Supervisor Training
Supervisors play a critical role in shaping team performance, workplace culture, and organizational success. Willamette is happy to offer supervisors the following training opportunities to hone their general supervisory skills as well as become knowledgeable about Willamette-specific processes, procedures and policies to maximize their effectiveness managing others in a university environment.
In addition to general new hire orientation provided to faculty and staff, staff supervisors receive a 2.5 hour in-person training on a range of topics to assist them be successful in their role managing others. The training is composed of lectures, video presentations, and hands-on activities, and includes the following topics:
- The HR Team & Resources
- Hiring new employees
- Employee onboarding
- Student employment
- Payroll & Compensation
- Time away from work
- Performance management
- Workplace Accommodation
- Training and development
- Safety + Worker Compensation
- Legal and risk
- General managerial responsibilities
- Offboarding
Human Resources will reach out to staff supervisors within a month of your hire or promotion to a supervisor position. Supervisors are also welcome to contact HR Director Mark Taylor at mtaylor@willamette.edu to inquire about the training.
Those who supervise students receive specialized training to meet their unique needs. Learners have the option of either taking an online course or participating in a live videoconference presentation. The training will cover the topics below:
- Hiring student employees
- Onboarding student workers
- Payroll
- Managing absences
- Performance management
- Offboarding
Similar to the Staff Supervisor Training described above, student supervisors will be contacted by Human Resources within a month of managing students and are also welcome to contact Mark Taylor at mtaylor@willamette.edu to sign up for the training.
Organizing yourself to conduct an organized, fair, and consistent process to hire a new member of your team can be a challenge! This two part workshop will assist you not only in the practicalities of conducting a search, but will also help you become more sophisticated in your methodology to hire the best possible candidate. The training will include the following topics:
- The process of hiring at Willamette from initiating a requisition to making an offer
- How to write an effective job description
- Organizing a search committee
- Composing effective and staged interview questions
- Thorough application review process
- Preparing for interview contexts (phone screenings, video conferencing, in person interviews, etc.)
- Troubleshooting when your best made plans go awry
- Conducting effective reference checks
Learners will not only be introduced to tools to help lighten the administrative load, but will also be provided time to work with them! While this training has been made with managers or search chair in mind, we will also welcome those serving on search committees to attend.
The first live training will occur in January, with specific dates that will be forthcoming and listed here when ready. Want to reserve a seat in advance? Please contact Mark Taylor at mtaylor@willamette.edu.
Effective communication is one of the most important skills a manager can develop. How you listen, speak, and respond directly influences team performance, trust, and workplace culture. This training provides managers with practical tools and strategies to communicate with clarity, respect, and confidence—whether delivering feedback, navigating difficult conversations, or motivating employees toward shared goals. Topics in the training will include:
- Avoiding common communication pitfalls
- Examining your communication and leadership styles
- The structure of effective communication
- Positive Communication Strategies
- Performance management: How to conduct a challenging conversation
- Helpful resources
Learners will be introduced to practical tools and practice preparing for tough employee conversations.
The workshop will last approximately two hours and made available to managers in January 2026. Specific dates will be posted in December. If you have an interest in reserving a seat, please contact HR Director Mark Taylor at mtaylor@willamette.edu.