When employees come to you with questions about difficult situations, you may be able to help them on your own or you may want to refer them to Strategic Workforce Solutions (SWS). SWS offers the following services to assist employees in understanding policies, managing performance, and dealing with workplace concerns.
Consultation and Coaching
SWS functions on an informal basis and is available to assist with the following services:
Employees:
- Answer questions or provide clarification on policies and procedures
- Review drafts and give feedback on documents, such as rebuttals
- Meet privately with employees to discuss workplace concerns
- Develop a range of responsible options
- Clarify available university resources
- Encourage best practices
- Offer informal third-party interventions
- Help develop new ways to solve problems
Managers:
- Leadership skills
- Performance management
- Help develop strategies to recognize, reward, and value achievement, effort, and performance
- Help develop strategies to build solid team relationships through collaboration and respect
- Help develop strategies to cultivate a team environment that challenges, motivates, and rewards employees
- Help develop strategies for change management
- Help develop strategies to conquer negative thinking, reduce conflict, and foster a cooperative spirit
How to Request a Consultation:
To schedule a consultation, contact your SWS HR consultant or call the SWS main number at 512-475-7200.
To determine your SWS HR consultant, please visit Find your HR Representative.
Discussion Groups and Training
SWS provides relevant training sessions that increase employees' understanding of policies and enhance the quality of the university's work environment. You may check online to see if there are any relevant upcoming UTLearn or EAP training sessions. In addition, you may contact SWS at 512-475-7200 if you are interested in arranging a customized training program for your department.
Discussion Groups for Managers
You may wish to schedule ongoing discussion groups for managers and supervisors in your department. This will give managers an opportunity to discuss topics of interest or problem-solve questions and concerns. Group meetings may also include guest speakers from HR to address specific questions, depending on participants' interests. If you're interested in scheduling a discussion group for your department, contact your SWS HR Consultant or call the SWS at 512-475-7200.
Managerial Best Practices Training
*This training has been paused. We are in the process of developing managerial training.
Managerial Best Practices Training is a six-week series for managers provided in conjunction with Strategic Workforce Solutions, Organizational Effectiveness, and Conflict Management and Dispute Resolution Services. This series is designed to help managers set and meet professional goals, identify supervisory challenges and create strategies to address them, learn about other university resources for managers, and receive support and guidance from others in similar roles. This training series includes discussion, article reading, role-play, and mini-presentations. Peer learning is a key feature of this series so participants are asked to make a commitment to attend all of the meetings within the series.