Promoting learning and development

Janice Godin joins Dalhousie's Human Resources department.

“Employees want to be motivated, inspired, and performing above expectations,” says Janice Godin, Dalhousie’s first Manager, Learning and Development with Human Resources. “Finding ways to provide purpose, direction, goals and clear expectations is the key to good leadership.”

Ms. Godin will be working with Dalhousie’s leaders and employees to create an environment where employees are engaged, supported and inspired to achieve excellence.

She joins Dalhousie from the Université de Moncton where she was a professional development manager in continuing education. Since she started working at Dalhousie, she has been meeting with senior administrators and leaders about linking employee goals with the priorities of the university.

With this in mind, Ms. Godin recently met with Mike Shepherd, Dean of the Faculty of Computer Science. Computer Science wants to develop a support system that enables success for all its employees. The performance planning that Ms. Godin will be developing provides guidance for supervisors and employees to jointly identify objectives. Dr. Shepherd wants to see employee accomplishments recognized in all its forms. He would like his leaders to promote the advancement of employees. “My goal is to create an environment where everyone in this faculty can be successful,” says Dr. Shepherd.

The President’s Strategic Focus and a recent Dalhousie workplace survey pointed to the need for improved leadership development, performance management, and expanded opportunities for enrichment of professional capabilities.

“The message from the president is to challenge ourselves to keep moving forward. Dalhousie is actually in a very good place right now but the university is not sitting on its laurels," says Ms. Godin.