King County leaders discuss importance of 2019 Employee Survey
The 2019 King County Employee Survey is now underway, and we’ve asked some County leaders why the survey is important to them and their employees, and how they will act on the results. In this video, we talk to King County Executive Dow Constantine, Chief People Officer Whitney Abrams, Chief Operating Officer Casey Sixkiller, Chief Information Officer Tanya Hannah, Director of the Department of Executive Services Caroline Whalen, King County Elections Director Julie Wise, and King County Assessor John Wilson. The survey runs through Friday, March 29 (March 22 for Metro paper… Read More
Using sick leave to volunteer helps employees make a difference in our community
“When you ask most people what they want to do when they retire, they will often say two things – travel and volunteer more,” said Junelle Kroontje, King County Employee Giving Program Manager (KCEGP). “During an employee’s work life, making time for volunteering can be difficult. By allowing our employees to use up to three days of sick leave to volunteer at a King County Employee Giving Program nonprofit or at a local school, it frees them up to do it today – instead of waiting for retirement.“ The volunteer program allows… Read More
Stev Weidlich: Mining data to address policy issues at DPD
By Leslie Brown, Department of Public Defense Remember story problems from high school math — those vexing questions about the arrival times of trains or the number of apples a shopkeeper has to sell to break even? Some of us hated them. Stev Weidlich loved them. And today, he’s putting that puzzle-solving mind of his to good use. Stev is the research and data analyst at the King County Department of Public Defense (DPD), where he ferrets out the answers to tricky questions every day. How many DUIs did one of the divisions handle at the Maleng Regional Justice… Read More
A leader in secondary trauma provides insights and support to DPD staff
By Leslie Brown, Department of Public Defense Laura van Dernoot Lipsky, a pioneer in the field of trauma exposure, visited the King County Department of Public Defense (DPD) last month, where she led a spirited, provocative, and often humorous exploration into the impact of secondary trauma on one’s life. The genesis for the training came out of the Secondary Trauma Care Work Group, recently organized by SEIU Local 925, Teamsters Local 117, and DPD. Laura discussed common responses to trauma, from guilt and hopelessness, to chronic exhaustion, to feelings of depression. When trauma is… Read More
2019 Employee Survey: How it works
The 2019 Employee Survey is now underway and you should receive your unique link from kcemployeesurvey@us.confirmit.com by the end of today. Why take the survey? How will your responses be used? Watch the short video below to find out. The survey runs through Friday, March 29 (March 22 for Metro paper surveys), so please take 15 minutes to have your say and make a difference in your workplace.
Featured Job: Medical Assistant – Eastgate Public Health
Salary: $22.40 – $28.40 Hourly Location: Bellevue, WA Job Type: Term Limited Temporary, Full Time, 40 hrs/wk Department: DPH – Public Health Job Number: 2019-09266 As the only county in the United States named after Martin Luther King Jr, one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nations’ history, King County is a vibrant community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the artistic and social traditions of many cultures. We continue to build on an enduring legacy of shared values of… Read More
2019 Employee Survey kicks off today
Dear fellow King County employee, The 2019 Employee Survey kicked off today and you will soon receive an email from our survey consultant asking you to participate. This is now our fourth successive survey and each year your responses help us make King County a better place to work and a more effective service provider for our residents. Your responses have already had an impact. Almost 8,000 employees participated in our last survey and 290 action plans were implemented to address the issues you raised. As a result we’ve made many changes,… Read More
Pet of the Week: Dexter
Crossposted from Tails from RASKC Who’s a handsome boy? Why, it’s Dexter, our Pet of the Week! This young pittie is full of energy and loves to play! That’s why he’s one of our “Rambunctious Red” pets. He tends to calm down more when people around him stay calm. Dexter also does best when he gets lots of exercise and something to keep his mind busy. Read more.
Training Spotlight: Conflict Awareness in the Workplace and Introduction to Organizational Performance Measurement
Conflict Awareness in the Workplace, April 18: We all encounter difficult people. Whether you are a supervisor, a customer service professional, or have a challenging co-worker, it’s important to know how to rise above your initial emotional reaction and turn negative situations into positive outcomes. Topics include understanding why we label people as difficult, types of difficult people, tools and techniques for resolving issues, coping strategies for dealing with the effects of difficult people, and conflict management strategies. Register and learn more. Introduction to Organizational Performance Measurement, May 8: Have you ever struggled to create… Read More
Remembering Bernice Stern for Women’s History Month
March is Women’s History Month, and as we celebrate, we want to introduce you to Bernice Stern, who in 1969 became the first woman elected to the King County Council. Online encyclopedia History Link has a great piece about Bernice’s life and legacy. Read it here. Photo courtesy of King County Archives.
Employee News 