The HR Communities of Practice Office was established in late 2015 as a partner with the campus HR/Payroll community to foster learning, collaboration, and partnership in ways we have not previously experienced on this campus. Our efforts have centered around articulating the core competencies that will be required to make the transition from a centralized ‘transactional’ model to a ‘business partnership’ model that has a redefined relationship between OHR and the many divisional and departmental staff involved in this work across campus, as well as developing courses in HR-related technologies that are the backbone of such efforts. The utilization of ‘communities of practice’ as a way to organize much of the ongoing learning and relationship-building that this effort requires is a unique approach, one that involves a great deal of cultural change at all levels.
My role, as Interim Director of this office, has been to initiate these various efforts and to help create a team (with Joshua Schwab and Sarah Carroll) that gains your trust, energy, and confidence in the value of the Quest. It has always been our intention that, once this start-up phase is well along, we would seek and hire a permanent Director to guide the HR Communities of Practice Office in its sustained effort. We are now about to launch that search, as the PVL will be posted in the next few weeks. If you know someone who is a strong candidate – or if you see yourself playing this role – please take a close look at the position and share it with such potential candidates. And when you notice times for public presentations by candidates this fall, please attend and offer your feedback. This is an important hire for our office and for our shared efforts as a campus HR/Payroll community, so let’s all do our best to attract strong candidates to be involved!
With appreciation,
Harry