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July 7 — Issue 216

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Open conversations in the workplace.

AT WORK, MY OPINIONS SEEM TO COUNT

INSIDE STORIES: ➢ Engagement Opens the Lines of Communication ➢ Why Does Employee Engagement Matter? ➢ Certified Engaged Team (CET) ➢ Engagement Champion Network ➢ Engagement Leader of the Year (ELOY)

BEST FRIEND EXPECTATIONS RECOGNITION

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Engagement Opens the Lines of Communication

The Employee Engagement Team wants to support you through these challenging times. Over the past few months, our workplaces have changed. Safety and welfare remain top priorities and the need to practice the principles of engagement every day is more important than ever. Allowing everyone the opportunity to share their opinions is important to the success as an organization. Frequent, open and authentic communication on teams is critical in thriving success during challenging times. These conversations move team members towards empowerment and engagement by addressing the needs of people right now. Applying the 12 elements of engagement opens the lines of communication and provides an opportunity to assess and address what is important with each person. Start talking about the 12 elements with the intention to improve the current level of engagement, open lines of communication, clarify expectations, and build on results. Be thoughtful about how you process the messages being received. Acknowledge concerns and fears in conversations. Be encouraged about how to take action to overcome them. Build trust, show compassion, reinforce stability and instill hope through meaningful conversations Now, more than ever, we need honest assessments of the best ways to support each other. Use this Next Level Connection assessment tool to initiate one-on-one talks with your immediate supervisor. This tool can assist with supporting your workplace needs and met your development needs which will improve your overall well-being.

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Why Does Employee Engagement Matter?

“Effective communication is 20 percent what you know and 80 percent how you feel about what you know”

- Jim Rohn

01. Know What’s Expected

02. Materials and Equipment

03. Do What I Do Best

04. Recognition and Praise

Are there times when you just don’t know what your top priority

should be? How can we as a team help

each other communicate needs and priorities during these times?

How can we communicate better when work is hectic and we have

to move quickly from one task to another?

How can we be clear in terms of our expectations of each other?

Do you have all of the information you need to do your job right?

Are there things that distract you from being positive, productive or

accurate in the work you do? What materials and equipment are

essential to do your job well? Do we have enough people to get

the job done right? How can we work together when our

resources are limited?

What ideas do you have for how we can incorporate more about

what we do best into our work? What do you enjoy most about

your work? What do you look forward to doing

at work each day? Are there parts of your job you

want to do more of? What recommendations do you

have to make it easier for you?

Who are your biggest cheerleaders at work?

Who helps you believe in your potential for success?

Think of three colleagues who help you most in your job.

How have you thanked them or recognized them for their help?

As a team, how can we build an environment that encourages

recognition or praise?

05. Someone Cares About Me

06. Encourages My Development

07. Opinions Count 08. Mission and Purpose

How do you let your colleagues

know that you care about their contributions and their successes?

Do we spend enough time with our team members (one-on-one

time)? Can customers sense an

uncaring environment? How does that affect a

customer’s visit/purchase decision?

Do you believe you are being

challenged at work? What challenging experiences are

you facing? What challenges are you being

encouraged to take on? When you are “in the trenches”

getting the job done, what are some ways we as a team can help you?

What suggestions do you have

that could improve our team’s performance?

What changes would you recommend?

Have you done anything in the past six months to hear and understand the opinions of others

on our team? In the past six months, have we

acted on any ideas that our team members suggested?

When do you feel that your job is

important? What do you do to add value for our

customers? Has an internal or external

customer ever told you that you made a difference?

What can we do as a team to help build pride in where we work?

09. Committed to Quality

10. Best Friend at Work

11. Talk About Progress

12. Learn and Grow

Have you seen one of our team members go beyond the call of duty at some point in the past

month? How do we as a team know

when we have done good work? In the past six months, have you

spoken to another team member about how we could improve the quality of our work?

What does quality look like to customers?

What are their standards for quality customer service?

What do you do that makes customers want to come back?

Do you have one or more team members whom you consider trustworthy and dependable?

Can you name three team members who help you the most in your job

and with your ability to be successful at our organization?

How do you help make our workplace positive and productive?

When did you have the most fun at work during the past six months?

How can we make sure we have more of these moments?

Do you feel that you have permission to learn new ideas and apply them in your work?

How can we support and collaborate with each other to help

apply new ideas? What new relationships have you

formed in the past six months? Have these new relationships

helped you evaluate the progress you have made, and will they help you perform better in the future?

How can we build a team environment that places an emphasis on acquiring new

knowledge? What are the things you need to

learn to do your job better? What have been the situations in

the past six months when you felt you were learning new things?

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Oklahoma District Manager Julie Gosdin has been a Certified Engaged Team leader for four consecutive years from 2016 until 2019. Gosdin has been leading her team utilizing the 12 elements of engagement which has kept Oklahoma District in the top five of 67 districts for business indicators such as safety, employee availability and scanning. Certified Engaged Team status denotes “Best in Class,” according to Gallup’s global database. When the first Postal Pulse survey was administered in 2015, 24 percent of Oklahoma District employees were engaged. Since then, that figure has increased to 35 percent, which is one of the most improved engagement scores in the country. Engagement is not a one-time event, said Gosdin in a recent conversation with Chief Operating Officer Dave Williams. Click the “Connecting with Dave” podcast link below to hear what qualities make Gosdin a four-time Certified Engaged Team leader.

