Penn State Human Resources (HR) has announced the start of a new initiative that seeks to modernize career opportunities at Penn State and empower staff with the knowledge they need to grow and develop their careers, whether within their current roles or in seeking new opportunities.
Because career and compensation generally go hand-in-hand, this initiative in addition to updating career opportunities is also a large-scale project to transform the University’s staff compensation program and establish it as contemporary, comprehensive and competitive. These changes are expected to allow Penn State to provide more comprehensive career paths that encourage and enable growth and development for all staff members -- whether that means moving up the ladder or making increasingly meaningful contributions within a current role for years to come.
"We are embarking on a comprehensive modernization effort that will better establish Penn State as a desirable place to launch and evolve a career,” said Lorraine Goffe, vice president for Human Resources and chief human resources officer at Penn State. “We will work to help our staff to fully understand and engage with the opportunities available to them at the University, all the while presenting Penn State as an employer of choice through modern, innovative compensation systems and processes.”
Forming a complete picture of what this initiative will mean for Penn State and its staff requires robust feedback from staff members, academic and administrative leaders, and executives. HR has begun the process of gathering feedback across the University on what works and what does not work today in the areas of career development and compensation. In addition to focus groups with University executives, staff members and supervisors can look forward to the opportunity to provide thoughts and perspectives during upcoming anonymous, interactive feedback sessions. Invitations and additional details will be sent at a later date.
“The goal of this initiative is to help staff grow and succeed in their careers. As we look to modernize the University’s approach to careers and compensation, we hope you benefit from an improved ability to achieve your career goals right here at home,” Goffe added.
Goffe said the University is working on this initiative with Segal, a trusted firm with higher education experts that her office has employed in the past. Goffe shares the role of executive sponsor of this initiative with Provost Nick Jones.