From the Director's Office

DOP Releases New Guiding Principles for Human Resources

The Division of Personnel (DOP) has introduced a refreshed set of guiding principles designed to strengthen HR practice across state agencies and support a consistent, professional, and collaborative approach to serving employees. These principles reflect DOP’s commitment to integrity, clarity, teamwork, and fairness in all HR work.

1. Act With Integrity and Confidentiality

• Follow laws, policies, and collective bargaining agreements consistently.
• Protect personal and sensitive information at all times.
• Share information only with those who have a legitimate business need.

2. Honor Roles and Responsibilities

• Understand the scope of your role and respect the responsibilities of others.
• Avoid overstepping or taking on tasks that belong to another function unless agreed upon.
• Provide clear handoffs and ensure accountability for each step in a process.

3. Practice Teamwork and Collaboration

• Support colleagues, share knowledge, and collaborate to create solutions.
• Recognize colleagues’ unique talents and qualities as adding value and perspective.
• Communicate early and often to avoid misunderstandings and duplication of effort.

4. Communicate with Clarity and Professionalism

• Use respectful, transparent, and timely communication with employees and partners.
• Explain HR processes clearly so others can understand expectations and timelines.
• Listen actively and respond thoughtfully.

5. Remain Objective

• Recognize that HR often works with sensitive, emotional, or high-stakes situations.
• Maintain objectivity and professionalism; don’t take things personally.
• Assume positive intent and focus on facts, process, and solutions.

6. Ensure Fairness and Consistency

• Apply policies and procedures uniformly across cases and departments.
• Strive to reduce bias and ensure equitable treatment for all employees.
• Use data and established standards and best practices to guide decisions.

These guiding principles serve as a foundational resource for HR professionals statewide, promoting an ethical, collaborative, and consistent approach to supporting Alaska’s workforce. Let us all take the opportunity to integrate these commitments into our daily work.

NeoGov Onboard Project Update: Phase 1 Progress

The State of Alaska has reached an exciting milestone in the NeoGov Onboard project: Phase 1 department employees have now been successfully loaded into the system. Employees who currently use NeoGov Insight or Online Hiring Center (OHC) may begin noticing new Onboarding features appearing on their main Dashboard.

As departments transition into NeoGov Onboard, department HR will play a central role in supporting employees through the change. Your department HR should reach out directly with individuals who need access to complete onboarding tasks and provide guidance for how your department will be utilizing this new tool.

NeoGov Onboard provides a streamlined, fully digital, and organized new hire experience that replaces paper packets with tracked tasks, forms, training assignments, evaluation dates, standardizes processes across division / departments, and supervisor visibility across the onboarding process.

More updates are on the way as departments continue moving into the Onboard platform. Employees are encouraged to watch for communications from their department HR as the project advances and as we begin rolling out the Phase 2 departments with an anticipated kickoff date of September or October (pending final alignment with stakeholder schedules).

Performance Management Enhancements Launch July 1

Beginning July 1, supervisors across the State of Alaska received notice of several enhancements to Performance Management in AspireAlaska. These updates are designed to streamline the evaluation process and provide additional tools, training, and support for supervisors and their teams.

Performance Management is more than just completing evaluations. It starts with setting clear expectations, facilitating meaningful performance conversations, recognizing achievements, and supporting employee development throughout the performance cycle. The DOP’s Learning & Development Program has been working to make these processes easier and more accessible.

Key Enhancements

• Streamlined probationary evaluations with updated timelines and a simplified Mid-Probation workflow.
• Automatic probationary Performance Planning to help establish expectations and goals early in the probationary period (launching mid-July).
• Annual evaluation improvements to reduce workflow delays and enable timely personnel actions.
• Simplified workflows that make evaluations easier to navigate and complete.

New Resources Rolling Out

• Walkthrough videos for probationary and annual evaluations.
• Downloadable job aids for quick reference.
• Self-paced interactive training available directly in AspireAlaska.
• Virtual instructor-led training sessions for real-time support and Q&A.
• Performance Office Hours for personalized, one-on-one assistance.

For a complete list of the enhancements please view the State of Alaska Performance Management Enhancements 2026 PDF.

