The New Employee Welcome Event on April 7 at the IMU connected new employees to each other, introduced them to departments and units, and welcomed them to the Bloomington campus. Photo by Alex Kumar, Indiana University

New Indiana University Bloomington employees gathered recently for the first event of a new program that’s designed to be welcoming and informative, connect them with campus resources and help them acclimate to the campus and their roles.

The New Employee Welcome Event, organized by the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President, took place April 7 at the Indiana Memorial Union Alumni Hall and Solarium. Employees hired on or after Jan. 1 met other new employees as well as representatives of various departments and units at a resource fair. Light snacks were provided.

The welcoming program for new IU Bloomington employees will be held quarterly. Photo by Alex Kumar, Indiana UniversityJada Driver started working in the Office of the Bursar about two weeks ago. She attended the New Employee Welcome Event to meet people who work outside her department and learn more about the university, including the benefits. Driver said she enjoyed meeting new people and making connections that could help with future requests or collaborations.

“I feel more connected to IU by going to this event because it made me feel formally welcomed by the university,” Driver said. “I already feel like I am part of a team in the bursar’s office, and with this event having such a warm and inviting element, it made me feel welcomed and proud to be a part of the broader organization.”

Becky Gleason recently joined the Indiana University Foundation as director of advancement onboarding, education and training.

“In my role, I will be onboarding front-line fundraisers, including IU employees in the units who serve in that role,” Gleason said. “I attended to understand the resources available to those new hires and the presentation portion to be able to build a program that complements what already occurs.”

Christopher Colon started at IU in January as an emergency management coordinator in IU Public Safety’s Emergency Management and Continuity.

“Networking and getting to know other departments was the most valuable part of the event,” Colon said.

Departments and units across the university took part in the event’s resource fair. At its table, IU Printing Services provided samples and information about all the services it provides to Bloomington and all IU regional campuses.

“With frequent staff changes, it is critical for us to communicate to all new staff what we can do to help them perform their new roles,” said Dan Gummere, director of Distribution and Logistics Services, which manages IU Printing Services. “It is also important for them to know that we are a cost-based Campus Auxiliary. Therefore, when we keep more printing jobs within our internal IU printing department, it means everyone will ultimately pay less.”

IU Bloomington Provost and Executive Vice President Rahul Shrivastav spoke to the new employees and welcomed them to campus. Photo by Alex Kumar, Indiana UniversityAimee Polk attended the New Employee Welcome Event as president of the School of Public Health Bloomington’s Staff Council. She said the council would like the school to create an onboarding program for new staff; currently, new hires are oriented by their supervisor.

“I attended this event to explore the resources and information that the IU Bloomington campus offers to new staff, aiming to better inform our Staff Onboarding Committee,” Polk said. “Our goal is to enhance our onboarding program with information specific to the School of Public Health-Bloomington without duplicating existing content.”

Cathy Lusch, a program management assistant, was one of the representatives at Healthy IU’s information table. New employees could learn about well-being and Work + Life programs, including details on employee social connection groups, nutritious recipes and opportunities to become a wellness ambassador for their department.

“We believe in fostering a supportive environment where everyone can thrive,” Lusch said.

“This event aligned with Healthy IU’s mission by allowing us to provide educational and environmental resources that foster individual well-being and support a culture of wellness in the workplace and beyond. We are excited to share this information with IU’s newest employees at future events.”

Moving forward, the welcoming program will be conducted quarterly.

Kirk Johannesen is a communications consultant in the Office of the Vice President for Communications and Marketing.