HR processes
- Adding more technology to automate key HR processes (personnel transactions, recruiting, time and attendance)
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- HR services were largely administrative – campus wants more value from HR
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- Adding more strategic services
- Investing in the creation of an Organizational Development and Training unit
- Improving long range Compensation Planning, Strategic Recruiting, & Performance Management
- Investing in wellness programs
- Increasing diversity and cultural awareness programs
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Value in Human Resources should be defined by the receiver more than the giver. HR professionals add value when our work helps someone reach his or her goals. We believe that what our customers gain from these actions should matter more that just the design of a program or the declaration of a policy.
High value in HR matters to faculty and staff, who realize that their competence or ability to do their job and their commitment or ability to focus their attention, derives in part from how the HR practices affect them. This dynamic becomes even more pronounced as the pressure to do more with less increases.
In a world of increasingly scarce resources, activities that fail to add value are not worth pursuing. No matter how interesting or valuable an activity may seem to those doing it If those who receive the output of that activity don't find it of value to them, continuing the activity cannot be justified.
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