How everyday connection changes how we work

The U of A’s University Values — Unwavering Curiosity, A Spirit of Community, Shared Accountability and Impact through Excellence — serve as a guiding light for everything we do. In this series, we meet the people whose daily dedication brings these values to life.

Building a workplace culture where people feel connected, supported and valued isn't something shaped by only one person or one initiative. It’s formed through the small things we do every day, creating a domino effect for our colleagues and broader university community.

Living this out every day is Faiza Lodhi, manager, administrative services in Student Success and Experience (SSE). Faiza has embraced the opportunity to strengthen connection and the value of A Spirit of Community, particularly when it comes to communication and building relationships with one another.

In the 2025-2026 academic year, SSE introduced hybrid peer learning sessions, organized by Lula Adam, inclusive practice and community initiatives advisor, and led by SSE staff or external partners who have expertise in a particular area. “We have so many people doing interesting and thoughtful work across SSE, and sometimes we don't get a chance to step outside our day-to-day roles and learn from each other,” says Faiza, who adds feedback around meaningful interaction from the Faculty and Staff Engagement Survey reinforced this learning, and the value of Unwavering Curiosity is worth creating space for. 

Sessions will continue to take place monthly from October through April, with staff coming together to learn, share and have conversations about different aspects of their work, from AI basics to trauma-informed student service delivery and the roots of conflict. “These aren't meant to be a one-way presentation,” says Faiza. “They form a conversation and sharing between staff, and that's just as valuable as the topic itself.” 

Faiza and her team have also introduced optional weekly lunch gatherings for SSE staff at the Students’ Union Building (SUB), led by Christa Engel, acting manager, Orientation & Transition Programs. Staff bring their own lunch, spend time together and occasionally engage in activities such as trivia. “It's a way for staff to get away from their desks and interact with others in the department,” says Faiza.

Over the summer, staff enjoyed board game afternoons, a casual book club and ‘crafternoons’, where people brought whatever project they were working on, from knitting to building LEGO, as a form of grownup show and tell. 

Faiza’s advice for others wanting to improve faculty and staff engagement is to “start small and be intentional. Building community doesn't have to be complicated. It can be simple, such as sharing a meal or having a conversation.”

Then there is Sip and Sync, a time set aside for staff to connect over coffee, tea and treats with Dr. Ravina Sanghera, vice-provost and dean of Students, and Sarah Wolgemuth, associate vice-president of Student Experience. Faiza says that Sip and Sync is the direct result of survey feedback, and emphasizes the importance of listening to your staff and paying attention to what they're telling you. 

“People wanted opportunities to hear from leadership, but also have a comfortable place to ask questions, raise concerns and share what's on their minds,” she says. Sip and Sync doesn’t require registration, staff can drop in and leave early if needed, and conversations are fairly informal. 

“There's something valuable about having dedicated time where people can simply sit down and have an open conversation, because not every conversation needs a formal agenda,” she says.

Faiza thinks that staff feel comfortable attending these sessions, and being open and honest about things that could be made better, because of the way leadership makes them feel. “There are more than 200 staff [in the portfolio], and Ravina and Sarah remember their names, have an open-door policy for everyone and are always present,” she says, noting that a big part of building community and connection reflects the value of Shared Accountability. “If you want a full puzzle, you need all the pieces. It's not just one person's efforts.” 

Faiza is a member of the SSE’s Social Committee, and explains that when the committee schedules events, they pick a date when Ravina and Sarah can come, as connecting with staff is a priority for them. “They'll stay and be present,” says Faiza. “At holiday events, they're festive and dress up. They’re really into it.”

In December 2025, the social committee hosted a drop-in event in the ALES atrium. “It's a glass building, and it snowed that day and looked so beautiful,” recalls Faiza. “It was almost like we created a winter wonderland.” The gathering was open for a few hours in the morning, ensuring people had enough time to come by, and the drop-in approach offered a creative cost-saving solution on seating and food, as it meant people could stand and mingle while enjoying coffee, hot chocolate and snacks instead of a sit-down meal.

“You can see these opportunities are working when people choose to stay and keep talking after the event is over,” she says. “You see people meeting colleagues they might not normally interact with, having conversations and laughing together. These moments might seem small, but they matter.” 

Equally important is improving communication outside of these events, she notes, so Faiza and her team worked with communications and marketing partners to improve internal communications to make them more relevant and engaging. 

“There are a lot of priorities competing for people's time, so we have to be thoughtful about what we take on and how we move forward. Fortunately, we have staff across SSE who’re very committed to working together. Everyone brings different strengths and perspectives, and we've been able to make progress by leaning on those strengths, prioritizing the work and supporting each other along the way.” 

As part of Forward Together: The University of Alberta People Strategy, the university is building a stronger sense of belonging by making recognition a meaningful part of our everyday culture. Explore Everyday Recognition resources to help celebrate the contributions of your colleagues.