Introduction

One of the primary goals of Boise State’s strategic plan Blueprint for Success is to foster a thriving community. Building upon what makes up a thriving community, Boise State Human Resources (HR) has built a People Strategy as a way to positively engage campus employees.

In the wake of “The Great Resignation”, where people are leaving in unprecedented numbers, it’s important to discover why employees are departing from their places of employment. This mass exodus and reshuffling of employees is teaching us that it’s more important than ever to invest in the university’s most valuable resource – our employees.

In 2021, turnover rates at Boise State were 22 percent for classified employees, 18 percent for professional employees and seven percent for faculty. Supervisors play a key role in retaining employees; managers connect employees to work, culture, and the institution’s vision and mission. Supervisors wield a great deal of influence over employee job satisfaction.

According to Curt Coffman, co-author of First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently, “Engaged employees are builders. They want to know the desired expectations for their role so they can meet and exceed them. They’re naturally curious about their company and their place in it. They perform at consistently high levels. They want to use their talents and strengths at work every day. They work with passion, and they have a visceral connection to their company. And they drive innovation and move their organization forward.” Engaged employees who work in a thriving community, will be inspired Blue Turf Thinking innovators who advance all five of the university’s strategic plan goals.