And the Employee Engagement Survey Says …

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The County’s biennial employee engagement survey results are out, and they show areas where the County is doing well and areas for improvement.

The results went before the Board of Supervisors on Feb. 28. The survey was conducted in September 2022 by an independent consultant, CPS HR Consulting, and will serve as a benchmark for future surveys, which will guide our efforts around employee engagement now and in the years to come.

More than 6,600 employees answered the questionnaire, and the overall results show 37% were “fully engaged,” 47% “somewhat engaged” and 16% “not engaged.”

The two highest scoring questions included employees who said they had a least one person at work who they could rely on for guidance and support, and that they knew what was expected of them on the job. Both those questions ranked above 89%. Survey analysis also showed that the County’s Diversity & Inclusion efforts scored well and positively influenced employee engagement.

Among the lowest scoring questions, only 45.1% felt they knew enough about the work of other County departments to make a decision to move to another department. While slightly higher, only 50% agreed that “it is safe to challenge the way things are done” and 59% agreed that “ideas from employees are valued,” suggesting that employee involvement is essential to engagement. There are also opportunities to improve in the area of training and development that will help employees succeed in their careers.

Each Department received their engagement results and will be working with employees to address key areas for improvement.

Employees will have many chances to give their input on the survey results. The first Countywide opportunity will come at our D&I Executive Council Townhall Session on Ethics & Engagement, scheduled for March 29 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  The consultant will explain the survey results and ask for suggestions and input on how to improve engagement. Additionally, each department will determine methodologies for soliciting feedback on improving operational performance. This feedback will be incorporated into action plans to make improvements at both the County-wide and departmental levels.

“Let’s Get Ethical, Ethical!”

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The County of San Diego Office of Ethics and Compliance (OEC) is holding a series of activities highlighting ethics and compliance activities throughout March in honor of Ethics Awareness Month.

Camp Ethics sticker

This week, Human Resources Director Susan Brazeau will discuss the importance of ethics from noon to 12:30 p.m. on March 7. This virtual event will be held on Zoom.

Do you like games? The OEC Team has a few fun ways for employees to learn the Code of Ethics:

You can submit the completed Scavenger Hunt to OEC by email or drop off at the Ethics Fair on March 16, 11:30am-1:00pm, at COC to be entered in an opportunity drawing. Online participants are automatically entered.

Interested in ways to champion ethics in the workplace? Consider the below:

  • Recommitting to the Code of Ethics. Our code of ethics is the foundation of our County culture.

  • Sharing your favorite Know the Code micro-learning (posted on InSite and LMS).

  • Requesting that OEC conduct an on-site ethics training or speak at an upcoming department meeting.

  • Checking out the "Ethics In-a-Box” training resources for managers/supervisors.

If you ever have a question about what is ethical, don’t wait to get answers. Employees can always turn to their supervisor or manager first if they have a concern. Check out the OEC webpage on InSite for information about Ethics Awareness Month, as well as, upcoming Ethics & Compliance training, resources including monthly “Know the Code” articles and micro-training videos.

Get Better at Managing Conflict

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Our Employee Wellness Program recently launched an employee wellness challenge called “Renew.” While the registration has closed, you can still benefit from these wellness micro-learnings and activities. Check back often for activities to help you create calm, boost happiness, sharpen focus and increase energy.  

Today’s lesson is on managing conflict.

Learn to approach differences with compassion.

Disagreements are a normal, inevitable part of communication and need not derail a relationship. Instead, working through problems can be an opportunity to build stronger, more resilient bonds.

Think about how you’ll address differences ahead of time, before emotions run high. Having the tools to deal with conflict in a positive way can help keep a disagreement from escalating. Keep these attributes in mind to maintain your level head:

  • Respect — remember, during a heated discussion, that you value the other person; try these techniques for making yourself heard without hurting feelings

  • Attention — read the other person’s body language and tone of voice; some people tend to withdraw rather than express their feelings

  • Calm — work on keeping your emotions in check; if you need time to decompress before continuing the conversation, ask for a break to cool down, and learn ways to recalibrate

  • Compromise — focus on coming to an agreement and moving on; your goal isn’t to convince the other person or win the argument.

For more information on Employee Wellness offerings, visit this InSite page.

Read more lessons from Renew.

Askew View of a Changing San Diego

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Michael Arce of Behavioral Health Services shares this view from the Camino South Office of Snapdragon Stadium shortly after it opened last fall. Sporting events, concerts and other fun Snapdragon Stadium activities are great opportunities to boost happiness and connect with others.

