OUR CLIENT: One of our new University of Richmond clients described the Business Affairs Division as “the spine of the university.” With almost 500 employees, the division’s staff is the largest and most diverse group of employees at the university. And those employees literally keep the lights on, the students fed, and the campus safe. From dining services to custodial services, groundskeeping to landscaping, maintenance to finance, this large team really does touch every aspect of campus life.
THE WORK: The division is on a mission to redefine its Mission, Vision and Values with an emphasis on inclusion and belonging – creating a work environment where employees feel seen, heard and valued every day. Ebony,John, Julia and our intern, Kayla, are working to engage almost 500 employees – a quarter of the university’s workforce – in a series of small group dialogues to gather input about the division’s culture (and microcultures). As we move into the fall, we’ll work with representative groups of employees to prioritize key aspects of their desired culture, and develop the language, expectations and process recommendations to give it shape.
THE CENTER OF GRAVITY: Amplifying the perspective of all Business Affairs employees – through focus groups, surveys, team discussions, and a campuswide charrette – will anchor the process in an equitable and inclusive way. The opportunity to listen to 500 people over the summer, and to weave their unique perspectives together in way that respects individual voices; the division’s many different work groups and commitment to equity, inclusion and belonging; and the university’s values.