Transition teams start their work

ISD Transition

Phased implementation continues in Iowa State's move to service delivery models that create teams of human resources and finance specialists. To help, transition teams will prepare employees, supervisors and units for the July 1 improved service delivery (ISD) go-live date.

More than 560 employees responded "yes" or "maybe" to an interest survey that will be used to help fill an estimated 125 finance and 55 HR specialist positions in the service delivery models. Interested staff -- 385 for finance and 256 for HR (some showed interest in both) -- will be the first to hear from transition team members. Employees offered ISD positions must make a decision by March 1.

The transition teams also will work with employees who opt out of the ISD structure, supervisors and department/unit heads to find solutions for local-level changes -- for example, the redistribution of work responsibilities.

"If anyone has concerns or questions, they just need to let us know so we can come talk with them," said Leslie Ginder, an employee and labor relations consultant in university human resources (UHR) and co-chair of the ISD transition process. "We're here for them. We're going to walk through this together."

Team makeup

Ginder and co-chair Stephen Simpson, director of emergency management and outreach for environmental health and safety, are coordinating the transition teams. They are responding to questions, concerns and feedback submitted by email (ISD_transition@iastate.edu), and will support the transition teams with resources and information throughout the process.

Seventeen transition teams align with the university's divisions, colleges and major units. UHR representatives co-chair the teams with an employee within the division, college or unit. A list of teams and their members is available on the WorkCyte website.

"The teams will be working with everyone who needs to be at the table," Ginder said. "They're not making decisions, they're making recommendations -- they'll need to talk to the employee, the employee's supervisor and others they work with."

What the teams will do

A transition timeline outlines the work to be done and deadlines driving the process. The transition teams' major objectives are to:

  • Meet with employees, supervisors and unit leaders affected by ISD
  • Develop individual transition plans for employees affected by ISD
  • Identify non-ISD responsibilities of employees who accept ISD positions
  • Identify duties to replace finance/HR ISD responsibilities for employees who remain local
  • Work with local-level decision-makers to find solutions for redistributing responsibilities
  • Assist with implementation of individual transition plans