SHCS People Plan

2020–2025

Last updated: November 9, 2021

Progress Update: 2021–2022

Theme 1—Create a shared vision and strategic alignment

Progress

Create a draft vision

In spring 2020, the SHCS Leadership Team began a process of developing a vision and mission for SHCS, along with mission statements for each of our service departments.

Our goal was to successfully incorporate SHCS’s diverse range of activities and provide an ambitious, aspirational, inclusive and cohesive vision – toward which each of us can strive in our work every day – and the mission that shows us how to get there.

In November 2021, we announced our new 5-year SHCS Vision and Mission. The SHCS Vision and Mission is shared widely through a variety of our communications channels; departmental mission statements are being shared internally by each department’s leadership.

Build a more cohesive, collaborative, and aligned senior leadership team

Both as a result of COVID-19 and by design, the SHCS Leadership Team is in much closer coordination than in the past, particularly important after the merger of SHHS and UCS, which brought together a new mix of directors and new opportunities for connection and collaboration. Over the past year, COVID-19 has required this team to come together in novel and unanticipated ways and forge a productive dynamic that we expect to maintain moving forward.

While in the past this team met once per month, it currently meets 6 times per month to coordinate COVID-19 efforts and take collaborative action towards the priorities in the People Plan.

Ensure alignment with relevant UBC plans

Following from the UBC Strategic Plan, Shaping UBC’s Next Century, a number of subsidiary UBC-wide plans are now published – or nearing completion – and are already being put into action. These plans include the Inclusion Action Plan, Indigenous Strategic Plan, Student Strategic Plan, Sustainability and Climate Action plans, Wellbeing Strategic Framework, and UBC’s People 2025 Plan.

The SHCS Leadership Team has engaged with each of UBC’s new plans and has now identified a number of areas from each that SHCS can take action on. To learn more about how we can all work in support of these important plans, please read our blog post, SHCS: supporting UBC’s strategic plans.

“It’s the people who make up SHCS who bring value to the UBC community. I am so pleased that, collectively, we have made such significant progress towards the People Plan, all while navigating the demands of COVID-19.”
Andrew Parr, Associate Vice-President, SHCS

Theme 2—Build connection and community

Progress

Identify opportunities for cross-departmental interaction

This past year, we moved forward with the creation of a number of SHCS-wide initiatives in support of this goal. We developed an integrated onboarding plan for new staff – to coincide with the release of Workday – and we created online courses on Canvas for staff across SHCS, such as COVID-19 Self-Screening and COVID-19 Self-Screening for Supervisors and Managers. Plus, we piloted a leadership coaching program, called Coaching Conversations, across the unit.

Identify and address communications gaps

We are particularly proud to now provide all SHCS employees with a UBC email address and have a system in place to seamlessly ensure new employees receive UBC emails as part of the onboarding process.

Now that this system is in place, email is the primary communications channel going forward. Please ensure that you and any employees who you manage or supervise are checking email as part of the work day. Good internal communication will continue to require the efforts of everyone involved.

Also, throughout COVID-19, we have aimed to provide a steady flow of information to help everyone across the unit feel informed and best equipped to manage the impacts of the pandemic, professionally and personally. To help meet this need, we held town halls for all staff and provided regular email updates from Andrew Parr, Associate Vice-President, SHCS.

Recognize and reward people for their contributions

In January 2021 we launched the SHCS Outstanding Contribution Awards program to recognize Vancouver campus employees at any level of the organization for contributions they make in the workplace and the community, with a particular emphasis on sustainability and community leadership efforts.

Additionally, we plan to launch a second awards program, SHCS Heroes, later in 2021.

A virtual awards event is currently being planned for April 2021. More info to come soon.

Define and develop SHCS-wide and department-specific communications approaches

Planning is currently underway to develop a robust and nuanced internal communications plan, to provide us all with relevant, timely, and valuable information and set us up for success in our roles and careers at UBC.

Create greater equity, inclusion, respect, and mental health literacy

In support of this action, we initiated a range of initiatives. We rolled out the Not Myself Today program, which maintains strong enrolment and participation, continue to highlight UBC wellbeing resources, supported new and current employees in completing UBC’s Preventing and Addressing Bullying and Harassment online course, and collaborated with Central HR and UBC at large on anti-racism and inclusion work. 

We have also continued work on an Indigeneity educational module specifically for SHCS employees, which will be launched in 2021.

“I’m very excited about the SHCS People Plan! It is our roadmap for the years ahead and will guide our focus and actions to help each of us in SHCS thrive.”
Jennifer Dowdeswell, Organizational Development and Learning Manager, SHCS

Theme 3—Develop and engage our people

Progress

Identify and address gaps in the orientation process

In 2020, we brought a multi-year project of creating updated onboarding and orientation processes and resources to fruition, allowing for a more comprehensive and consistent welcome to SHCS.

Create new courses for SHCS employees

As mentioned above, this past year we launched and operated a successful pilot coaching program for some SHCS staff. We will be rolling this program out more broadly in the coming months.

Support supervisor-employee career progression discussions

Currently, we are in the process of creating a suite of resources for managers to provide better supports for having successful career progression discussions with their employees.

SHCS People Plan: 2020–2025

Your SHCS. Your plan.