Central HR Improvements FAQ

  Central HR is a critical part of delivering consistent, high-quality HR service across CU
Boulder. Over the past year, the HR Blueprint Project has given us a once-in-a-generation
opportunity to reimagine how HR shows up for this campus—and Central HR is at the heart
of that vision.

  The Chancellor has made it clear that we need a more integrated, strategic, and
responsive HR function to meet the evolving needs of our faculty, staff, and students.
That’s why now is the right time to deepen our investment in Central HR.

  The Partner Model we’re implementing is not just about realignment—it’s about building
the kind of infrastructure, tools, and support our campus needs and deserves.

  Strengthening Central HR now ensures that HR Partners and Unit HR have the tools,
clarity, and support they need to succeed. These efforts are about ensuring Central HR
can truly support the Partner Model and the needs of the university.

1. Central HR Structure and Support

•  We’re building out the Central HR leadership structure to ensure Unit HR teams
  are supported with clear roles, expectations, and guidance.
• We anticipate sharing more about this structure, including roles, in November.
• We’re also rolling out HR Learning Journeys, beginning with a focus on Employee
  Relations this fall.
  Why it matters: These efforts will provide consistent, data-informed support, strengthen
  HR collaboration, and equip HR practitioners with the tools they need to succeed.

2. HR Service Center (HRSC) and HR Ops Enhancements

• We’re investing in additional staffing, better communication, and self-service tools
  in the HRSC.
• Strengthening relationships between HR Service Center coordinators and Unit HR
  practitioners through consistent processes and better transparency.
• Updating the Customer Care Standard for HRSC & HR Ops to improve
  responsiveness and clarity.
• Developing on-demand training and support for the HR Liaison community.
• We’re also actively supporting the Time and Labor project, a system-wide effort to
  replace My Leave, which will help improve payroll data accuracy.
• Benefits: Faster response times, more consistent service, improved access to help, and
  better data quality.

Conclusion
These HR Blueprint initiatives, along with other projects and initiatives like Time and Labor,
represent a strategic and intentional investment in Central HR—designed to ensure our
structure, services, and systems can truly support the Partner Model and the broader
needs of the campus.

We’re not only asking unit HR to change—we’re ensuring that Central HR is also evolving
to meet the moment and to better support campus.
 

We conducted interviews with representatives from Central HR and Unit HR—including
Institutes, Student Affairs, Schools and Colleges, and Administrative Support. Themes that
emerged included a need for:

• More clarity on roles and expectations
• Better communication during change initiatives
• More on-demand training for transactions and processes
• Consistent communication standards and approaches.

We also heard appreciation for existing strong relationships, which we plan to build on.

Stronger Support for Unit HR Teams

• Adding structure, roles, and learning opportunities in Central HR will provide consistent
  guidance and partnership to Unit HR teams.
• HR Partners and campus units will have clearer escalation paths and more reliable
  expertise to draw from.

Improved Service Delivery and Customer Experience

• Investments in the HR Service Center (HRSC) — including additional staff, updated
  customer care standards, and better communication — will improve response times,
  accuracy, and transparency.
• Self-service resources and on-demand training will make it easier for HR practitioners
  to get support when they need it.

Increased Consistency and Equity

• Centralized tools, templates, and processes will create more equitable experiences
  across campus — so no matter the size of the unit, people receive the same high quality
  support.

Capacity for Strategic Work

• By improving Central HR processes and support, Unit HR will be freed up to focus more
  on strategic, value-added work like workforce planning, engagement, and leadership
  development.

Clearer Roles and Accountability

• As the Central HR structure evolves, campus will benefit from more transparent roles,
  expectations, and accountability — making it easier to know who does what and how to
  partner effectively.

Support for Broader Campus Goals

• These improvements position HR to better support the Chancellor’s institutional
  priorities — from improving the employee experience to attracting and retaining top
  talent.

For HR practitioners in units, here’s how the Customer Care Standard may show up in day-to-day-
day work:

More Predictable, Reliable Support

• You'll have clearer expectations for what the HR Service Center (HRSC) handles, how
  quickly, and how communication is managed — reducing the need for follow-up or
  rework.

Stronger Partnership with the HRSC

• The standard will help create shared expectations between unit HR and HRSC staff —
  making collaboration smoother and less frustrating during high-volume or urgent times.

Less Time Spent on Follow-Up and Workarounds

• With better tracking, clearer communication protocols, and improved self-service
  tools, you’ll spend less time checking on status or troubleshooting — freeing you up for
  more strategic or people-facing work.

A More Consistent Employee Experience

• You’ll be able to offer your faculty, staff, and student employees more consistent,
  reliable responses — no matter who they’re working with across HR.

