The Talent Acquisition Team at Mines is committed to partnering with you to attract, source, and hire top-tier talent from around the world in support of Mines’ mission of academic excellence and groundbreaking research.

Connect with your Talent Acquisition Partner (TAP) when:

• You have a current or anticipated vacancy to fill.

  • You are preparing to negotiate an offer, especially if it falls outside the posted salary range.

  • A position description is changing.  Position description templates can be found here.

  • You are determining a start date for a new hire.

• Additional resources can be found on our recruitment webpage, under Hiring Mangers.
• Questions?  Email Recruitment@mines.edu.

Congratulations on your new hire!  The information below will guide you through the onboarding process and help ensure your new employee’s first days and initial months are smooth and successful.

Onboarding Process Overview:

1. Offer Acceptance

The onboarding process begins once the offer is formally accepted in Workday.

2. Background Check (If Applicable)

If a background check is required, Human Resources will update the candidate’s status in Workday to Background Check.  The new hire will then receive an email from our background check vendor, Phoenix.  It is important that the new hire promptly submits the requested information.

Note: New hires who are subject to a background check cannot begin employment at Mines until the background check is complete and the results have been reviewed and approved by HR, and all hiring processes are completed with MAPS.

3. Post-Background Check

Once the background check has been approved (if required), HR will update the new hire’s application status to Complete.

4. Onboarding Tasks via MAPS

The Mines Administrative Processing Services (MAPS) Office will contact the new hire 3–7 days before their start date with instructions regarding their onboarding tasks. These tasks will become available in Workday on the new hire’s first day.

Note: This communication will be sent to the email address provided in the new hire’s application and the manager will be copied in.

5. Hiring Manager Responsibilities

• Request a new device from IT.  For standard computer requests, please give two weeks notice.
• Contact new employees prior to their start date to share first-day logistics and other important information. Refer to the sample template to help you get started with that communication.
• The attached checklist outlines key manager responsibilities throughout the employee’s first 90 days.

6. New Employee Orientation (NEO)

Attendance at New Employee Orientation is mandatory for all new hires. HR will send NEO invitations to both the personal email listed in the application and the employee’s Mines email (if the account has been created).

NEO is held every two weeks and may not occur until the employee’s second week of employment.  Human Resources will email the manager with the employee’s NEO date and other optional activitites they can attend.  Note: If there are less than five employees enrolled, the session might be canceled.

• • Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
  • Format: Remote; logging into the Mines network is not required.
  • Click here to view the NEO schedule.
  • Contact Learn_and_Develop@mines.edu for questions about NEO.
  • Optional Activities:
    • NEO Coffee Meet-up at Book and Brew
    • Library Tour

7. Long-term Onboarding

Long-term onboarding is essential for setting new employees up for sustained success.  Long-term onboarding improves engagement, accelerates productivity, and boosts retention by ensuring employees feel supported and aligned with organizational goals from day one.  Below is a suggested list of topics to cover during the critical 30, 60 and 90 day milestones of the onboarding process.

• 30-Day Check-in
  • Review Mines’ mission, culture, and team dynamics
  • Discuss role, responsibilities, and short-term goals
  • Ensure access to systems, tools, and compliance training
  • Address early questions or concerns

Note: All Classified employees are required to sign a copy of their Position Description (PD) within 30 days of employment. Managers should keep a signed copy of the PD on record and email a copy of the signed PD to HR@mines.edu

• 90 Day Check-in
  • Evaluate how the employee is adapting to the role and the team
  • Provide direction on performance and areas of focus
  • Identify roadblocks or additional training needs
  • Set or revise long-term objectives and development plans

Note: Classified Staff should complete the 90 days check in on the Performance Plan.

Your HR Advisors are here to support you throughout the onboarding process. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.

Mines Learning and Development offers both online and in-person professional development opportunities to support employee growth and success. Training offerings can be found the Training Calendar.

All new hires will assigned compliance training in Workday Learning on the first Monday of employment. Review the Compliance Training section on the Learning and Development website for more information.

Contact Learning and Development when:

• You need resources or support for employee training and development.

• You’re planning development or career growth initiatives for your team.

• Additional resources can be found on the Manager’s Corner section of the L&D website.
• For additional training recommendations not found on the Manager’s Corner.
• Questions?  Email Learn_and_Develop@mines.edu.

Mines’ compensation philosophy emphasizes market-competitive total rewards, including both direct pay and comprehensive benefits.  Our robust health and wellness offerings reflect a commitment to supporting the well-being of our employees.  This well-rounded approach to compensation is essential to attracting, developing, and retaining the talented workforce needed to advance Mines’ mission.

