The Connection
Welcome to Employment Connections' (EC) Division newsletter - The Connection! This newsletter focuses on sharing information to connect, engage, support, and excel.
Read this month's leadership message from EC Director Ismaila (Ish) Maidadi along with regular updates on projects and programs and other resources.
We also want and need to hear from you! Send your thoughts and suggestions to the EC Virtual Suggestion Box. Share newsletter ideas and comments by emailing the EC Communications inbox. We appreciate your input and will be in touch!
Greetings EC team!
It doesn’t seem possible that in just a matter of days, we will be at the halfway mark for this year! I believe that being passionate about purpose-driven work does make time fly by.
In mid-April, our ESD Executive Leadership Team (ELT) met to discuss those priorities and review our current 2022-26 strategic plan. It became clear for us that the plan has too many deliverables, which makes it hard to measure and know where best to focus our time and resources. The ELT took time and analyzed and discussed:
- current state of ESD and our strategic plan,
- measures we’ll use to track our progress and success,
- alignment of our work with the plan’s goals and measures, and
- the next steps for finalizing and implementing the 2024-28 plan.
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Finally, our own EC Strategic Leadership Team (SLT) came together last week to talk about our division and regional goals. There is still work to do and updates from our discussions and learnings are still in progress.
For all Employment Connections teams, I know, and your leadership knows full-well, that many of you are feeling overloaded and experiencing burnout. I hear it from you as I visit your offices and learn about your trials and triumphs. It is important that we all work within our teams to support each other and to work with supervisors and managers to prioritize and de-prioritize workloads.
We want the volume and pace to be manageable and will continue to offer support and resources. It isn’t always easy to know when someone is feeling overloaded, and it’s not easy for many of us to ask for help; and we want and need for you to feel safe to have those important conversations.
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As soon as an updated ESD strategic plan is ready, we will be sharing it with all of you. This year, we will not be producing a supplemental EC divisional strategic plan or regional plans. When the agency level planning is complete, we will look to the ESD strategic plan and the state workforce Talent and Property for All (TAP) plan. I encourage you to look at the work that has been done. There are many connections to our work!
The EC extended leadership team will be reviewing projects to take off our plates. We are committed to this and doing the ongoing work to identify what’s of most value for the future of our team and our customer success. Here are a few conclusions:
- Certain projects will either be delayed or removed from the goals list. Even if EC has the resources and ability to pursue a project, often other ESD divisions do not. We need to wait as they build capacity to be able to support our collaborative work.
- Our current commitment to the WIT Replacement Project is taking up most of our IT, PPP and DATA resources. This means that some other important initiatives and great ideas will need to be put on hold for now.
- The original Customer Flow Tracker (CFT) is on the list of activities to be simplified. Work has already been done to significantly streamline the process and you can expect to hear more about our simplification project soon. A big thank you to WorkSource Rainier, Everett, Yakima, Mason and Cowlitz/Wahkiakum for piloting this project and doing such a great job!
All our strategic thinking will lead to a great updated plan but will be worth nothing if it’s not executed well. Your roles are pivotal in ensuring our success. When you are part of the process and understanding the “why,” you become more than just an executor - you become an advocate. We are all contributors to our collective success, and we need to be in alignment and understand the impacts for you and our customers.
As the front door for EC and ESD, our WorkSource offices are a critical link in the chain, and your experiences and insights matter. We want to hear from you on where you see opportunities for improvement — that can be simplification and streamlining of our work, eliminating activities that aren’t helpful for you or for customers, challenges, barriers you encounter and especially when you are experiencing overload and need support.
EC’s Virtual Suggestion Box takes all suggestions and has been set up for just this purpose. I sincerely hope you’ll use it.
May is Military Appreciation Month, and we have some additional articles focused on supporting our Veterans. Memorial Day is this coming Monday; and I hope you have a wonderful weekend making new memories, honoring traditions and telling stories – that might be as simple as a flower or a flag.
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Thank you for your ideas to improve our work and make us better – together and your dedication to public service. I appreciate all of you for your tireless dedication to this work, this team and your communities. Keep remembering the wonderful work you do and please keep telling our stories.
Happy Memorial Day!
 Ismaila (Ish) Maidadi
Employment Connections director
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Project updates
Learning from the best to serve all the rest.
by Monique Martin, Veterans & Military Families Program and Victoria Pruett, EC communications
Veterans and Military Families Program team to offer quarterly trainings.
Employment Connections Veterans and Military Families (V&MF) Program team is small but mighty when it comes to supporting the Jobs for Veterans State Grants (JVSG) family of 37 team members around the state. For a long time now, they have held regular meetings for our WorkSource Local Veterans Employment representatives (LVER), Disabled Veterans Outreach Programs representatives (DVOP) and Combined Veterans Services representatives (CVSR) to keep them informed on all the available resources through federal, state and local programs.
In a move to provide access to information and support tools for all staff serving Veterans -- that includes all WorkSource and American Job Center (AJC) staff – the V&MF team will be hosting optional quarterly webinar trainings related to serving those touched by military service.
