UF Engaged implementation team receives HR Excellence Award

The team responsible for the implementation of UF Engaged recently won a Southern Region HR Excellence Award from the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources. The awards recognize the efforts of individuals, teams and institutions who are transforming HR at their institutions and influencing the profession on a broader scale.

The team won the award for its implementation of the new and improved UF Engaged program, which required a significant culture shift at the institution and a change management plan that informed, engaged and prepared UF leaders and staff for the new process.

UF discarded its previous annual performance appraisal system for staff more than two years ago and began evaluating other methods of performance development. The goal was to transform employee performance reviews into a discussion rather than a transaction and to promote a culture of continuous engagement.

Officially introduced in October of 2019, UF Engaged was designed to encourage clear, timely and meaningful feedback and facilitate frequent conversations between managers and employees. The UF Engaged philosophy focuses on aligning individual employee’s efforts and needs with the university’s needs and direction. The alignment requires leaders to communicate desired performance outcomes for employees that directly contribute to the organization’s success, identify resources and support needed to improve employee contributions, and empower employees to identify and pursue growth and career development.

“With the challenges our university is addressing, there has never been a more critical time for giving and receiving clear, timely and meaningful feedback about performance,” said UFHR Director of Employee Relations Brook Mercier.

Learn more by visiting the UF Engaged section of the UFHR website.

Members of the UF Engaged team, pictured from left to right above: Jennifer Munroe, Brook Mercier, Kevin Clarke and Amber Wuertz.