Rookie to Ridgeback
Orientation for employees and managers
A great orientation program will set you up for success, grow a sense of belonging, and empower you to positively contribute to the mission, vision, values and priorities of the university. By joining these sessions to participate with colleagues from across campus you are advancing our core strengths. Orientation workshops provide you with a structured overview of community expectations along with education about our current priorities. Throughout the journey you will be equipped with tools and resources to support your university experience. We want you to thrive and flourish here at Ontario Tech. We have designed an orientation experience that will support your journey as a university employee.
These sessions will:
- foster a sense of belonging, inclusion, engagement and shared purpose
- provide direction and support in your role
- accelerate your learning and competency development
- empower you to direct your orientation pathway
- reaffirm your employment decision
Sessions are not mandatory, however, they are highly encouraged. Sessions are held in the fall and winter semesters.
Who should attend: Orientation sessions are available for all employees and managers at the university.
Audience: These workshops are intended for full time continuing and limited term employees. Employees from these categories who are new to the university will be automatically enrolled. Any university employee can self-enrol.
Information about Teaching Assistant/Sessional Instructor training is now available on the Teaching and Learning Orientation Site.
September 2023
-
Employee Orientation (START HERE)
Date: September 19, 2023Time: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.Location: Virtual(non-mandatory)This session is for all new employees at the University.
The goals of the program are to:
- Welcome you to Ontario Tech University
- Highlight resources, benefits and perks available to you
- Provide you with context and tools to help you navigate your new environment
Learn about:
- Our history, leadership, mission, vision, values, priorities
- Our faculties and departments
- Understand how you fit into the organization
- Our socials
- Our policies
- Compliance
- EDI
- Campus Services
- How to engage on campus
- Pension and benefits
- Organizational development
- Employee and Labour Relations
- Health and Safety
- Health and Disability Management
- Wellness at Work
- Recruitment and Compensation
- Parking
- Security
- Booking Spaces
- Service Desk
- IT Services
- Employee Perks
- Food Services
- And so much more
-
Employee Orientation to Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging
Date: September 26, 2023Time: 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.Location: Virtual(non-mandatory)At Ontario Tech, we are committed to our leadership to advance a culture and community where everyone is included, celebrated and feels a sense of belonging. Our culture is reliant upon each of us, and the intentional actions we take on a daily basis. The Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging session will introduce our community to the structure of the team (How and when to engage the DIB office/team for support), share some practical tips on how to be an inclusive member of our community, provide some education on key things such as Microaggressions, creating psychological safety, Inclusive leadership and Allyship.
October 2023
-
Manager Orientation to Human Resources
Date: October 4, 2023Time: 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.Location: Virtual(non-mandatory)
This course is for newly hired and existing Ontario Tech managers.
This session will provide an overview of:Health and Disability Management
- identify and list the goals and objectives of the Attendance Management Program and the Disability Support Program
- understand the processes around employee sick leaves, accommodation and workplace injuries;
- identify your role and responsibilities in assisting your employees to record, improve and manage their attendance; and
- discuss key areas of concern and opportunities related to supporting time and attendance
Wellness at Work
- identify the benefits of a Healthy Workplace
- discuss the role you play in supporting your employee's health and well-being
- learn where to access resources to support your health and the health of your team
Job Evaluation
- an overview of key concepts in job evaluation;
- documents and tools in how jobs are evaluated;
Recruitment and Compensation
- an overview of the Compensation Program and supporting salary administration guidelines
- an understanding of the process to initiate a position to Recruitment for posting; and
- Effectively plan and prepare for an interview by selecting the appropriate style and structure;
- Compose behavioural and competency-based interview questions and identify prohibited interview questions;
- Appropriately assess and select candidates while remaining compliant with legislation and collective agreements
Performance Development
- The Performance Development Cycle
- Timelines for Goal Setting, Check-Ins, and year-end performance reviews
- My HR Connection and Limited-Term Processes
- What’s in the collective agreement
Leadership Development
- Available programs, succession planning, and employee development
Professional Development
- How learning catalogues are developed
- Why your input is important
-
Employee Orientation to Risk and Compliance
Date: October 17, 2023Time: 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.Location: Virtual(non-mandatory)In this workshop you will:
- Learn about the concept of risk
- Know how to assess and measure the impact of risks at the university
- Understand the different ways that risks can be managed or mitigated
- Understand how membership can apply University Risk Management (URM)
- URM is a policy and framework
- Understand the importance of effective monitoring and reporting of risks.
-
Manager Orientation - Managing in a Unionized Environment
Date: October 17 & 19, 2023Time: 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.Location: Virtual(non-mandatory)
This course is for newly hired and existing Ontario Tech managers.