Celebrating Disability Pride: Why Accommodations Are HR’s Ultimate Innovation Driver

Disability Pride Month is an opportunity to recognize the history, achievements, and ongoing contributions of people with disabilities, both in our communities and across our workforce. The month traces its roots to the 1990 passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a landmark civil rights law that prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity in employment, transportation, public services, and more. The ADA spans five titles; Title I covers employment (prohibits disability discrimination and requires reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and employees), while Title II governs accessibility of state and local government services, programs, and facilities.

The ADA laid the foundation for accessible, equitable workplaces nationwide by affirming that disability inclusion is not optional, it’s essential. Today, its principles continue to shape how organizations design workspaces, policies, and practices to remove barriers and support full participation.

In our modern workplace, one of the most important tools the ADA provides is the framework for reasonable accommodations. Far from being mere compliance, accommodations are an exercise in smart, universally beneficial problem-solving. When we design workplace spaces and practices with accessibility in mind, we trigger the “Curb‑Cut Effect” — where adjustments made for the disability community end up benefiting a much wider population. This shows up in very practical ways across real workplaces.

Inclusive Communication Design: Providing written agendas for meetings, simple checklists for recurring tasks, or quick video overviews for new processes - originally created to assist neurodivergent employees or those with cognitive or sensory processing differences - improves focus, keeps teams on the same page, and makes onboarding smoother for everyone.

Balanced "Camera-On" Guardrails: Instead of eliminating video entirely, setting practical expectations – such as defaulting to “camera‑optional” for large webinars, allowing standard avatar images during independent work segments, or permitting brief off‑screen breaks – supports employees who experience sensory overload or facial fatigue while still maintaining meaningful team connection.

Ergonomic & Environmental Solutions: Swapping traditional round doorknobs for lever‑style handles or designating quiet work areas – originally introduced to support mobility or neurodivergent accommodations – makes everyday tasks easier for anyone carrying equipment, juggling materials, or trying to focus in a busy workspace.

Accommodations are highly practical, targeted adjustments that enable employees to perform essential job functions effectively. According to the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), 61% of workplace accommodations cost nothing, and most others involve only a modest one‑time expense of around $300. This is a powerful reminder that accommodations are not only legally required – they’re also operationally efficient and contribute to long‑term workforce stability. When implemented through a timely, good‑faith interactive process, accommodations strengthen retention, engagement, and overall productivity.

As we mark Disability Pride Month, we reaffirm our commitment to providing accommodations that thoughtfully balance individual needs with operational effectiveness. Our role in HR is to respond promptly to accommodation requests and lead a collaborative, compliant interactive process. We can also take a proactive approach by coaching our supervisors to ask a simple, supportive question during regular check-ins:

"Is there anything we can adjust in your daily workflow or tools to make things smoother for you?"

By normalizing these conversations and guiding our agencies in implementing practical, effective solutions, HR helps ensure every employee can contribute while strengthening the State of Alaska workforce.

Thriving Through Summer: Employee Tips for Wellness and Productivity

Summer brings both extra daylight and extra demands. These tips can help employees maintain balance, prevent burnout, and stay engaged:

1. Set realistic boundaries for time and energy

Encourage employees to block breaks, use leave intentionally, and protect time outside of work for family, rest, and outdoor activities.

2. Embrace flexible work options where possible

If allowed in your division, employees can discuss scheduling adjustments that support peak‑productivity hours or seasonal needs.

3. Prioritize tasks consciously

Help employees reflect on which tasks require high focus vs. which can be handled in lighter‑energy periods.

4. Use movement and daylight to boost well‑being

Short walks, time outside, or simply changing work surroundings can increase motivation and reduce stress.

5. Stay aware of signs of fatigue

Encourage employees to speak with supervisors early if workload challenges arise—before stress becomes unmanageable.

AspireAlaska Training

AspireAlaska offers courses on time management, personal well‑being, stress reduction, and building healthy work habits. Check out some of our available AspireAlaska training below:

• Manage Stress by Setting Boundaries Around Work
• 6 Tips to Achieve Work-Life Balance
• Prioritizing Effectively
• Exercises for well-being
• How to recognise and counteract fatigue

CDL Policy Updated with New Pay Status Guidance

The Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Policy (PDF) has been reviewed and updated, with revisions focused on small wording and formatting improvements. Agencies with CDL‑required positions are encouraged to revisit the policy to ensure they are familiar with all expectations and responsibilities.

