Professional Development Catalog

Administrative Job Profiles

Format: Online (Teams)
Facilitators: Josh Smith, HR Liaison Lead; Jane Dewyea, HR Classification & Compensation Specialist

Location: Remote only

This workshop will cover the basics of a job profile, why it is needed, and the process for locating and utilizing job profiles. Hiring managers and supervisors are welcome to attend. This is only for Administrative postings.

Pre-requisites: Please have access to People Admin prior to attending the workshop. Encouraged to complete the eLearning module, "OHIO Search Committee Recruitment and Selection Fundamentals."

What to Bring: Laptop with access to People Admin

Optional: Bring your phone for an interactive activity.

Thursday, March 5, 2:00 to 3:00 pm

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for Supervisors

Format: In Person and Online (Teams)
Facilitator: Michael Hicks, Office of Accessibility 
Location: Grosvenor West Room 111

This workshop will help examine the basic concepts of the ADA and build a general working knowledge of this federal law, including different types of qualifying disabilities, what is a reasonable accommodation, the employee's employment rights under the law, and the supervisor's role in the interactive process. This workshop aims to provide the supervisor with techniques to support and refer their employee with medical issues impacting their work. We will discuss maintaining the employee's privacy, how to navigate the implementation of approved accommodations, and how our office can support the supervisor when their employee has workplace accommodations.

Recommended for supervisors seeking understanding how to navigate Federal law regarding the ADA in their support of their team members

Monday, March 9, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm

Leadership Fundamentals

Format: In Person and Online (Teams) 
Facilitator: The Center for OHIO Employee Excellence Training Specialists
Location: Grosvenor West Room 111

This workshop explores a variety of topics that are particularly relevant for new or aspiring supervisors such as developing new skills, challenging and managing perceptions, locating resources and assistance, and discussing the numerous challenges often faced by individuals in leadership positions.

Recommended for new supervisors, or professionals aspiring to supervisory roles in their career paths

Please review the links below to select a date and register for this workshop:

Thursday, March 19, 10:00 am to 11:30 am

Listening to Your Team

Format: In Person and Online (Teams)
Facilitator: The Center for OHIO Employee Excellence Training Specialists
Location: Grosvenor West Room 111

This workshop focuses on types of listening, benefits and barriers to effective listening, taking action to support your team, and encouraging and recognizing success amongst your team.

Recommended for new supervisors, or professionals aspiring to supervisory roles in their career paths

Thursday, April 9, 10:00 am to 11:30 am

Managerial Essentials for Managers of Union Employees

Format: In person and Online (Teams)
Facilitator: Julie Wilson, Employee & Labor Relations 
Location: Grosvenor West Room 111

This workshop helps participants understand the responsibilities that come with being a manager of bargaining unit employees.  The goal of this workshop is to develop participants’ confidence in executing their duties and clarify their understanding of when to pause, evaluate and reach out for help and whom to contact.

Recommended for supervisors overseeing employees who are members of a collective bargaining agreement

Please review the links below to select a date and register for this workshop:

• Wednesday, February 4, 10:00 am to 11:00 am
• Tuesday, March 17, 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm

Managerial Essentials for Managers of Non-Union Employees

Format: In person and Online (Teams)
Facilitator: Julie Wilson, Employee & Labor Relations 
Location: Grosvenor West Room 111

This workshop helps participants understand the responsibilities that come with being a manager of non-union employees. The goal of this workshop is to develop participants’ confidence in executing their duties and clarify their understanding of when to pause, evaluate and reach out for help and whom to contact.

Recommended for supervisors overseeing employees who are not members of a collective bargaining agreement

Please review the links below to select a date and register for this workshop:

• Wednesday February 25, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am
• Tuesday, March 31, from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm

PeopleAdmin Hiring Essentials

Psychological Safety and Well-Being: Practical Strategies for the Workplace

Format: Online (Teams)
Facilitator: Dawn Graham, Associate Professor of Instruction in the Department of Social Medicine in the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine

Creating a psychologically safe and healthy workplace goes beyond policies—it's about everyday actions that promote trust, safety, and well-being for everyone on your team. This 60-minute session offers a high-level overview of actionable strategies leaders and teams can implement immediately to foster a culture of care and resilience.

