You may wonder why an airport in Jamaica would look to an academic health center in Texas for advice. But to Carvell Mcleary, the choice was clear.
“I researched several organizations and was intellectually stimulated by UTMB’s Human Resources website, which included their strategic plan,” said Mcleary. “I took note of the department’s leader, Ronald McKinley, and called him. I outlined to him my wish and he unhesitatingly approved the proposal.”
Mcleary is senior director of human resources for the Airports Authority of Jamaica (AAJ), which oversees the six commercial airports in Jamaica. One of those airports, the Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA), will be privatized by 2016.
As part of the privatization, the AAJ is considering several projects, including a transformation of the airport’s HR system. Mcleary proposed a project to benchmark international best practices, then take the lessons learned and implement changes at NMIA. The AAJ agreed to fund a two-week trip at the beginning of January to get exposure to all sections of UTMB’s HR department.
McKinley, UTMB’s vice president for human resources and employee services, says his department was happy to help out. He adds that while there are nuances associated with different industries, the majority of HR practices are the same whether you are in health care or aviation.
“You still pay people, you still recruit people, you still train people, hire people, etc. Over the two-week trip, Carvell shadowed everyone on my leadership team and dug deep into all HR disciplines, including talent acquisition and recruitment, HR information management and employee relations,” McKinley said.
“He was really impressed with our overall employee development process, as well as our information systems.”
Mcleary said one of the basic things he learned during his trip was how technology underpins a department’s functionality.
“Technology facilitates the creation of knowledge, supports decision making, process renewal and integration of the HR department,” he said. “It also reduces traffic to the HR department, as employees and managers can get many things done through the HR website and the PeopleSoft software.”
Now back in Jamaica, Mcleary has already created a preliminary checklist of projects for implementation, which includes the establishment of an intranet that will give employees access to HR services 24/7. He is also drawing on resources from UTMB’s Alumni Field House for designing an employee gym at the airport.
Mcleary enjoyed his experience in Galveston and is already planning on coming back in March to look at additional HR methods used at UTMB.
“Beyond the knowledge and experience I gained, what resonated for me most was the acceptance and inclusion that I felt from employees and managers at UTMB,” he said. “Jamaicans are a very friendly and welcoming people but I wasn’t sure what to expect on this research assignment. However, everyone made me feel welcome before I came and quite at home throughout the trip. I am thankful to them and await my opportunity to reciprocate when any ‘UTMBite’ visits my island home for vacation or business.”