Opportunities to Shape and Co-Own the Standard

• We’re engaging supervisors and coordinators to help define what this looks like in
  practice. Your input will be key to ensuring the standard reflects real needs and
  scenarios.

-The HR Service Center/HR Operations staff, specifically, will be engaged in the design
and rollout of improvements, and will also receive dedicated support.

-We’ll provide regular updates via meetings, emails, and FAQs. There will be scheduled
orientation sessions for any major changes, plus opportunities for feedback throughout.

-Feedback channels will remain open, and we’ll share how that input is influencing
decisions and improvements.

The Central HR improvement efforts and the Processes & Standards work are deeply
connected — they reinforce and enable each other.

1. Shared Goal: Consistent, High-Quality HR Service

Both efforts are designed to improve the overall HR experience across campus by reducing
variation, increasing clarity, and enabling more efficient, responsive support for faculty,
staff, and student employees.

2. Central HR as the Enabler of Standardization
As we define consistent processes and service standards through the Processes &
Standards work, Central HR teams (especially the HR Service Center and Centers of
Excellence) will be responsible for operationalizing them — through training, updated
tools, system improvements, and service delivery.

3. Processes & Standards Will Guide Central HR Enhancements
The feedback and recommendations coming out of the Processes & Standards work are
actively informing the design of Central HR improvements:

• Where we need clearer roles and handoffs
• Where process breakdowns are creating frustration
• Where tools, communication, or accountability need to improve

4. Improvements in Central HR Will Help Uphold the Standards
By investing in Central HR — with more capacity, better tools, clearer accountability, and
training — we’re ensuring the infrastructure exists to implement and sustain the processes
and the standards we define.

Bottom Line:
This is a two-way relationship; Central HR improvements make it possible to deliver on
campus-wide process consistency, and the Processes & Standards work ensures that
what we build in Central HR aligns with real campus needs.

Yes. Phase 1 includes targeted training for HR practitioners to strengthen confidence and independence when navigating Central HR services. Employees who are part of the HRSC and HR Operations will also be trained to deliver their newly created customer care standard and to support their Unit HR colleagues further.

1. Increased Staffing to Handle Volume
We’re adding new FTEs to the HRSC to better manage the growing volume of requests.
More staff = shorter wait times and fewer backlogs.

2. New Customer Care Standard
A clearly defined Customer Care Standard will include:

• Target response and resolution times
• Expectations for follow-up and communication
• Escalation paths when urgent needs arise

This ensures requests are handled consistently and predictably.

3. Process Improvements and Streamlining
The HR Blueprint project is closely aligned with Processes & Standards work to:

• Eliminate duplicate steps
• Reduce unnecessary approvals
• Clarify ownership and handoffs

All of which speeds up how requests move through the system.

4. Better Training and Tools for Staff
We’re investing in additional training and support for HRSC staff, so they are well-equipped
to answer questions and resolve issues more efficiently and confidently.

5. Investments in Technology
Projects like Time & Labor and upgrades to ticketing and document systems will improve:

• Tracking of requests
• Data accuracy
• Automation of repeatable tasks

Bottom Line:
These improvements are designed to make the HRSC faster, more accurate, and easier to
work with—so Unit HR can spend less time chasing down requests and more time
supporting their teams.

We will measure success through practitioner feedback,request resolution times, and service quality metrics. Regular surveys, check-ins, and data analysis will help us track progress. If we find that something isn’t working, we’ll adjust the approach and keep you informed about changes.

Yes — that’s one of the core goals of this work. Improving Central HR is not just about internal operations. It's about delivering a better, faster, and more consistent experience for every employee, at every stage of their journey. Here’s how:

1. More Consistent, Accurate Support
By streamlining processes, clarifying roles, and investing in training, employees will get:

• Clearer answers to questions
• Fewer delays or errors
• More consistent experiences across campus units

2. Better Customer Service through the HR Service Center
We’re launching a new Customer Care Standard—focused on responsiveness, communication, and follow-through—so employees feel:

• Heard
• Helped
• Respected

3. Easier Access to Resources and Information
We’re expanding self-service options and improving communications, making it easier
for employees to:

• Find what they need
• Understand HR policies and processes
• Get timely updates

4. More Time for Strategic, Human-Centered Support
By shifting transactional work out of the units and into the HR Service Center, Unit HR can
focus more on people, not paperwork—things like:

• Onboarding
• Career conversations
• Employee relations and support

Bottom Line:
When Central HR runs more smoothly, everyone benefits—and that includes faculty, staff, and student employees across CU Boulder. This is about building an HR function that feels more connected, more responsive, and more human.