Participants will explore a variety of workplace wellness tactics that touch on physical, mental, and organizational health, including:

• Encouraging sun safety for outdoor workers and workplace environments
• Succession and PTO planning that supports continuity without burnout
• Recognizing and responding to crises and emergencies with confidence and clarity
• Managing workplace expectations and workloads to avoid chronic stress
• Celebrating workplace and individual achievements
• Modeling well-being behaviors that set a tone for healthy workplace norms
• Establishing clear boundaries to support work-life integration
• Promoting ergonomic practices to prevent injury and improve comfort
• Supporting transit safety for commuting staff or job-related travel

Designed for leaders, managers, and team influencers, this workshop provides a comprehensive starting point for building a workplace where safety and well-being are prioritized—and where teams can truly thrive.

Recommended for supervisors looking to foster work environments that support team member wellbeing and support their staff as holistically as possible.

Thursday, February 12, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm

Stress, Resilience, and Thriving for Leaders

Format: Online (Teams)
Facilitator: Dawn Graham, Associate Professor of Instruction in the Department of Social Medicine in the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine
 

As a leader, you’re often focused on supporting others—but how often do you pause to prioritize your own well-being?

This 60-minute workshop is designed specifically for those in leadership roles who want to better manage their own stress while also creating a healthier, more resilient team environment. Through practical tools and real-world discussion, you’ll learn how to:

• Recognize signs of stress and burnout in yourself and your team
• Build sustainable habits that support personal and professional resilience
• Model self-care practices that positively influence team culture
• Use simple mind-body tools to stay grounded and solution-focused under pressure

This session goes beyond coping strategies—it's about leading with clarity, energy, and intention.

Recommended for supervisors looking to manage daily stress in order to help their team members manage theirs.

Thursday, March 5, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm

Student Hiring Process - Key Updates and Compliance Insights

Format: In Person and Online (Teams)
Facilitator: UHR

Participants will learn about specific updates to the student hiring process including guidance on the general hiring process, UHR-related specific support and resources, and legal compliance.  This session will include a Q&A at the end.

Recommended for supervisors involved in the student employee hiring process.

Future dates TBD

Succession and PTO Planning: Supporting Continuity Without Burnout

Format: Online (Teams)
Facilitator: The Center for OHIO Employee Excellence Training Specialists

Work doesn’t stop when someone takes time off—or steps into a new role. Thoughtful planning for employee absences and transitions is essential not only for maintaining operational continuity but also for reducing stress, supporting team well-being, and preventing burnout.

This 60-minute workshop is designed to help leaders and teams build a culture where taking time off is encouraged, supported, and strategically planned. Participants will explore:

• Best practices for succession planning and knowledge transfer
• How to develop PTO coverage plans that support both the individual and the team
• Strategies for reducing stress and workload compression during absences
• Communication techniques that build trust and clarity around planned time off
• Tools to help managers model and encourage time away in a sustainable way
• How thoughtful planning contributes to retention, morale, and resilience

Whether you're managing a team or part of one, this session will provide practical, scalable strategies for making time away from work a healthy part of your team culture—not a source of disruption or burnout.

Recommended for supervisors overseeing student employees.

Thursday, March 5, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm

Supervising Student Employees

Format: In Person and Online (Teams)
Facilitator: Imants Jaunarajs, Student Affairs 
Location: Grosvenor West Room 111

This workshop will showcase practical student-centric supervision techniques and how to implement them. This session will focus on student employees and how to utilize coaching strategies and the new Building Bobcat Success program in supervision.

Following this session, participants should be able to:

• Implement three new supervision techniques when working with student employees
• Understand how to use the Building Bobcat Success program with student employees
• Support student employees’ setting actionable goals
• Link students’ academic work to their student employment

In-person attendance is strongly encouraged for Athens campus faculty and staff.

Recommended for supervisors overseeing student employees.

There are no scheduled sessions for this training. Check back for future dates!

Trust and Delegation for New Leaders

Format: In Person and Online (Teams)
Facilitator: The Center for OHIO Employee Excellence Training Specialists
Location: Grosvenor West Room 111

This workshop details how authentic leaders can build trust amongst their teams.  It also covers how to demonstrate trust to team members through effective delegation of work tasks.

