★ WORKFORCE PLANNING

PROJECT CATEGORY: Expanded HR Services
HR UNIT: Workforce Planning & Initiatives
TIMELINE: April 2024 - Present
STATUS: In Progress
PHASE: Design Phase

SUMMARY & ACHIEVEMENTS

Summary

Workforce planning is essential at Stony Brook University to ensure we continue to attract, develop, and retain top talent in a highly competitive higher education and healthcare environment. As the university evolves, so do the demands on our workforce—ranging from advancing research and patient care to enhancing student success and community engagement. With increasing budget pressures, shifting demographics, and rapid technological change, workforce planning allows SBU to align talent with strategic priorities, address retirements and turnover proactively, and support employee growth and retention. Successful workforce planning positions SBU to meet today’s needs while preparing for the challenges and opportunities of the future.

What's Completed

Working with Procurement, Workforce Planning selected and partnered with nationally recognized consultant firm ModernThink to develop, monitor and complete the Employee Engagement “Be Heard” survey in March 2025. The survey included full-time Stony Brook University State and RF Employees on West Campus, Southampton Campus, the Health Sciences Schools, as well as the School of Medicine Non-Clinical Staff (Note: The School of Medicine Clinical Faculty and Staff and Stony Brook University Hospital participate in a separate Press Ganey Hospital Engagement Survey). The survey had a 40% response rate — a strong starting point for a first-time survey initiative! In the coming months, we'll be using the feedback to help make Stony Brook an even stronger workplace by aligning Workforce Planning initiatives with the needs and priorities our employees identified.

PHASE 2 - Design Phase

In April of 2024, HR established and staffed the Workforce Planning & Initiatives area.

Since its inception the unit has conducted research into HR’s brand positioning, and conducted a listening session with the HR Business Partners on the benefits Stay Interviewshave on employee engagement. Workforce Planning is also developing a framework for delivering metrics and tools in conjunction with Wolfie One.

What's Next

StonyBrook HR (Workforce Planning and Wolfpack Learning), in partnership with the Office of the Executive Vice President for Stony Brook Medicine, will be piloting a mentorship program in the fall of 2025 for non-teaching staff in the Health Sciences and School of Medicine. A Mentor/Protégé Program will offer a myriad of growth opportunities including: guidance and support, skill development and networking opportunities, confidence and problem solving building, as well personal and professional growth.

PREVIOUS PHASE ACHIEVEMENTS

PHASE 1: Completed Assessment & Recommendation Phase

Assessment & Recommendation Phase

The HR Business Partner Implementation team identified the following workforce planning needs:

Expertise and consultation on organizational design.
Working with HRIS to create an annual Strategic Planning report with forecasting and workforce analytics that includes data related to retirements, predictable turnover, recruiting/succession planning challenges, etc. for departments across the West Campus & HSC.
Develop strategies in response to the forecasting and workforce analytics in collaboration with HRBP.
Formulate best practices and a guide to succession planning.

implementation team

Core Team Participants

Kenya Lewis, Assistant VP of People, Culture & Engagement
Elizabeth Brady, Senior Manager Workforce Planning & Initiatives

TEAM CHARGE

The Workforce Planning Unit is dedicated to aligning talent with SBU’s strategic priorities by proactively addressing workforce changes such as retirements and turnover. We support employee growth, engagement, and retention to ensure a resilient and adaptable workforce. Through forward-thinking planning and analysis, we position SBU to meet today’s operational needs while preparing for future challenges and opportunities.

HAVE FEEDBACK?

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