Your top 10 Achievements
Faculty and staff at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry have been working hard to meet the needs you expressed in the 2012 We Speak survey.
There have been a large number of achievements during the past few years. Here are your top 10 We Act Achievements for Schulich Medicine & Dentistry.
Number 10
We Act Committee
The School created the We Act Committee that helped to plan, create, structure and lead the way on the We Act initiative. Co-chaired by Margaret Steele and Doug Jones, the committee met on a regular basis to ensure the We Act initiative moved forward, to keep up to date on initiatives related to We Act that Western University was initiating, and to ensure that all plans were completed.
Number 9
Departmental focus groups, interviews and surveys and plans
Working with consultants Ann Becker and Janet Frood, the School established focus groups and small group interviews to learn more about the needs of faculty and staff as it related to the survey results. Discussions during the focus groups, which took the form of small and large group meetings, led to the development of action plans.
Number 8
Staff Wellness Committee
In response to feedback from staff about the need to have a more balanced work environment, the Staff Wellness Committee was formed. The Committee has been operational for almost two years and it leads a series of fun, engaging and informative wellness opportunities focused on healthy living. From discounted fitness memberships to events such as the 'Amazing Race' to weekly wellness walks and nutritional and mental health presentations, the Wellness Committee is providing a brand new service to staff across the School.
Number 7
Staff Talent Management Program
A new talent management program has been developed that offers a new Staff Emerging Leaders Program, and a series of new learning sessions. Managed by the School’s Human Resources team, the program aims to provide more professional development opportunities for staff across the School.
Number 6
Onboarding checklist for faculty
A new checklist and website complete with all the important things a new faculty member will need to know has helped to ease the transition for new faculty at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry.
Number 5
Departmental communication plans and increased team building
Following the survey, departments across the School looked at how they could enhance their internal communication and improve team building. With the needs of faculty and staff being different across the School, the departmental focus was deemed to be the most effective approach.
Number 4
Faculty Wellness Committee
The Faculty Wellness Committee was created and has the over-arching responsibility to create, recognize and optimize aspects of the School, including policies and protocols among other mechanisms to improve wellness in all Faculty members.
Number 3
More engagement with the Dean
With hectic schedules, there isn’t always time to attend town halls or watch the Dean’s video newsletter. We've developed a plan to ensure you have more access to the Dean, and to ensure he can communicate with you on a regular basis in a variety of different ways. That’s why the Dean has been attending your departmental meetings, holding breakfast sessions across campus, shared messages in The Pulse, and continued with his video newsletters all in an effort to increase communication and engagement.
Number 2
More relevant and timely communication
You’ve told us that you need more relevant and timely communication, and we are working hard to deliver that to you. Through interviews, surveys and analysis of our websites, newsletters and email communication, data has been gathered to help us understand your communication needs. Your input has been invaluable and will continue to be so. We will continue to seek your advice and track activity so that we can ensure you are getting the information you need and want.
Number 1
Increased recognition celebrating faculty and staff
In the survey, faculty and staff told us that they felt that the School could enhance the recognition offered for the commitment and dedication of its teams. Changes have been made this year to the Awards of Excellence awards program. Additional awards have been offered for faculty so that we can recognize more people. And the staff awards have been completely revamped to recognize the diverse skills of our teams, and more awards are also available.
