It’s Time to Get Your Free Flu Shot!
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Flu season is here. To help you stay healthy, the County is offering free flu shots to all County employees. No appointment is necessary; just show your County ID. See the schedule.
Walk the HEART Talk
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Hard to believe, but we’re coming up on four years since we started our Customer Experience Initiative and spread the message of serving with HEART. Since it was rolled out, I’ve been delighted at how fired up people get about it, making decorations, coming up with departmental recognition, sharing Positive Experiences and so on.
That’s great. That’s how we keep the HEART spirit alive.
I want us to build on that enthusiasm and really see HEART seep into every aspect of what we do. This effort has always been about building a culture. Making exceptional customer service simply the County way of life. Ingrained in how we work, so deeply that as years go by and new employees come on board, they immediately sense the expectation, see our actions and follow suit.
We can memorize what HEART stands for (you can rattle off the five qualities, right? Here's a refresher). But are we living it day to day, person to person?
One thing we’ve stressed with HEART is taking a really broad view of who our customers are and what customer service is. Traditionally, the picture that comes to mind is helping someone who comes to one of our counters somewhere. Without a doubt, that’s still a big part of it. Service with a smile means a lot.
But that’s just the start. We’re there to make it as easy as possible for them to get through a process. We need to be applying HEART to every step. Being pleasant, patient and Respectful when interacting with customers. Dedicated and demonstrating Expertise in helping them toward success.
If we need to send them to another division or department, how are we making sure the handoff goes smoothly? That they’re not dropped in transition or sent in circles? Did we follow up to confirm they got what they needed? Creating a positive customer experience means not just getting our particular task done but making sure customers reach their goal.
This is the wider view of HEART. It goes beyond the personal attention to the customer to things like looking at processes themselves. It might be as simple as rewriting a set of instructions so they’re easier to understand or as big as revamping a case management system. To borrow a business term, HEART can scale.
And if we look at improving efficiencies, are we always considering whether a change is better for the customer, not just easier for us? Ideally, a process improvement does both, but not necessarily. This is especially important to keep in mind any time we take advantage of technology. It can do wondrous things, but its ultimate success has to be measured in customer satisfaction.
For many of our customers, a website is their County experience. Is yours Helpful and Attentive to your customers’ needs? Does it put the things people want most often front and center? Is it written as plainly and simply as you would talk to people in person? Is it organized how customers might think, not according to our bureaucracy? Those of you who work on websites may never interact with the public, but you’re directly involved with delivering an exceptional experience.
As we challenge ourselves on living out HEART principles in all things, I ask that you always consider your fellow County employees as customers as well. An essential feature of the culture we’re building is that our co-workers deserve the full HEART treatment.
No one here operates independently. We depend on a whole chain of people for anything we do. And each of us is a link in the chain of our colleagues’ work. It all links back to the public, so we’ll only be as good for them as our support is for each other.
Our internal rules and processes can be complicated, and just because someone is an employee doesn’t mean they’ll automatically understand them. Show the same care and offer the same guidance with your co-workers as you would with the public.
Speak their language. Every line of work here has terms and acronyms that mean nothing to others. You’ll build inclusion when you avoid tossing out words that other employees are unlikely to understand.
And just communicate overall. Give people updates or heads up on things so they can plan accordingly. Be Timely in replying to mails or calls. If you’re slammed, at least acknowledge you got the message and will get to it.
Researchers have found a close link between internal customer service and how external customers see the quality of our services. Show your fellow employees HEART, and it makes its way back to the public.
HEART is a byword, but it also evokes the center: putting the customer experience at the heart of everything we do. Truly living HEART, in all ways, with all customers, is how we’ll get there.
AAACE Skates Down Memory Lane
/The African American Association of County Employees (AAACE) held an '80s-themed roller skating party at Skateworld San Diego on Sunday. Nearly 100 employees, family and friends of the Employee Resource Group attended the gathering. The fun social and fundraising event also promoted Live Well San Diego.
See the photos:
Learn more about the County’s 10 ERGs on InSite.
Virtually Hike Our Trails
/The County has over a hundred parks and preserves and 360+ miles of trails across more than 55,000 acres! You can virtually hike nearly a dozen of our trails. Find your favorite and share with your hiking buddies.
Very Busy but Rewarding Day for County Animal Services
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Employees at County Animal Services were up with the chickens for Clear the Shelters Day Saturday but by day’s end, it was all worth it. See the final tally and a gallery of adopted pets.
Nearly one thousand visitors showed up, and employees spent the day directing people into lines, handing out applications, conducting dozens of meetings between animals and potential adopters, completing paperwork and taking photos of happy families. Not to mention the regular care and feeding of the animals. Phew!
