Thank you for attending the ASR All Staff Assembly today. It was nice to see so many of you logged in (over 170 people)! I appreciate your comments, questions, and feedback. I always look forward to our conversations, and I will be providing continued updates on the great work you are doing in ASR.
Thursday, March 24, 2022
Mental Wellness in the Workplace
Active listening
When you talk with someone, are you a good listener? Continuing our series on meaningful conversation, today we are giving you tools to sharpen your active listening skills. These can be used when talking to colleagues, supervisors, and employees.
Active listening is about showing you are paying attention. You can show you are paying attention while people are talking by:
When you talk with someone, are you a good listener? Continuing our series on meaningful conversation, today we are giving you tools to sharpen your active listening skills. These can be used when talking to colleagues, supervisors, and employees.
Active listening is about showing you are paying attention. You can show you are paying attention while people are talking by:
- Giving feedback that shows you are paying attention:
- body language like nodding, not being distracted by typing or looking around
- leave room for a response (pause to let your colleague think and then respond)
- respond out loud “Oh, interesting!” or “I’m sorry to hear that”
- Noticing how your colleague is delivering information to you so you can respond appropriately.
- Hear the meaning behind what people are saying. For example, does, “Sure, [pause] that sounds like a good idea,” really reflect what the person meant as they said it?
- Asking questions that show you are paying attention
- However, remember to listen more than you talk
ASR Staff Engagement March 24th Survey
This week’s ASR Staff Engagement Survey March 24th, 2022 assesses meeting effectiveness and frequency. Thank you for continuing to share your stories and experiences!
According to the last survey, most consider themselves to be a “dog person” (53.8%) followed by 23.1% who said they are both “dog and cat people.” We had many great shoutouts when asked about your favorite places in Minnesota. The most common responses included the North Shore, the Minnesota Zoo, and Minnesota State Parks. When asked about the best chain pizza restaurant, Pizza Hut narrowly beat the competition at 23.1%. Papa Murphy’s (19.2%), Dominos (15.4%), and Papa Johns (15.4%) followed closely behind.
Finally when asked about one thing that you’re looking forward to this Spring and/or Summer, the vast majority of responses mentioned warmer weather. Camping, hiking, and boating were also common responses. Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated. The results from the last survey are available below.
March 10th, 2022 survey results
Do you consider yourself a “dog person” or “cat person”?
According to the last survey, most consider themselves to be a “dog person” (53.8%) followed by 23.1% who said they are both “dog and cat people.” We had many great shoutouts when asked about your favorite places in Minnesota. The most common responses included the North Shore, the Minnesota Zoo, and Minnesota State Parks. When asked about the best chain pizza restaurant, Pizza Hut narrowly beat the competition at 23.1%. Papa Murphy’s (19.2%), Dominos (15.4%), and Papa Johns (15.4%) followed closely behind.
Finally when asked about one thing that you’re looking forward to this Spring and/or Summer, the vast majority of responses mentioned warmer weather. Camping, hiking, and boating were also common responses. Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated. The results from the last survey are available below.
March 10th, 2022 survey results
Do you consider yourself a “dog person” or “cat person”?
- Dog - (53.8%)
- Cat - (15.4%)
- Neither! - (7.7%)
- Both! - (23.1%)
- Brainerd
- Landscape Arboretum
- Taylor’s Falls
- Blue Mounds State Park
- Minnesota Zoo
- Dodge Nature Center
- Pizza Hut - (23.1%)
- Papa Murphy’s - (19.2%)
- Dominos - (15.4%)
- Papa Johns - (15.4%)
- I don’t like any of them! - (7.7%)
- Paddleboarding
- To not being cold
- Warmer weather!!
- Working outside on the patio!
- Sunshine and warmth.
- Doing some traveling
Thursday, March 10, 2022
Update from Stacey
Last week, I had the pleasure of attending a small conference of University Registrars, and it was really energizing. I am grateful to have the opportunity to attend and learn from peer institutions and leaders in the field. We discussed a range of topics relevant to Academic Support Resources ranging from the future of student information systems and integrations to comprehensive learner records, data and analytics projects, and staff retention – just to name a few.
Some of the discussions left me overwhelmed because of big projects ahead (moving to a Cloud SIS?), and some of the topics made me incredibly grateful for work that ASR and the University of Minnesota is already doing. For example, when I shared our academic calendar task force efforts and that Juneteenth will not be a class day, there were many institutions eager to learn from our good work.
At meetings like this, I often am reminded of how lucky we are to have our unique organizational structure where we work across financial aid, student finance, classroom scheduling, classroom technical services, office of the registrar, etc. Many institutions really struggle to develop and maintain the relationships that we sometimes take for granted. Thank you all for being a part of this good work!
