Frequently Asked Questions - BPM - Grow Today

Playbooks and other additional resources pertaining to a particular module can be found under Resources in the upper right-hand corner of the course window once the module has been launched. 

We must update the UC Learning Center by hand for every person who has completed the BPM Knowledge Assessment. Our Program Manager does this each month on the 15th and the 30th/31st. Check back after on the 16th or the 1st, and you should see it.

The Berkeley People Management series and certificate program is about people-to-people work. It is designed to follow the arc of a person’s people management career at UC Berkeley – from aspiring to move into supervision to the knowledge needed to navigate policies and procedures at UC Berkeley, the skills necessary to engage teams, and finally, the leadership skills required for strategic success on our campus and beyond. 

The Berkeley People Management Knowledge Assessment is not an exam (and so there is no grade requirement) but rather an assessment tool to help guide learning. The assessment helps identify current knowledge (specific to UCB) in nine critical people management areas: Compensation and Classification, Complaints and Grievances, Disciplinary Action, Health and Safety, Leave and Disability Management, Payroll and Timekeeping, Performance Management, Personnel Policies and Contracts, and Recruiting and Hiring. In addition to receiving an overall score on the assessment, scores in each of the subsections are provided. Rather than focusing on the overall score, look specifically at the scores received in each sub-section. For any sub-section in which you score less than 70%, it is suggested that you take advantage of the learning resources provided to shore up knowledge gaps related to that particular sub-section. As an aside, the assessment will allow you to send the report to yourself, or to yourself and your manager. While sending the report to your manager is also not required, we highly recommend it to start an ongoing conversation about your development needs and desires with your manager.

Once identified gaps in the assessment are shored up, you can then further develop your knowledge and skills in other areas of people management by registering for the workshops you are interested in from BPM Part 2: Grow Your Knowledge and/or BPM Part 3: Grow Your Team. For senior campus leaders (M1s and above), there is also the BPM Part 4: Grow the Organization cohort-based program, which has been designed to equip leaders with the skills and support essential for strategic success at UC Berkeley. 

For staff positions, all individuals with direct reports listed in UCPath must complete the BPM Part 1: Grow Today training series.

Yes!  We have created specific training for our academic appointees, including faculty. The BPM: Academic Leader Bundle includes the key portions of the larger BPM Grow Today bundle. 

For academic positions, only academic appointees who directly supervise staff employees are required to complete this training. In addition, UC Berkeley People & Culture is working closely with the EVCP team to bring additional learning experiences to our faculty through the Faculty Leadership Academy, the New Deans Seminar Series, the New Chairs Workshop Series, and other custom engagements. 

For staff positions, individuals who have direct reports listed in UCPath and/or who accomplish their unit’s goals through subordinate staff and generally guide and/or oversee staff over 50% of the time must complete the BPM Part 1: Grow Today training series.

For academic positions, only academic appointees who directly supervise staff employees will be required to complete this training. 

Yes. The program provides a strategic level of foundational knowledge about leadership, management, and supervision that is helpful for all people managers as they navigate the opportunities related to managing anyone, regardless of the level or appointment percentage.

The only exception is if you only manage GSRs or GSIs (Academic Student Employees). In that case, you are exempt from the requirement but still highly encouraged to participate. 

Here's the easiest way to find your BPM Part 1: Grow Today certificate:

• In the UC Learning Center, click on Transcript & Certificates (purple box on the main screen)

• On the top of the page, change Date Range to All

• Hit Ctrl+F and type Grow Today

• You will see Curriculum: BPM Part 1: Grow Today

• Print your certificate by clicking the picture icon to the left of the name (which looks like a certificate)

• Once selected, the certificate will pop up and allow you to print it

If you don't see the completed curriculum, you can use this worksheet to determine what courses you still need to take.

You can also use the search phrase Grow Today bundle in the UC Learning Center's search bar to go directly to the list of eCourses that make up BPM Part 1: Grow Today bundle. Note: you will also need to take the BPM Knowledge Assessment in order to receive your certificate after you've completed the 16 eCourses that appear in the bundle. 

Individuals can print the certificate of completion directly from their transcript in the UC Learning Center.

• In the UC Learning Center, click on Transcript & Certificates (purple box on the main screen).

• On the top of the page, change the Date Range to All.

• Hit Ctrl+F and type Grow Today.

• You will see Curriculum: BPM Part 1: Grow Today.

• Print your certificate by clicking the picture icon to the left of the name (which looks like a certificate).

• Once selected, the certificate will pop up and allow you to print it. 

Here's the easiest way to find the BPM Part 1: Grow Today eCourses:

• Go to the UC Learning Center (there’s a link in the top right box of People & Culture's Grow Your Skills page)
• Enter “Grow Today Bundle” in the learning search bar
• Click on Grow Today Bundle to view all 16 eCourses (this page will also tell you if you have completed a course, if it is in progress, or if you have not yet started it)
• Enter “Berkeley People Management Knowledge Assessment” in the learning search bar
• Click on Berkeley People Management Knowledge Assessment to start the last part of the requirement

You can use this worksheet to track your progress. 

