Each year the Department of Human Resources (HR) provides opportunities for CU Boulder employees to expand their knowledge, learn new skills or enhance overall wellbeing through seminars, workshops and programs.
Organizational and Employee Development (OED) provides training and facilitation for individuals and intact teams throughout the Boulder campus. OED’s courses range from leadership development to workplace skills and are designed to build strengths and knowledge in workplace trends and needs.
The Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP) is dedicated to serving the emotional and psychological needs of the campus community. FSAP’s workshops are aimed at creating and sustaining a psychologically healthy workplace.
The following courses are available to all CU Boulder employees and are offered at no charge, unless otherwise noted in the description. To view all employee learning opportunities or to learn more about the courses below, please visit the HR website.
January workshops
Crucial Conversations
Crucial Conversations is a two-day course that teaches skills for creating alignment and agreement by fostering open dialogue around high-stakes, emotional or risky topics—at all levels of the organization. By learning how to speak and be heard (and encouraging others to do the same), you’ll surface the best ideas, make the highest-quality decisions and then act on your decisions with unity and commitment.
Please note: There is a $200 course fee, which includes a Crucial Conversations Toolkit, cue cards for each lesson, a Crucial Conversations model card, a copy of the New York Times bestselling book Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High, the Crucial Conversations audio companion MP3 download and a course completion certificate.
Date: Tuesday, Jan. 17, and Thursday, Jan. 19
Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day
Location: East Campus, Administrative and Research Center (ARC), room 346
New Employee Welcome Experience
The New Employee Welcome Experience is the first event in a comprehensive, year-long onboarding experience designed to increase the understanding of CU Boulder’s culture, organizational structure and governance, operations, learning mission, values and campus initiatives. The program is offered to new, permanent employees. Lunch is provided by Elevations Credit Union, and print materials are provided by CU Imaging Services (your campus printer).
Date: Thursday, Jan. 19
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Location: The event starts at Norlin Library in the historic heart of campus, where participants begin to develop their understanding of what it means to be a member of the CU Boulder community. The day includes a two-hour walking tour of campus and a one-hour bus tour broken into two portions throughout the day.
StrengthsQuest™
The StrengthsQuest™ seminar provides an opportunity for CU Boulder employees to identify their natural talents by taking the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment. During this interactive workshop, participants will learn to develop their talents into strengths that will allow them to continue developing their career and enhance working relationships.
Date: Monday, Jan. 23
Time: 1 to 3:30 p.m.
Location: East Campus, Administrative and Research Center (ARC), room 346
February workshops
Women and Retirement Planning Workshop
The Women & Money Series is offered by female financial advisors and presented by Jeanette Beatty, Elevations Wealth Management. The workshop focuses on some of the unique financial challenges facing women today. Participants will learn:
- the importance of planning for retirement,
- the need to account for inflation, taxes and the potential future cost of health care,
- the basics of Social Security retirement income,
- what you can do now and
- steps you can take as you get closer to retirement.
Participants receive a free workbook created just for this presentation that contains key information, worksheets and questions to help you remember important points from the seminar. Lunch is provided by Elevations Credit Union Wealth Management.
Date: Tuesday, Feb. 7
Time: Noon to 1 p.m.
Location: East Campus, Administrative and Research Center (ARC), room 346
Register by email at Connie.North@colorado.edu.
New Employee Welcome Experience
The New Employee Welcome Experience is the first event in a comprehensive, year-long onboarding experience designed to increase the understanding of CU Boulder’s culture, organizational structure and governance, operations, learning mission, values and campus initiatives. The program is offered to new, permanent employees. Lunch is provided by Elevations Credit Union, and print materials are provided by CU Imaging Services (your campus printer).
Date: Thursday, Feb. 9
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Location: The event starts at Norlin Library in the historic heart of campus, where participants begin to develop their understanding of what it means to be a member of the CU Boulder community. The day includes a two-hour walking tour of campus and a one-hour bus tour broken into two portions throughout the day.
Real Colors
For centuries, people have searched for ways to peek into the human mind. The Greek philosopher, scientist and physician Hippocrates wrote that all human beings could be divided into four distinct personality types. Real Colors is an instrument based on the more modern temperament theories developed by David Keirsey. It is designed to help people recognize, accept, learn to value and understand human behaviors to improve empathy and communication in the workplace.
Date: Tuesday, Feb. 14
Time: 9 to 11:30 a.m.
