Creating Connection: A Conversation with the Athletics Office

By Ryan Treible with Sustainability

At the heart of creating a more engaged workplace lies a critical question: How can staff truly connect and thrive in an environment that values their well-being? For Bo Stewart, Assistant Director of Athletic Facilities, and Craig Lee, Director of Athletic Facilities and Events at Northeastern University, the answer starts with trust, clarity, and making sure people know their voices matter.

When Bo joined the team in 2022, it was a much different picture. “A small number of employees were carrying the bulk of responsibility, with some logging up to 600 hours of overtime a year. Staff were tired, turnover was a risk, and the culture needed a reset.” 

That shift began with honest conversations and tangible changes. “Engagement doesn’t start with a meeting or an event,” Bo said. “It starts with being honest about what’s going on.” That honesty became the foundation for more balanced workloads, predictable scheduling, and improved morale. “One of the biggest rewards has been doing payroll and seeing everyone’s hours are under control, even during big weeks.” 

These weren’t surface-level tweaks. Bo and the leadership team restructured event planning systems, trained more staff to handle complex conversions, and encouraged people to take paid time off without guilt. “We had to find a way to decrease exhaustion levels,” Bo explained. “We wanted people starting the week back at 100 percent.” 

When Craig Lee, Athletics Director, stepped into his role about 13 months ago, he found a team already moving in the right direction and saw his role as helping deepen that momentum. “Bo had already made it a focus to engage with our service staff and get them involved in the process,” he said. “We’ve only sought to enhance that.” 

The traditional top-down approach gave way to a more inclusive model. Instead of decisions filtering down from leadership, staff members were brought into the conversation. Leads and supervisors now join weekly administrative meetings, and updates are accessible to all, regardless of shift or location. “We don’t care how you get the information,” Craig said. “We just want to make sure you have access to it.” 

But meetings and memos can only do so much. Both Bo and Craig emphasized the value of informal, one-on-one conversations; those unplanned moments that build connection and trust over time. “You get a lot of stuff done walking around,” Bo said. “That’s how we build relationships.” 

That trust has opened the door to a more energized and self-motivated team. Cross-training is now a common practice, not a rare exception. “We’ve got night guys who come in during the day because they want to learn how to put the basketball floor together,” Bo said. “Instead of saying no, we say, ‘Feel free, come in. This works for you, and it works for us.’”

That encouragement has extended beyond scheduling. Bo has also pushed his team to explore their interests, attend industry events, and bring back ideas. “Previously, it was sort of like the bosses go, and then they come back and tell everybody what they need to do,” Bo explained. “Now, when I take the crew, their ideas are going, the wheels are turning. They’re excited!” 

On the operational side, efficiency has improved as well. Systems have been put in place to reduce friction. For example, a mobile equipment cage now houses everything needed for basketball conversions in one place. “You don’t have to go running around the building looking for a tool,” Bo said. “It’s all there.” 

Planning large events like commencement has become smoother, too. With a structured playbook and clearer roles, confusion has been minimized, and last-minute pivots are easier to manage. “We used to reinvent the wheel every year,” Bo said. “Now, we learn, repeat, tweak, and improve.” 

Craig echoed that sentiment: “There is no end point. The work is never done. But if you build the right culture, it can sustain challenge.” 

That commitment to culture isn’t limited to one department. As Beya Jimenez, Director of Belonging and Engagement for PREF, put it: “The culture shift we’ve witnessed in our Athletics unit is a clear example of what happens when our people managers place an employee-first approach… With Athletics, I worked with their leadership to ask the right questions of their staff and get to the root of their discontent so they could show up to work and be motivated to do their best.” 

Bo and Craig’s approach offers a model for building not just operational success but genuine connection. It’s about making sure people feel supported, respected, and that they truly matter; not just as employees but as contributors to something larger than themselves.

Written by Ryan Treible, June 23rd, 2025

Photos from the Boston News 25 (first) and Kristyn Ulanday (second).