Recommended for new supervisors, or professionals aspiring to supervisory roles in their career paths

Please review the links below to select a date and register for this workshop:

• Thursday, February 5, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
• Thursday, April 23, 10:00 am to 11:30 am

Workplace Conflict

Format: In Person and Online (Teams)
Facilitator: The Center for OHIO Employee Excellence Training Specialists
Location: Grosvenor West Room 111

This workshop will guide participants through fundamental interpersonal conflict management skills and techniques, demonstrating how to apply these skills to manage team conflicts from a leadership perspective.

Recommended for new supervisors, or professionals aspiring to supervisory roles in their career paths

Please review the links below to select a date and register for this workshop:

• Thursday, February 19, 10:00 am to 11:30 am
• Thursday, May 7, 10:00 am to 11:30 am

The Power of Kindness in Trying Times

Format: Online 

Facilitator: AllOne Health

“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” In this uplifting seminar, participants will gain self‑reflective tools to define kindness in their own lives. Join us to explore how even the smallest gestures can spark ripples of positivity and connection!

Wednesday, February 11, 2026, 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm

Psychological Safety and Well-Being in the Workplace

Format: Online (Teams)

Facilitator: Dawn Graham, Associate Professor of Instruction, Department of Social Medicine, HCOM

Creating a psychologically safe and healthy workplace goes beyond policies—it's about everyday actions that promote trust, safety, and well-being for everyone on your team. This 60-minute session offers a high-level overview of actionable strategies leaders and teams can implement immediately to foster a culture of care and resilience.

Participants will explore a variety of workplace wellness tactics that touch on physical, mental, and organizational health, including:

• Encouraging sun safety for outdoor workers and workplace environments
• Succession and PTO planning that supports continuity without burnout
• Recognizing and responding to crises and emergencies with confidence and clarity
• Managing workplace expectations and workloads to avoid chronic stress
• Celebrating workplace and individual achievements
• Modeling well-being behaviors that set a tone for healthy workplace norms
• Establishing clear boundaries to support work-life integration
• Promoting ergonomic practices to prevent injury and improve comfort
• Supporting transit safety for commuting staff or job-related travel

Designed for leaders, managers, and team influencers, this workshop provides a comprehensive starting point for building a workplace where safety and well-being are prioritized—and where teams can truly thrive.

Thursday, March 26, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm

Movement Meditation and Writing

Format: In person 

Facilitator: Rebecca VerNooy, Professor of Instructor, School of Theater

Location: Grosvenor West 111

In this training, participants use a simple movement meditation to let go of expectation and judgement. By paying attention to the breath and with a series of simple movements, we begin to realize how our thinking hinders or supports creativity. The meditation allows the participant to uncover new ideas or reignite old ones. This work frees us from limited thinking and inspires all kinds of material, from creative writing to business plans.

The participant will:

• Come back to themselves.
• Rediscover ease of movement.
• Release stress.
• Write.

Everyone is welcome. Please bring a notebook.

Monday, February 9, 1:00-2:00 pm 

Presence and Creativity in the Workplace

Format: In Person  
Facilitator: Rebecca VerNooy, Professor of Instruction, School of Theater

Location: Grosvenor West 111

This training integrates acting and mindfulness fundamentals to cultivate awareness and creativity. Participants will become aware of their thinking and discerning about their actions. Acting from a creative and expansive sensibility instead of a constricting and defensive place allows us to bring more of ourselves to our work and contribute to the community. We explore the following acting fundamentals to develop presence and creativity:

• The authentic use of self
• Listening and responding
• Active imagination

Monday, February 23, 1:00 pm-2:00 pm

Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR) 

Content Warning: This training includes discussions about suicide, mental health crises, and intervention strategies. Some content may be emotionally challenging, especially for individuals with lived experience or those currently struggling with mental health concerns. 

Upcoming Trainings:  

• February 9, 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm (Ping Meeting Rooms A and B)
• February 27, 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm (Living Learning Center 102 and 104)
• March 10, 9:00 am to 10:00 am (Virtual)

Supporting Mental Health at Work: Recognize, Respond and Refer

Format: Online (Teams)
Facilitator: Athens-area National Alliance on Mental Illness and Lindsay DesJardins

Mental health challenges often go unrecognized or unaddressed.  This 1‑hour interactive workshop gives managers, team leads, and employees practical tools to spot early signs of mental health concerns and respond with empathy and confidence. Participants will learn how to recognize behavioral and emotional cues, start supportive conversations, and understand when and how to connect someone with professional resources.