Location: East Campus, Administrative and Research Center (ARC), room 346
Employee Management and Compliance Essentials
The Employee Management and Compliance Essentials course provides a comprehensive overview for managers and supervisors of legal guidelines, campus policies and CU Boulder practices related to employee management and development. The core curriculum includes:
- pre-employment essentials (e.g., position management, compensation, recruitment),
- employee development guidelines and strategies (e.g., onboarding, performance management, progressive discipline) and
- special topics in employee management (federal and campus policies and procedures related to discrimination and harassment, the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Family Medical Leave).
Additionally, participants will select two elective sessions from the following topics: bystander intervention, writing effective interview questions, service animals and the ADA or managing difficult employees.
Date: Tuesday, Feb. 21, and Wednesday, Feb. 22
Time: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Location: East Campus, Administrative and Research Center (ARC), room 346
The Highly Effective Manager
The four-week Highly Effective Manager (HEM) series provides foundational knowledge and skills in managing others. The content focuses on best practices in supervising staff and begins with helping participants gain a better understanding of their own management style.
Date: Feb. 28, March 7, March 17 and March 21
Time: 8 a.m. to noon each day
Location: East Campus, Administrative and Research Center (ARC), room 346
March workshops
Stress Management Series
Stress management is a concern for everyone in these busy and uncertain times. In this educational and participatory workshop series, you will learn and practice several strategies for reducing everyday-life stress, including mindfulness, meditation, visualization, guided imagery, cognitive restructuring, emotional health and regulation, communication, assertiveness and movement.
Participants will be asked to commit to attending all eight sessions and complete outside assignments for maximum benefit. We will meet weekly for an hour to an hour and a half. The course is facilitated by LCSW-Senior Counselor Paulette Erickson England of the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program.
Dates: Wednesdays starting March 1 through April (no session March 29 for spring break)
Time: Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Location: CU Art Museum
Register by email at Paulette.EricksonEngland@colorado.edu.
New Employee Welcome Experience
The New Employee Welcome Experience is the first event in a comprehensive, year-long onboarding experience designed to increase the understanding of CU Boulder’s culture, organizational structure and governance, operations, learning mission, values and campus initiatives. The program is offered to new, permanent employees. Lunch is provided by Elevations Credit Union, and print materials are provided by CU Imaging Services (your campus printer).
Date: Thursday, March 9
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Location: The event starts at Norlin Library in the historic heart of campus, where participants begin to develop their understanding of what it means to be a member of the CU Boulder community. The day includes a two-hour walking tour of campus and a one-hour bus tour broken into two portions throughout the day.
Crucial Conversations
Crucial Conversations is a two-day course that teaches skills for creating alignment and agreement by fostering open dialogue around high-stakes, emotional or risky topics—at all levels of the organization. By learning how to speak and be heard (and encouraging others to do the same), you’ll surface the best ideas, make the highest-quality decisions and then act on your decisions with unity and commitment.
Please note: There is a $200 course fee, which includes a Crucial Conversations Toolkit, cue cards for each lesson, a Crucial Conversations model card, a copy of the New York Times bestselling book Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High, the Crucial Conversations audio companion MP3 download and a course completion certificate.
Date: Tuesday, March 13, and Thursday, March 15
Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day
Location: East Campus, Administrative and Research Center (ARC), room 346
April workshops
Crucial Conversations
Crucial Conversations is a two-day course that teaches skills for creating alignment and agreement by fostering open dialogue around high-stakes, emotional or risky topics—at all levels of the organization. By learning how to speak and be heard (and encouraging others to do the same), you’ll surface the best ideas, make the highest-quality decisions and then act on your decisions with unity and commitment.
Please note: There is a $200 course fee, which includes a Crucial Conversations Toolkit, cue cards for each lesson, a Crucial Conversations model card, a copy of the New York Times bestselling book Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High, the Crucial Conversations audio companion MP3 download and a course completion certificate.
Date: Tuesday, April 10, and Thursday, April 11
Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day
Location: East Campus, Administrative and Research Center (ARC), room 346
New Employee Welcome Experience
The New Employee Welcome Experience is the first event in a comprehensive, year-long onboarding experience designed to increase the understanding of CU Boulder’s culture, organizational structure and governance, operations, learning mission, values and campus initiatives. The program is offered to new, permanent employees. Lunch is provided by Elevations Credit Union, and print materials are provided by CU Imaging Services (your campus printer).
