CUNA HR & Organizational Development Excellence Award Winners

Jennifer HuggardSVP, AdministrationNorthwest Credit Union AssociationAwards Committee Chair

What are the Excellence Awards?

•Recognition•Honors Excellence•Focuses on “Best Practices”

EXCELLENCE AWARDS CATEGORIES

•Employee Engagement•Management Practices•Innovative Staff Development

What are we judging?• Innovation• Integration with Business and Resulting Outcomes/Impact• Sustainability• Quality

Two Individual Awards

•Professional of the Year•Rising Star

How to Apply?•Enter online at www.cuna.org•Deadline is February 28, 2020

In 2020!

Seek the PhysiQue Shelan Stritzke

HR Manager iQ Credit Union

Why Wellness?

• The why behind wellness at iQ

• Cost containment• EE Engagement• Values alignment (it’s the right thing to do)

Wellness Program Development

First steps:• Establish employee wellness committee • Establish goals and ‘desired state’ – dream big but create sustainably

• Metrics• Plan for the year

• Budget• Timeline of events• Target audience• Communication plan• Executive & management support

Wellness Program Development

At iQ, our focus is on creating programming that is:• Wholistic• Sustainable• Inclusive• And, last, but not least – FUN!

So many locations, so little time…

• We have 17 locations across 2 states• Micro-local resources• Staff feedback• Fair doesn’t necessarily equate to identical programming when it comes to

offer wellness activities across locations

Wellbeing at Work

• Wellness Corners• Worktime challenges• Sit-Stand Desks• Integration into other platforms

For the People, by the People

• Wellness – not an HR program• Give employees a voice in the

programming• Post-event surveys/feedback requests

Integration of wellness programming

• Another means of ensuring HR is not the ‘keeper’ of wellness• Look for opportunities to integrate wellness programs into other

systems, communications, etc. • How can wellness programming support other objectives

• Team building• Employee Engagement platform utilization• Benefits utilization

Lessons learned along the way

• Just get started!• Executive Support goes a long way• Perfection not required• Communication is key• Seek feedback - early and often

Questions?

Power of YouEmployee Engagement Program

Ashley KeeganVice President of People

Program Details

• Objective – Harness the power of collaborative thought throughout the organization by:

• Giving employees the opportunity to share their ideas • Demonstrating to employees how their ideas can contribute to the success of

the credit union• Rewarding employees for successful ideas

• Eligibility – All employees, excluding Senior Management Team

• Judges – Senior Management Team

Submission Process

• Employees submit ideas through a basic entry process:1. Complete the Power of You Entry form and submit to HR2. HR forwards to the entire Senior Management Team (judges) for

review and consideration.3. Senior Management will review the idea to determine if it meets

the category and selection criteria requirements to be chosen for implementation.

Idea Category

1. Revenue Generation/Cost Reduction – Idea must generate revenue or present a cost reduction to the credit union or both.

2. Process Improvement – Idea that improves or automates a current process, which results in enhanced efficiency for staff, members or both.

The idea submitted must fit within the credit union’s current products and systems offered. The idea must also fit into at least one (can be

multiple) of the categories.

*Any idea submitted must not adversely impactthe membership in any way.*

Selection Criteria

• The following criteria will be used to determine if the idea will be selected for implementation:

•Viability – Idea must be within the scope of the credit union resources to implement and must present a minimum of revenue generation or cost savings of $1,000 a year.

•Quantifiable – The credit union must have the ability to track and analyze the results.

•Member Focus – Amount to which the idea improves the member experience or value to the member.

•Organizational Effectiveness – Degree to which the idea improves the effectiveness of operations and promotes optimal performance.

Idea Selected for Implementation

• Celebrate in a “Big, Publishers Clearing House Type of Way”• Winning entries will receive an initial prize of $250• Employee gets a picture with a “big check.”• Spotlights on social media, website and intranet.

• Opportunity for Professional Development• Employee is designated as Project Manager.• Gain exposure to Senior Management and experience working with multiple

departments to implement idea.• Present idea to Management upon request.

Idea Selected for Implementation• Bounty

• After six months of successful implementation, the employee is paid a bounty equal to 10% of the revenue or cost savings generated within 12 months (estimate based on first 6 months).

• Example:• Employee submits a idea that is selected for implementation in the revenue

generation category.• idea is implemented on March 1st.• Accounting will track the results for the next 6 months (Mar 1 – Sep 1).• After totaling the results of the last 6 months, the employee will paid 10% of

the revenue generated within 12 months (the estimate is based on the first 6 months).

• Total revenue generated in 6 months = $30,000 (or $5,000 per month)• Calculation= $5,000(month) * 12(months) * 10%• Employee pay out = $6,000

Program Rules

• Double Entries – In the event that the same or similar idea idea is submitted twice, the first entry will be accepted. The idea may not already be in process.

• idea submission – SMT has final decision on whether or not a idea or idea meets the criteria for acceptance in the program. Not all ideas will be accepted.

• Payout Guidelines – In order to receive payout, the employee must be an active employee at the time of payout.

• Termination of employment – Employee is not entitled to any payout after termination of employment. idea/idea is the property of the credit union.

• Team Entries – Monetary rewards will be split evenly if idea is submitted as a team.

Integrating the Program

• Power of You Trailer• Draw excitement around this new program by “teasing” the Power of You by

sending a message out to the staff eluding the release of new program that centered on them.

• Forward Looking Statements Video • The program ultimately had to fit in with the credit union’s objectives to be

successful. The Senior Management Team had worked to create a set of forward looking statements which portrayed the vision and future goals of the credit union. The Power of You is a program that would help us achieve those objectives.

