The purpose of the Staff Senate is to be an advisory body on issues, practices, and institutional policies that impact staff employed at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. We promote common interests among the staff, advocate for staff welfare and development, and participate in the formulation of institutional policy and governance.
The purpose of the Task Force is to provide a strategic direction for the Staff Senate over the next two years and focus on nine distinct objectives to improve the workplace culture and engagement experience for all UNL staff.
This Task Force aligns with President Gold’s system-wide strategic plan, specifically pillar four focused on Extraordinary Culture and Environment. The Task Force is also congruent with UNL’s N2025 Strategic Plan with the aim to prioritize participation and professional development for all Nebraska students, staff, and faculty.
While achieving these nine objectives may take longer than two years, they are a central focus for the Staff Senate and our valued partners across the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Nebraska System. Improving the university’s workplace culture and engagement is critical to recruiting and retaining top-tier staff.
Workplace culture is defined as the overall atmosphere and environment of an organization as experienced by its employees. It’s made up of the values, beliefs, behaviors, attitudes, and interactions of the people who work there. Some traits of a positive workplace culture include trust and psychological safety, a sense of belonging, professional development opportunities, and support for mental health and well-being.
Workplace engagement is defined as how committed and invested employees are in their day-to-day work and the overall success of their organization. It’s about feeling connected, motivated, and passionate about the organization’s goals. Some traits of positive workplace engagement include lower absenteeism, lower turnover, fewer safety incidents and accidents, higher productivity, and higher customer and client satisfaction.
The Task Force is time-bound and will conclude its efforts by June 30, 2026. The Staff Senate President may alter or redirect this Task Force as needed.
Objective 1: Advocate for the implementation of a modern, family-friendly parental leave policy.
Collaborate with university leaders, the Faculty Senate, and the Board of Regents as appropriate to grant full-time employees holding administrative, managerial/professional, office/service, or post-doctoral appointments up to a total of eight workweeks of paid leave for the care of a newborn; period of incapacity, prenatal care, or serious health condition related to childbearing; care for a birth parent; or adoption.
Objective 2: Support competitive salaries and equitable benefits for staff across all job classifications.
Enhance collaboration with UNL Human Resources leaders to ensure staff salary and benefits are competitive, equitable, and aligned with the organization’s goals. This includes collaborating with and learning from UNL Human Resource leaders to (1) support HR in developing a class/comp philosophy and job architecture proposal for staff positions and in seeking approval from UNL leadership, (2) Aid HR in identifying and coordinating equity increases as appropriate, and (3) Encourage and partner with HR to strengthen benefits such as sick leave and vacation accrual rates across all staff job classifications.
Objective 3: Promote policies and initiatives to reduce workplace harassment and bullying.
Collaborate with and learn from UNL’s Office of Institutional Equity & Compliance and the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor to advocate for hiring an independent staff ombudsperson and support the establishment of a workplace anti-bullying policy.
Objective 4: Support the increased utilization and expansion of staff mental health and well-being resources.
Collaborate with UNL mental health, wellness, and well-being experts to identify key issues and develop targeted initiatives to create a healthier, more supportive work environment that contributes to better staff retention, productivity, and satisfaction. This includes collaborating with and learning from UNL mental health, wellness, and well-being leaders and experts to (1) Increase strategic communication on existing mental health, wellness, and well-being resources to educate current employees, (2) Develop an online training program for supervisors to prevent employee burnout and work-life balance, and (3) Provide an incentivized discount to employees for using campus recreation facilities regularly to improve their physical and mental health and well-being.
Objective 5: Advocate for a standardized and transparent promotional process.
Collaborate with UNL Human Resources leaders to ensure that promotions are based on merit, qualifications, and performance rather than on factors such as personal connections or biases. Design a system for promoting employees that is fair, impartial, and transparent. This include collaborating with and learning from UNL Human Resources leaders to (1) Migrate towards a staff classification structure based on job profiles/templates and career ladders rather than individualized job descriptions, (2) Develop template/format for job profiles, (3) Develop a general framework for career ladders that can be used for staff career ladders, and (4) Develop career ladder proposal with estimated costs for UNL leadership review.
Objective 6: Improve leadership opportunities for staff classified as Office/Service within the Staff Senate.
Increase the number of office/service staff elected or appointed to the Staff Senate from 9% in July 2024 to at least 20% by July 2025 and at least 30% by July 2026.
Objective 7: Increase staff recognition and awards.
Incorporate a new monthly award, the Staff Senate President’s Citation Award for Staff Excellence, to recognize offices or departments that ensure every person and every interaction matters.
Objective 8: Increase awareness of accessible professional development opportunities for staff.
Work with the Office of Organizational Development and Training, Staff Councils, and other vital campus stakeholders to amplify professional development opportunities for staff. This includes working with the Executive Vice Chancellor’s Office and the Office of Organizational Development and Training to help support the relaunch of the Staff Leadership Academy.
Objective 9: Advocate for an improved talent management experience.
Work with UNL Human Resources leaders and the Office of Organizational Development and Training to advocate for an enhanced talent management process to improve ways for the university to recruit, hire, onboard, develop, and retain staff. This includes supporting the implementation of (1) exit interviews and (2) incorporating a coaching/development option into the performance management process for the campus.