HR Wiki Workshop
SOCCCD – June 23, 2010
What is covered in the workshop

A process for creating content in a wiki
using Microsoft’s SharePoint software

A list of what you will need from IT

Some basic techniques to help the project
complete successfully

Answers to questions you may have
Introduction

In 2007 the Vice Chancellor of HR asked the HR Director to
develop an Employee Handbook. She discovered that most
of the information was already in Contracts and Board
Policies - so why duplicate what was already there?

Also in 2007 the Chancellor asked the HRIS Manager to
created a task force charged with improving the ‘online’
employee documents web site.

The HRIS Manager saw this as an opportunity to “kill two
birds with one stone” and created a wiki as an
enhancement to the employee documents site.

With continuous refinement this wiki was transformed into
what it is today – An Online Employee Handbook.
Deliverables

An easy-to-use, online system that manages
and displays up-to-date HR procedures,
forms and reference documents used by all
employees.

The system is seamlessly integrated with
the existing MySite employee web portal.

Use pre-existing technology.
Process Improvement Objectives

Reduce the amount of time that it takes an
employee to find an answer.

Reduce the amount of time the HR
Specialists take in answering questions.

Ensure the content can be maintained by
HR staff with minimal training (<5 minutes).

Keep the solution simple so that it needs
very little IT support.
What you will need?

A wiki server such as Microsoft’s SharePoint.

Electronic copies of


Contracts and Agreements

Board Policies

Administrative Regulations

Any HR procedures

Forms
Optional Document Management System
What are the steps?
Take
Inventory
Take Inventory

Limit scope to HR controlled content.

Most content will come from Contracts,
Board Policies, Administrative Regulations.

Other content can come from instructions
on forms or written procedures.

Make a list of these and where the
electronic copies are kept.
For those who like lists (part 1)
Create a list of potential wiki content sources
Content
Document
Type
Location
PER005
Form
Shared Drive
BP4011.3
Policy
Web
BP4076
Policy
Web
CSEA Contract Article 14
Contract
Shared Drive
Blue Shield Plan Summary
User Guide
Web
Analyze Your Content

Content will fall into ‘natural’ HR process
categories such as Recruitment,
Classification, Compensation, Benefits, etc.

Try to identify the content owner.

Content should be identified as either
reference materials (e.g. Salary Schedules)
or procedure related (e.g. Hiring Policy,
forms).
For those who like lists (part 2)
Add a few more columns to help organize the content
Content
Document
Type
Location
HR process categories
Owner
Reference or
Procedure
PER005
Form
Shared Drive
Recruitment, Position Mgmt
HR Operations
Procedure
BP4011.3
Policy
Web
Recruitment
HR Operations
Procedure
BP4076
Policy
Web
Compensation
HR Operations
Reference
CSEA Contract Article 14
Contract
Shared Drive
Grievances
Employee Relations
Procedure
Blue Shield Plan Summary
User Guide
Web
Benefits
Benefits
Reference
Design

K.I.S.S. principle for a well designed application*

Build on the familiar

Emphasize simplicity

Hide complexity

Let people do something new that they wished
they could do

Do what it's supposed to do really well

When displacing something else, offer a
significantly better experience
* Joe Wilcox, BetaNews.com
Design (cont.)


Your Wiki should:

Consist of a main page called “Home” that acts as a
Table of Contents linking to supporting pages that, in
turn, link to each other or to external content

Make sure that most of the content (e.g. forms,
procedures, documents) can be reached by no more
than 3 “clicks” from the Home page.

Be organized so that the links on the Home page are
grouped in a variety of areas such as Featured Items,
Processes, Functions, Quick Links, etc.
Don’t worry about getting it perfect at first.
Assemble/Make Content


Wikis are technically simple – its just Text and Links

Wiki Links look like “[[wiki page name|display text]]” when editing.

A new page will automatically be created if it doesn’t already exist.

Links to external content can be easily associated to text through
a fill-in form.
To speed things up just cut-and-paste existing content.


MS Word source documents work best with SharePoint.
For large reference materials such as contracts, convert
major sections to individual wiki pages.
Encourage Everyone To Explore

Once you have created the basic wiki:



First, let your staff explore it

Train them to add and update content (takes about 5 minutes).

Encourage them to use it and then let the ‘stars’ shine.
Second, set up a couple of pilot groups

Pick those most in need of this information (Deans and Managers).

Pick those who are not afraid to state their opinion.
Finally, open it up to the masses


Announce through any means and as often as you can.
Make sure to provide a mechanism to collect feedback

A discussion forum, electronic surveys, a hot-line number.
Accept Everyone’s Input

Keep a public list of submitted suggestions.

Don’t be afraid to make changes quickly and
frequently based on the feedback.

Add content continuously (at least once a
week for the first couple of months).

Acknowledge those who provided
suggestions of the resulting changes made.
Demonstration
Overview of SharePoint
 Create a new Wiki Site
 Create Home Page
 Create Sub-pages
 Cut-and-paste content from existing
documents
 Adding some niceties
 Using the History actions

Demo Step 1

SharePoint Specifics (so you won’t get lost)

Page Layout
 Tabs
 Bread
 Left
Navigation
 Action

crumbs
Pull-downs
Where Administrative things are
 Security
 Location
of pages and documents
Demo Step 2

Create Wiki Site
Under Site Actions select Create
 Click on “Sites and Workspaces”
 Fill out the form and select “Wiki Site”

Demo Step 3

Edit Home Page
Click Edit
 Select All – Delete
 Heading – Change Font and size
 Insert Table (works like a spreadsheet)
 Enter first row with Contracts | [[CSEA |
Classified Bargaining Unit]]
 Save

Demo Step 4

Create Second page
Click on Classified Bargaining Unit
 Select Edit
 Open Word Document
 Copy and Paste Index
 Change Preamble and Article 1 to links
 Clean up
 Save

Demo Step 5

Create Third page
Click on Preamble
 Select Edit
 Switch to Word Document
 Copy and Paste Preamble
 Clean up
 Add Navigation
 Do same for Article 1
 Save

Demo Step 6

Edit Home Page
Insert Row
 Add wiki link [[Leave Request]]
 Save
 Click on Leave Request
 Make Heading and type in content
 Add links to document library
 Clean up
 Save

Wiki Workshop Site
SOCCCD’s HR Wiki
Wrap-up

Keep it simple

Get IT buy-in and support

Train up the staff

Experiment
Oh, and 1 or 2 more things…
1.
Once your up and running, ask
for suggestions from those who
benefit most from the wiki and
then use their suggestions to
make changes.
2.
Keep the HR jargon to a
minimum.
Example from feedback
Any Question?