Project Lead: Cheryl Reardon

Funding Approved: Fiscal Year 24
Project Status: In Progress  
Funded amount: $520,000 over three years

This project aims to increase engagement and reduce turnover among Merit staff at Iowa. Merit staff are vital contributors to the university’s missions, functions, and strategic goals. Previous feedback from Merit staff on culture, supervision, and training will guide the development of pilot initiatives to address retention. The project will introduce Merit-specific orientation programs, expand supervisor training, and develop tailored mentoring and career-pathway programs. Assessment of the effectiveness of these initiatives will inform whether they are integrated into University Human Resources operations to enhance the overall employee experience and advance the university’s strategic plan goals for holistic well-being and success.

Activities to date:

• Successfully recruited and hired a project coordinator.
• Formed an advisory committee to guide the project.
• Conducted introductory meetings with leadership from each of the three pilot units, laying the groundwork for the pilot and establishing next steps.
• Developed the peer mentor framework, including resource materials such as mentor job descriptions, applications, and expectations for mentors and supervisors. Actively engaged in recruiting, selecting, and training mentors.
  • Since spring 2024, 13 peer mentors have been mentoring new employees.
  • Conducted a mentor training session in October 2024, providing helpful resources for mentors to use during their check-in sessions with new employees. A second training will be held in June 2025.
• The project manager participated in educational facility tours and departmental staff meetings in the Office of Animal Resources and University Housing and Dining to understand operational processes and staff dynamics.
• Began laying the groundwork for initiatives focused on enhancing the onboarding process, supporting career pathways and development, and improving supervisor training.
  • Conducted two supervisor training sessions in July 2024 on the topic of having difficult conversations with staff.
  • The January 2025 supervisor training was centered around having “productive performance evaluation discussions with staff”.
  • The July 2025 training will be centered on the topic of “onboarding best practices”.
  • A fourth supervisor training will be conducted in January 2026.
• With feedback from participating pilot units, a Career Pathways Infographic tool will be piloted in FY2026. The customized infographics will be used as a recruitment and retention visual tool to generate interest about potential career pathways, as well as guide promotion and professional development conversations.

Next Steps:

This summer, the team will conduct a second round of focus groups with supervisors and new merit staff to gather quantitative data about the effectiveness of program strategies. In Fall 2025 they will conduct a preliminary assessment of the program data to explore the feasibility of scaling program initiatives to campus.