Elevating our ability to attract, recruit, hire and onboard UC Davis employees for the future
The Hiring Experience is a two-year effort to accelerate successful hiring and improve employee retention at UC Davis Health. This multi-pronged initiative includes partners in UC Davis HR, service channels, Health IT, Operational Excellence, Experience Design — and eventually all hiring managers. With improvements starting now, the plan calls for addressing all steps in the hiring process, from opening a job through onboarding.
With streamlined processes, better data, smarter tools and training, we're turning the hiring process into a welcome and rewarding experience for all involved.
- Both campuses have different needs and priorities and this effort is tailoring solutions based on what we’re hearing from customers.
How We're Elevating Hiring for Lasting Starts
In 2023, UC Davis Health and the Davis campus experienced significant workforce growth during a time of enormous challenges.
Initial analysis of our full recruitment cycle— which included feedback from UC Davis employees, recruiters and recruiting departments— uncovered many opportunities for improvements. Here's how The Hiring Experience plans to address them:
Current Challenges
at UC Davis Health
Overarching Goal and Outcomes
| Enhanced Candidate Experience
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The process to hire one new employee currently requires:
| Improved Processes and Tools
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| Better Experience for Hiring Manager and the HR Team
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It's easy to identify the problem — too many systems, steps and hands involved — but we've never coalesced around the solutions. We're seeking commitments on the future state because it's going to take all of us to make it a reality."
– Jim Hankins, Executive Director for the Shared Services Organization
Improvement Efforts Underway
The Hiring Experience will address a variety of policies, procedures, technologies and employee training.
Supporting the UC Davis Strategic Plan and Health Clinical Strategic Plan
TO BOLDLY GO: A Strategic Vision for UC Davis
Strategic Plan Goal 3 calls for “mak[ing] UC Davis a place of excellence for learning and working by supporting a culture that values the contributions and aspirations of all our students, staff and faculty.” We're using customer feedback to realize solutions that better serve current and future employees and the people who hire them.
UC Davis Health Clinical Strategic Plan
UC Davis Health's vision is to "deliver tomorrow’s health care today — the next generation, the next innovation, the next cure." To do that, UC Davis Health needs to educate and prepare a future-ready workforce and drive excellence in all we do.
The Hiring Experience will make significant contributions to this mission and vision, specifically when it comes to operational excellence and business process innovation.
Transformation Catalysts
| Investing in the Future of Medicine | “Digital Davis” (Digital Health, Telehealth, IT & Analytics Infrastructure) | Integrated Research and Innovation | Operational Excellence/ Business Process Innovation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creates funding opportunities to support our innovators to design and test new models of care delivery, diagnosis, and treatment. | Expands our ability to connect with patients wherever they are, conveniently and efficiently provide care, and ensure the best data and analytics inform every care decision. | Links our world-class research directly to our clinical programs and provides unparalleled access to clinical trials for our patients and partners, ensuring discoveries are rapidly translated from bench to bedside. | Drives efficiency, access, and throughput while alleviating capacity constraints to allow us to always deliver exceptional, efficient care. |
Get Involved
The key stakeholders in this effort include UC Davis HR, service channels, UC Davis Health IT, Operational Excellence and Experience Design, but we're always looking for more partners and good ideas to improve things.
- Email hr@ucdavis.edu with any questions and find out how you can get involved.
FAQ
Program
- What Rapid Improvement Events are currently in scope for The Hiring Experience?
The improvement efforts for enhancing "The Hiring Experience" encompass the following Rapid Improvement Events (RIE):
- Recruitment Intake: Digitization of the Hiring Request Form (HRF) & Vacancy Request Form (VRF) and standardization of the initiation process
- Job Description Standardization: Standardize high volume job descriptions to streamline process
- Equipment & Access Request Process: Support new hires having equipment on day one
- Job Posting Length: Revisit job posting length and consider shorter defaults
- Talent Acquisition (TA) Process Standardization: Review TA processes to establish standards for key processes affecting time to hire
- Salary Analysis Process: Review/revise salary analysis process and practices followed by TA
- Interview Scheduling Improvement: Simplify interview scheduling process by leveraging a tool like Microsoft Bookings
- SkillSurvey: Reduce the number of required reference checks from 5 to 3, still to include two managers
- Privacy Security Training: Eliminate need for new employees to take privacy and security training twice
- What is the expected outcome for the Rapid Improvement Events?
- The primary expected outcome for rapid improvement events is a reduction in Time to Hire (TTH), accompanied by an enhanced experience for hiring managers, candidates, and HR teams.
- Is there an intent to have a new applicant tracking system (ATS)?
