Talking Stick - March/April 2011 - 42

Help Yourself

Here is a short list of what is available in the ACUHO-I online library to assist you in your staffing research: 1) These items are the result of the work of ACUHO-I members Thomas E. Ellett, Holley A. Belch, John Christopher, Stephen R. St. Onge, Maureen E. Wilson, Norbert W. Dunkel, Sara Klein, Eric Nestor, Stewart Robinette and Thomas Delve Scheuermann. The group was awarded an ACUHO-I commissioned research grant to study topics related to entry-level staff recruitment and retention. • Recruitment and Retention of EntryLevel Staff in Housing and Residence Life, 2008 This report summarizes the six studies the team members completed: International Study Problem Assessment; Career Commitment/Position Analysis; Image of Housing and Residence Life; Best Practices in Recruitment and Retention and Impact of Professional Development on Retention of Staff in Housing & Residence Life. • Recruitment and Retention of EntryLevel Staff in Housing and Residence Life: Recruiting & Retaining Staff: Multiple Realities and PossibilitiesPart I, Recruitment and Retention of EntryLevel Staff in Housing and Residence Life: Recruiting & Retaining Staff: Multiple Realities and Possibilities Part II, 2008 Annual Conference These presentations summarize the group’s work, discussing the history of housing staffing, current issues in staff recruitment and retention, and best practices. • Factors Affecting Recruitment and Retention of Entry-Level Housing and Residential Life Staff: Perceptions of Chief Housing Officers, The Journal Of College And University Student Housing, 35(2), 2008. This article reviews the literature in staff recruitment and retention, discusses the findings of the study and gives recommendations for Chief Housing Officers interested in improving recruitment and retention of entry-level staff. • Gateway to a Successful Career: A Study of the Role of Professional Development Involvement in the Retention of Housing/Residence Life Staff, Belch, Holley A.; Ellett, Thomas, 2007 Annual Conference Here, Belch and Ellett focus on the role that professional development plays in mid-level staff’s intention to stay, or not stay, in the field. It includes the results from the data, potential implications for the field, and suggestions to address these concerns.
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• Understanding Burnout Levels and Factors that Contribute to Attrition of Entry-Level Professionals in Housing and Residence Life, Thomas Ellet; Chris Stipeck, 2010 Annual Conference The authors use the Maslach Burnout Inventory, a common measurement of mental fatigue in the human resource field, to understand levels of burnout in young professionals in housing and residence life, and how this can be alleviated. 2) In addition, here are other presentations concerning staff recruitment and retention. However, this is just a small sampling of the many documents in the ACUHO-I library that address staffing issues. • Small Colleges, Where You Belong: Successful Recruitment of Professional Staff, Chuck Rhodes; Vanessa Rodriguez, 2010 Annual Conference The authors discuss the challenges small colleges face when recruiting professional staff, and strategies for overcoming them. • Onboarding Your New Employee, Donna Rogalski, 2010 Annual Conference Now that you’ve hired someone, the process doesn’t stop there. A thorough introduction to your institution, from welcoming to training, will help retain the employee you worked so hard to get. • Implementing and Benefitting from APPA Staffing Guidelines, Martha May, 2007 Facilities Conference May discusses how to utilize APPA’s facility staffing guidance, from recruitment to retention. 3) Past Talking Stick articles on staff recruitment and retention can be found in the ACUHO-I library as well. These include: • Conversations: Finding the Right Person for the Job: March/April 2010 • A Hire Calling: January/February 2008 • Conversations: Keeping Staff Happy and Returning: May/June 2008 • Conversations: Hiring During Slow Economic Times: September/ October 2008 • Facilities: Replacement Parts: November/December 2007 • Regroup: The Ethical Job Search: March/April 2006

increased workload by deciding to outsource all landscaping projects, 85 percent of custodial work, and 95 percent of major maintenance work. They have also saved more than $300,000 annually by eliminating high-cost property management for rental properties by having in-house staff complete the work.

Attending to People
Cutting positions and losing people is perhaps the most painful and least attractive option for restructuring staff. Michael Griffel, director of university housing at the University of Oregon in Eugene, has experienced first-hand the difficulties related to these decisions. When he was director of residential life at Bowling Green University in Ohio, he had to launch an organizational review that ultimately reduced the departmental work force from 47 to 35 professionals. The chances of undergoing a successful restructuring can be increased if administrators follow this simple advice: Listen, remain visible, and communicate and explain at every step along the way. In his presentation “Collaborating for Organizational Change: A Straight-Forward Restructuring Model” at the 2009 Great Lakes Association of College and Housing Officers (GLACUHO) conference, Griffel explained that open and honest communication is required throughout the process. Though apprehension or hidden
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Talking Stick - March/April 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Talking Stick - March/April 2011