Supporting Employees in Troubled Times
Virginia Tech employees at all income levels are experiencing hardship due to the economic downturn. In Human Resources, we hear stories daily of the direct impact on employee retirement portfolios and retirement plans. Employees are putting off their decision to retire and rethinking the way they fund their retirement. The fear of job loss, whether real or imagined, and the job losses of friends and loved ones have created stress at home and at work. As a result, we are redoubling our commitment – and partnering with others across the campus and region - to support our employees in these troubled times.
A Broader View of Employee Wellness
In early January, Human Resources collaborated with the Women’s Center to deliver a multi-faceted wellness program to employees in Virginia Tech Dining Programs. Leaders in Dining Programs made it happen for us by providing the commitment, time, and location to the program which was delivered to over 200 employees.
Four topics were presented which incorporate a broad view of employee wellness, particularly appropriate to the issues our employees are facing. The topics included relationship issues, emotional health, physical health, and financial security. The sessions received high marks from employees in Dining Programs.
Building on that success and with the strong support of leaders in Facilities, the program was repeated in its entirety for staff members in Housekeeping during the campus Spring break in March. Once again, the presenters took the “show on the road” by delivering the program at a site convenient to the employees. And once again, the program was a hit. Special thanks to Senior Extension Agent Dawn Barnes, Theresa Conti, Cathy Jacobs, Angie King, Wanda Osburn, and Co-Director of the Women’s Center Christine Smith for showing the leadership and foresight to plan and deliver these programs. Please find information on the programs and how to bring them to your worksite here.
Financial Wellness Week
Given the high level of leadership support and employee enthusiasm for the programs, an entire Financial Wellness Week was planned for March 23-27. Programs were delivered at three locations across the campus, with presenters from Virginia Cooperative Extension, the Department of Apparel, Housing and Resource Management, and the Office of the Virginia Attorney General. In addition, non-profits were invited to set up information booths at five locations across the campus to address employee questions. Representatives from New River Community Action, Free Clinic of the New River Valley, Every Woman’s Life, FAMIS (providing health insurance for children from eligible families), local mental health care services, and students in Resource Management and Consumer Studies from the Department of Apparel, Housing and Resource Management all reached out to our employees by describing how they could assist. Based on the response, we may make this an annual event.
Providing More Retirement Planning Outreach
Employees who plan to retire in the next one to two years are particularly concerned about their retirement options. The Benefits function in Human Resources, led by Doug Martin, has provided retirement planning sessions several times a year to the campus community. Given the increasing demand, Benefits will be increasing the number of retirement planning sessions to occur on a once a month basis for employees nearing retirement. In an effort to reach out beyond Blacksburg, these sessions will also be available through the online meeting center, Webex. In addition, we will be asking our retirement vendors to deliver more targeted programs in the coming months – as they work even more closely with our employees to provide them financial advice about their investments.
Connecting with the Campus Community
We know these are tough times for many of our employees. We also know Virginia Tech is a caring community with a resilient spirit. In Human Resources, we are committed to connecting with our departments and employees to help get us through these tough times together. I would welcome your suggestions of how we can improve our outreach to our employees at hirvin@vt.edu .
About Hal Irvin
Hal Irvin has been Virginia Tech's associate vice president for human resources since March 2008.
Before coming to Virginia Tech, Hal worked for 14 years at Georgia Tech. In his last assignment, he served as executive director of organizational development – reporting to the executive vice president for administration and finance and was responsible for employee learning, change management, and internal consulting services. He played a central role in Georgia Tech’s successful efforts to improve administrative services and transform its service culture.