When University of California employees have questions regarding their paychecks, seek clarification about benefits offered at UC, or need help navigating UCPath online, the first inquiry they’ll make handled by the UCPath Center’s Employee Services department.
The Employee Services team plays a key role as they are the go-to resource for all UC employees who need assistance with services provided by the UCPath Center.
An Employee Services role entails:
- Delivering reliable and accurate customer service to UC employees, managers and locations (as it relates to payroll, benefits and HR transactions).
- Promoting the use of UCPath online as a self-service and readily available resource for UC employees.
- Overseeing the customer service management system to ensure accurate, effective and expedient solutions.
Esperanza Sanchez is a business analyst for the Employee Services department and shared, “we are the folks who actually answer the phones and when a UC employee has any questions about their payroll and their benefits, our role is to support those employees. I also work on various projects to make sure that my team has all of the resources that they need to be able to help our UC colleagues.”
Employee Services Drives Innovation
The UCPath Center has an ever-evolving, dynamic culture, Sanchez explained. While most of the policy has been set by the UC Office of the President, the Employee Services team is continuously designing, evaluating and improving upon the UCPath process.
“We’re [similar to] a startup organization, so we’re trying to figure out the best way to conduct business,” she continued. “Everything we do has an impact on an employee at each campus, and our goal is to continually figure out how the best way to serve employees.”
To stay up-to-date on the latest policies and procedures of the University of California, the Employee Services team educates their team members about the UC benefits package, as well as trains them on technologies to keep current with developments on the employee self-service website resource, UCPath online.
For instance, the UCPath Center and UC Office of the President have adopted cloud-based solutions over the past five years, including UCPath (Human Capital Management (HCM) system), UCPath online (employee self-service portal), case management, and the phone system for employees that call in to speak with an employee services associate, explained Bill Freire, senior manager, IT.
“As more and more cloud based services are available, the UCPath Center will look to leverage those that add value and allow the organization to be more efficient and effective,” Freire added.
Opportunities for Advancement
When Sanchez started at the UCPath Center in 2015, she came onboard as a benefits associate. Two and a half years later, she was promoted to a business analyst position.
She said her work has an impact on the entire UC system. “The UC system has more than 200,000 employees, and we’re providing payroll services, benefits services, and answering any questions they may have about any of those items,” she noted. “I feel like I’m helping every single one of those employees out in the UC system.”
Sanchez said what excites her most about her role is that she gets to be a part of something new. “I get to make a difference in how we do business and how we help employees every day,” she concluded. “I’m a part of a big organization – the UC system – and that’s very exciting.”
Looking to join the employee services team? Check out the job opportunities at the UCPath Center.