- This is a long-term goal and priority for UC Davis HR, but a new ATS comes at incredible expense. Given the current budget realities, funding a new ATS is not likely to happen until FY26-27. We will share more specific details and timing when available.
SkillSurvey
- What is SkillSurvey?
SkillSurvey is a tool available to be used in the hiring process to gather feedback from candidate references, evaluating their skills and suitability for the position. Once all references have submitted the survey, hiring managers will receive a comprehensive report highlighting competencies, behaviors, and open-ended comments.
SkillSurvey is industry-specific, based on job category and classification.
- Do Campus hiring managers have to utilize SkillSurvey as a tool? (Campus specific)
- No, Campus hiring managers will continue to have the option to leverage SkillSurvey or opt to conduct telephone screen reference checks.
- Can both a SkillSurvey AND a Telephone Screen Reference Check be done? (Campus specific)
- No, as a Campus hiring manager you have the option to do one or another.
- How long will a SkillSurvey take?
- It depends on how quickly references respond and role type. The survey has an average of 35 questions (+ / -) and takes approximately 15 minutes to complete.
- Can we modify the questions in the SkillSurvey?
- No, you are not able to modify the questions. However, there are tailored templates you can select from.
- How are candidates notified? What does the candidate receive?
- Notified via standard email templates from the TA team and via the skill survey system themselves.
- How will hiring managers know a SkillSurvey is completed?
- Hiring manager will receive a report via email.
- Will the requirement be the "most" recent performance review if the candidate chooses to use that option?
- Yes, the most recent performance review is required if the candidate does not want to provide a current manager reference.
- Can the candidate submit more than 3 references? If so, when does it conclude?
- Yes, the minimum is 3, however the candidate can include more references if desired. It concludes when the report is finalized.
- What if I feel there is a lack of information to make an informed decision?
- Depending on the situation and timeline, strategize with your TA partner as there are options to get additional information.
- What are Hiring Manager best practices for utilizing SkillSurvey?
- Advise candidates to inform their references about the upcoming SkillSurvey to ensure timely submissions.
- Thoroughly and fully review the candidate feedback form, as open-ended comments often provide valuable context. Open ended comments are highly valuable, they are verbatim from references.
- Understand that reference scores are consolidated; and hiring managers should review open ended comments for specific feedback.
- How can I tell if the feedback is from a manager?
- If the candidate submits at least two manager/supervisor references and two professional references before the SkillSurvey results are finalized, the responses will be aggregated into those two categories. If the candidate submits only the required two manager/supervisor and one professional reference, the responses will be concentrated into one result.
Job Posting Length
- What is the default job posting length for most jobs?
- Ten days
- What are the exceptions to the default job posting length of 10 days?
- - Union positions must be posted for the minimum contractually agreed upon duration
- For Manager 2,3, and 4 positions may be posted for up to thirty (30) days
- Postings with paid advertisements may be posted for up to thirty (30) days - What if there are not enough qualified applicants within the 10-day posting period?
- The job will be re-posted for a minimum of three (3) days
- What if there are special circumstances and a position needs to be posted for a different length of time other than the ten (10) day default?
- Discuss the rationale for the deviation with your recruiter supervisor who will take the appropriate action necessary.
Job Description Standardization
- Which job titles were chosen for standardization?
This is the initial set of job titles to be standardized. Standardization will be an ongoing effort for additional job descriptions.
- Clin Nurse 1 (NX)
- Clin Nurse 2 (NX)
- Clin Nurse 3 (NX)
- MOSC 2 (EX)
- MOSC 3 Specialist (EX)
- MOSC 3 Lead (EX)
- Med Ctr Custodian Sr (SX)
- Med Ctr Envir Svc Worker 1 (SX)
- Clin Application Profl 3 (99)
- Clin Application Profl 4 (99)
- Nurse PD (NX)
- Nurse Svc Supv 2 (99)
- Med Ast 1 (EX)
- Med Ast 2 (EX)
- Nurse Pract 1 (NX)
- Nurse Pract 2 (NX)
- Nurse Pract 3 (NX)
- Voc Nurse and PD (EX)
- Voc Nurse Sr (EX)
- HUSC 3 (EX)
- Why did we standardize job descriptions?
- We standardized job descriptions (JDs) primarily to prioritize speeding up the hiring process and to provide ease for hiring managers by prepopulating applicable fields. By standardizing JDs, we aimed to reduce the time spent in Job Builder, making it easier for hiring manager to submit and compensation to review. This standardization leads to faster turnaround times, enabling us to fill positions more quickly.
