At Hinds Community College in Mississippi, new employees are welcomed into a culture of care before they even set foot on campus. With the help of Caring Campus, the Human Resources department has embedded caring behaviors into every stage of the employee experience – from job descriptions and new-hire orientations to annual evaluations and professional development.
“The HR department is the first point of contact for all new hires, and we have the opportunity to not only tell them about Caring Campus, but to model it,” Hinds Director of Organizational Development Dr. Gay Saxon said. “It gives people a better understanding of the caring environment they’re coming into, and what is expected of them.”
Hinds College’s HR department also oversees several campus-wide initiatives that highlight and celebrate caring behaviors. These include initiatives like Caught in the Act of Caring, which recognizes staff who go above and beyond to support students, and Hinds Cares Day, where employees volunteer with local nonprofits.
These efforts are contributing to stronger employee-student relationships across all six campuses. One student grieving the loss of a pet found comfort and ongoing support from an instructor she met in the hallways. In another instance, a housekeeper encouraged a student studying for an exam and later celebrated her achievement.
“These are the types of relationships we strive to build every day at Hinds,” Saxon said. “I have seen a notable difference in how employees interact with students after going through Caring Campus, and it’s making a meaningful impact.”
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