Staff members and supervisors encouraged to conduct 'informal conversations' by end of monthPrinceton NJ -- As part of an effort to make the University a better place to work, staff members and supervisors are being encouraged to strengthen communication in the workplace. The first step in that endeavor is for all staff members to have an informal conversation about their work with their supervisor by the end of March. Senior Vice President for Administration Charles Kalmbach outlined the process in a Feb. 10 e-mail message to staff. "Many of you already engage in this kind of informal dialogue," he wrote. "For others, this is not a normal practice. Either way, the conversation is an important opportunity for each of us to improve communication and create a better place to work." The memo explained that the conversation is not part of the annual performance appraisal. The focus is intended to be on "future growth, not past performance," Kalmbach wrote. "It creates an opportunity to discuss, openly and informally, how to make your experience working at Princeton better, and to help you become more effective in your job." He proposed several questions that might form the basis for such a conversation: •How are things going for you in your job? He provided a link to the Department of Human Resources Web site at http://www.princeton.edu/hr/convrstn.htm, where additional information is available. The department also scheduled five information sessions for those who supervise employees to discuss the importance of having the informal conversations. By the end of February, he said, more than 100 of the 238 unit supervisors who are members of the Admini- strative and Academic Managers Group indicated that they had conducted the conversations with all of their employees. "Our goal is to have 100 percent participation," said Kalmbach, who noted that President Tilghman has set an example and spoken with all of the people who report directly to her. "We are well on the way to accomplishing this important objective." |
 
March 10, 2003 Contents Page one Inside People Sections The Bulletin is published weekly during the academic year, except during University breaks and exam weeks, by the Office of Communications. Second class postage paid at Princeton. Postmaster: Send address changes to Princeton Weekly Bulletin, Office of Communications, Princeton University, 22 Chambers St., Suite 201, Princeton, NJ 08542. Permission is given to adapt, reprint or excerpt material from the Bulletin for use in other media. Subscriptions. The Bulletin is distributed free to faculty, staff and students. Others may subscribe to the Bulletin for $28 for the academic year (half price for current Princeton parents and people over 65). Send a check to Office of Communications, Princeton University, 22 Chambers St., Suite 201, Princeton, NJ 08542. Deadline. In general, the copy deadline for each issue is the Friday 10 days in advance of the Monday cover date. The deadline for the Bulletin that covers March 24-30 is Friday, March 14. A complete publication schedule is available at deadlines or by calling (609) 258-3601. Editor: Ruth Stevens Calendar editor: Carolyn Geller Staff writers: Jennifer Greenstein Altmann, Steven Schultz Contributing writers: Karin Dienst, Eric Quinones, Evelyn Tu Photographer: Denise Applewhite Design: Mahlon Lovett, Laurel Masten Cantor, Margaret Westergaard Web edition: Mahlon Lovett |
|