It’s important to offer the flexibility and programs necessary to best support faculty and staff in offering excellent customer/student service, according to Todd Rickel, Ph.D., campus president of Herzing University Online. 

Achieving a national award (the Alfred P. Sloan Award) for business excellence in workplace flexibility and other honors, Herzing University Online (www.herzingonline.edu) is unabashedly student centered, notes Dr. Rickel. For example, in 2008, 97 percent of eligible students were placed in jobs through the Career Services Department, and in 2009, despite international economy woes, more than 90 percent found jobs through Career Services. “All employees have access to the resources as well and can receive help with résumé writing, interview skill building, etc.,” he comments. 

Career Development

Once employees join Herzing University Online, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, they are provided with comprehensive training. “With individual development at the heart of what we do for students and for ourselves, we provide training [technical and teaching and administrative] that helps employees be successful,” comments Dr. Rickel. 

“We have mentors for new employees as well, for example, a team leader and a department leader. New faculty members also sit through an entire term course and learn [how to teach in this online environment] before they begin teaching.”

Employees have access to the many educational degree programs and courses offered by Herzing Online to students, with 50 percent tuition reimbursement after 6 months and 100 percent after a year. They also have a full benefits package that includes comprehensive health insurance and wellness programs to support their health and well-being.

Ongoing mentoring supports employee career development, and employees are encouraged to apply for other career opportunities within the higher education institution. Dr. Rickel explains that an astonishing percentage of managers started with Herzing Online as frontline workers. “For example, in October 2009, I held a Managers Summit and of the 29 managers participating, only three hadn’t started with us as frontline workers, moving into team leader positions, associate director positions, and some into full directors.”

Flexible Schedule, Locations

Workplace flexibility in schedules and locations is standard operating procedure at Herzing Online, which has over 300 employees in all. There are 120 to 130 employees who are on-site at three different work locations, with the rest working from home—not only from around the country, but internationally, too, explains Dr. Rickel. 

“Most faculty and outside recruiting staff work out of home offices. Our expectations are very much the same for employees in physical facilities and at home. Most employees at home are salaried and the focus is on outcomes,” he explains. Staff sets schedules that work for the students, the University, and their needs, such as continuing their own education. 

“The faculty refine courses they teach, assist in the development of the tutoring center, support students with online library resources [and faculty office hours],” says Dr. Rickel. “They fulfill roles and functions that an engaged faculty member at any institution would, but have to do it in an online environment. We’re responsive and respectful of the flexibility they need, but they’re responsive and respectful of students’ needs.” 

Contributing to the Community

Herzing Online has what it calls a “Happy Committee” that discusses everything from having employee events to contributing to the community, says Dr. Rickel. 

Staff is encouraged to donate to charitable causes through fun activities such as the Jeans and Herzing Spirit Wear Days, for example, when employees pay $5 to participate, and the money is donated. 

Herzing Online also helps employees contribute to their local communities by paying their salaries for a full day every 6 months so they can volunteer their time to a nonprofit organization, he explains. 

Dr. Rickel offers the following parting advice for employers: 

“Listen to your employees’ needs and tie them into your company’s mission. Follow the golden rule—we take care of ourselves in the same way that we take care of our students. Whether you are in retail or manufacturing [or higher education], your staff members are your first customers, so it’s important to understand their needs. We have the vision to be the best at what we do and I think that there’s a pride that employees have when they know you’re doing something of value. We like to say ‘you can do well, while you’re doing good.’”