Browse Learning Resources

Learning Resources from UIC Human Resources encompass a wide range of practical career, professional, and workplace topics and are available in a variety of learning formats.

These resources are provided at no cost to individuals and campus organizations (unless otherwise noted). Courses are also provided by request for teams and departments. Contact us to learn more.

C  Classroom         W  Webinar           V  Video           A  Job Aids

Classroom sessions on campus and Webinars address a number of topics of interest to UIC employees and are scheduled regularly. Check the Just Training Calendar for upcoming dates.

Video segments offer quick insights and solutions to workplace challenges and Job Aids address specific workplace tasks (provided as both web-based resources and as downloadable documentation and references).

Business Writing and Email

C 90m    Business Writing: Effective Email focuses on basic email communications etiquette guidelines, grammar, and content rules.

C 90m    Business Writing: Tips and How To’s is a refresher on basic writing rules and provides guidelines for planning, organizing, drafting, and editing documents.

C 2h Professional Written Communication provides tips and etiquette for authoring concise and effective email and other business-related documents. Participants will learn how to evaluate, organize, edit, and proofread professional communication to better inform and engage their readers.

Coaching and Feedback

C 2h    Giving and Receiving Feedback It is important that feedback is healthy and constructive. It should be information-specific, issue-focused, and based on observations. Participants will learn about the importance of feedback in the workplace, how to give and receive feedback, and how to use feedback for professional growth and improvement.

W 45m    Giving Feedback This webinar discusses how to prepare for and deliver successful feedback conversations. Feedback conversations discuss behaviors that have been observed, praise good performance, correct poor performance, or gain insight into progress on a work assignment or project. We will share supporting tools and resources in the Employee Performance Program, available on the UIC Human Resource website.

C 2h Making a Habit of Development Conversations Thought leaders in employee performance recommend frequent, short conversations to best support employee development. Participants will learn how to conduct and document a variety of performance and development conversations using the support tools and guides in the UIC Employee Performance Program.

Collaboration

C 2h    Giving and Receiving Feedback It is important that feedback is healthy and constructive. It should be information-specific, issue-focused, and based on observations. Participants will learn about the importance of feedback in the workplace, how to give and receive feedback, and how to use feedback for professional growth and improvement.

C 2h Workplace Cooperation: Understanding Diverse Workstyles Learners use Marston’s DiSC Personality concepts to understand their work style and the work styles of others. The class will focus on how work styles affect communication and workplace relationships, and how to apply this knowledge when engaging co-workers.

V 5m WorkSmarts: How do I engage others and build trust? Common sense approaches to establishing trust with others.

V 5m WorkSmarts: How do I help facilitate agreement among group members? Exploring how to foster common purpose and teamwork.

Customer Service

C 2.5h    Customer Service Basics is an introduction to the UIC Customer Service Delivery Model. This highly interactive session explores each step of the Customer Service Model through activities and discussion about the positive impact of delivering exceptional customer service.

C 2.5h    Customer Service: Dealing with Challenging Situations builds on basic customer service principles addressed in Customer Service Basics. The focus is on addressing challenging customer situations. This facilitated session examines techniques to turn negative encounters into the positive conversation to resolve customer concerns.

C 1h Listening to the Customer The first actions a customer service provider takes in a customer service exchange sets the stage for a productive or dismal experience for both customer and provider. How to begin a customer service exchange using verbal and non-verbal communication to understand the customer’s perspective and needs.

C 2h    Fostering a Customer Service Environment A customer-focused environment keeps both internal and external customers in mind at all times, strives to proactively address customer concerns and needs, and assists business partners to achieve work goals. A key indicator is customer satisfaction. Discussion includes identifying and managing customer expectations, creating and sustaining a customer-focused organization.

V 5m    WorkSmarts: How can I initiate Positive Customer Interactions? An exploration of the first step in the UIC Customer Service Model, “Begin the conversation.”

V 5m    WorkSmarts: How do I build confidence and trust with customers? An exploration of the second step in the UIC Customer Service Model, “Seek to understand.”

V 5m    WorkSmarts: How do I help customers find positive solutions? An exploration of the third step in the UIC Customer Service Model, “Agree on a solution.”

V 5m    WorkSmarts: How do I confirm the customer’s need were met? An exploration of the fourth step in the UIC Customer Service Model, “Follow through.”

Difficult Conversations

C 16h    Crucial Conversations Through discussion and practice led by a VitalSmarts* certified instructor, participants will learn techniques and skills to deal with high-stakes conversations in the workplace. This is a proprietary training created by VitalSmarts based on the book Crucial Conversations. *VitalSmarts is an innovator in corporate training and leadership development that focuses on human behavior. Course Fee: $350.00

C 3h    Results Oriented Communication for Managers Participants will learn how to plan and structure conversations needed to establish clear expectations about workplace behaviors, performance, and assignments. Learn appropriate communication strategies to help support employees in achieving important workplace objectives.

Emotional Intelligence

C 2h    Emotional Intelligence: Self-Awareness and Self-Management Emotional intelligence is a strong predictor of success in the workplace, more so even than talent and technical skills combined. Participants will define emotional intelligence, learn to recognize emotions and behaviors, and discuss behavioral and cognitive strategies to better manage how their actions impact and influence others.

C 2h     Emotional Intelligence: Teamwork and Collaboration Using basic knowledge introduced about emotional intelligence, participants learn competencies that support collaboration and teamwork. We will introduce a model for effectively working with other and creating an environment that is affiliative and inclusive, providing team members with a sense of belonging, aligning strengths, and employee engagement.