Director Dan DeSousa knows it's a lot of work and he waxed poetic in a thank you note to his employees:
Twas Clear the Shelters Day in San Diego, and all through the land
People were lining up at dawn, ready to sit or to stand
In Bonita it started at 5:45 am in the dark
When the first adopters arrived and did park
Their plan they had finally
To add a dog to their family
They knew the dog that they wanted
And the wait left them undaunted
The shelter staff were all busy early that day
Posting signs directing people to every which way
The animals were in their shelters getting ready for the day
Hoping that their forever family would soon walk their way
The adopters were ready, they had scouted out their pet
And they even knew some would have to be seen by a vet
When 9:30 arrived, our doors opened wide
To let all of the wonderful people come running inside
The adopters stood in line after line
Understanding that this would all take time
They came looking for Spot, for Tiger, and Chance
And when they found their future pet, they all started to dance
Some paperwork here, some paperwork there
It did not matter as their hearts were full of love to share
The time would come when their name we did call
And the pet would soon be interacting with them all
Happy barks, delighted purrs and even a meow or two
Meant all of these animals had found their new “you know who”
Someone who saw the lines and was not scared
Someone who really, really cared
A new family member to love, a new pet to dote on
Come on new mom and dad, let’s get a move on!
For our visitors we counted nine hundred and ninety three
Throughout the day, 155 interactions did handle we
Out the doors the new families went
Knowing today had been well spent
For in their own special way
They had helped with Clear the Shelters Day!
At the start of the day of rabbits we had two
And they both got adopted so we say Woo Hoo!
We had Bruiser and Dora, a bonded pair
Combined they have no teeth but they did not care
Their last owner had passed and they ended up here
But their new owner filled them both with cheer
They came in together and we committed to adopting them as one
And in the middle of the day, we could mark that adoption as done
But what about our darling China Rose?
The chunky cat that could not see her toes
Last year it was Chanka who did not get adopted
Would China Rose be the one that nobody wanted
While we had shaved off most of her fur
From ten feet away you can still hear her purr
If she was not adopted, KNSD had invited her to the station
To allow us to say “Hey Public, You Forgot One!”
As the day came to a close and we were all really tired
A couple walked it and it was China Rose they desired!
Thank you to Dagmar, Guad, Heather and whole KNSD crew
And even David Hernandez of the Union Tribune showed up too!
At the end of the day our adoptions stood at seventy three
For that you have the most sincere appreciation from me
There was so much hard work from our great staff and volunteers
But the hardest part came when our favorite animal was adopted and we tried to fight back the tears
Rest assured that they were definitely tears of happiness
And one of the main reasons we are all in this “business”
To find them all homes be it a dog, cat, and sometimes even an emu
To all of our staff, volunteers and adopters, we truly say “Thank You”!!
Meet Well, San Diego County Employees!
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Think about your last work meeting or training. Were there any snacks provided? Was it in-season fruits and veggies, or more processed items, like crackers, cookies, or chips? There’s a new voluntary practice making its way through the County that’s encouraging positive change in the way we eat while we meet. And you can be part of it.
It’s called Meet Well – a proud child of the Eat Well Practices, which are “rooted in nutrition and sustainability,” according to Food Systems Specialist Meghan Murphy.
Of course, Meet Well is more than just offering up healthy snacks at meetings (though that is a big part of it); it’s also supporting local agriculture by buying locally grown food, ensuring food safety, conducting green and zero-waste meetings (we’re looking at you, metal forks and reusable water bottles), being active, and even providing lactation accommodations at all-day trainings or conferences.
RELATED: Too Much On Your Plate? It's Food Waste Prevention Week
Sound like something you’re interested in? You can voluntarily pledge to create healthy meeting practices that support our commitment to “live well.”
Become a Meet Well ambassador – download the Meet Well Pledge template and work with your team to tailor it to your department or branch’s work culture.
“It’s an opportunity for different teams or groups to come together and collectively craft what their priorities are going to be to create healthier meetings and events,” Murphy said.
In fact, Public Health Services championed the implementation of the Meet Well Pledge by encouraging its adoption by all branches. Large County events like the Live Well San Diego Advance and other departments who have recently held all-staff meetings have decided to follow the Eat Well Practices and honor their Meet Well Pledge when organizing these events. You can join them in supporting the Eat Well Practices by crafting your own Meet Well Pledge and having healthy and sustainable events.
You can contact Meghan Murphy or Naomi Billups for more information on Eat Well Practices, including the Meet Well Pledge.
Do you try to practice more healthy and green options at work? Tell us about it in the comments!
Padres Salute Sheriff’s Department
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The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department was well represented when the Padres held their annual Law Enforcement Night at Petco Park Friday. More than a dozen deputies took the field before the game for a salute. Corporal Dan Sloppye and goodwill ambassador Teddy the dog threw out the ceremonial first pitch. And Deputy Camille Reyes sang while Lt. Cynthia Montgomery signed the national anthem.
Although Deputy Reyes has sung at Petco Park for Law Enforcement Night before, she said she was still nervous and excited to perform.
“It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and I am so grateful that my department gave me this opportunity” said Reyes. “It felt like walking into a dream.”
Watch above or on YouTube.