Date: Thursday, April 13
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Location: The event starts at Norlin Library in the historic heart of campus, where participants begin to develop their understanding of what it means to be a member of the CU Boulder community. The day includes a two-hour walking tour of campus and a one-hour bus tour broken into two portions throughout the day.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the ability to recognize and understand emotions in yourself and others, as well as your ability to use this awareness to manage your behavior and relationships. EI has been shown to increase job performance, productivity and personal excellence. Come to this two-hour seminar to explore this important ability and gain skills to improve your own emotional intelligence.
Date: Tuesday, April 18
Time: 9 to 11:30 a.m.
Location: East Campus, Administrative and Research Center (ARC), room 346
Personal Sustainability: How You Work Is Just as Important as What You Do
If you’re draining yourself in the process of getting the job done, that’s not sustainable—for you or your organization. With increasing pressure to do more with less, how can you work in natural, healthy ways to ensure you fulfill your purpose without draining your most important resource—you? In this interactive session, you will learn how to use the obstacles and challenges you face in your job to gain insight and new ideas about what you can change and practical ways to do that right where you are. Lunch is sponsored by Elevations Credit Union.
The workshop is presented by Christine Gust from Create Satisfying Work. Gust's background includes a doctor of naturopathy, Clayton College of Natural Health; MBA, University of Houston; and BBA management, University of Louisiana. Prior to having her own practice, she spent 15 years as a human resources manager in several Fortune 500 organizations.
Date: Tuesday, April 18
Time: Noon to 1 p.m.
Location: University Memorial Center (UMC), room 245
Register by email at Connie.North@colorado.edu.
StrengthsQuest™
The StrengthsQuest™ seminar provides an opportunity for CU Boulder employees to identify their natural talents by taking the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment. During this interactive workshop, participants will learn to develop their talents into strengths that will allow them to continue developing their career and enhance working relationships.
Date: Thursday, April 20
Time: 9 to 11:30 a.m.
Location: East Campus, Administrative and Research Center (ARC), room 346
Employee Management and Compliance Essentials
The Employee Management and Compliance Essentials course provides a comprehensive overview for managers and supervisors of legal guidelines, campus policies and CU Boulder practices related to employee management and development. The core curriculum includes:
- pre-employment essentials (e.g., position management, compensation, recruitment),
- employee development guidelines and strategies (e.g., onboarding, performance management, progressive discipline) and
- special topics in employee management (federal and campus policies and procedures related to discrimination and harassment, the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Family Medical Leave).
Additionally, participants will select two elective sessions from the following topics: bystander intervention, writing effective interview questions, service animals and the ADA or managing difficult employees.
Date: Wednesday, April 26, and Thursday, April 27
Time: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Location: East Campus, Administrative and Research Center (ARC), room 346
May workshops
Relationship 101 Series
Interested in improving a specific relationship or your relationships more generally? In this workshop series, we will explore relational principles and practices aimed at strengthening our connections with others as well as ourselves. We will learn communication strategies, common pitfalls in relationships and essential elements for building strong relationships.
The series is open to anyone (i.e., you do not need to be involved in a romantic relationship to attend). Since these sessions build on each other, please commit to the four-part series. The course is facilitated by LMFT-Staff Counselor Connie North (PhD, MS) of the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program.
Dates: Wednesdays May 3, May 10, May 17 and May 24
Time: Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Location: CU Art Museum
Register by email at Connie.North@colorado.edu.
Real Colors
For centuries, people have searched for ways to peek into the human mind. The Greek philosopher, scientist and physician Hippocrates wrote that all human beings could be divided into four distinct personality types. Real Colors is an instrument based on the more modern temperament theories developed by David Keirsey. It is designed to help people recognize, accept, learn to value and understand human behaviors to improve empathy and communication in the workplace.
Date: Wednesday, May 24
Time: 1 to 3:30 p.m.
Location: East Campus, Administrative and Research Center (ARC), room 346
The Highly Effective Manager
The four-week Highly Effective Manager (HEM) series provides foundational knowledge and skills in managing others. The content focuses on best practices in supervising staff and begins with helping participants gain a better understanding of their own management style.
Date: May 25, June 1, June 8 and June 15
Time: 8 a.m. to noon each day
Location: East Campus, Administrative and Research Center (ARC), room 346