Led by NAMI Athens (National Alliance on Mental Illness), the session uses real‑world examples and practical strategies to help create a more supportive, inclusive, and psychologically safe workplace. No prior mental health training is required.

Key Takeaways:

• How to spot early warning signs of mental health issues
• Effective and respectful ways to start a conversation
• When and how to escalate or refer to employee well-being resources, HR or external professional support
• Creating a culture of openness and support around mental wellbeing
• Existing employee well-being resources and how to refer such resources to employees

Thursday, February 19, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm

Skillsoft Percipio: Empowering Learning at Ohio University

Ohio University offers Skillsoft Percipio, a dynamic eLearning platform designed to support the growth and success of our faculty and staff. With thousands of expert-led courses, books, and videos available on demand, Percipio makes it easy for employees to build new skills, explore curated learning paths, and track their progress—all from any device, at any time. Supervisors can leverage Percipio to identify skill gaps, assign targeted training, and monitor team development through intuitive dashboards and analytics. As part of our commitment to continuous learning, Percipio helps foster a culture of professional excellence and career advancement across the university. 

Fostering a Growth Mindset in the Age of AI

Duration: 27 m 11 s

Facilitator: Skillsoft

Format: Online

In this course, you will explore the concept of the growth mindset, including techniques to overcome limiting beliefs, strategies to cultivate a learning culture, and skills to embrace change and adaptability. These topics will help equip you with the mindset and tools to foster personal and professional growth, adapt to evolving circumstances, and drive progress in the era of AI and technological advancements.

To access this training, visit Skillsoft and enter the course title above into the search bar.

Telling a Business Story

Duration: 28 m 28 s

Facilitator:

Format: Online

As humans, we've been using narratives to share our knowledge and experiences with others since the beginning. But effective storytelling, specifically within a business context, requires thoughtful preparation and effective delivery. With practice, using storytelling can improve the way you communicate with key players inside – and outside – your organization.
In this course, you'll learn how to plan and deliver effective stories that engage your target audience and help you accomplish your objectives.

To access this training, visit Skillsoft and enter the course title above into the search bar.

 Visualizing Data for Impact: Data Storytelling

Duration:  28 m 18 s

Facilitator:

Format: Online

Data storytelling lets you set up and reveal key results quickly and in an organized fashion. It is a great way to make findings impactful and meaningful for an audience. Through this course, learn about data storytelling and how it can help elevate your data visualizations and create impactful narratives for an audience.

Explore the theory and purpose behind data storytelling and how to contextualize and refine insight. Next, discover how to engage with an audience and put together an outline. Finally, learn how to plot data points to a storyboard and format a story for delivery.

Upon completion, you'll be able to outline elements of data storytelling and apply them when presenting data.

To access this training, visit Skillsoft and enter the course title above into the search bar.

Running Inclusive Meetings

Duration: 22 m 23 s

Facilitator: Skillsoft

Format: Online

The most effective leaders know that inclusive meetings drive better decisions, stronger innovation, and improved business outcomes. Yet creating an environment where everyone feels empowered to contribute requires specific skills and strategies. In this course, you'll learn practical techniques for running meetings that tap into your team's diverse perspectives – from pre-meeting planning to effective facilitation. Whether you're leading in-person, virtual, or hybrid meetings, you'll discover how to break down participation barriers and transform your meetings into platforms for collaboration.

To access this training, visit Skillsoft and enter the course title above into the search bar.

Set Your Workspace Up for Success

Duration: 26 m 16 s

Facilitator:

Format: Online

With professional lives getting increasingly busy, everyone needs help keeping up their levels of productivity. Being organized helps you get your work done right the first time, allowing you to be more efficient and more productive, which boosts your ability to achieve important goals in your career. In this course, you will explore effective methods of organizing your digital and physical workspaces to aid productivity. You will learn about tools that can help simplify and automate common tasks. In addition, you will discover effective techniques to organize your work life and cement your efforts at self-discipline.

To access this training, visit Skillsoft and enter the course title above into the search bar.

