Your First Three Months

Your first three months are critical to ensuring that you are both engaged and successful in your new role here at the School. It is also a time to become more accustomed to the School’s culture, specifically around career development, recognition events and programs, community building and networking, and sustainability practices. We encourage you to read through this portal to learn more!

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Sustainability | Problem Resolution | Managing at Harvard | Recognition | Community Events and Programs

The Orientation and Review Period

Time-Frame and Purpose

Generally, the first 90 days of employment is an orientation and review period (sometimes referred to as the probationary period). During this time, both Alert Shieldthe employee and the supervisor should consider and evaluate the suitability of the placement. Supervisors are encouraged to use this period to review and discuss with the employee his or her progress in meeting the requirements of the position, and in adapting to the work environment as a whole. At the end of the period, a meeting will be initiated by the supervisor to discuss the employee’s progress, and a form will be completed online in PeopleSoft through a performance management process called ePerformance.

Extensions to the Orientation and Review Period

In some cases, 90 days may not be sufficient to evaluate the suitability of a placement. In certain instances, the complexity of the position or other departmental staffing and/or operational considerations may require an extension of the orientation and review Man Smiling period (of up to an additional 90 days) to fully assess the suitability of the placement. The terms of the extension should be in writing, signed and acknowledged by the employee, and discussed in advance with the local Human Resources Office.

Paid Time Off during the Orientation and Review Period

Although paid time off (vacation, personal and sick days) begins to accrue immediately upon hire, employees are not eligible to take paid vacation or personal days during the orientation and review period except with the prior approval of their supervisor.

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Manager Training and Development Guide

The Manager Training and Development Guide was designed to assist new managers at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health with being connected to the many manager development resources at Harvard. We hope this guide will help you obtain and/or develop the knowledge, skills, and abilities to become a successful manager at our School. If you need assistance, please contact your HR Partner.

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Sustainability at Harvard


Globe Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health is at the forefront of research addressing the most pressing global health and environmental issues facing us today. As members of this community, it is important that we recognize the findings of this research and strive toward minimizing our environmental impact through the adoption of sustainable business practices.

Sustainability at Harvard provides a forum for people across the University to access information, tools, and inspiration for the challenge at hand: making Harvard sustainable for the long term while striving to achieve its 30% Greenhouse Gas Reduction Goal by 2016. A truly sustainable campus requires the cooperation and inclusion of everyone in the community, and in this spirit we have formed The EcoOpportunity Team. EcoOpportunity is coordinated by the Operations Department and Harvard’s Office for Sustainability, with the participation of many administrative and academic departments around the School. This collaborative forum for knowledge creation and transfer fosters an environment where sustainable initiatives are developed and executed.

Eco-Opportunity’s Mission

The mission is to institutionalize sustainability practices on the School of Public Health campus. This group will:

  • Serve as the primary point of communication for sustainability efforts on campus.
  • Work with the Facilities and Operations Group to establish best practices, policies, and/or standards for sustainable design and operations on campus, where appropriate.
  • Identify and prioritize resource conservation opportunities in offices, labs, and residential buildings.
  • Inspire the  Community to reduce environmental and health impacts, and help become a leader in campus sustainability efforts.

More information can be found on the Being Green at Harvard slide deck!

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Problem Resolution

Discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national origin, age, veteran status, or disability unrelated to job requirements is unlawful and intolerable to the University.

Resources available to you include:

Ombuds Contact: Melissa Brodrick, Ombudsperson Confidential phone: (617) 432-4040

Harvard University Anonymous Reporting Hotline:  877-694-2275 or www.integrity-helpline.com/HarvardUniversity.jsp

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Recognition

At Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, our employees are our richest resource. Whether you are working in an academic Department, one of the Centers, or in administration, you are integral to the School’s success. Individually, your passion, professionalism, and commitment to our mission are vital to the School’s standing as a world-class research and teaching institution. And as teammates and colleagues, your collaboration and connections with others are what make the School a rewarding workplace and a welcoming community.

The Employee Recognition Committee was created in 2012. The committee worked hard to come up with a School-wide, all-encompassing recognition program, inclusive of appreciation events and formal recognition. A wide range of achievements – from random acts of kindness to outstanding contributions to the School’s mission – can be recognized through our new program. As we go forward in making the School an even better place to work, we hope to come together as a community to celebrate personal milestones (such as employment anniversaries and completion of a degree program), to rejoice in our diversity, to honor one another, and to simply have fun together. Please help us in creating a “recognition rich” culture at the School.

More information on the HR Recognition web page for recognition programs and events!

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Community Events and Programs


The School is home to several recognition and employee events that all staff are welcome to attend. Here are just some of the few:

Scoopfest

ScoopFest is our summertime appreciation event in which senior leaders of the School have the pleasure of scooping ice cream for staff, faculty, and academic appointees. At this fun-filled event, you will have the pleasure of enjoying popular summer tunes and playing fun summer games with your peers.

100% Club Celebration

The 100% Club Celebration is held every year, after the performance management process, for departments who reach 100% of completed performance reviews. The event includes music, refreshments, fun activities, and several raffle drawings for great prizes.

In FY13, we reached a total of 98% completed performance reviews! A celebration with a mardi gras theme was held on Wednesday, June 26, 2013 to recognize those departments who met 100% of their completed performance reviews. Throughout the event, raffle prizes were drawn.

On My Own Time

Back by popular demand, On My Own Time (OMOT) returned in 2013. On My Own Time was conceived many years ago, as a way to offer the opportunity to bring one’s whole self to work and showcase talents that may not be apparent to your colleagues in the workplace. The revived OMOT includes all three schools on the Harvard Longwood Campus – the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Heath, Harvard Medical School, and the Harvard School of Dental Medicine.

The exhibits display music, dance, poetry, photography, paintings, knitting, jewelry, sculpture and much more!

Summer Music Series

The Schools of the Harvard Longwood Campus invite students, staff, and faculty to take a break from their research, patients, paperwork and other tasks to enjoy the Annual Longwood Campus Summer Music Series each year. This takes place on the HMS Quad and in Kresge Courtyard, take place on Wednesdays from 12:30—1:30 p.m, and feature talented musicians from Berklee College of Music. More information on the summer music series.

Research & Program Staff Collaborative

The Research and Program staff Collaborative is a network of staff involved in the implementation of research across the Harvard T.H. Chan School community. The Collaborative exists to create linkages for staff to share best practices, to receive training, and to engage in mentoring and development activities.

Please contact us at researchstaff@hsph.harvard.edu for more information and for access to the Collaborative’ s wiki page.

 

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