The most notable update is the addition of Section I.F, which clarifies pay status for employees undergoing post‑accident testing when there is no reasonable suspicion and no positive test result. Agency HR should review this new section closely to ensure consistent application across their agencies.

Limitations for Positions Without a Position Description in OPD (“System Startup”)

As the Division of Personnel (DOP) continues to ensure compliance with position management processes set forth in the State Personnel Act and the Personnel Rules, departments are reminded a current, accurate position description (PD) is required for all positions in the classified service. Accordingly, updates for positions without a Position Description (PD) in the Online Position Description (OPD) system will be limited. “System startup” positions are those with only basic position control information and no documented duties, supervisory authority, or work demands in OPD.

Under the State Personnel Act, every position must have an accurate PD reflecting its essential functions and requirements. System startup positions are at least 20 years old and are missing critical information. To ensure compliance and support effective workforce management, departments have been asked to prioritize updating and entering PDs for these positions in OPD. Departments were provided lists of system startup positions in May 2026.

Supervisory changes in OPD will be restricted for positions at system startup status. Initiators will be notified that an update is required before changes can be processed. A full PD update in OPD will be required before any supervisory changes are permitted.

Hiring Managers are required to review the current PD of record for accuracy prior to advertising a vacancy on Workplace Alaska. Any PD that does not reflect current duties, responsibilities, and essential requirements must be updated prior to filling a position. Positions at “System Startup” in OPD should be prioritized for entry into OPD prior to posting.

Departments are encouraged to work with their HR office and/or Classification Services to complete these updates. If you need support or have questions, please reach out—we’re here to help!

NeoGov: Accurate Input for Accurate Output

NeoGov offers powerful reporting tools that help track key metrics like time to hire and recruitment history. However, these features only work well if the information entered into NeoGov is accurate and complete. It's essential that everyone entering data on Requisitions and Job Postings double-checks their entries for accuracy. Following your department’s workflow for moving applicants through each stage in the system is equally important. The more steps you record in NeoGov, the more detailed and useful your reports will be.

To ensure reliable data, pay close attention to fields such as Department, Division, Class Title, and Position on both the Requisition and Job Posting. These details are crucial for generating meaningful reports that show how recruitment is working across the State of Alaska—and helps break results down into smaller groups. If any of this information is entered incorrectly or left out, reports may be incomplete, and it can be difficult to spot missing data.

The move to using the Offer step by many departments has been a great step toward better data as we can now provide better information on the hire step for expected start date. The more hiring managers and recruitment staff use NeoGov’s tools and provide accurate information, the better analytics and reporting that can be available.

NeoGov Onboard Implementation Team and Phase 1 Group

This month, we’re proud to shine a spotlight on the incredible collaboration and commitment demonstrated by the NeoGov Onboard Implementation Team and the dedicated Phase 1 department HR staff. Their work has laid a strong foundation for modernizing and streamlining onboarding across the State of Alaska.

From the earliest planning discussions through hands‑on support, the implementation team—working closely with partners across departments—has ensured that Phase 1 agencies were set up for success. During rollout coordination, the team provided direct support by working with NeoGov’s Implementation Consultant, facilitating training sessions, developing standardized onboarding materials, troubleshooting employee import processes, and supporting agencies through technical and workflow questions.

The Phase 1 departments have also been standout contributors in launching this new system. The Phase 1 departments have been processing employees through Onboard, identifying pilot divisions, coordinating pre‑work, and taking thoughtful steps to prepare their teams for this transition. Their willingness to test, adapt, and provide feedback has been instrumental in refining the process and informing the next phase.

Staff within the DOP Director’s office and statewide Workforce Services have worked to ensure that departments new to Onboard receive consistent support. Their continued partnership reflects a strong statewide commitment to effective onboarding and improved employee experience.

Together, the Onboard Implementation Team and Phase 1 HR staff have demonstrated collaboration at its best—balancing innovation, problem‑solving, and service‑driven teamwork. Their efforts have not only strengthened the Onboard project but have also helped pave the way for a smoother Phase 2 rollout.

Thank you to everyone involved for your leadership, dedication, and steady focus on building a strong onboarding future for the State of Alaska.