Since the CET program began in 2016, more than 2,200 teams have reached this status. Engagement is everyone’s responsibility and CETs are proof that when leaders create an engaging workplace, it creates a ripple effect among their teams. As a result, the efforts are being recognized as CET Managers and teams create high levels of engagement over time by continuously focusing on the fluctuating needs of employees. More info: https://blue.usps.gov/hr/emp-engagement/pdf/How_to_become_a_CET.pdf

CERTIFIED ENGAGED TEAMS (CET)

Certified Engaged Team (CET)

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When was the last time you did something with your whole heart?

Every moment presents itself an opportunity to give of yourself with your whole heart and become a better version of yourself. When you become more involved, enthusiastic, and committed, you influence those around you. There are 1,440 minutes in each day. Whether you are at work or at home — with colleagues, family or friends — approaching each moment

with a positive attitude will contribute to your sense of well-being.

The Heart of the Matter has appeared in Lead to Win and the Engage Weekly newsletter for the past five weeks. We hope you have enjoyed reading them and have taken some of the messages… to heart. We are asking you to spend just a few of those 1,440 moments and give us your feedback on The Heart of the Matter at engagement@usps.gov.

Heart of the Matter

Commitment

Engagement Word of the Month – “COMMITMENT” Commitment to work or work commitment is defined as the level of enthusiasm employees have about their tasks. It reflects the level of responsibility that employees feel about the goals, mission and vision of the organization.

MY ASSOCIATES OR FELLOW EMPLOYEES ARE COMMITTED

TO DOING QUALITY WORK.

The residents of Madison, NJ, appreciate the great service provided by their city carriers.

Heart of the Matter

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The Engagement Champion Network consists of more than 1,000 individuals involved in,

enthusiastic about, and committed to their jobs,

and who contribute in a positive manner.

Engagement Champion Network

“Our team in Ansonia is amazing. We come together every month to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and each other. We cry together through hard times and cheer all our successes. I can’t say I have a best friend at work because I have a family. My team is truly an essential part of my life and career,” says Manager, Customer Services and Engagement Champion Genie Martinez. Martinez adds, “Being an engagement champion allows me to uplift and empower all of our team members, to help lead changing the culture. In times like these, we need to know there is someone we can count on and trust. Showing someone we care with empathy impacts everyone’s lives and helps to create a more engaging environment. It helps us feel better at work and know that we all are appreciated, which will be reflected in our daily work. Being an Engagement Champion brings me great PRIDE and joy in knowing I play an important role in improving someone’s quality of life at the workplace.” As for being involved in one-on-one conversations, “I had a one-on-one Next Level Connection (NLC) conversation with my manager and it brought our relationship to a more personal level and helped open up better communication between us,” said Martinez. She is collaborating with Northeast Area Engagement Ambassador Al Tariq-Franklin and fellow Engagement Champions to conduct NLC’s with individual team members. Tariq-Franklin, Martinez and their district champion network meet weekly to learn best practices they can use to connect and create a better working environment.

(L-R) Ansonia, NY, Manager, Customer Services Genie A. Martinez; City Carrier Kadivious Witherspoon; City Carrier Jadeeva Smith Martinez; City Carrier Malika Stephenson and City Carrier Carlos Castillo.

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Engagement Leader of the Year (ELOY)

The United States Postal Service has established employee engagement as

a top priority for the organization. The Engagement Leader of the Year Award recognizes leaders at every level of the Postal Service who have exemplified

employee engagement in a management capacity.

(L-R) Milwaukee, WI, Sr. Plant Manager Randy Elsen; Milwaukee Postmaster Eddie Masangcay; and Lakeland District Manager Richard Moreton.

Eddie Masangcay, Postmaster and Lakeland District Engagement Leader of the Year

Milwaukee Postmaster Eddie Masangcay was selected as Lakeland District Engagement Leader of the Year. “One of the joys in my role is being involved in and working with team members with passion and a relentless pursuit to do well. To be recognized as Engagement Leader of the Year in one of the largest districts in the county is definitely an honor. I am committed to driving engagement as it plays an even bigger role in the extraordinary times we are in,” said Masangcay. As for conducting Next Level Connections, Masangcay leveraged mid-year meetings with one-on-one conversations to discuss elements of strengths and opportunities. He recognized both of his Managers, Customer Service Operations (MCSO) and promoted their growth and development by having them take part in Lean Six Sigma projects. One of the MCSOs is working on a project to earn her green belt certification by combining the elements of engagement and Lean Six Sigma principles. In turn the MCSOs have replicated the process with their supervisors. Their meetings were structured to include conversations on accomplishments and opportunities. As with all Next Level Connections, the participants asked how they can better support the stations which provide crucial formal and informal feedback at the local level.