For faculty, here's the easiest way to find the BPM: Academic Leader Bundle:

• Go to the UC Learning Center (there’s a link in the top right box of People & Culture’s Grow Your Skills page)

• Enter “Academic Leader Bundle” in the learning search bar

• Click on BPM: Academic Leader Bundle to view the 8 eCourses that make up this bundle (this page will also tell you if you have completed a course, if it is in progress, or if you have not yet started it

For staff positions, aspiring campus leaders have the benefit of being able to prepare for a people management position in advance of interviewing for the role. While earning a certificate is not an assured path to being offered a new position, this requirement enhances the candidate’s skills, giving internal candidates an advantage in an incredibly competitive labor market while supporting UC Berkeley in developing talent from within. 

Time spent on professional development is not a “loss of time” but rather a productive use of time because it enhances an employee’s skills and supports their professional growth.  Both benefit the University, and employees of UC Berkeley are employees of the entire institution, not just one particular department or unit. More than ever, continuous growth and development are critical to maintaining our staff's excellence and supporting the campus's mission. UC Berkeley supports staff professional development through systemwide Procedure 50, which states that "non-probationary career employees are eligible for up to 80 hours (non-exempt) or 10 work days (exempt) release time (prorated based on appointment) per calendar year for professional development, which should be career-ladder related." In addition, UC Berkeley has our own policycreated to further support the professional development of all staff. The institution as a whole is absorbing the “cost” of professional development to support retention of a highly skilled workforce. 

Fortunately, delaying the requirement for internal recruitments is unnecessary as BPM Part 1: Grow Today is a fully online learning series available 24/7 for just-in-time learning. The majority of its modules take 35 minutes or less to complete. Since all components bookmark participant progress, they do not require being completed in one sitting, allowing employees to structure their learning into bite-size increments and work within their schedule and around other work commitments.

Time spent on professional development is “regular work,” and therefore, it is recorded as “straight time,” not "vacation" or some other type of leave.  UC Berkeley supports staff professional development through systemwide Procedure 50 (in accordance with Policy PPSM-50), which states that "non-probationary career employees are eligible for up to 80 hours (non-exempt) or 10 workdays (exempt) release time (pro-rated based on appointment) per calendar year for professional development, which should be career-ladder related." In addition, UC Berkeley has created its own policy to further support the professional development of all staff. The institution as a whole is absorbing the “cost” of professional development to support retention of a highly skilled workforce.

The UC Systemwide People Management Certificate (UCSPMC)  program is a systemwide program. To earn this certificate, a person must take 16 core courses and 4 elective courses across four UCOP-determined competencies. 

Included in the 16 core courses for the UCSPMC are the requirements for the UC Managing Implicit Bias Certificate (UCSMIB), also a systemwide certificate series.

The BPM Part 1: Grow Today series includes the 16 core courses required for the UCSPMC and one additional requirement, the Berkeley People Management Knowledge Assessment. This means, that once the BPM Part 1: Grow Today series is completed, an employee will have earned two certificates: BPM Part 1: Grow Today and the UCSMIB. In addition, they will be only four courses away from completing a third certificate, the UCSPMCThose who complete the UCSPMC are eligible to attend UCOP's annual UC People Management Conference held in Los Angeles. 

People & Culture will be utilizing communications such as CalMessages, Manager News, Manager Forums & Manager Masterminds to remind managers of the requirement as we progress towards June 2022.

Begin by reviewing your results from the Berkeley People Management Knowledge Assessment. These results provide a list of suggested development opportunities and resources related to any knowledge gaps identified. Partner with your manager to create a professional development plan to strengthen the identified areas. The plan might include attendance in suggested workshops, individual coaching from your manager, and/or on-the-job stretch assignments.

The Berkeley People Management program consists of four certificate series; touched briefly on below:  

The BPM Part 1: Grow Today series is designed for everyone. This fully online workshop series is designed for all staff, from seasoned people leaders to those desiring to become a manager, supervisor, or team lead. Seasoned people leaders use these content refreshers for pertinent people management information. Aspiring leaders use these quick learning experiences to gain a sense of the breadth of knowledge and depth of responsibility required for a campus leadership role.

Completion of this series is required of all applicants for "internal UC Berkeley" recruitments for administrative/staff supervisory or managerial positions posted on or after July 1, 2020, and of all administrative/staff managers and supervisors by June 30, 2022. Content in this series is honored regardless of the time period it takes to complete the entire series.

The BPM Part 2: Grow Your Knowledge and BPM Part 3: Grow Your Team series are best suited to individuals with current and/or previous people management experience. This can be the supervision of direct reports, volunteers, students, etc. in either a current or past role. As long as the individual has engaged in overseeing the work of others in some capacity (now or in the past), they will have the background necessary for engaging in the interactive portions of each of the workshops.

The BPM Part 2: Grow Your Knowledge series provides in-person workshops to obtain the knowledge necessary to navigate policies and procedures in our unique campus environment.

The BPM Part 3: Grow Your Team series provides the skills necessary to engage teams for ultimate group success at UC Berkeley.