- Additionally, standardized JDs result in less administrative work and maintenance for HR teams, while also ensuring greater consistency across job descriptions and requirements. This consistency helps reduce errors and streamlines the overall hiring process.
- How were these jobs chosen for standardization?
- The jobs selected for standardization were prioritized based on the population of current employees at Health and existing standardization. After identifying these positions, they underwent a vetting process to determine their suitability for standardization.
- This vetting process ensured that the selected jobs were appropriate candidates for standardization based on various factors such as job roles, responsibilities, and existing variation.
- How were the JD templates created and who approved the final versions?
- The JD templates were created collaboratively with a workgroup comprised of subject matter experts (SMEs) and hiring managers identified by leadership. Working together, they reviewed the initial versions of the JD templates, ensuring that they accurately reflected the job needs and aligned with established job standards and current practice.
- Once the initial templates were developed, the final review and approval was conducted by compensation. This collaborative approach involving SMEs and leadership ensured that the finalized JD templates were appropriate for use.
- Is it possible to make changes to a standardized JD template? How can we make changes to a standardized JD template? Who can I reach out to for questions?
- Changes may be warranted to reflect hiring needs; however, it is not intended for templates to be adjusted for individual recruitment actions.
- It's important to consider the implications for other departments that may be using the same JD template. Changes may require agreement and approval of impacted departments and leadership.
Proposed process:
- To initiate a change request, you'll need to submit an Aggie Service Ticket and attach documentation outlining the modifications required and indicating leadership support. The Compensation team will then review the proposal and follow up appropriately.
- The change control process will not happen in Job Builder or via email
- What about job titles that are not included in the initial standardized list?
- There are ongoing conversations with leadership to standardize future job descriptions, in particular high-population represented positions.
- Compensation will continue to review opportunities for standardization and connect with appropriate leadership.
Applicant Screening
- How will hiring managers learn more about where to find and how to use the new standardized applicant screening grid?
- Recruiters will share a link to the new grid when hiring managers have a new recruitment and provide additional instruction and answer questions as needed for the grid's use.
- Will the standardized applicant screening grid be used for all job postings?
- Yes. The goal is to create consistency in the applicant screening process and screen candidates according to the same set of qualifications.
- How will hiring managers use the applicant screening grids?
- Recruiters will provide more instruction on the use of the applicant screening grids when hiring managers have applicants for a job posting. Hiring managers will need to complete their screening activities in advance of candidate interviews.
Privacy and Security Training
- NEW: Is there a UC Davis Health policy to support the decision to require employees to complete Privacy and Security training within their first 7 days of employment?
- Yes. Policy 1007, Orientation and Education of All Employees Working at UC Davis Health states this. (See Policy 1007, Orientation and Education of All Employees Working at UC Davis Health)
- How will employees be notified of this training requirement?
- Employees will receive a UCLC assignment notification on their 1st day of work.
- What does this mean for clinical departments in terms of accessing medical records?
- Privacy and Security training must be prioritized for clinical departments prior to electronic medical records access.
- How will hiring managers know if an employee has completed their Privacy and Security training?
- Supervisors will track completion from their UCLC Manager Dashboard as they do for other mandatory compliance training.
- Are there any risks with changing the requirement of the completion of Pscrivacy and Security Training within the first 7 days of hire?
- There is a slight risk a HIPAA violation could happen before training is completed. It is the supervisor’s responsibility to know if an employee has completed their Privacy and Security training prior to them accessing sensitive records and information.
Interview Scheduling (MS Bookings)
- Will hiring managers receive training on MS Bookings?
- No. Here is the guide for self-directed learning on the tool. You can also visit the Talent Acquisition web page to learn more about the interview process and tools available.
- Do I have to use MS Bookings for candidate interview scheduling?
- No. It is highly encouraged for hiring managers to learn to use MS Bookings. Those hiring managers who piloted the tool found it to be easy to use and saved time scheduling candidate interviews.
- Who do I contact if I need help with MS Bookings?
- If Bookings assistance is needed, call the Help Desk at 916-734-4357 and ask to be routed to the Microsoft 365 Team.
Salary Setting
- What is the Salary Setting Pilot?
- The objective of the pilot is to enhance the efficiency of salary offer procedures, offer supplementary resources for the analysis phase, and enhance transparency in salary equity. This pilot program is tailored to non-represented positions and involves raising the threshold at which Talent Acquisition (TA) can propose offers, without necessitating Compensation review, to the third quartile of the salary range.
- Who will be impacted by the pilot and go live of this change?
- The primary stakeholders of the Salary Setting Pilot are the talent acquisition and compensation teams. The proposed change aims to support hiring managers by improving the hiring process and reducing the overall time to hire.