Contact Your Benefits Analyst When:

• When an employee needs to miss work due to their own or a family member’s serious medical condition.  This includes requests:

• • Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

  • Under the State of Colorado Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program (FAMLI)

  • Extended absences of four or more consecutive days

  • Intermittent leave for ongoing medical needs

  • If the employee needs a ‘Return to Work’ form

• When addressing reasonable accommodations for employees under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

• When an employee is injured on the job or during work-related activities.

• To report a workplace accident or injury. In emergencies or if there are immediate safety concerns, contact Campus Safety or call 911 first, then notify Benefits@mines.edu as soon as possible.

• Questions?  Email Benefits@mines.edu or schedule a an appointment with our Benefits team here.

Contact Your Compensation Analyst When:

• • If you have questions or concerns regarding employee compensation.

  • When considering supplemental pay for employees who are temporarily assuming higher-level duties or responsibilities.

  • Questions?  Email kylemathes@mines.edu

 Performance management is an ongoing process of communication that supports employee success and aligns individual contributions with the strategic goals of Mines. It involves regularly clarifying job responsibilities, setting performance expectations and objectives, and providing feedback to optimize individual and team performance.

For University and Classified Staff, step-by-step guides for completing performance management tasks in Workday are available on the Performance Management webpage.

We have created a report in Workday that provides real-time visiblity into the completion status of your team’s Annual Reviews (for University and Classified Staff).  This dashboard is designed to give you an overview of your direct reports and your entire organization, allowing you to quickly identify which reviews are in progress at various stages, completed, or pending action.  We have created How to Check Annual Review Status for Teams job aid with step-by-step instructions on how to access and utilize this report.

For Academic Faculty, performance evaluations follow a separate process outlined in the Faculty Handbook and Procedures Manual and is managed by Academic Affairs.

Performance Cycles by Employee Type:

• University Staff:
  • Cycle: July 1 – June 30
  • Key Milestones: Goal setting occurs in August/September, with mid-year check-ins in December/January and final evaluations completed in June via Workday.

• Classified Staff:
  • Cycle: August 1 – July 31
  • Key Milestones: Goal setting occurs in August/September, with mid-year check-ins in January/February and final evaluations completed in July via Workday.

• Academic Faculty:
  • Cycle: Concludes at the end of the Spring semester
  • Process: Faculty submit Faculty Data Reports (FDRs) to their Department Heads, who complete evaluations and forward them to the appropriate Dean. This process is completed in OnBase. Refer to the Faculty Handbook and Procedures Manual for full details.

The ELR team is committed to advancing organizational excellence at Mines.  Our vision is to be a trusted partner—supporting employees in understanding their rights and helping the university manage risk through thoughtful guidance and advocacy.

We collaborate closely with employees, leaders, and campus partners to provide professional education and foster a workplace culture rooted in mutual respect, belonging, collaboration, trust, and effective problem solving.

Contact Your HRA Advisor When:

• When you need clarification or interpretation of Mines policies, procedures, the Partnership Agreement, or the Employee Handbook.

• When seeking guidance on performance management strategies, including assistance with writing goals, conducting performance reviews, or implementing performance improvement plans.

• When conflicts arise among team members that cannot be resolved through coaching, or in situations that would benefit from HR expertise and confidentiality.

• When you receive complaints involving harassment or discrimination.

  • Important: If the situation involves sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, or gender discrimination, you are a mandatory reporter and must notify the Office for Institutional Equity as soon as possible.

  • For emergencies or immediate safety concerns, contact Campus Safety or call 911, then notify ELR.

• When union members request to meet with you or if union activity is negatively affecting the workplace or productivity.  While it is essential to maintain neutral language and nonverbal communication, please notify HR for support in navigating these interactions.

Smooth transitions are essential for maintaining operational continuity and supporting team morale.  As a manager, you play a vital role in the offboarding process, helping ensure that employees leave on positive terms and that key knowledge is transferred effectively.

Separation Notice Information

• Guidance and resources related to employee separations can be found on the MAPS (Mines Administrative Processing Services) site, under Employment and Payroll Services.
  • Termination Checklist
  • Termination Process Overview
  • IT Account Termination
  • Note- You must attach a resignation letter/document confirming the separation for all terminations.  The exception is for contracts that have ended and the termination date aligns with the contract end date.

• Benefits terminate the last day of the month of separation.
• Final paycheck and annual leave payout questions should be direct to MAPS@mines.edu.
• Benefits and COBRA questions should be directed to Benefits@mines.edu.
• We encourage all departing employees to complete the Exit Survey.  To schedule an exit interview, please contact your HR Advisor.