Welcome to Duke, New Employees. Virtually.
Orientation sessions held online for new employees hired prior to COVID-19 outbreak
Staff in Learning & Organization Development, a division of Duke Human Resources, hosted its first-ever series of orientations by live video in March and April, welcoming new employees hired before the COVID-19 outbreak.
While the setting was no longer the Doris Duke Center at Sarah P. Duke Gardens, staff in Human Resources made sure the experience for Duke University employees who were offered positions prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 remained special and connected them to the values of respect, trust, inclusion, discovery and excellence.
“Starting a new job with a new employer can be quite the transition, without even considering this uneasy time,” said Marjorie Siegert, senior practitioner with Learning & Organization Development, L&OD. “Our goal was to have a platform that creates a sense of normalcy and belongingness. We wanted to present a united front to welcome new employees to Duke.”
To prepare for the virtual sessions, Siegert and Abby Farrell, senior practice partner for L&OD, used WebEx and included a previously-recorded video from President Vincent E. Price and information on cybersecurity, campus safety and other topics.
During the webinar, participants used the platform’s chat function to ask questions and chat about how they were doing during the trying times.
David Culclasure, whose first official day fell on the day Duke transitioned to remote work, said the orientation helped direct him to resources like LiveSafe, a crime prevention app available to Duke community members at no charge.
“It’s easy for the small things you need to do when starting a new job to fall through the cracks because of the situation we’re in,” said Culclasure, business manager for the Department of Classical Studies. “The orientation was a really helpful way to make sure I’m staying on top of everything I need to.”
Kenzie Hunnings spent a brief time in her office on her first day, also the day Duke transitioned to remote work. Hunnings, a staff associate for University Development’s Office of Gift Planning, picked up her DukeCard and laptop and started work from home on March 16.
She said the orientation felt like a symbolic start to her time at Duke.
“I’ve been a Duke fan my whole life,” Hunnings said. “It was exciting to have an orientation saying ‘You’ve made it.’ I can finally get in the groove of being a Duke employee.”
Help us share the proactive and extensive work being done by all Duke community members during the COVID-19 outbreak. Send ideas, shout-outs and photographs here or write us at working@duke.edu