What does cheese have to do with learning a new computer system?  Lots, according to David Butler, Assistant Vice President of Human Resources and Nancy Puglisi, Director of Organizational Wellness, who are facilitators of the organizational change training that is taking place for Project FRESH.  In the next few months, hundreds of future Banner Finance users will be attending training sessions to learn the new system.  The Project FRESH training experience will be very demanding as users relearn how to do business while they still maintain their current workloads.  At times, individuals may become overwhelmed and frustrated with the many changes taking place.  USNH recognizes the significant importance training has on the success of the system implementation and is committed to providing users with the necessary tools to be able to adapt to the new environment.

One of these tools is the change management training sessions that Dave Butler and Nancy Puglisi are conducting at each USNH campus.  Some of these sessions are based upon the popular book, “Who Moved My Cheese?” by Spencer Johnson and are intended to provide trainees with guidelines for coping with change and recognizing opportunities in new situations.  Since ‘the cheese’ in the humorous parable described in the book relates to different things for different individuals, attendees will gain insightful information that may be applied to various aspects of their lives, and not just the changes taking place here at USNH.  The point of the story is that we have to be alert to changes in the cheese and be prepared and willing to seek new cheese when the old cheese is gone.  Overcoming stress and attaining successful living is the goal. 

All Banner trainees will be encouraged to attend the organizational change workshop prior to taking other Banner training sessions.  A repeat of the organizational change workshops will be held next spring before Banner HR goes-live in July 2002.