These quarterly sessions will feature guest presenters and subject matter experts on current topics for EC teammates and all AJC and WorkSource teams to learn from. Topics will cover: Available resources, best practices, cultural awareness, and solution-based discussions aimed at overcoming barriers to employment. Trainings will always be optional, but the hope is WorkSource frontline staff and case managers will realize the value and keep coming back. These sessions are all designed to enhance EC’s statewide support for Veterans and their families, a group that has given so much in service to our nation.
The knowledge to be gained is not only vital for assisting Veterans and their families but also applies to other groups facing significant employment challenges (e.g., justice involved, unhoused, impoverished and those with limited abilities). The goal of the V&MF team is to equip our team members with the tools necessary to guide WorkSource customers toward fulfilling careers, and to ensure they are aware and benefit from the many services eligible Veterans and their family members are entitled to by receiving Priority of Service through ESD’s Department of Labor funded programs.
The first training session will feature the LEARN Saves Lives Suicide Prevention Training, and will be from 2 – 4 p.m., Wednesday, July 10. This session will be presented by the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs.
LEARN Saves Lives Suicide Prevention Training
July 10, 2 – 4 p.m.
SAVE THE DATE! Meeting invitations coming soon.
You are invited to join the first training and become part of a new wave to build awareness and compassion for our Veterans and improve how we serve all our customers with barriers and challenges in meeting their career potential. Your dedication to professional development is crucial in honoring our commitment to those who have served.
Please join the V&MF and JVSG teams in these informative sessions and further our goal to provide exceptional service to all customers and most importantly, our Veterans and military families.
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Resources and other updates
May is AANHPI Heritage Month
Submitted by Victoria Pruett, EC communications
In May, we celebrate the many cultures of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.
This month has been an opportunity to recognize the many was that Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacifici Islanders (AANHPI, formerly AAPI) histories, cultures, leadership and innovation have influenced all facets of life in the United States.
The month of May was chosen for two reasons. First, to commemorate the first Japanese immigrant to the United States, a young fisherman named Manjiro, who arrived on May7, 1843. Second, May marks the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. Most workers on the railroad were Chinese immigrants, who laid the tracks and were responsible for the dangerous and heavy manual labor involved.
At ESD, we have our own AANHPI Employee Resource Group (ERG), Family of Pacific Islander, Native Hawaiians and Asians (FOPINHA). They celebrated a second anniversary on May 16 with an in-person and virtual celebration to honor their group’s contributions and the work in founding and establishing a space of belonging for ESD colleagues.
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At their celebration, FOPINHA also welcomed and recognized EC Director Ismaila (Ish) Maidadi as their new ERG sponsor. At the FOPINHA celebration, Ish shared his thoughts on being chosen:
“I am humbled by the privilege of being the new sponsor for FOPINHA. Even though my heritage is different, the power of ohana is strong and embraces us all. The work of this group and other ERGs is helping to build our culture of belonging, access and equity. They understand and live the values of stewardship and love; and I’m honored to be part of this group to support their work and purpose.”
Washington also has a statewide Business Resource Group (BRG), the Hawaiians, Asians & Pacific Islanders Promoting an Empowerment Network or HAPPEN, that supports ANHPI inclusion and diversity. The HAPPEN BRG collective consists of over 100 countries and islands. They hold regular meetings and have a monthly newsletter. HAPPEN’s ANHPI Heritage Month Celebration is next week, on Wednesday, May 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. — with both in-person and virtual options. They have music and dance performances planned. Information is below with the link to register.
HAPPEN ANHPI HERITAGE CELEBRATION
May 29, 2024, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Labor & Industries, 7273 Linderson Way, S.W., Tumwater, Wa.
To register to attend in-person or virtually, contact HAPPEN@ofm.wa.gov.
Here are some additional AANHPI fun activities to consider:
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Virtual Trivia Hour: May 29, 2024 | 12 Noon to 1:00 p.m.
Join the UCSF Office of Diversity and Outreach APASA's trivia hour. Test yourself and have fun!
Poll Everywhere will be used run the trivia. You will need to have a web browser open or the Poll Everywhere App to participate. ZOOM LINK Meeting ID: 872 0481 3382 | Passcode: 772703
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Mental Health Awareness Month
Submitted by Victoria Pruett, EC communications consultant
We can all learn more about suicide prevention.
Washington launches new website focused on suicide and crisis support.
With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, we are focusing on support tools and resources for you to use in your daily work and personal lives. There is a wealth of information to support work with customers and families facing challenges. ESD has created a special InsideESD page InsideESD-mental-health-awareness with information and resources, and the Washington State Healthcare Authority has a new Mental Health Month toolkit.
This month, month, the Washington Department of Health took this time to shine a big light on suicide prevention by launching a new awareness campaign and 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline website with tools for individuals and public service staff as they support customers through tough times. The 988 Lifeline services launched nationwide in July 2022, and many people in Washington are still unfamiliar with the 988 crisis lifeline and available services. The 988 Lifeline is free, confidential and available 24/7/365 via phone call, text or online chat.