Once either series is started, an individual has two years to complete the entire series. This means that once a person takes their first workshop in either of these two series, they have two years from that date to complete the remaining workshops in that particular series to be eligible to receive the certificate for that series.

For example, the BPM Part 3: Grow Your Team certificate currently has 11 components. If you started this series by taking BPM 207 Leading Change on July 9, 2022, you have until July 9, 2024, to finish the remaining 10 components required for the BPM Part 3: Grow Your Team certificate.

A two-year “look back” is reasonable. Going back further is not prudent as course materials are continually updated due to the changing nature of the workforce and the evolution of employment policies.

The BPM Part 4: Grow the Organization series is a cohort-based program intended for senior campus leaders (M1s and above). It offers in-person workshops, a 360° leadership assessment, and integrated group coaching to equip leaders with the skills essential for strategic success at UC Berkeley and with the support necessary to bring their best selves to the role. This cohort series is completed by participants over an eight-week period.

The time to complete the online content for the BPM Part 1: Grow Today series and the BPM: Academic Leader Bundle varies depending on how deep, and reflective you choose to be. That's the beauty of self-paced, online learning! The BPM Part 1: Grow Today curriculum takes a minimum of 9 hours to view. The BPM: Academic Leader Bundle takes a minimum of 3 hours, 41 minutes to view. Each training module includes a “playbook” and additional resources for use during the session and afterward for reference. Individuals can spend additional time (generally 15-35 minutes per module) with these materials and resources at their discretion.

Please view this worksheet in order to get a general idea of the length of each eCourse.

The BPM Part 1: Grow Today series must be completed only once. While the series does not need to be completed more than once, administrative/staff managers and supervisors are encouraged to use these modules as content refreshers for pertinent people management information as often as is useful.

No. No other workshops fulfill the requirements for the BPM Part 1: Grow Today certificate.

The Berkeley People Management program replaced the former campus supervisory program,  Keys to Enhance Your Supervisory Success (KEYS). Workshops in the KEYS program were last taught in 2017. Content taken towards completion of any KEYS program certificates will not be counted towards completion of any Berkeley People Management certificates, as workshop materials are continually updated due to the changing nature of the workforce and the evolution of employment policies.

For staff positions, all applicants for "internal UC Berkeley" recruitments for supervisory or managerial positions posted on or after July 1, 2020, must have completed the Berkeley People Management (BPM) Part 1: Grow Today online training series prior to applying. In addition, all managers and supervisors must complete the BPM Part 1: Grow Today series by June 30, 2022. 

For academic positions, only academic appointees who directly supervise staff employees will be required to complete this training. 

People & Culture hosted a BPM Part 1: Grow Today Ask the Experts Series as a companion to this fully online, self-driven learning experience in spring, 2022. You can view these sessions by clicking this link to our webpage. As a manager and campus leader, we also encourage you to schedule and host sessions with your colleagues and teams to further support the integration of this learning into our daily work. 

For staff positions, all applicants for "internal UC Berkeley" recruitments for supervisory or managerial positions posted on or after July 1, 2020, must have completed the Berkeley People Management (BPM) Part 1: Grow Today online training series prior to applying.

In addition, all managers and supervisors must complete the BPM Part 1: Grow Today series by June 30, 2022.

Academic appointees who directly supervise staff are required to complete a subset of the Berkeley People Management Part 1: Grow Today series called the Academic Leader Bundle.

This training is required because it includes content that is critical for your success as an employee and ensures that we all have the skills necessary to create a thriving, safe and inclusive workplace at UC Berkeley. If we fail to complete these basic courses, we can expose our community to potential harm and expose both the University and ourselves to legal liability and reputational damage.

UC Berkeley leadership supports professional development is important for everyone and believes that implementing this requirement will benefit the entire workforce, and it is not viewed as a punitive measure because of widespread poor management skills. We understand the power of having a growth mindset; continuous growth and development are critical to maintaining our staff's excellence and supporting the campus's mission. People management policies, practices, and collective bargaining agreements are complex, and everyone can benefit from dedicating some time to refreshing and practicing their leadership skills. In addition, promoting equity, inclusion, and belonging across the entire campus benefits everyone. Creating a common language and ensuring a common understanding of baseline knowledge benefits the entire institution. Due to the changing nature of the workforce and the evolution of employment policies, content refreshers are prudent for even the most seasoned professional. The required training helps to ensure we are all working in a safe, respectful, inclusive, and welcoming environment, goals to which we all aspire.

BPM Part 1: Grow Today was designed with both new managers and experienced managers in mind. Even our most experienced and highly trained managers can benefit from refreshing and updating their management skills.  More than ever, continuous growth and development are critical to maintaining our staff's excellence and supporting the campus's mission.  People management policies, practices, and collective bargaining agreements are complex, and everyone can benefit from dedicating some time to refreshing and practicing their leadership skills. In addition, promoting equity, inclusion, and belonging across the entire campus benefits everyone. Creating a common language and ensuring a common understanding of baseline knowledge benefits the entire institution. Due to the changing nature of the workforce and the evolution of employment policies, content refreshers are prudent for even the most seasoned professional.