Some of the discussions left me overwhelmed because of big projects ahead (moving to a Cloud SIS?), and some of the topics made me incredibly grateful for work that ASR and the University of Minnesota is already doing. For example, when I shared our academic calendar task force efforts and that Juneteenth will not be a class day, there were many institutions eager to learn from our good work.
At meetings like this, I often am reminded of how lucky we are to have our unique organizational structure where we work across financial aid, student finance, classroom scheduling, classroom technical services, office of the registrar, etc. Many institutions really struggle to develop and maintain the relationships that we sometimes take for granted. Thank you all for being a part of this good work!
Fraser Hall updates
We will be sending out an important update about the Fraser Hall move to all ASR staff later this afternoon. It will touch on updates regarding computer equipment and accessories, space in Williamson, and some commonly asked questions about terminology. If you have any questions please contact your move coordinator or reach out to the ASR Relocation Team (Jeremy Todd, Carin Anderson-Thoms, and Megan Wollner).
University of Minnesota Rochester update
One Stop Student Services Twin Cities will be collaborating more closely with University of Rochester (UMR) One Stop Student Services colleagues. Karen Magness will be supervising the UMR One Stop staff effective immediately. This includes Ali Bosco, Senior One Stop Counselor, as well as a new counselor who will be starting in the UMR One Stop soon.
Karen and Nate Peterson are learning more from our UMR colleagues, including how operations and processes work, and how we can support them and the success of UMR students. Please join One Stop in welcoming them.
Karen and Nate Peterson are learning more from our UMR colleagues, including how operations and processes work, and how we can support them and the success of UMR students. Please join One Stop in welcoming them.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month
International Women’s Day is celebrated across the world on March 8, to celebrate the accomplishments of women as well as raise awareness of the issues still faced globally. The 2022 International Women’s Day theme is “#BreakTheBias,” which highlights the collective and individual biases women face that lead to gender inequity. International Women’s Day was started in the early 1900s and has been celebrated on March 8 since 1914. In the United States, the month of March is also Women’s History Month.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme also highlights the need for intersectionality in our gender equity work. We encourage you to take time this month to learn more about how to make your efforts in gender equity more inclusive, as well as to learn more about the issues faced by groups of women whose experiences are often not elevated. Women’s History Month resources and education often center white cisgender women. However much of the activism that has given us the rights we have today has been by trans women and women of color.
Resources:
Subscribe to our DEI Google Group to discuss the latest news, connect with the committee, and keep up-to-date with DEI initiatives. More information about the group and DEI committee can be found on the ASR Intranet.
International Women’s Day is celebrated across the world on March 8, to celebrate the accomplishments of women as well as raise awareness of the issues still faced globally. The 2022 International Women’s Day theme is “#BreakTheBias,” which highlights the collective and individual biases women face that lead to gender inequity. International Women’s Day was started in the early 1900s and has been celebrated on March 8 since 1914. In the United States, the month of March is also Women’s History Month.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme also highlights the need for intersectionality in our gender equity work. We encourage you to take time this month to learn more about how to make your efforts in gender equity more inclusive, as well as to learn more about the issues faced by groups of women whose experiences are often not elevated. Women’s History Month resources and education often center white cisgender women. However much of the activism that has given us the rights we have today has been by trans women and women of color.
Resources:
- The University of Minnesota Women’s Center, a unit of the Office for Equity and Diversity, hosts a variety of resources on their website, including information for University Indigenous Women and Women of Color.
- Women’s History Month Reading List - Lawrence Public Library
- “Black women trailblazers at UMN” (Podcast Episode 83) - MN Daily
- “5 Things to Know to Make Your Feminism Trans-Inclusive” - Human Rights Campaign
- “Women of Color and the Fight for Women’s Suffrage” - CA Commission on the Status of Women and Girls
Subscribe to our DEI Google Group to discuss the latest news, connect with the committee, and keep up-to-date with DEI initiatives. More information about the group and DEI committee can be found on the ASR Intranet.
Mental Wellness in the Workplace
Meaningful Conversations: Building Trust in Relationships
Building trust in relationships is an important factor in our ability to have meaningful and candid conversations. This theme was consistent in several of the comments in our most recent survey. Over the last two years of the pandemic, we have dealt with uncertainty, fear, and maybe even a lack of trust, and we are still adapting to new ways of doing things in both our personal and work lives. It’s normal to feel a sense of uncertainty when information, systems, and priorities continue to change and evolve.
Much of the research on trust in organizations is geared towards leadership, but we can all benefit from a culture of leading from a trustworthy place. We have put together a list of recommendations for individuals who are experiencing uneasiness/uncertainty and actions that supervisors or those in leadership positions can take to create trust:
Building trust in relationships is an important factor in our ability to have meaningful and candid conversations. This theme was consistent in several of the comments in our most recent survey. Over the last two years of the pandemic, we have dealt with uncertainty, fear, and maybe even a lack of trust, and we are still adapting to new ways of doing things in both our personal and work lives. It’s normal to feel a sense of uncertainty when information, systems, and priorities continue to change and evolve.