Integrating the Program

• Logo Creation• Distinguished• Easily recognizable

Integrating the Program

• All-Staff Kick Off Meeting

Sustaining the Program• New Hire Orientation – New hires receive orientation on the program during

their first week of hire. • Communications – HR keeps this program alive by consistently engaging the staff

by sending communications out to promote the Power of You and encouraging them to submit their ideas.

• Jeans/Dress Down Days – The Power of You t-shirts are permitted on jeans days (weekly on Fridays and Saturdays) and any dress down days designated by the credit union.

• Power of You Souvenirs - In order to keep the idea alive, we have sent out Power of You souvenirs for the staff to display on their desk. Powers of You bracelets were also sent out to the staff and they are encouraged to wear them at work.

• Intranet Page – HR hosts a dedicated page on our intranet specifically for the Power of You. Employees can find information on the program including current and past winners.

Business Impact

• 24 Entries received August 2018 – to present• 4 winning entries (17% acceptance rate)

• Cost Reduction Category• Security Enhancement: $2,526 annual savings• ACH Payments: $5,220 annual savings• Document Retention: $13,232 annual savings

• 5 year projected savings: almost $90,000!

• Reduction in Turnover• 10.3%• $21,306 cost savings

Summary• Program is designed to be a win-win for all:

• Employees • Input and direction of credit union• Monetary gain• Professional Development/Project Management Experience

• Credit Union• Revenue/cost savings of implemented ideas• Engaged and more productive workforce

• Members• Improved level of service due to credit union improvements

Direct UniversityInnovative Staff Development

Erin Proulx Training and Development Manager, Dean of Direct University Direct Federal Credit Union

Direct U - Background • Desire to provide world class service • Deeper understanding of our strategic areas at all

levels• Recognize the need for a more structured way to

educate our employees • Reinforce how employees can specifically contribute

ideas to the credit union’s strategic plan• Support Career Development

Direct U – Purpose • In-house university program designed to educate

employees on the strategic focus of the credit union • The structure mirrors an academic university • The areas of study are the six focus areas from our

strategic plan People Continuous Improvement Financial Management Access and Delivery Service Growth

Direct U – Value-add • Continues to add value to our people and culture Creates an environment that exemplifies our core values -

specifically “build knowledge” Reinforces a Learning Culture throughout the credit union Enhances employee engagement and retention Is a vital component of our career development program Provides a detailed understanding of our strategic plan to

all employees

Direct U - Degrees • Associates, Bachelors, Masters and PhD degree programs

will be available • GPAs are tracked, and degrees earned with honors:Summa cum laude Magna cum laudeCum laude

• Dean’s List is published quarterly • Degrees are a consideration in career development

Direct U - Innovative Approach • The Project Team involved our CEO and each of the

senior leaders who were responsible for:Creating a rich curriculum for each course within

their strategic area Teaching the Orientation level courses on an

ongoing basis

Direct U - Innovative Approach • Training & Development Manager and VP of HR

supported the teamBuilding class curriculums, course materials, hand-

outs, and creating exams and ensuring consistency of class durations across each levelTracking attendance and matriculation through our

learning management system

Direct U - Blended Learning Approach • Learning is delivered via multiple channels:

• Instructor Led• Online

• Learning Management System courses • TED Talks• LEAN Gemba Academy Videos • Movies

• Books/Required Reading• Exams • Practicums

Direct U - Learning Objectives • Designed to reinforce course content with a focus on

key elements aligned with our strategic areas

• Consistent across each strategic area at each learning level

• Established for Orientation, Freshman, Sophomore and Junior levels for each strategic area

Direct U - Branding • Direct U Logo

• Template for Direct U course curriculum

Direct U – Launch

Direct U – Course Catalogue

Direct U – Course Catalogue

Direct U - Course Schedules • During the first year we offered multiple sessions of

each course on a quarterly basis • Going forward courses are scheduled once per quarter• Enrollment minimum of 8 students for all classes

except Orientation level which has a 6 student minimum

Direct U - Matriculation Goals • Orientation level within six months of hire • Freshman within one year of hire• Sophomore by two year anniversary • Managers and above complete Junior within three

years

Direct U - Business Outcomes • Our First Graduation Celebration was held on June 26th, 2019 • Diplomas were distributed, along with a gift of a college “hoodie” to

all graduates

• 48 Associate degrees were awarded (86% of eligible employees)18 were awarded with honors

4 Summa cum laude (4.0) 14 Cum laude (3.6/3.7)

Direct U - Sustainability • An ongoing project team meets weekly to develop

higher level courses• Graduation to be held every June• Moving forward the course schedule

will be less rigorous as courses will be offered less frequently

Direct U – Integration with Career Development • Senior leaders taught all courses in the inaugural

delivery of their strategic area• Moving into the next phase the Senior leaders will

deliver Orientation sessions, and Sophomore level and above

• Directors will deliver the Freshman courses as part of their Leadership Development

Direct U - Integration with Career Development

Direct U - Quality • Clearly defined mission and goals written into the

strategic plan • The objectives for each course are clearly defined, as

are the conditions of success• After each course, a survey is sent to participants to

identify opportunities for continuous improvement

Direct U - Conclusion “At Direct Federal our employees are our priority. Direct University will be vital in creating an industry- leading career development program that will allow our employees to define their own career paths and a culture that empowers employees to continually build knowledge“

-Joe Walsh, CEO at Direct Federal prior to the launch of Direct University