|
Notes from Charlie Zelle
Met Council Chair
We know that an essential part of creating a great place to work is fostering a great workplace culture. But getting a clear, measurable, and well-rounded understanding of something like culture can be challenging for any organization.
I am excited to announce that we are prioritizing a Councilwide Culture Assessment project this fall to get a clearer picture of what is and is not working about our culture.
We’re partnering with Employee Strategies, a small firm based in Minneapolis that partners with organizations like ours to help map our culture, compare it to other workplaces, identify strengths, and point out opportunities for us to grow and improve.
The assessment will kick off with an all-staff survey in mid-September.
I know you’ve taken engagement surveys before. But this time we’re partnering with industry experts to conduct the most comprehensive internal assessment we’ve ever done. The consultant will lead us in the analysis and action planning phases, and we are committed to implementing the ideas and following through on tracking and measurement.
The Culture Survey is the crucial first step in understanding and improving our workplace culture. A survey is a bridge to the next conversation, the small first step in a bigger process. But it won’t solve everything on its own.
Striving for high participation
We believe that the success of this survey – and any changes that come from it – depends on maximum participation, so it’s critical that as many employees as possible complete the survey. On average, our survey is completed in around 7 minutes.
In addition to the survey, the consultant will conduct one-on-one interviews and focus groups in October to learn even more from staff to complement what is uncovered in the survey.
We want to make things better, but in order to do that we need to hear from you.
Culture Survey Taskforce helps guide the work
As part of this project, we are assembling a Culture Survey Taskforce with representation from across our divisions, a variety of job types and experiences, newer and long-tenured employees, and diverse opinions. Ten people were selected from Metro Transit, as it makes up about 75% of our workforce, and five or six employees were selected from each of our other divisions. Three Council members are also serving on the taskforce.
We’re prioritizing you, our employees, and are committed to putting your ideas into action.
The taskforce held a kickoff meeting yesterday and will play a key role in the assessment project. They will help spread the word about the survey, analyze the results, brainstorm ideas for improvements, and share the results with staff. Thank you to everyone participating on this team!
Reviewing and sharing the results
Once the results are collected, we will continue the important work to foster a workplace culture that supports our team members and enables everyone to thrive. Taskforce members, Met Council executives, Council members, and I will participate in a few half-day retreats to assess the aggregated results and identify ways we can improve our culture, grow, and implement positive changes across the organization.
Survey results and initial goals and priorities will be shared with all Met Council staff in December.
Moving into 2024, we will build on the Culture Assessment and start putting words into action while continuing to identify areas for improvement and new ideas.
The outcomes and results of this survey will also feed into existing initiatives, like the Great Workplace Project in Metro Transit. Pulling in the same direction, the assessment results can help these projects make even more progress and move initiatives forward.
Take the survey Sept. 14-28!
The survey will be open Thursday, Sept. 14, through Thursday, Sept. 28.
Employee Strategies will serve as an independent third party to administer and report on the survey, and confidentiality is of utmost importance in this process. Your responses will be anonymous and will not be individually identifiable. Only aggregated data will be reported to the Met Council, and any information that could potentially identify you or any other individual employee will not be shared with us.
You will receive emails from SurveyMonkey, we will share the survey link in our newsletters, and we will print the QR code and short URL on posters and handouts onsite. Paper surveys will also be available onsite if that is easier for you or your staff.
Please make a plan to take the survey, and remind your coworkers to take it, too!
If you have any questions or concerns about this project, please contact Terri Dresen, director of Communications, at Terri.Dresen@metc.state.mn.us.
For more details, review the Culture Assessment FAQs on MetNet.
Your voice matters, and I truly believe that together, we can make the Met Council an even better place to work. Thank you, in advance, for your participation and input!
|
|
|
A thought for the day …
"Culture does not change because we desire to change it. Culture changes when the organization is transformed – the culture reflects the realities of people working together every day."
– Frances Hesselbein (1915–2022), an American businesswoman and writer who served as the CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA from 1976 to 1990
|
|
In this issue
Thank you to everyone who participated in taking the internal communications audit survey. We received 438 responses.
Throughout September and October, Communications will also be conducting a series of focus groups with different divisions and work groups.
Once completed, we will begin sorting through the feedback, and we will present the results, along with changes we will implement based on the feedback, in November.
|
Registration is now open for the Met Council’s 2023 management conference: Leadership Forum on Sexual Harassment!
The conference – part of the Met Council’s Affirmative Action Plan – is required for all general managers, directors, managers, and supervisors. Once again, the Leadership Forum will be centered around one topic, and after going virtual in 2021 the event is back in person in downtown Saint Paul.
Managers and supervisors received an invitation email last week with details on registering for one of the conference days and completing a pre-event assignment in Learn. Please review that information and get the link to register.