Share your photos! If you see a coworker getting the job done, a beautiful sunset over your office or a wonderful County program being offered—snap a pic and submit it to communications@sdcounty.ca.gov. Be sure to include information about the photo and your name. One image will be posted to InSite every week and may be shared on social media.

See more of Your View photos

CAO Message: 'I’ll Take a Minute to Thank You, You Take a Day to Enjoy'

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A message from Chief Administrative Officer Helen Robbins-Meyer:

It’s a happy day for me anytime I can dwell a bit on how fortunate I am to have all of you as we work together to accomplish so much.

I look through reports and budgets, and I’m often struck by two things. How many ways we touch people’s lives. And how much work goes into that. The million and one details behind every success.

That’s all you. There is no big picture without the countless parts that come together to make it. I have the deepest gratitude for each of you and all you contribute.

This celebration comes in the same week that we passed a huge milestone: the ending of our COVID-19 public health emergency.

The fact that we can take this step is thanks in large part to all your efforts throughout the pandemic. To those directly involved in testing, getting vaccines out, treatment, and all the support work behind that. To those revamping operations overnight so we could keep our services coming while minimizing chances of spreading the virus. Thank you.

Even though we made it official this week, we’ve been transitioning out of COVID crisis mode for a while. What that’s meant is a transition into a variety of urgent, demanding challenges. As we mark this moment, we want to recognize all the effort you gave in moving us through the emergency and into our new era by giving you some time.

We are granting eight hours of recognition leave to all eligible employees. You can take the leave anytime in the coming fiscal year, July 1, 2023-June 30, 2024. Here are all the eligibility details, and if you have additional questions, you can contact your department’s HR representative.

However you spend the extra day, I hope it’s with the sense of reward for a job well done.

It has been an extremely turbulent, sometimes exhausting, three years. It’s a chapter that will stand out in history, and you’ve been a huge part of helping people through it.

My time at the County is winding down, and I expect this will be my last Employee Appreciation Day message. The appreciation I feel, though, is something I’ll take with me and hold onto forever. We’ve achieved great things during my years here, and I’m profoundly grateful for the heart and energy you’ve all poured into making them happen.  

For all you’ve done, for all I know you’ll continue to do as the County moves ahead, I thank you so much.

And I’m not the only one with an attitude of gratitude today. Be sure to visit InSite, where we’re sharing all kinds of messages of thanks in celebration of the day.

Happy Employee Appreciation Day!

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Today we applaud you—all 18,000+ of you! Hear CAO Helen Robbins-Meyer’s Employee Appreciation Day message and see videos, photos and notes of appreciation from across the County. 

To the A&C FAR Team,

A&C FAR Team - You’re the most amazing, awesome, incredible, great, remarkable, wonderful, intelligent, hardworking, professional, kind, giving, terrific, best, etcetera, etcetera team I could ever ask to work with!!!!

You are the BEST!!!!!

Thank you for all the great work you do! I am honored to be working with such a great group! 

-Brian Ruehle
Deputy Controller
Auditor and Controller Department

Note from Bernadette Javate to the Auditor & Controller Central Payroll Administration team
Note from Ray Zapanta to Office of Revenue and Recovery - Fiscal Divsion

a Message from the Public Health Services Steering Committee: Dr. Wooten, Dr. Hernandez, Dr. Kaiser, Dr. Kadakia, Dr. Bhatia, Adrienne Yancey and Denise Lozares

Thank you to Office of Revenue and Recovery staff from LeShay Shaw
I heart my awesome team sticker

The Wall of Appreciation for HHSA Contract Support

Thank you from Maggie Earle to Agency Contract Support team

Phyllis Ocampo, Legal Support Supervisor at the Office of County Counsel, cut fresh coconuts for her team to celebrate Employee Appreciation Day.

An Employee Appreciation Day Quiz!

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We’re not sure what’s more amazing―County employees, or all the things you accomplish every day. Fact is, we’re not sure that even you realize all the amazing things you accomplish!

So we’ve put together a little quiz to test how much you know, share things you may not know, and give you all a well-deserved pat on the back!

(By the way, all this info can be found in the Annual Report, which the County puts out each year to brag to the public about your good work)

So, without further ado, the QUIZ…

1.   How many no-cost blood pressure screenings were given in last year’s Live Well San Diego’s Love Your Heart Campaign?

A.   911 Which, by coincidence, is the number you may have to call if you DON’T Love Your Heart.

B.   46,411 which is also the zip code for Merriville, Indiana.

C.   1,415 which also happens to be the year of the oldest known valentine that still exists according to the Greeting Card Association. It was a poem written by the Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London.

