|
In this Issue
Human Resources publishes workforce data twice a year in the
Workforce Data Report. The 2021 mid-year report is now
available (PDF).
Inside the mid-year report, you’ll find:
• Workforce composition: Race and ethnicity
• Workforce composition: Gender
• Demographics of vacancies filled and applicants
• Demographics of employee separations
Wherever possible Met Council data is compared to the Twin
Cities Metro Region Civilian Workforce census data as a benchmark for how well our organization draws from and represents the available regional workforce. For example, our data shows that the Met Council workforce is composed of 35.5% people of color (POC) compared to the regional workforce that is 23.4% POC. (Some would say that’s because of the diversity of our Bus Operators, but subtracting Bus Operators, Metro Transit is at 30.5% POC and Regional Administration is at 24.8%.)
For many data points we have five years of data to compare and show trends. For example,
the percentage of people of color in management roles at the Met Council has grown from
15.9% in 2016 to 18.6% in June of 2021. You will also find much of the data is broken out by
Metro Transit Bus Operators, Metro Transit Non-Bus Operators, Environmental Services, and Regional Administration.
|
You are invited to attend a session by Brad McNaught with Sand Creek on navigating transitions. During this session, Brad will share information on how to prepare for the upcoming transition of office-based staff back to worksites and adapt during these ever-changing times, focusing on self-care and coping strategies. The chat box will be open for live Q&A.
Sand Creek is our employee assistance program, which offers a wide array of services to employees. These services include a 24-hour crisis hotline, short-term counseling and professional counselor referrals, life coaching, medical advocacy, and thousands of articles, videos, and online seminars available at your convenience. For more information call Sand Creek at 1-888-243-5744 or visit SandCreekeap.com (company code: metcouncil).
We are nearing the end of August, which means it’s time for managers to check in with their employees on their performance goals and competencies.
Regular check-ins help ensure there are no surprises for either managers or employees at the year-end performance evaluation. Ongoing and progressive discussions provide opportunities to acknowledge employee contributions, help address issues as they arise, and allows for adjustments as necessary throughout the year.
A check-in is twofold: a discussion with the employee and a task to mark as completed in Perform. While monthly check-in discussions are recommended, managers are required to record two check-ins as completed during the year. These two check-ins are now tasks within the Perform system for the manager to mark as complete and do not require completing an online check-in form. The first check-in was due in May and the next check-in is due August 31.
Here are some tips to help you prepare for a check-in:
-
Review the assigned competencies for your employees. You can access information about the Competency Model on the Performance Management Page on MetNet or within your employee’s performance evaluation in Perform.
-
Review progress towards performance goals and consider if any adjustments to goals need to be made for the remainder of the year.
-
Consider adding content and updates on goal and competency progress to the performance evaluation itself. Perform will autosave any content added; drafts and in-progress content will not be lost.
-
Mark the task as completed in Perform after the May and August check-in discussions.
Submission deadline is September 1
Trade Time for Fitness is a health- and wellness program that allows you to trade in your annual leave hours to receive up to $2,000 (gross) per payroll year in reimbursements for eligible health and wellness-related expenses, and now includes eligible home office furniture.
This temporary exception to include home office furniture will be in effect until official notice is given – likely through the COVID-19 pandemic while some employees must work from home.
Eligible purchases are limited to home office furniture items. Examples include:
-
Office desks
-
Sit/stand desks
-
Office chairs
-
Task/desk lighting
Computer equipment, keyboards, monitors, docking stations, mouse pads, and similar Council-provided items are not eligible for reimbursement. These items are brought home from work offices and requested through the ITR process with Information Services.
Important claim information:
- Reimbursements must occur in the same calendar year in which the purchase was made.
- Claims will be processed and paid out four times per year.
- You must submit your claim form and documentation by September 1.
If you are unable to access the Trade Time for Fitness MetNet page, or would like to verify eligibility of an item, please contact FitForLife@metc.state.mn.us.
As the structure of the work world continues to evolve so too do team dynamics. Do you have a pulse on the stage your team is in today? Is it where it needs to be to successfully transition into the new work environment? The class Teaming: A formula for success explores the stages of team development and specific actions you can take to effectively lead and support your team (especially during times of change). You’ll learn the four qualities of an effective leader and be able to exercise them to build and nurture a strong team that delivers results.
This virtual, instructor-led class will be held September 15 from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. To enroll:
-
Go to Learn.
-
If you have a Council-issued email address, go to the Talent Hub page on MetNet and click Learn. Then click "Employee with an email address."
-
If you do not, go to https://metc.sumtotal.host, click the "Employee without an email address" button, and sign in with your Learn username and password.
-
Click the library book icon at the top of the page, locate “A-Learning Institute,” and click the arrow pointing to the right.
- Click "LOD Classes Open for Registration."
-
Locate the class and register.
|
Optimizing Healthy Relationships is a four-week, interactive program that leads participants through an exploration of the role of interpersonal relationships in their life and well-being –including professional, friendship, family, and more.
Relationships are the cornerstone of connection and socialization, impacting health in positive ways. We will explore how relationships shape our life and how to manage the challenges they present. We will look at where we tend to disconnect in relationships and how to reconnect and ask for what we need. Participants will gain practical knowledge around personal identity, trust building, communication, and boundary setting to build healthier relationships.
The program will run Tuesdays, September 21 through October 12, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. You will also have daily access to the coaches for questions and accountability through Mighty Networks, a group platform for engagement.
With fall around the corner, now is the perfect time to review your flexible spending accounts (FSA) and determine if you are on track to spend your flex money by the end of the year.
You may also remember that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we had a one-time, unlimited rollover of funds from 2020 to 2021 for healthcare FSAs – another good reason to double check the amount left in your account for this year. Note that the rollover from 2021 to 2022 for the healthcare FSA is $550.
Start by logging into your HealthPartners account > click the “My plan” tab > click the “Spending” tab > and select “Spending accounts.” Look at your healthcare FSA and:
-
Verify you don’t have any claims that require additional documentation (unsubstantiated claims). If you do, fix them.
- Verify all the claims you incurred so far this year have been submitted and approved.
-
Verify the remaining balance (if any) is correct.
If any of these are not what you are expecting, be sure to take the time to correct the situation. If you are unsure why something is not processed or looks to be incorrect, contact HealthPartners customer service and sort it out now while you have time.
If you have funds remaining, this is the time to use them. Is there something you have been putting off? Get it done now, while the funds are available and before the end-of-year season gets busy.
Reviewing your accounts now helps position you to make a new election for the coming year and helps ensure all your funds get used by the end of the year. Remember, the idea of an FSA is to set aside the amount of money you think you will use in a year; always make your election with the idea it will be used by the end of the year.
|