2023 Leadership Forum on Sexual Harassment
All managers and supervisors
Pick one: Monday, Oct. 23, or Tuesday, Oct. 24
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Saint Paul RiverCentre
The registration deadline is Friday, Sept. 22, but sessions have limited capacity so register soon to get the day you prefer!
If you cannot attend, you must get your division director's approval to miss the training.
The pre-event assignment in Learn is due in October.
For questions or more information, email LeadershipForum@metc.state.mn.us.
|
To continue the discussion during National Breastfeeding Month, the Met Council's Lactation Support Team wants to make sure current or future parents, as well as their managers and supervisors, have all the necessary information to help meet their pregnancy, leave, and lactation needs at work.
Understanding your rights
Many state and federal laws have requirements protecting pregnant and nursing employees, including some updated or new laws that were passed recently:
-
PUMP Act (federal) – Last December, the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act (or PUMP Act) became law, extending right to pump protections to millions of workers and allowing for additional remedies for violations. For more, review this overview presentation on the protections (PDF).
- Nursing Mothers, Lactating Employees, and Pregnancy Accommodations (Minnesota) – In July, workplace protections for expectant and new parents were expanded. Read about these changes, tips for speaking with your employer, and answers to frequently asked questions on the Department of Labor and Industry’s website.
-
Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) (federal) – In June this new law went into effect, protecting employees and applicants of covered employers who have known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. With this law, millions of pregnant, postpartum, and pumping workers can now receive additional breaks, flexible scheduling, post-childbirth time off, remote work, and more.
-
Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (Minnesota) – These paid leave benefits will start for Minnesota workers on Jan. 1, 2026. Within a single year, employees will be able to take up to 12 weeks of paid medical leave or family leave for a single qualifying event.
At the Met Council, a lactation procedure is in the final stages of review and approval.
How managers can help
In addition to understanding the requirements and rights for employees related to pregnancy, postpartum, and nursing, managers and supervisors should consider these tips and reminders to best support their staff:
- Review examples of reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers.
- Meet with the parent prior to leave to discuss how transition back to the workplace support will be provided.
- Connect the employee with the Lactation Support Team.
- Print off the New Parent Packet and set up a meeting with the Benefits team so the employee understands their rights and opportunities.
- Check in with the employee while on parental leave to let them know you are thinking about them and ask if they have any concerns that should be addressed immediately upon their return.
- If they will need to pump when they return, share the Lactation Room Guide (PDF) for floor plans, photos of the rooms, details on amenities, and reservation instructions.
- When they return, provide weekly check-ins to ensure they are having a safe and successful transition back to work and discuss opportunities for adjustments if lactation is suffering due to work stress.
- Get trained! The Lactation Support Team is developing manager training and resources to help improve the manager and employee experience. Watch for more details next year.
Email the Lactation Support Team at LactationSupport@metc.state.mn.us if you have any questions, requests for the lactation rooms, or feedback, or if you or your employee are experiencing barriers to meeting lactation needs at work.
For an update on the Lactation Support Project, read the last issue of The Wire.
What staff are saying
Heather Giesel, manager, Finance and Administration, Community Development and Metropolitan Transportation Services:
The lactation rooms have provided me with a comfortable, relaxing space to pump and store milk at my primary work site and while attending meetings at other locations. Without the rooms, it’s unlikely I would have been able to provide breastmilk for my children as long as I did. I feel so fortunate to work for an organization that provides the space and amenities to make breastfeeding possible and in a way that doesn’t feel like an afterthought.
Officer Panhia Jacob, Metro Transit Police Department:
The lactation room makes it easy for me to stick to my motherly routine. It's a nice, private, and cozy space where I am not bothered, and it has everything I need. I'm so thankful.
Robert Rimstad, manager, Engineering and Facilities, Metro Transit:
We’ve all heard stories from staff who have needed to find a lactation space and faced challenges, so being able to support the work the Lactation Support Team is doing is one of the rewarding projects to see the progress made over the last few years. From performing site assessments, making room improvements, and purchasing equipment to now having a Lactation Room Guide that can be provided to employees and help support the Great Workplace initiative. It’s great to walk around the various sites and to see the spaces now available to help staff support their families.
Shelby Olson, HealthPartners Health Coach at the Met Council:
Before having my daughter, I didn’t realize that breastfeeding was going to take up so much space in my brain. I travel between many Met Council locations depending on the day, so it is a relief to eliminate that piece of the logistics. I’m proud that I have been able to continue to her first birthday while being a mom who works outside of the house. It really makes a difference knowing that I can find a clean and private space to pump during my workday, regardless of the site I am visiting.