Discover Microsoft Learn: Free, Interactive Training for All Skill Levels

Microsoft Learn is a free, self-paced training platform designed to help individuals build technical skills and earn Microsoft certifications. Whether you are just beginning or advancing in your career, Microsoft Learn offers guided learning paths, hands-on labs, and certification preparation resources across a wide range of topics, including cloud computing, data analytics, cybersecurity, and Microsoft 365 tools. Visit Microsoft Learn to explore training opportunities and take the next step in your professional development.

Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment: Advancing Teaching Excellence

The Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment (CTLA) advances teaching and learning excellence at OHIO by providing University-wide resources and championing scholarly teaching that is student-centered, evidence-based, innovative and inclusive. The CTLA serves instructors, departments, programs and colleges across the University. The CTLA's programming brings OHIO community members together to share ideas and expertise, implement evidence-based instructional strategies in various learning contexts and assess the effectiveness of teaching practices. The CTLA's initiatives align with strategies and actions identified in the President's Dynamic Strategy by transforming the student learning experience through high-impact practices to best support intellectual growth and skill acquisition and promote learner development as individuals and engaged citizens.

Watch, Learn, and Grow with AllOne Health Webinars

AllOne Health offers a dynamic library of live and on-demand webinars designed to support mental health, physical wellness, financial literacy, and professional development. Covering a wide range of timely and relevant topics—from leadership and resilience to digital parenting and psychological safety.

Professional Resources from EDUCAUSE to Support Your Work

EDUCAUSE offers a collection of tools, insights, and learning opportunities designed to support employees across campus roles. Whether you are working in IT, student services, teaching, or administration, you will find practical guidance on topics like digital transformation, cybersecurity, analytics, and leadership. With access to expert perspectives, peer communities, and professional development pathways, EDUCAUSE helps you stay connected to the latest innovations and challenges shaping higher education. 

IT Advisory Communities

OHIO IT recognizes that it is more important than ever to engage the University community in evolving and advancing technology services. To that end, OHIO IT has instituted several IT advisory communities to discuss topics and trends related to specific IT products.

Advisory communities are an important part of the University's IT governance framework. They provide a means for participants to engage with OHIO IT, to influence decisions based on needs/experiences, and - most importantly - to inspire action to meet those needs. Advisory communities will also influence product roadmaps and help inform budget proposals.

Membership is open to anyone at the University. No prior experience or technical expertise is required. The only qualifications are an interest in the topic and a willingness to share ideas and listen to the ideas of others.

IT Advisory Communities include:

• Collaboration Tools
• Device and Software Support
• Teaching & Learning Technologies

AI Community of Interest

The AI Community of Interest at OHIO is an open group dedicated to supporting and exploring the evolving role of AI (artificial intelligence) on campus. Led by the Office of Information Technology, we actively support AI initiatives across the university to foster innovation and collaboration. We invite all members of the university community to join the conversation and help shape the future of AI at OHIO. To join, visit the AI Community of Interest in Teams and request to be added to the group. All are welcome!

Custom Training Opportunities

The Center for OHIO Employee Excellence can work with your planning unit to create custom-made training opportunities on an as-needed basis.

Examples include:

• Change Management and Organizational Agility
• Change Management during Staffing Changes
• Conflict Management and De-escalation

For more details or to get started on your own custom training, please contact the Center for OHIO Employee Excellence.

Well-Being Presentations

The staff of WellWorks and Healthy OHIO invite Ohio University departments to request well-being presentations at your next staff meeting.

Topics include:

• Employee Well-Being Overview
• Nutrition
• Movement
• Stress Management

Explore the training offerings or book a presentation by visiting Well-being Presentations.

OUPD Self-Defense Training

OHIO Planning Units and Departments can request special training sessions from OUPD that cover awareness, prevention, risk reduction, and avoidance while progressing on to the basics of hands-on defense training.

The classes are taught by Ohio University police officers who are certified RAD instructors. The RAD System of Physical Defense is currently being taught at dozens of colleges and universities around the US and Canada. The growing widespread acceptance of this system is primarily due to the ease, simplicity, and effectiveness of our tactics, solid research, legal defensibility and unique teaching methodology.

To request a training, please contact Evan Wilkof (wilkof@ohio.edu) or visit Request Training or Program and complete the online form.