Staff Council in Action

As many of us have had to do since the start of the pandemic, Staff Council has moved its programming to a virtual format — which, for a group whose main focus is engaging employees, has presented challenges. But, as so many of us have also done, the council has continued to work hard and foster a sense of community during uncertain times. This work includes:

• Hosting monthly virtual office hours every Monday from noon to 1 p.m. to give all staff members a platform to share updates, ask questions, and interact with one another.
• Connecting with senior leadership on a regular basis to communicate concerns and strategies for enhancing the staff experience.
• Engaging with more than 60 volunteers on a monthly basis, working across the Staff Council committee areas of focus – employee engagement, campus physical environment, communications, compensation and benefits, employee engagement, and health and well-being.

Staff Council also hosted an online town hall event in August that featured President Ángel Cabrera; Kelly Fox, executive vice president for Administration and Finance; and Kim Harrington, associate vice president of Human Resources. With more than 1,400 attendees, this moderated discussion provided insights on topics related to campus diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts; the Institute’s new strategic plan; budget concerns; and measures to support the well-being of all staff.

In addition, former Staff Council chair David Brown was elected to serve as Chair-Elect of the USG Staff Council. He began his term as of July 1. Here at Tech, planning is underway for the Staff Council’s first-ever Staff Appreciation Day. Scheduled for Oct. 1 on Tech Green, the event will be hosted in partnership with Georgia Tech Human Resources and will feature free food, giveaways, and fun in a safe outdoor setting where social distancing can be maintained.

Staff Council supports the Institute’s asymptomatic surveillance testing program, launched in early August, to identify silent carriers early on and help slow the spread of the coronavirus on campus. It is crucial that Tech employees, like all members of the campus community, get tested weekly.

“We will continue to work diligently behind the scenes to engage, inform, and advocate on behalf of our staff,” Council Chair Byron Fitch said. “All of us on Staff Council greatly appreciate the continued hard work, dedication, and resilience of our staff working on and off campus during these challenging times.”

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