Madeline Graf
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Knowledge Management
Enterprise Content Management
Madeline is a rising senior at Macalester College majoring in English literature. She joins the Met Council this summer as a knowledge management intern with Enterprise Content Management in the Regional Administration division.
Madeline’s work is essential for the Met Council to function efficiently. As a knowledge management intern, she helps design and implement frameworks for sustainable content migration, storage, and organization, ensuring that all content is where it belongs. One of her biggest projects is dissolving the fifth-floor library and redistributing its resources. This process involves cataloging books for donation and preparing records for transfer to the Minnesota Historical Society.
What Madeline enjoys most about her internship is the concern her supervisors have demonstrated in ensuring she gets the most out of her experience.
“I'm grateful that my team has been so accommodating and given me the freedom to shape the internship to my interests," she said. "The variety of projects has already given me a lot of insight and experience.”
Outside of her internship, Madeline’s summer has been one of new experiences.
“This is my first summer in Saint Paul, so I've recently been enjoying exploring the city with my friends. I have a new appreciation for the area after checking out the local lakes, parks, restaurants, and museums!”
In addition, she puts her academic background to excellent use in her spare time as a volunteer Test of English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) teacher.
Connect with Madeline on LinkedIn
|
|
|
Ri Shankar
Pronouns: they/them/theirs
Equity Implementation Unit
Office of Equity and Equal Opportunity
Ri graduated from the University of Minnesota this past spring, earning a Bachelor of Arts in biology, society, and the environment, with minors in public health and Spanish. They are working as an equity implementation unit intern this summer in the Regional Administration division.
Ri assists the equity implementation unit in implementing the Met Council’s equity policy and providing coordination and support to the Equity Advisory Committee. One of Ri’s current projects involves contacting external governmental organizations to learn how their employee resource groups (ERGs) work and figuring out how the Met Council can use these strategies for supporting its own ERGs. Through projects like these, Ri has witnessed how committed their colleagues are to advancing the mission of the Met Council.
“Everyone I've met is extremely friendly and deeply committed to improving both the Met Council and the Twin Cities community,” they remarked.
In their downtime, Ri likes to decompress by reading, listening to instrumental metal, and – air quality permitting – going for walks. Otherwise, you can find them binging shows like Corner Gas and the Harley Quinn Animated Series, or joining an online yoga class.
Connect with Ri on LinkedIn
|
Regular check-ins between managers and staff keep the lines of communication open. Using the performance management system, Perform, managers must mark two check-ins per year as completed, the second of which is coming up. The task can be found on your dashboard and is due by Thursday, Aug. 31.
Connecting with employees can increase employee engagement and create opportunities to ensure employees are making progress toward their goals, provide guidance and coaching opportunities, recognize employee contributions, and help address challenges that arise.
To learn how to mark the task as complete in Perform, watch this 1-minute video on completing a check-in. Questions can be directed to Perform@metc.state.mn.us.
Final climate action training scheduled for Aug. 31
Recently, 82 staff members from across all five divisions participated in training on the Met Council’s Climate Action Work Plan (PDF). The trainings grounded participants in the plan and gave them an opportunity to talk about the opportunities and challenges of putting the plan into action.
If you were invited but missed the trainings in June and July, or weren’t invited and would like to be, a makeup training is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 31, from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. Please respond to the invitation or check with your supervisor for permission, and then email Jeanne Landkamer at Jeanne.Landkamer@metc.state.mn.us if you would like to be invited.
As of July 31, the Procurement Vendor Team has implemented a new process for vendor requests and will no longer be using the Vendor Request Form on Procurement’s MetNet site. In an effort to increase efficiency and streamline the process for updating and creating new vendors, all requests can now be emailed directly to vendorsetup@metc.state.mn.us.
All vendor request forms previously submitted and currently pending will still be processed, and the history of previously submitted forms will be maintained.
All requests should be submitted with a W9 and ACH authorization form, which can be found on the Vendor Information MetNet page. Questions about this new process can be emailed to vendorsetup@metc.state.mn.us.
In The Wire's second issue of the month, you'll find updates on cultural and heritage events. This feature aims to increase cultural awareness, foster inclusivity, and engage all Met Council employees. Special thanks to the Cultural and Heritage Embracement Committee and employee resource groups for providing content. For information or suggestions regarding cultural holidays or events, please email Suidi Hashi, associate outreach coordinator in Environmental Services, at Suidi.Hashi@metc.state.mn.us.
Holidays this month
India Independence Day
India Independence Day, celebrated on Aug. 15 every year, commemorates the nation's independence from the United Kingdom in 1947 when the provisions of the Indian Independence Act came into effect. The national holiday is celebrated throughout India with flag-hoisting ceremonies, parades, and cultural events. Learn more about India Independence Day on MetNet.