Answer: B! Who knows how many lives this may save? Good work everyone!

2.   How many items were circulated last year by the County library?

A.   8,218,118 If you converted this huge number to minutes, it would equal 1 decade, 6 years, 11 months, 3 weeks, 2 days, 38 minutes. Talk about overdue books…

B.   3.28 million which matches the County’s total population.

C.   8,675,309 Hmmm, sounds familiar. Oh yeah! It’s also Jenny’s number. Thank you Tommy Tutone!

Answer: A! Again, a huge number.

3.   How many San Diego residents received MediCal last year thanks to the assistance of County staff?

A.   560,000 which also happens to be roughly the number of words in Tolstoy’s epic War and Peace… Classic

B.   400,000 which also happens to be the estimated number of people who attended the most famous rock event ever, Woodstock in 1969.

C.   973,739 A LOT of people. For context, 973,739 minutes ago was 1912, the year the Titanic took its first and last voyage, New Mexico and Arizona became the last contiguous states added to the union, the Girl Scouts were founded and Oreo introduced its cookie.

Answer: C is the answer! That’s nearly three in 10 residents.

 

4.   How many insect traps did County employees inspect last year?

A.   145,187 which equals about 557 a day.

B.   100,000 which is also the name of indie pop band the Magnetic Fields first single―100,000 Fireflies.

C.   135,000 which also happens to be how many fans attended Comic Con last year.

Answer: A! Wow. 557 traps a day equals tired feet. Good job everyone!

5.   How many marriage licenses did the County recorder issue last year?

A.   14,344 which also happens to be Internet for “I Love You Very Much.”

B.   23,633 which is also a prime number, meaning it can only be divided by 1 and itself. The smallest prime number? Two, just the number of people on a marriage license!

C.   24,902 You might want to circle this one because it also happens to be the circumference of Earth in miles.

Answer: If you guessed B―you’re right! The prime number clue led to a primo job!

 

6.   How many new employees did the County hire last year?

A.   > 9,000 which also happens to be one of the Internet’s oldest memes! What does the Scouter say about his power level?!!!

B.   4,256 which also happens to be Pete Rose’s Major League Baseball record for total career hits.

C.   8,434 which also happens to be the asteroid number of Columbianus, which was discovered from Mount Palomar Observatory in 1960.

Answer: C is the answer! That asteroid bit? Totally true.

 

7.   How many San Diegans received CalFresh benefits last year thanks to the assistance of County staff?

A.   200,000 This also happens to be the County Administration Center’s total square-foot floor space.

B.   314,159 If this number looks familiar, blame your math teacher. It also happens to be the first six digits of Pi―as in “r-squared.” Go figure.

C.   360,192 which happens to be enough people to overfill the four largest stadiums in the NFL, the Giants/Jets Metlife Stadium, the Packers Lambeau Field, the Cowboys AT&T Stadium and the world champion Chiefs Arrowhead Stadium. Impressive.

Answer: Yes! It’s C! Who knows? Maybe the NFL will call…

 

8.   How many restaurants, public pools, public housing, body art and massage facilities did County workers inspect last year?

A.   16,000 Roar! That also happens to be the number of animals at the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, according to the Zoo’s annual report.

B.   39,637 which, if you break down into a numerology personality number (1), it would be characterized by the “need to succeed.”

C.   25,204 which also equals the number of words in I am Legend, the novella by Richard Matheson)

Answer: B!! We don’t quite understand the numerology thing either. But you all definitely succeeded. Well done!

 

9.   How many gas pump, taxi meter, water dispenser, scanner and counter scale inspections did County employees conduct last year?

A.   38,450 which happens to match Lebron James’ new all-time NBA scoring record point total.

B.   56,685 which equals one inspection every six minutes!

C.   40,000 which also happens to be the number of thunderstorms estimated to occur around the world every day.

Answer: B is the answer, very impressive. How the heck do you do it?

 

10. How many veterans did County employees help with service-related benefits last year?

A.   30,000 which also happens to be the “foot level” that gives you “the big picture.”

B.   30,066 To B? Or not to B? This number matches the number of words in Hamlet, Shakespeare’s longest play.

C.   37,866 which also happens to be the biggest number of finishers in the world’s largest marathon, the New York City Marathon, a record set in 2006.

Answer: C!! Yes, that’s right, we even beat out the renowned New York City Marathon. You would have won that too!

 

So, there you have it! A job well done. We hope you feel entertained and maybe a little smarter. But we definitely hope you feel appreciated!

