Berea Balanced: Leading Beyond the “Berea Busy”

At Berea College, we recognize that “Berea Busy” - that feeling of being overworked, overwhelmed, and bogged down by micro-processes - can hinder our mission and our well-being. To combat this, Human Resources launched the Berea Balanced Supervisor Training Program.

This initiative is designed to move us toward our Seventh Great Commitment by giving supervisors the tools to manage more effectively, communicate more clearly, and create a “balanced” environment for their teams.

Training Tracks & Topics

The Berea Balanced workshop is divided into three core pillars of leadership excellence. Each session is designed to provide practical, actionable insights for everyday management.

Ensuring we stay consistent and fair by understanding the legal frameworks of the workplace.

FMLA & ADA: Navigating the leave process and the interactive accommodation process with empathy and legal clarity.
FLSA & Compensation: Understanding record-keeping, pay grades, and how job descriptions align with salary.
Workplace Integrity: Addressing discrimination, harassment, and workplace bullying to maintain a safe, professional environment.
Worker’s Compensation: Essential reporting requirements for campus injuries and illnesses.

Shifting focus from “maintenance” to “growth” for your staff and yourself.

Career Development: Utilizing our Job Architecture framework to guide employees through Job families and Career Tracks.
Managing Conflict: Practical tools to turn workplace challenges into opportunities for team harmony.
Adjustable Work & Priorities: Strategies for managing flexible schedules while staying organized and meeting departmental goals.
Progressive Discipline: Learning the difference between disciplinary steps and Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs).

Optimizing the way we hire, train, and improve our daily workflows.

Interviewing Best Practices: How to form effective committees and conduct compliant, high-quality candidate screenings.
Cross-Training for Resilience: Developing practical plans to ensure departmental continuity and peace of mind during absences.
Continuous Improvement (Lean): Partnering with the Office of Continuous Improvement (OCI) to eliminate time-consuming inefficiencies in your workflow.

Beyond our internal workshops, we encourage supervisors to progress through our Supervisor Series (101-401), which includes Title IX, Safe Zone training, Lean Business Processes, and more.

We also partner with EKU Workforce Development for those seeking a Basic or Advanced Supervision Certificate.

Additionally, the College Business Management Institute (CBMI) at the University of Kentucky offers an intensive course of study in business and financial management for administrators of college and universities.

Stay Tuned!

Missed the last workshop? Don’t worry, be on the lookout for the next “Berea Balanced” workshop announcement via the Berea Bulletin!