Women's Equality Day
Women's Equality Day is celebrated on Aug. 26, to commemorate the 1920 adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which prohibits the states and federal government from denying the right to vote to citizens on the basis of sex. Learn more about Women's Equality Day.
New employee resource group: WISE (Women In Service to the Environment)
Women in Service to the Environment (WISE), a new Met Council employee resource group (ERG), is looking for new members. All are welcome and anyone interested in participating can join.
The WISE mission is to engage, advance, and support women, non-binary people, and their allies by creating a space to share opportunities and resources for professional and personal growth. In its first year, WISE hopes to focus on having monthly meetings, establishing a mentor program, advancing professional development, and collaborating with other ERGs.
As membership grows, WISE will work on partnering with other environmental groups to create shared learning opportunities for members such as the Women’s Environmental Network, community schools and groups, and presenters to discuss environmental topics.
If you’re interested in joining WISE or would like more information, contact one of the officers:
September celebrations
Other upcoming events include:
- Deaf Awareness Month
- Labor Day (Sept. 4)
- Ethiopian New Year (Sept. 12)
- Rosh Hashanah (Sept. 15-17)
- Yom Kippur (Sept. 24-25 at sunset)
Transit Kids Day celebrates community, cultivates a great workplace
The first-ever Transit Kids Day was held on Saturday, Aug. 12. The event recognized the sacrifices made by transit staff who work around-the-clock to look after our riders and their families, and to celebrate all the children who share their loved ones with the region.
The event was hosted by the Advancing Women in Transit (AWT) Employee Resource Group and included food, games, music, art, educational activities, and more. Staff from across the organization came together to connect and enjoy a day of fun outside of our usual workplace settings.
To learn more about AWT, join the Teams group here or contact Ruby Daniels at Ruby.Daniels@metrotransit.org.
|
|
 Building connections
Crews construct bridge decking on the new Bielenberg Drive bridge for the METRO Gold Line bus rapid transit in Woodbury.
Looking for your cool photo!
Do you have photos to share? The Wire is always looking for the next cool photo from staff, from a close-up in your flower garden, to scenic vistas up north, to exotic travel adventures, to more artful fare like reflections and silhouettes. The only criteria is that it's a cool photo! Email the editor at TheWire@metc.state.mn.us.
|
|
Dan Schertner
Pronouns: he/him/his
Applications Developer 4
Information Services
|
Primary duties
Cloud and application architecture
Started
July 10
How does it feel to start a new job when many employees are working from home?
My last position was 100% remote, so this isn’t an adjustment for me.
Hometown
South Minneapolis
Current residence
St. Louis Park
Family
I have two adult children. My wife and I have a cat.
Education
I have a degree from Dunwoody Institute and Brown Institute.
Experience
I have been working in information technology for nearly 30 years.
Other interests
I am an avid sailor. I like to race/cruise our 23-foot sailboat on Lake Minnetonka. When not sailing, I enjoy auto racing mainly IndyCar and Formula-1.
Bidemi Adejumo
Pronunciation: Be-day-me
Pronouns: he/him/his
GIS System Administrator 2
Information Services
|
Primary duties
My colleagues and I are responsible for managing and maintaining the Geographic Information System (GIS) within the Met Council, ensuring data accuracy and system functionality. Additionally, we will also offer user support, perform spatial analysis, and uphold GIS standards to enhance data utilization and decision-making capabilities.
Started
July 17
How does it feel to start a new job when many employees are working from home?
Starting a new role in a remote work environment can evoke various emotions due to the challenges of building connections with colleagues and grasping the company culture from a distance. However, it also offers benefits such as enhanced flexibility and improved work-life balance.
I am fortunate to have a supportive team that welcomed me warmly and provided valuable insights. Regular virtual standups and occasional in-person meetings have played a pivotal role in cultivating a strong team dynamic, fostering a sense of unity akin to a close-knit family.
Hometown
Abuja, Nigeria
Current residence
Woodbury
Family
Wife and a pet cat
Education
Samm Houston State University
Master of Science, GIS (in view)
Federal University of Technology- Minna, Nigeria
Bachelor of Technology, geography/remote sensing
Experience
Experienced GIS and remote sensing analyst with more than a decade of expertise. Served as a senior GIS analyst at the City of Houston Public Works, managing GIS operations and providing custom applications for drinking water operations. Also worked as GIS specialist at Fort Bend Health and Human Services, conducting advanced GIS analysis for public health data. A notable achievement was the development of COVID and vaccination hubs, which played a vital role in keeping the public informed during the pandemic.
Other interests
Research, anime, fishing, walking
|
|
A bi-monthly publication for Metropolitan Council employees |
|
|
|
|
