[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/w@mhomepage.jpg” caption=”The new Working at McMaster website.”]After many weeks of development, Working at McMaster has re-launched its website. Upgrades to the site include a more user-friendly, easier to navigate website and newly packaged sections for Careers, Professional Development, Awards and Recognition and Leadership Effectiveness.

The project arose directly from the feedback received from the site's users. It was frequently noted that the site was difficult to navigate and that information could be hard to find. The Working at McMaster Steering Committee recommended that the re-architecture should be considered a high priority.

Stephanie Cherwinksi, chair of the Working at McMaster Steering Committee noted that when www.workingatmcmaster.ca was first launched in 2000, “we could not anticipate that the site would grow to over 500 pages, or that traffic would grow to between 150,000 and 250,000 page visits each month. The shear volume of hits along with the increasing size of the website required attention. I believe we now have a website that is more attractive, easier to use and very logical in the way in which information is organized.”

One feature of the new website is still to come; the photo log of employees and work teams that has been created from the recent contest. Completion of this feature will take about four to six weeks, at which time the website will be able to feature these pictures through auto-rotation on pages throughout the site.

Working at McMaster is committed to continuous improvement of the site. Throughout the website there is opportunity for users to provide feedback on any part of the website and they hope that the employee community will use the feedback tools to help make www.workingatmcmaster.ca Canada's best communication tool for employee and employment related information.