Celebrating successful elections and honoring employees for Administrative Professionals Day
King County Elections held a virtual celebration to recognize the completion of four elections in February and March, as well as honor Administrative Professionals Day. Elections recognized the value of their administrative professionals pictured here: Robin Blake, Liwen (Lulu) Liu, and Alvin Dela Cruz.
King County phishing test to protect data and files
Every day, cybercriminal make phishing attempts against King County employees. Some are successful. To help protect critical data and files, KCIT cybersecurity recently sent out simulated emails recently to test our defenses. KCIT sent 14,523 simulated phishing emails out. Each employee received one simulated phishing email. Of those, 2,546 emails (17.5%) were opened, and 82.5% were not opened. Of those 2,546 opened emails: 1,349 employees (53.1%) took an unsafe cyber action, while 46.9% did the right thing and took no unsafe actions. 495 employees (3.4%) clicked on a link in the email they received, and 96.6% did not. 126 employees (.9%) replied to the phishing email, and 99.1% did not reply. 549 employees (3.8%) opened the… Read More
New directive for employees to wear cloth face masks
Effective Wednesday, May 13, all Executive Branch employees must wear face coverings over their noses and mouths if they are likely to be in contact with another individual and distancing of six feet is not able to be maintained, per the Public Health Directive from the Seattle & King County Public Health Officer. The only exceptions are: Any individual who has a physical disability that prevents easily wearing or removing a face covering; Any individual who is deaf and uses facial and mouth movements as part of communication; Any individual who has been advised by… Read More
Advice from EAP during Mental Health Month: Filling our self-compassion tanks
The coronavirus pandemic is challenging professionally and personally for all of us. Perhaps you’re frustrated with yourself because you’re struggling with computer technology or having difficulty learning new job skills. Or, if you’re a parent, perhaps you’re questioning your ability as you struggle to balance your child’s online and recreation schedule. Self-compassion is a practice that can help reduce anxiety and lessen the critical thoughts we have about ourselves. Self-compassion means we hold compassion for our fear, we recognize how difficult this time is, and we do our best to be warm… Read More
Employees deploy to Shoreline site through Emergency Deployment Program
The coronavirus has prompted employees to support King County’s effort to stop the virus by participating in the Emergency Deployment Program. The program fills emergency-related roles through temporary assignments at multiple locations throughout the County, including roughly 20 Isolation/Quarantine (I/Q) and Assessment/Recovery (AC/RC) sites. To learn more about this important work, and the employees who have stepped forward to be a part of it, we interviewed three employees at the Shoreline Assessment and Recovery site: Chris Castleman, Anna Hughes, and Spencer Hensley. They each came on board early on in the County’s… Read More
Mental Health Month week two: Creating healthy routines
For the second week of Mental Health Month, Balanced You is focusing on the topic “creating healthy routines.” Many of our routines including nutrition, physical activity, social connection, and rest have been upended by the pandemic. Maintaining our old routines may be impossible, due to new work schedules, social distancing rules, or stress levels. As we settle into this new normal, it is important that we develop new, sustainable routines in order to support our physical and mental health. Routines we develop during the pandemic may not be as ambitious as our… Read More
Upcoming employee learning opportunity: The Get Better Mindset, May 13
This live event on KC eLearning will cover building resilience in the face of change and challenge – and how to benefit from a “Get Better” mindset. Topics include increasing risk appetite for personal growth and being less afraid of failure. This webcast features Dr. Heidi Grant of the Neuroleadership Institute. Wednesday, May 13, from noon to 1 p.m. Join here. For questions or more information contact KC Learning at KCTraining@kingcounty.gov.
Need support so you can isolate or quarantine? We’re here to help.
Crossposted from Public Health Insider When someone has symptoms of COVID-19, they need to stay away from others by isolating themselves, even from people who live with them. That’s not always possible for those who live with many family members or with young children, or if their home isn’t set up so that the person who is sick can have a separate bedroom and bathroom. It can also be hard to isolate or quarantine for people who live alone or who do all of the errands and shopping for the household. And… Read More
Helping meet the need for supplies during pandemic
Crossposted from KC Emergency News Did you know there are more than 1,400 long term care facilities in King County? These include skilled nursing facilities (nursing homes), adult family homes, and assisted living and supported living facilities that provide care for older adults and people with disabilities who need help with activities of daily living. “People who live in long term care facilities are at high risk for COVID-19. Many are over age 60 or have underlying health conditions. They are often sharing a bedroom or bathroom and it is challenging to follow… Read More
Mental Health Month webinar: A Conversation on Self-Care, May 14
According to Psych Central, “self-care is any activity that we do deliberately in order to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health. Although it’s a simple concept in theory, it’s something we very often overlook. Good self-care is key to improved mood and reduced anxiety. It’s also key to a good relationship with oneself and others.” The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting everyone’s mental health in unique ways. Now, more than ever, self-care and connection are needed. In recognition of Mental Health Month, join Shawna Johnson, Balanced You Employee Health Specialist,… Read More
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