We are committed to developing a HRS team that is passionate about HR in higher education and an HR operation that exemplifies service excellence in all that we do. Our eight C-R-E-A-T-I-V-E core values embody a framework that promotes the collaborative and inclusive HR culture we are building at NIU.
C: Customer-centric
We believe that a customer-centric focus is an essential component of our transformation into a highly valued strategic partner at NIU. This guiding principle drives our transformational efforts both within HRS and beyond, helping us serve, meet and exceed the HR strategic and operational needs of campus partners and the local community. We hire great people and provide positive employee experiences throughout all stages of the employee life cycle.
R: Results-driven
We believe in producing results. We measure our performance according to the accomplishments of our HR strategic initiatives. HRS leverages its productivity based on measurable university and HR goals, metrics and analytics.
E: Engaged
We believe in the importance of having a highly engaged faculty and staff. Our team members conduct their work with passion, enthusiasm and a positive attitude. We work with our campus partners to promote employee-engagement principles to increase faculty and staff satisfaction, productivity and retention. We promote NIU’s initiatives that make the university a great place to work.
A: Agile Mindset
We believe that an agile mindset enables HRS to create and implement more adaptable and responsive HR processes and services for the university. This includes collaborating with our HR campus partners in the colleges and administrative units to standardize, streamline and enhance HR processes, tools and resources wherever possible. We leverage technology to enhance our operation, and we create an environment in which we encourage learning from our mistakes, seeking out best practices in our field and using our imagination and ideas to implement new HR business solutions.
We believe in embracing change and iterative improvement in a positive and proactive way. We challenge the status quo, and we implement new and/or enhanced HR solutions to transform the strategic and operational aspects of our HR operation at NIU.
T: Trustworthy
We believe in creating an environment of accountability, integrity and trust by modeling these principles in a transparent, consistent, accurate and timely manner. We use a shared-governance approach to strengthen our partnerships with our campus HR partners, governance committees, faculty and staff. This involves proactively listening to and addressing their concerns — as well as leveraging their valued expertise and input, when possible — to help enhance NIU’s HR processes, services, resource tools, and learning and development opportunities.
I: Inclusive
We believe in promoting a work environment that encourages diversity and inclusion at all levels of the university and within HRS. We treat our colleagues with fairness, respect, dignity and a high level of professionalism. We are open to new ideas, perspectives and cultural beliefs, and we do our part to ensure that we implement initiatives that support the university’s commitment to attract and retain a diverse and talented workforce.
V: Valued HR Services
We believe in the importance of delivering valued HR services to our campus community. We adapt our HR services and offerings as needed to meet the evolving HR needs of the university, the HRS division, the future HR workforce and technological advances.
E: Excellence
We believe service excellence should be exemplified in all aspects of our operation, actions and interactions. We seek to go above and beyond to deliver the best service possible to our campus constituents and customers to consistently meet and exceed their needs and expectations.