How is SU's onboarding program for new staff changing?

Earlier this month Human Resources announced the launch of a new staff cohort-based onboarding program, Rising Redhawks, which will take effect Sept. 24. Following is the announcement.

Based on feedback from recent campus culture discussions, diversity & inclusion seminars, focus groups, and new hire survey data, the HR team has redesigned the experience into three distinct phases. 

Below are some of the highlights and changes:

Phase One – First Day

• Newly hired staff will start with Human Resources on Mondays only to assure the immediate establishment of cohorts.
• These sessions will focus on staff benefits, IT resources, UREC services, library, transportation, etc.
• New features include sponsored first-day parking/transportation, a campus tour, and lunch with new hires and their supervisors.   

Phase Two – New Hire Orientation

• New Hire Orientation will now occur once a month.
• The focus of New Hire Orientation will place focus on Seattle University’s mission, culture, structure, and an added emphasis on diversity & inclusive excellence.
• New faculty members are also welcome to attend these sessions throughout the year, which will create more opportunities for connections between faculty and staff.

Cabinet members will continue to kick-off these sessions providing an overview of SUs academic experience, commitment to student success. This will be followed by leaders on campus who will cover key topics to provide a comprehensive overview of SU. 

Phase Three – Quarterly Welcome Social

• Each quarter, all staff new hires will gather to share their onboarding experiences at an event hosted by Human Resources in an effort to continuously improve the new hire experience as well as strengthen and reinforce the cohort connections and to further build relationships.
• Following the social event, the cohort will be invited to attend an optional after-work event (such as an athletic game or evening lecture).

For more information, contact hr@seattleu.edu.