Employee Engagement and Success revamps programs to better serve the UB workforce

Over the past two years, Employee Engagement and Success — previously known as Organizational Development and Effectiveness — has renamed its office, reorganized its team and revamped its employee programs to better meet the evolving needs of the workforce.

As part of this change, the Employee Engagement team merged programs from Work Life Balance and Organizational Development to grow and expand services to better serve faculty and staff.

Here are the Employee Engagement and Success programs that should be on your radar this year.

Expanded employee coaching

Employee Engagement has introduced an enhanced coaching program designed to support faculty and staff at every stage of their career journey. Building on existing services, the tailored programs connect employees with expert coaches who can help them strengthen skills, explore new opportunities and achieve professional goals.

Employees now have the chance to work with specialists in the following areas:

• Career coaching: For help with resumes, interviews or setting career goals.
• Performance coaching: For identifying and addressing skill gaps or challenges.
• Work/life balance coaching: For meeting personal and/or professional goals and creating an action plan.
• Leadership coaching: For leaders hoping to improve their skills, self-awareness and performance.

To learn more or work with a coach, visit the coaching website or email hr-engagement@buffalo.edu.

New onboarding pilot program

Earlier this year, Employee Engagement piloted a new onboarding program designed to welcome state, Research Foundation and UB Foundation staff members to the university.

The two-day experience brings together 21 campus partners, including Parking and Transportation, Campus Police, Campus Dining and Shops, UB Sustainability, University Advancement, UBIT and more. New employees also take a guided bus tour of the North and South campuses, offering a firsthand look at the places and people that make UB thrive.

Currently, the pilot includes staff from 24 schools and units who volunteered to shape the program, with plans to expand. Looking ahead, the initiative will expand into a first-year experience, inviting employees to participate in campus events and programs alongside their onboarding cohort.

Additionally, all new hires can explore the Welcome to UB! website, a resource for benefits and compensation, workplace tools, employee experience highlights and support services.

Recognizing colleagues with Pillars of Pride

Pillars of Pride is a peer-to-peer recognition program that provides all employees the opportunity to applaud their colleagues for exceptional efforts in the key facets of being a part of the UB community, including:

• Spirit: For individuals who consistently go beyond their expected duties to uplift and inspire others, and are the epitome of True Blue spirit within the UB community.
• Inclusion: For individuals who are committed to creating an inclusive environment, ensuring equitable access and opportunities for everyone.
• Service: For individuals who consistently demonstrate exceptional dedication, provide outstanding service to university partners and support colleagues through a positive attitude and high-quality work ethic.

Employees are encouraged to nominate their colleagues, and winners receive a recognition gift and their nominator’s letter the following month.

Learn more about Pillars of Pride or submit a nomination.

Appreciating teams with Cheers for Peers

The Cheers for Peers program was created to extend appreciation to campus departments and teams that go the extra mile to support students and colleagues. Once each semester, faculty and staff are encouraged to nominate a department or team for a Cheers for Peers recognition. The selected departments then receive a surprise visit from HR’s Employee Engagement team, accompanied by treats and UB swag, to thank everyone for their work.

Learn more about Cheers for Peers and see photos from the latest office visits.

Revamped service pins 

While recognizing employee commitment with service pins isn’t new, the process to receive them is being revamped. Previously, departments would request these pins to honor their faculty and staff. Starting later in 2026, Employee Engagement will provide employee service pins to any department with employees celebrating a 10- or 20-year milestone. Milestones for 30, 40, 50 and 60 years of employment will continue to be distributed through the Office of the President.

For questions about receiving pins for your department, email the team at hr-engagement@buffalo.edu.

New wellness programs

In addition to existing wellness programs — such as the Campus Walking Program and fitness classes — new programs have been added for UB employees this year:

• Monday Morning Movement is a 15-minute session combining light, workday-friendly movement with feel-good stretches to wake up the body, release tension and refresh the mind.
• Morning Meditation, held biweekly on Thursdays, is a virtual meditation session designed to help you pause, breathe and reconnect.

Registration is required for both programs.