Send Praise to Your Colleagues

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Share your appreciation! You can let a colleague know you're proud of them or thank them for their work in Teams chat or channels.

There are different ways to acknowledge your coworkers including in-person, by phone, a written note and via Microsoft Teams.

It’s quite simple once you found the Praise button in Teams chat or channels. To get started, you can watch this instructional video or follow these steps.

Note that personalized, one-on-one training or help can be found at Ask an Expert.

Send Praise in Teams Chat

1. Open a chat.

a. If this is a new chat, send a message to get this conversation started. It can even be “hello.”

2. Select the Praise badge button. It is located below where you write a new message or reply. If this your first-time using Praise, look for it in three dots.

4. In the “Title” area, select the badge to send. Some options are Team Player, Optimism, Inclusive or Thank You.

5. In the “Note” area, type a personalized note.

6. Click “Preview.” A preview of how your badge and message will look to others is displayed.

7. When finished, click “Send.”

Send Praise in a Teams Channel

To send Praise in a Teams Channel, open the Team and click “New conversation.” Then follow steps 2 through 6 above.

You can also check your Praise history to see what you’ve sent and received. Learn how to check your history and more about Praise in this Quick Guide: Send Praise in Teams. If you have questions or need help, contact Ask an Expert for one-on-one support.

Exercise Early for Maximum Rewards

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Our Employee Wellness Program recently launched an employee wellness challenge called “Renew.” While the registration has closed, you can still benefit from these wellness micro-learnings and activities. Check back often for activities to help you create calm, boost happiness, sharpen focus and increase energy.  

Today’s lesson is on exercising early.

Start your day with physical activity for a range of benefits.

Exercise at any time of day makes you feel great — it’s far better to fit in your yoga video or trip to the gym at 9 PM than not at all. But when your schedule is flexible, moving your body in the morning gives you bonus perks:

  • Get it done — good intentions can easily be waylaid by work, social obligations, and flagging motivation; if you leave it to the end of the day, exercise is easy to put off until tomorrow — but if you make it your first priority, you’re apt to fit in physical activity more often

  • Set the tone — starting your day with exercise is a positive step that creates momentum for healthy choices throughout the day

  • Sleep better — morning workouts provide the biggest benefit to quality sleep.

  • The why is easy, but the how to make morning workouts a habit can be more challenging; use these tips to get up and at ’em:

  • Try a wake-up light — sunrise-simulating alarm clocks can make it easier, especially during winter

  • Set out clothes — make it as convenient as possible to get moving by laying out your exercise clothes

  • Enlist a friend — plans to meet a buddy on the track or at the gym can add fun and make you more likely to show up.

For more information on Employee Wellness offerings, visit this InSite page.

Read more lessons from Renew.

3 Interns Are First Graduates in County’s Inclusive Internship Program

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Last month, the County hosted a graduation ceremony for the first class of interns from an inclusive employment internship called Jay’s Program. The program’s inspiration, Raymond “Jay” Bariuan, has worked with Supervisor Nathan Fletcher since 2008.  

Jay’s Program is designed to help those with intellectual and developmental disabilities improve their job skills and increase opportunities for future employment. While Jay’s Program was established in 2019, the program was put on pause due to COVID-19. A revamped relaunch took form in August 2022 thanks to the input of interns and County mentors.  

The 6-month, part-time paid internship program is funded through San Diego Regional Center and includes a bi-weekly cohort townhall and trainings, job coach support from program partner PRIDE Industries, and County department mentors. This month’s graduates increased their office skills and participating County departments expanded their perspective on what workplace culture can and should be. 

Three interns were recognized for their contributions to the County at a Feb. 3 graduation ceremony. The graduates were Barbara Brandon from the Office of Emergency Services, Pilar Healy from Child Welfare Services and Arthur Marron from County Fire.  

“A couple of highlights from my experience have been gaining experience and sharpening my skills in organization and my computer skills,” intern Brandon said during graduation. 

Marron thanked everyone for his opportunity to learn and for giving him a “chance to do better in life.” 



And earlier in the program, Healy said “I am learning many skills in this job, and I am learning more about myself.”  

Hear more from the graduates in this video made by Pride Industries. 

Eight Jay’s Program interns are currently working at the County. The next class is set to complete their internship at the end of March with a ceremony in the County Operations Center Chambers. 

Participants in Jay’s Program must be an active SD Regional Center and PRIDE Industries client. Learn more about Jay’s Program. 

L to R: Program Lead Holly Norton, Chief of Staff Natalia Bravo, the graduates and EDI Manager Taryell Simmons