Fostering student employee engagement: Creating a sense of ownership through task sharing initiatives

Abstract

Managing and motivating a large team of student employees can be a challenging responsibility, especially at times when students are working with no supervision. Student supervisors at an Access Services Department are committed to creating a positive and effective work environment while ensuring accountability and productivity. In order to improve students' work experience, the supervisors developed tools and techniques which have increased student engagement in the department operations and empowered them to take initiatives. In addition, these tools have boosted student assistant productivity, provided a sense of ownership and accomplishment, and improved communication with supervisors. This presentation will describe how student supervisors developed a task sharing and reporting mechanism to encourage teamwork and improve student engagement.