Staff honored for practices that meet diverse needs

10 July 2002 | Sixteen departments and 29 new workplace practices with some intriguing names — like “The Whole Brain Experience,” “Fridays at Four,” “Two Thumbs Up” and “Early Birds” — were recognized for meeting diverse needs and instilling pride in staff at this year’s Workplace Success Department Recognition Ceremony, held June 26 in the Alumni House Toll Room.

The recognition ceremony was sponsored by Staff Equity and Diversity Services for workplace practices that meet the needs of a diverse workforce.

“We wanted to recognize departments for their good faith efforts that result in practices that demonstrate fairness, inclusiveness, diverse representation and meeting diverse needs,” said Edith Ng, director of Staff Equity and Diversity Services.

Exemplary practices were selected on the basis of six criteria: innovation, meeting diverse needs, demonstrated improvement of the workplace, adaptability to other departments, ongoing format and ability to meet the diverse needs of a department’s staff.

Departments will have their best practices showcased in a number of campus activities during the year.

“In so many ways, large and small, the staff and the faculty at Berkeley work together and do everything that we can to make our workplace more successful,” said Chancellor Robert Berdahl, who congratulated department representatives, along with Horace Mitchell, vice chancellor for Business and Administrative Services, and David Moers, assistant vice chancellor for Human Resources.

In all, 137 people were recognized for a variety of innovative practices, including:

• The College of Chemistry, for its ongoing program of luncheon research presentations for department staff.

• Campus Supply, for its “Whole Brain Experience,” a training session designed and implemented by staff to help workers gain a greater appreciation for differences.

• The Office of Laboratory Animal Care, for its “Staff Exchange Day,” in which employees worked in one of six other facilities for a day. “I loved being around the hyenas, and the people too,” wrote one employee after the training.

• A team of graphic designers from around campus, led by designers in University Relations, for the establishment of the Designers Roundtable, a group that meets monthly to discuss best practices for campus design.