Employee Resource/Affinity Group Policy
Dear King County employee, As we continue to build a supportive, respectful, and equitable workplace culture at King County, we are committed to providing opportunities and spaces for employees to come together, share their experiences, and work to advance our Equity and Social Justice Strategic Plan. Executive Constantine recently signed the Employee Resource/Affinity Group Policy, which formalizes the work of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), also known as affinity groups. These groups are employee-led and focus exclusively on state- and federal-protected categories – such as race, gender, and sexual orientation – and their common… Read More
King County Executive and DNRP Director recognize employees at annual picnic
King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) held their annual employee picnic on the patio of King Street Center Thursday, Aug. 29, and were joined by some special guests. King County Executive Dow Constantine and DNRP Director Christie True thanked employees for a job well done and announced raffle winners. The department also hosted its own version of “Family Feud”, “Survey Sez” with Solid Waste Division Director Pat McLaughlin as host, and Deputy County Executive Rachel Smith was the head of one of the “families.” The picnic was a great opportunity… Read More
September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and National Recovery Month
This month, as we observe National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and National Recovery Month in King County, we’re highlighting the importance of mental health and wellbeing to our ability to live well and thrive. When we lose someone to suicide, it has a deep and profound effect on us. We can all help prevent suicide, and during National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, I encourage you to learn how to recognize the warning signs and what resources are available to help people in crisis. For National Recovery Month, we join others around the… Read More
Executive Constantine announces John Diaz appointed Director of the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention
Dear fellow King County employee, I am pleased to announce the appointment of John Diaz to serve as the new director of the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention, effective Wednesday, August 21. His appointment is subject to Council confirmation. John has served as Interim DAJD Director since April of this year, and during that time I have been impressed by his leadership, strategic thinking, and genuine interest in the work of DAJD employees, and the stability he has brought to the department. Prior to joining King County, John was the Seattle… Read More
Using People Roundings to build a better workplace
By Whitney Abrams, Chief People Officer Two years ago, Executive Constantine launched our Investing in YOU strategy to build a supportive and respectful workplace culture at King County where every employee can be at their best and do their best work for our community. One way that I track our progress on this strategy is through a process called People Roundings. Rounding is what doctors and nurses have traditionally done to check on patients in hospitals. We use People Roundings to check in with leaders and staff in departments on our People Measures, the key metrics we… Read More
Standing up to fear, hate, and violence
This weekend our nation once again witnessed the senseless loss of life in two mass shootings, this time in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio. These cities join the heartbreakingly long list of places whose residents have endured unthinkable violence, whose families have suffered unbearable losses; our nation’s leaders stand idly by while the epidemic of gun violence affects more and more communities. This is a difficult period in our nation’s history, one where words of fear and hate are being used to divide us. There are consequences to hateful rhetoric. Creating… Read More
From the Hip: Whitney Abrams, Chief People Officer
Why our True North and Values are important When King County employees talk about why they chose to work here, the answers tend to be pretty similar: “I want to help my community.” “I want to make a difference in people’s lives.” “I want to do the work I really care about.” It’s no surprise that these responses are closely aligned with our True North – Making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive – because it’s a vision that succinctly captures the work that we do and why we do… Read More
Get Ready for Wildfire Smoke Season
Dear employee, Summer has finally arrived and with it comes the risk that we will once again experience unhealthy levels of air quality due to wildfire smoke. Washington state has declared a state of drought and there have already been a record number of small wildfires across western Washington this year. As a result of climate change, we should be prepared for more frequent and larger wildfires during Pacific Northwest summers. Before the smoke arrives, take steps to protect your health from smoke at home and work. When air quality is at unhealthy… Read More
Executive visits Dick Thurnau Memorial Park as part of Parks tour
King County Executive Dow Constantine recently visited Dick Thurnau Memorial Park in White Center as part of his 100 miles in 100 days through King County Parks where he met with employees and checked out a new playground. “Parks Specialist Christian Loko took me to the new playground our staff installed with funds generated by the King County Parks Levy,” Executive Constantine said. “We ended at the White Center Bicycle Playground, which provides kids a safe place to learn how to ride bicycle. It is the first playground of its kind in the nation.” The parks… Read More
True North and values to guide our work
You may have heard me talk about what I call our True North: Making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. The True North is our “why,” what ties our work together, and what drives us do our best each and every day. Today I am launching our eight Executive Branch values that we will use to guide our actions and decision-making, and help us achieve our True North. They are the next step in our work of building a workplace culture of respect, innovation, and performance excellence. The eight values represent what is important to us as an organization – what we believe in, what we stand… Read More
Employee News 