Much of the research on trust in organizations is geared towards leadership, but we can all benefit from a culture of leading from a trustworthy place. We have put together a list of recommendations for individuals who are experiencing uneasiness/uncertainty and actions that supervisors or those in leadership positions can take to create trust:
- Look at the facts and don’t just rely on instincts or intuition. Make a list of things that are generating distrust.
- Trust is a spectrum. Identify what someone can be trusted with and give them your trust in those areas.
- Be transparent. If you cannot, explain why you are withholding information (e.g., the matter is still being worked on or due to the legal nature of the issue we cannot discuss it etc.)
- Provide direct and consistent communication. Give people the instructions they need to meet your expectations. Providing information or instructions that are too general could cause people to interpret and act on the information in different ways.
- Try to use proactive statements, like ‘I need XXX’ as opposed to ‘Don’t do YYY.’
- Prioritize your needs, expectations and requirements. Acknowledge what’s most important and what can be completed later. People tend to feel anxious and distrustful when they either must guess at what takes precedence or when they are told after they have prioritized things on their own that their way was incorrect.
- Have milestones. Follow up on their progress, provide feedback, and hold them accountable.
- Apologize and transparently adjust the commitments when you realize you have over-committed your team and they are becoming overwhelmed.
- Always show gratitude and say thank you, even if something wasn’t handled perfectly.
- Always find the positive and acknowledge it concisely, honestly, and professionally.
- Admit when you do not know something but promise to find the answer and apologize for mistakes.
- Build Better Connections through Emotional Intelligence Webinar
- The Decision to Trust
- The Spectrum of Trust
- 5 Powerful Things Happen When A Leader Is Transparent
- Transparency in the Workplace: Why It Matters and How to Practice It
- Is a Lack of Trust Ruining Your Team? Here’s 3 Ways to Fix It
- How To Use Proactive Management Techniques in the Workplace
- Great Leaders are Proactive
- Great Leaders Prioritize
- How to Prioritize Your Work When Your Manager Doesn’t
- Lack Of Trust Can Make Workplaces Sick And Dysfunctional
- The Disadvantages of Workplace Democracy
- The relation between overcommitment and burnout: Does it depend on employee job satisfaction?
- Workplace overwhelm: how to protect your team from change fatigue
- The Benefits Of Showing Gratitude In The Workplace
- How a Little Gratitude Can Help You Get Ahead at Work
- The Importance of Positive Feedback and How To Deliver It To Others
- The Value of Acknowledging Your Mistakes
- What to Say Instead of "I Don't Know"
- Here’s How the Best Bosses Apologize When They Make a Mistake
- Apologizing Effectively: A Guide for Managers
ASR Staff Engagement March 10th Survey
In honor of spring break, this week’s ASR Staff Engagement Survey March 10th, 2022 features some fun questions as we look ahead to warmer weather. Thank you for continuing to share your stories and experiences!
According to the last survey, 51.6% of respondents indicated that their technology is still working great. This was followed by 32.3% who say it’s starting to show its age and 16.1% who weren’t sure. In addition, most are typically using an external keyboard (61.3%) rather than their laptop keyboard (38.7%).
A strong majority of respondents indicated that they do not typically use a Zoom background (71%) followed by 22.6% who sometimes use them. Finally, when asked about the best day of the week, Saturday was the big winner (48.4%), followed by Friday (25.8%) and Thursday (9.7%). Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated. The results from the last survey are available below.
February 24, 2022 survey results
How is the technology you are currently using for work holding up?
Do you typically use a virtual Zoom background during Zoom meetings?
What is the best day of the week?
According to the last survey, 51.6% of respondents indicated that their technology is still working great. This was followed by 32.3% who say it’s starting to show its age and 16.1% who weren’t sure. In addition, most are typically using an external keyboard (61.3%) rather than their laptop keyboard (38.7%).
A strong majority of respondents indicated that they do not typically use a Zoom background (71%) followed by 22.6% who sometimes use them. Finally, when asked about the best day of the week, Saturday was the big winner (48.4%), followed by Friday (25.8%) and Thursday (9.7%). Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated. The results from the last survey are available below.
February 24, 2022 survey results
How is the technology you are currently using for work holding up?
- It’s working great! - (51.6%)
- It’s starting to show its age - (32.3%)
- I’m not sure - (16.1%)
- Laptop keyboard - (38.7%)
- External keyboard - (61.3%)
Do you typically use a virtual Zoom background during Zoom meetings?
- Yes - (6.5%)
- No - (71%)
- Sometimes - (22.6%)
What is the best day of the week?
- Sunday - (6.5%)
- Monday - (6.5%)
- Tuesday - (0%)
- Wednesday - (3.2%)
- Thursday - (9.7%)
- Friday - (25.8%)
- Saturday - (48.4%)
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