Message from the Associate Vice-President

Welcome to UBC HR

Hello, and a warm welcome to UBC Human Resources.

It is my pleasure to introduce you to UBC HR’s role within the University community. UBC’s human resources professionals, both within the HR unit and in UBC’s faculties and departments, work hard to ensure our people practices are congruent with Place and Promise, the University’s strategic plan. Our intent is to create and sustain partnerships that enable UBC to achieve its vision through innovative and supportive people practices, and we are committed to doing so through Focus on People – a framework that arose from the feedback of faculty and staff.

A Workplace of Choice

With more than 18,000 faculty and staff, UBC is one of British Columbia’s largest employers. We are also one of the most progressive, and the University is consistently recognized as one of BC’s best employers. In 2010, UBC was honoured as one of BC’s Top 55 Employers for the 4th straight year; the University was also awarded with a Canada’s Best Diversity Employer Award in 2010, in recognition of our commitment to diversity across our workforce. See Why Join UBC? for more reasons why thousands have chosen UBC as their employer.

A key element of our commitment in Place and Promise to an outstanding work environment is UBC’s Statement on a Respectful Environment for Students, Faculty and Staff.  Please take the time to read the statement – and please live the statement – as it outlines our mutual commitment to treat each other with respect and dignity in a supportive, inclusive environment.

Fostering Engagement & Connections, from Recruiting to Retirement

The UBC community has many constituents – students, staff, faculty, alumni, residents and visitors. UBC HR’s focus, naturally, is upon faculty and staff members. We do connect their engagement with the success of the other constituencies within the University, and understanding these connections and relationships is critical.

HR touches the lives of all employees at the University, from the recruiting process until they leave and all of the steps in between.

• We share the joy and the sorrow of life’s interventions.
• We enjoy and encourage humour – laughter is part of well-being.
• We feel empathy for those who are struggling with illness and loss.
• We take great care with our responsibilities.
• We remain, to our core, curious about people.
• We dedicate our time, energy, and creativity to ensuring the University is a healthy workplace, one that sustains the need for learning, challenge, and civility.

Our staff are committed to supportive people practices and work thoughtfully and respectfully in every situation to provide information and support, and to find sustainable solutions.

Providing HR Leadership

Through its various business units, UBC HR provides services to staff and faculty members in a friendly and professional manner. While some units spend more time with individual employees and others work more closely with administrators, we recognize and believe that our role sustains all of the University’s faculty and staff members.

Through UBC HR’s stewardship of such initiatives as Focus on People: Workplace Practices at UBC, to using new systems and tools to manage our HR processes, to a commitment to greater openness about what we do and how we do it, and by exploring innovative models for improving employee engagement and retainment, the University of British Columbia is proud demonstrate leadership in its HR practices.

Thank you for spending time with us.

Lisa Castle
Associate Vice-President
UBC Human Resources