C 2h    Emotional Intelligence: Managing Conflict Using basic knowledge introduced about emotional intelligence, participants explore the three steps of conflict management to increase confidence in managing conflict and conducting difficult or emotional conversations.

Human Resources Processes

C 3h    Confirming Job Descriptions at UIC discusses both the need for and the process to create job descriptions at UIC. By taking participants step-by-step through the civil service job description template, participants become familiar with each section of the document.

W 30m    Employee Performance Program Review of the Employee Performance Program; the process for setting expectations, guidance, coaching, employee development and the annual review. How to access the forms and tools that support the process.

C 90m    Employee Performance Program The Employee Performance Program supports all employees in their work performance and development. Participants will review the Employee Performance Program; forms, tools, and resources available.

V 30m    Productive Performance: Guidance and Compliance with Policy 1202 Key activities supervisors take to support and guide employees to understand and meet performance goals.

W 45m    Hiring Interviews: Tools and Resources This webinar discusses hiring interviews at UIC and provides a virtual tour of the resources available on the UIC Human Resources website. The target audience for this webinar includes human resource personnel and hiring managers.

W 30m     You and UIC: Tuition Waiver Benefit Key aspects and how to find information about the Tuition Waiver process for Civil Service and Academic Professional Employees.

Leadership Development

C 16h    Leadership Essentials provides supervisors at UIC with the information required to function in their leadership role more effectively. This training includes a pre-session work style assessment, facilitated discussions about managing work teams at UIC, information about the application of key human resource policies, and post-session management tools. Course Fee: $200.00

C 2h    Moving from Peer to Supervisor Participants will learn about establishing new boundaries, expectations, and working relationships. Discussion includes tips and techniques for a successful transition to a supervisory role.

Setting Goals and Planning

C 2h    From Goals to Accomplishment Learn how to achieve complex and longer-term goals and assignments that are completed over time. Participants will learn about practices, such as marking milestones and identifying dependencies, which keep next steps visible and progress on track.

C 90m    Setting and Evaluating Goals This course focuses techniques for setting goals, evaluating progress, and finally, adapting if plans change.

W 45m    Setting Goals and Expectations This webinar shares information and tools for setting goals and expectations. Supporting employee success by establishing a clear understanding of tasks, behaviors, and competencies expected in the performance of job duties throughout the year is paramount. This is the first conversation of the Employee Performance Program and lays a foundation for work performance.

Supervising Others

C 16h Leadership Essentials provides supervisors at UIC with the information required to function in their leadership role more effectively. This training includes a pre-session work style assessment, facilitated discussions about managing work teams at UIC, information about the application of key human resource policies, and post-session management tools.
Course Fee: $200.00

C 3h Managing for Accountability and Assigning Work explores strategies supervisors can use to hold themselves and others accountable to achieve job-related goals and expectations. Participants are introduced to various techniques for working with teams to assign work.

C 2h Moving from Peer to Supervisor Participants will learn about establishing new boundaries, expectations, and working relationships. Discussion includes tips and techniques for a successful transition to a supervisory role.

Time Management

C 3h Personal Productivity Participants will learn how to maximize productivity; identifying the activities that contribute the most to work goals, prioritizing, and employing habits that maintain energy and focus.

C 2h Time Management This course discusses techniques for maximizing productivity through focus, routines, and how to reset when you are feeling overwhelmed.

V 5m WorkSmarts: How can I stop feeling overwhelmed and regain control at work? How to focus time and attention on the efforts that matter.

Workplace Communication

C 2h Communicating with Diplomacy and Tact Diplomacy and tact are the lubricants that reduce friction and help create a pleasant, civil environment. Participants will learn to identify skills in situational awareness and communication to connect with others and deal with challenging work relationships.

C 2h Communicating with Purpose Participants will learn how to plan, structure and deliver messages that inform an individual or small group and communicate effectively with co-workers, supervisors, stakeholders, and customers.

C 16h Crucial Conversations Through discussion and practice led by a VitalSmarts* certified instructor, participants will learn techniques and skills to deal with high-stakes conversations in the workplace. This is a proprietary training created by VitalSmarts based on the book Crucial Conversations. *VitalSmarts is an innovator in corporate training and leadership development that focuses on human behavior. Course Fee: $350.00

C 2h Professional Written Communication provides tips and etiquette for authoring concise and effective email and other business-related documents. Participants will learn how to evaluate, organize, edit, and proofread professional communication to better inform and engage their readers.

C 3h Results Oriented Communication for Managers Participants will learn how to plan and structure conversations needed to establish clear expectations about workplace behaviors, performance, and assignments. Learn appropriate communication strategies to help support employees in achieving important workplace objectives.

C 2.5h Workplace Cooperation: Let’s Talk Conscientious communication can enhance understanding, promote open dialog, and foster a productive and respectful workplace. Participants will learn about confirming understanding, non-verbal messaging, and assertive communication.

You and UIC

W 30m You and UIC: Employee Perks and Services Becoming a UIC employee opens the door to many services, perks, and third-party vendor discounts available for personal use.

W 30m You and UIC: Professional Development and Career Building This webinar outlines a sound framework for your performance and career success at UIC. Guides you to tools ready to support your development and focuses on actions you can take to understand how successful performance is defined and achieved at UIC.

W 30m You and UIC: Tuition Waiver Benefit Key aspects and how to find information about the Tuition Waiver process for Civil Service and Academic Professional Employees.