You can read their recent release by going to WA Department of Health launches 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Campaign (May 14, 2024).
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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offers support and services for at risk Veterans.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) offers many resources to support Veterans and their families on suicide prevention and tracks Veterans’ lives in an annual report on suicide prevention. DVA Secretary Denis McDonough is a dedicated advocate and is implementing more options to support Veterans: "A mental health crisis is an emergency. Your health is mental health, and mental health is your health.” (DVA Town Hall, May 15, 2024).
In 2021, 6,392 Veterans died by suicide. When looking at increases in rates from 2020 to 2021, the rate among Veterans increased by 11.6%, while the rate among non-Veteran U.S. adults increased by 4.5%. Veterans remain at elevated risk for suicide. For Washington, our Veteran losses due to suicide in 2021, totaled 183, which represented 15.6% of total Washington suicides. Sadly, this puts Washington above the National Suicide Rate per 100,000 Veterans. One life lost is too many. These statistics reflect Veterans’ lives ended prematurely, who go on to be grieved by loved ones, their communities and the Nation (USDVA, 2021 State Data Sheet/Washington).
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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2021 State Data Sheet/Washington.
One DVA resource, Safe Reporting on Suicide, covers how to communicate about suicide in a safe and ethical manner, and how to convey hope and encourage help-seeking behaviors among those at risk.
Our Veterans & Military Families Program training coming up on July 10 will feature WDVA’s LEARN Saves Lives Suicide Prevention Training and incorporates the VA S.A.V.E. Training focused on helping Veterans in crisis. It will provide valuable information and opportunity to connect with instructors and ask questions as well as gain skills and resources in awareness and compassion in prevention and reporting.
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Submitted by Victoria Pruett, communications consultant
The time we honor those who serve and dedicate their lives to the safety of our Nation -- both past and present.
In the United States, there are several times during the year when we honor and remember those in military service. Memorial Day, May 27, 2024, and Veterans Day, November 11, 2024, are the two that are recognized with official holidays.
The month of May is special in that several days in the month are tied to military remembrances and public service; and in 1999, Senator John McCain, lobbied to have the entire month designated as National Military Appreciation Month.
This is a month-long observance dedicated to those who are currently serving in the U.S. Military, and Memorial Day is dedicated to those who served and are remembered. It runs from May 1 – 31 and covers six observances and events that bring the month together.
To read the rest of this article and find fun links to Memorial Day activities, go to Military Appreciation Month.
Annual Memorial Day celebration at Evergreen-Washelli Seattle Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery. Photo courtesy of Joshua Trujillo, SeattlePI.com.
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Management tips
Submitted by Victoria Pruett, EC communications consultant
Supporting employee mental health
Staff are more susceptible to burnout than prior to the pandemic.
- 52% of employees reported feeling burned out in the past year due to their work,
- 37% of employees reported feeling so overwhelmed it made it hard to do their job,
- approximately 33% noticed their productivity suffered because of their mental health, and on the flip side, 36% noticed their mental health suffered because of work demands.
More than 4.7 million people in the United States worked remotely during the pandemic and continue WFH or have a hybrid schedule. Here are some suggestions on ways to support your employees’ mental health, especially as we continue to work remote and hybrid schedules.
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Start the conversation: Workers may be afraid to speak up about work stress and health problems if leadership doesn’t initiate the larger conversation. Those that are less comfortable having the conversation are the ones most likely to report experiencing burnout.
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Support working parents and minors: Look for ways to support staff and make work, life transitions and balance easier, such as: flexible work arrangements, job sharing, parental leave policies, facilitating parenting, teen and childcare support groups.
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Address substance misuse: Recognizing misuse is important in our staff as well as our customers. This helps limit any physical or mental harm that could result and avoids possible legal risks. Having clear policies is important and at ESD, we have those. We also have a valuable state Employee Assistance Program to support all staff – frontline case managers and managers. Training our supervisors and leaders to recognize signs and foster a space where it's safe to come forward are all important components.
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Improving your work environment: One of the most powerful actions managers can take is to lead by example in prioritizing work-life balance and creating a culture where people can speak openly about mental health and stress. Offering quality health benefits and training our managers and supervisors to recognize stress and burnout and to ask empathetic questions can all have positive impacts on employee satisfaction.
Creating a workplace where employees feel valued, supported and empowered to prioritize their health and mental well-being all year round is important and supports all our ESD Core Values. It does take commitment on the part of managers and leaders that goes beyond a once-a-year focus.
These tips are adapted from “An Employer’s Week-by-Week Guide to Mental Health Awareness Month,” by Fisher Phillips, April 26,2024.
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Happy Memorial Day! Hope you take time to relax over the holiday.
If you are remembering family and friends who have served:
Who will you remember?
Who will you honor this Memorial Day?
Share with us by emailing ESDGPECComms@esd.wa.gov.
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