PerkSpot Alert: Save Big on Back-to-School Supplies
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Class is in session and we have a pop quiz for you. Which saves you more money on school supplies and back-to-school clothes: shopping full price at the mall or shopping online through PerkSpot?
The answer is PerkSpot! You can save 20 percent on school supplies like notebooks, folders and art supplies at Mead. Take 30 percent off backpacks at eBags. You can also find deals on apparel and shoes from Columbia Sportswear, Footlocker, Nike, Sketchers and Tilly’s – all at PerkSpot.
PerkSpot offers benefits and discounts through more than 400 service providers and retailers, from movie theaters to florists and jewelers. Go to SDCounty.PerkSpot.com and shop. If you are new, click on “Create an Account” to register.
Each month, one of the most popular PerkSpot deals will be highlighted on InSite.
Have You Reviewed Your Paystub Lately?
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You may have recently heard news reports that many Americans may not be withholding enough taxes following the new federal tax cuts. The new tax law increased the standard deduction, removed personal exemptions, increased the child tax credit, limited or discontinued certain itemized deductions, and changed the income tax rates and brackets which may affect your income tax liabilities.
There’s still time to review and make changes to your tax withholdings for this tax year. If you’re not sure if you should or not – you should. The sooner the better.
Withholding takes place throughout the year. If you need to adjust your withholding, doing so as quickly as possible means there’s more time for tax withholding to take place evenly during the rest of the year.
How much you should withhold depends on your individual circumstances. You can use the online IRS Withholding Calculator and the 2018 Federal Income Tax Withholding Tables to ensure you have the correct tax amount withheld each payday. The IRS even has a Withholding Calculator FAQs pageand an IRS Withholding Table FAQs to further assist you.
If you need to increase or decrease your federal tax withholdings, simply log on to PeopleSoft Employee Self-Service to access your W-4. For further assistance, you can find step-by-step instructions in the Employee Self Service Desk Aid.
A Salute to Our Sheriff’s Department
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We have a number of priorities as a County. But public safety is at the top of the list. You need that basic sense of security before we can strive for our many other worthy goals.
Many departments and programs play a part in that. I want to take a minute to recognize the most visible members of our public safety efforts: the men and women of our Sheriff’s Department.
Between the unincorporated area and the nine cities they contract with, the department provides law enforcement for nearly a million residents. It operates seven jails, managing a population of around five thousand people at any given time. And it provides security and other services for the Superior Court at the various court buildings, including the new downtown courthouse.
The duties in that outline are tough enough. Then add to that a series of challenges the department has risen to in recent years. Realignment, the County’s shifted focus to reentry, the expansion of mental health services in our jails, body-worn cameras, and so on. The department – from recently re-elected Sheriff Bill Gore to deputies on the streets – has proven itself capable of adapting to meet new demands.
When we opened the Waterfront Park, we envisioned it as “San Diego’s front porch.” It’s inviting and high-profile by design, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone that it’s become a go-to gathering spot for various protests and rallies. The crowds themselves have been peaceful, but our Sheriff’s Department has helped ensure that these events go smoothly.
Likewise, we relied on the department when President Trump’s visit to border wall prototypes crossed a stretch of County property. It went without incident, but an enormous amount of effort went into contingency planning for such an emotionally charged event.
Our Sheriff’s Department also plays a role in keeping County employees safe in their workplaces. After the terrorist attack in San Bernardino, we launched a review of security at County facilities. Sheriff’s Department staff have done assessments on more than 200 sites or departments. In the recently passed County budget, we set aside several million dollars to work on a variety of safety improvements based on those assessments. And we’ve set in place a schedule to repeat and update those site checks in the future.
As part of that same security initiative, the Sheriff’s Department has trained thousands of employees on what to do in an active shooter situation. One County employee found the lessons valuable when he wound up near the concert shooting in Las Vegas last year. I hope you’ll never have to put this training into practice, but we should all be thankful we have the guidance of these law enforcement professionals.
I also want to thank deputies for providing not just physical security but adding to the County’s fiscal stability in our latest labor contract. Just last week, the board gave final approval to a new five-year agreement with the Deputy Sheriff’s Association. Negotiations are always a balancing act. We want employees compensated fairly for the tremendous work they do while also making sure we’re responsible with taxpayer dollars. The deal we reached satisfies both those demands for the years ahead.
Crime-fighting is probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the Sheriff’s Department, but there’s so much more they do. The Take Me Home program helps locate people with Alzheimer’s or other disabilities. Deputies carry out evacuations during wildfires. They teach new drivers about risks and responsibilities. They collect prescription drugs to keep them from falling into the wrong hands. The RESPECT youth mentoring program steers kids away from trouble.
As is true with every part of our organization, the department faces challenges. But as you can see in the examples I gave, it doesn’t shy away from change.
Even though they may feel like a separate agency sometimes, Sheriff’s employees are part of our County family. I hope you share both my pride in calling them colleagues and my appreciation for their work providing the security that’s the foundation for so much of what we do.
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