Human Capital the greatest asset of student affairs professionals

Human capital is the greatest asset of any student affairs professionals. Regardless of the rate in which technology is evolving and worldviews are changing, human capital will remain an invincible force in organizations. In student affairs, human capital plays a very visible role because their main interactions are more with students (people) than it is with paperwork. Their main responsibilities shift toward meeting the needs of students, supporting them, holding their hands in their scary and unknown journeys. Not anyone can face these challenges. Student affairs professionals must realize that their staff are their greatest assets and must be equipped to train, educate, help, supervise them and award them accordingly.

Supervisors must invest their time in their staff in training them to recognize and work with their priorities, manage their time, and how to effectively manage their office. There should be a good relationship between them to allow the staff to be comfortable sharing any issues with the supervisor or request any help. There should be regular meetings where staff would be comfortable bringing their issues and challenges that they feel they need help with. They should also be able to share their mistakes, shortcomings and successes. Such meetings would facilitate them to learn from each other’s successes and mistakes. In terms of awards, their work should be evaluated on a regular basis and care should be taken to publically recognize their successes and gifts that are compatible with their likes should be publically given to them to encourage them to excel in their work. Professional development should be promoted in discussing organizational and individual professional development to foster excellence and maintain an environment of hope for staffs.