It is the skills on display in day-to-day relationships that management determines the effectiveness of managers and unionized workers. It is the ongoing resolution of issues and problems that arise daily that will either create a culture of success or one of resistance. In this skill-building workshop, you will learn new skills and have a unique opportunity to discuss the application of the collective agreement into a practical context.Learning outcomes include:
- Understanding and managing the collective agreement with a guided Q&A session
- Managing conflict effectively with disgruntled and challenging employees
- Learning to leverage your communication skills to build trust and commitment
- Knowing when and how to provide constructive feedback that is different from discipline
- Providing the leadership skills that create a “can-do” environment
- Knowing when and how to engage employees to encourage ownership and accountability
-
Manager Orientation to General Counsel's Office and Secretariat
Date: October 26, 2023Time: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.Location: Virtual(non-mandatory)
This orientation session will provide managers with key information about the University Secretariat and General Counsel’s Office. Areas of focus will include:
University Governance, including policies, procedures and academic appeals
- Legal review of contracts
- Student and Faculty issues
- Human Rights and Gender Based Violence Program
- Privacy and Records
- Manager Orientation to Risk and Compliance
November 2023
-
Manager Orientation to Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging
Date: November 8, 2023Time: 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.Location: Virtual(non-mandatory)At Ontario Tech, we are committed to our leadership to advance a culture and community where everyone is included, celebrated and feels a sense of belonging. As people leaders, our culture is reliant upon each of us and our ability to create space and psychological safety for all members of our team and the broader community. The Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging session will introduce people leaders (managers and above) to the structure of the team (How and when to engage the DIB office/team for support and consultation), share some practical tips on how complete a D&I scan across our community and within teams in our efforts to build diverse talent pipelines, introduction to the intellectual vs social friction model and how to create barriers for respectful, collaborative exchanges within teams, provide some education on key things such as Microaggressions, creating psychological safety, Inclusive leadership and Allyship. The goal of the session is to create a space for leaders to engage and seek perspectives to enable their support to their teams.
- Employee Orientation to Risk Management and Research
January 2024
-
Employee Orientation (START HERE)
Date: January 22, 2024Time: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.Location: Virtual(non-mandatory)
This session is for all new employees at the University.
The goals of the program are to:- Welcome you to Ontario Tech University
- Highlight resources, benefits and perks available to you
- Provide you with context and tools to help you navigate your new environment
Learn about:
- Our history, leadership, mission, vision, values, priorities
- Our faculties and departments
- Understand how you fit into the organization
- Our socials
- Our policies
- Compliance
- EDI
- Campus Services
- How to engage on campus
- Pension and benefits
- Organizational development
- Employee and Labour Relations
- Health and Safety
- Health and Disability Management
- Recruitment and Compensation
- Parking
- Security
- Booking Spaces
- Service Desk
- IT Services
- Employee Perks
- Food Services
- And so much more
-
Employee Orientation to Risk and Compliance
Date: January 25, 2024Time: 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.Location: Virtual(non-mandatory)In this workshop you will:
- Learn about the concept of risk
- Know how to assess and measure the impact of risks at the university
- Understand the different ways that risks can be managed or mitigated
- Understand how membership can apply University Risk Management (URM)
- URM is a policy and framework
- Understand the importance of effective monitoring and reporting of risks.
-
Manager Orientation to Human Resources
Date: January 30, 2024Time: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.Location: Virtual(non-mandatory)
This course is for newly hired and existing Ontario Tech managers.
This session will provide an overview of:Health and Disability Management
- identify and list the goals and objectives of the Attendance Management Program and the Disability Support Program
- understand the processes around employee sick leaves, accommodation and workplace injuries;
- identify your role and responsibilities in assisting your employees to record, improve and manage their attendance; and
- discuss key areas of concern and opportunities related to supporting time and attendance
Job Evaluation
- an overview of key concepts in job evaluation;
- documents and tools in how jobs are evaluated;
Recruitment and Compensation
- an overview of the Compensation Program and supporting salary administration guidelines
- an understanding of the process to initiate a position to Recruitment for posting; and
- Effectively plan and prepare for an interview by selecting the appropriate style and structure;
- Compose behavioural and competency-based interview questions and identify prohibited interview questions;
- Appropriately assess and select candidates while remaining compliant with legislation and collective agreements
Performance Development
- The Performance Development Cycle
- Timelines for Goal Setting, Check-Ins, and year-end performance reviews
- My HR Connection and Limited-Term Processes
- What’s in the collective agreement
Leadership Development
- Available programs, succession planning, and employee development
Professional Development
- How learning catalogues are developed
- Why your input is important
February 2024
-
Manager Orientation to General Counsel's Office and Secretariat
Date: February 1, 2024Time: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.Location: Virtual(non-mandatory)
This orientation session will provide managers with key information about the University Secretariat and General Counsel’s Office. Areas of focus will include:
University Governance, including policies, procedures and academic appeals
- Legal review of contracts
- Student and Faculty issues
- Human Rights and Gender Based Violence Program
- Privacy and Records
- Manager Orientation to Risk and Compliance
-
Manager Orientation - Managing in a Unionized Environment
Date: February 20 & 22, 2024Time: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.Location: Virtual(non-mandatory)
This course is for newly hired and existing Ontario Tech managers.
It is the skills on display in day-to-day relationships that management determines the effectiveness of managers and unionized workers. It is the ongoing resolution of issues and problems that arise daily that will either create a culture of success or one of resistance. In this skill-building workshop, you will learn new skills and have a unique opportunity to discuss the application of the collective agreement into a practical context.Learning outcomes include:
- Understanding and managing the collective agreement with a guided Q&A session
- Managing conflict effectively with disgruntled and challenging employees
- Learning to leverage your communication skills to build trust and commitment
- Knowing when and how to provide constructive feedback that is different from discipline
- Providing the leadership skills that create a “can-do” environment
- Knowing when and how to engage employees to encourage ownership and accountability
March 2024
-
Employee Orientation to Risk Management and Research
Date: March 5, 2024Time: 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.Location: Virtual(non-mandatory)
-
Employee Orientation to Insurance
Date: March 19, 2024Time: 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.Location: Virtual(non-mandatory)