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June 21 Christina Bell Retail clerk Orlando, FL June 25 Khristin Mire Lead sales and service associate Houston June 25 Khristal Profitt Distribution window clerk Houston June 26 Paula Arguello Letter carrier Sonoma, CA June 27 Michael Quillen Letter carrier Florence, AL July 2 Kenneth Carr Sr. Supervisor, customer services Upper Marlboro, MD July 6 Jerri Robinson Mail handler Carol Stream, IL July 7 Jacqueline Mejia Maintenance mechanic Austin, TX July 10 Rick Shelton Supervisor, customer retention Dayton, OH July 12 Cassondra Glason General clerk Memphis, TN July 13 Ramon Fontanes Operations support specialist San Juan, PR July 14 Susan Lomas Training technician San Francisco July 14 Jose Ortiz Mailing requirements clerk San Juan, PR July 14 Efrain Reyes Operations support specialist San Juan, PR July 14 Jessica Rodriguez Training technician Sioux Falls, SD July 18 Lisa Robosky Field financial specialist Pittsburgh July 18 Donna Edwards Postal support employee Bremen, KS July 18 Kimberly Kelly Customer retention agent Dayton, OH July 21 Elizabeth Slack Accounting specialist Saint Louis July 21 Danielle Jones Data collection technician Sioux Falls, SD July 22 Malorie Quillen Sales, services associate Westpoint, TN July 22 Janice Wilson Distribution clerk Washington July 24 Lisa Boldt-Hickey Customer retention agent Dayton, OH July 25 Thurmond Raleigh Customer care agent Los Angeles July 27 Karen Oberkrom Supervisor, customer retention Dayton, OH July 28 Thomas Paisley Bulk mail technician Pewaukee, WI July 30 Darrious Berry Safety specialist Jackson, MS July 31 Denise Lovejoy Postmaster Hobart, WA Peter Killian and Glenda Smaage celebrated their 47th wedding anniversary. Peter is a maintenance mechanic in Sacramento, CA. Dan Harai and Joanne Short celebrated their 23rd wedding anniversary. Dan is senior plant manager in Los Angeles and Joanne is an administrative assistant in Honolulu. Patricia and Victor Aquilera celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. Patricia is a business service network representative in Wichita, KS. Aaron and Linda Ruebling celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary. Aaron is Postmaster in Virginia, IL. Donna and Shane Edwards celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary. Donna is a personnel support employee in Bremen, KS.

BIRTHDAYS

Celebrations

WEDDINGS/ANNIVERSARIES

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42 years Annette Presti General clerk Bellmawr, NJ 35 years Barbara Cos-Y-Leon Learning development and

diversity specialist Denver, CO 35 years Kurt Whitcomb Rural carrier Jamestown, NY 35 years Lisa Bridges Sales, services associate Dayton, OH 35 years Brian Butterbaugh Customer retention agent Dayton, OH 34 years Cathy Jones Manager, customer services Raleigh, NC 34 years Phyllis Ahnberg Sales, services associate Weatogue, CT 32 years David Letourneau Manager, maintenance Hartford, CT 31 years Michael Prioleau Bulk mail technician Petaluma, CA 33 years Brian Beaudry Laborer custodial Edison, NJ 25 years Laura Sloat Sales, services associate Bolivar, NY 25 years Laurie Lindquist Postmaster Chautauqua, NY 25 years Timothy Woodin Sales, services associate Ellicottville, NY 25 years Elizabeth McCartney Sales, services associate Ithaca, NY 25 years Stephanie Embree Postmaster Pine City, NY 25 years Doreen Frost Postmaster Sinclairville, NY 25 years Timothy Callahan Postmaster St. Bonaventure, NY 25 years Eugenia Bush Operations support specialist Capitol Heights, MD 23 years Angela Duncan Address management technician Houston 22 years Sonyakita Holloway Bulk mail technician Atlanta 22 years Deborah Ballard Training technician Petaluma, CA 20 years Paula Arguello Letter carrier Sonoma, CA 14 years Richard Yee Training technician San Francisco 4 years Theresa Douglas Customer retention agent Dayton, OH 2 years Brandon Tehrani Lead automotive technician Edison, NJ 2 years Alexander Romanow Lead automotive technician Edison, NJ

35 years of service Lonnie Hadlock Letter carrier Cedar City, UT 31 years of service Sonia Torres Lead sales service associate Bronx, NY 27 years of service Della Nelson Sales, services associate Bismarck, ND 22 years of service Ramon Cheung Lead automotive technician Patterson, NJ

RETIREMENTS

POSTAL ANNIVERSARIES

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engagement@usps.gov 1-844-303-6424

Please submit your personal success stories that reflect any of the 12 Elements of Engagement below:

Do you have an Engagement story?

Did you miss an issue of Engage Weekly? liteblue.usps.gov/emp-engagement/engagement-weekly-newsletters.htm Do you have a birthday, retirement, postal or wedding anniversary you would like to share? ➢ Go to USPS LiteBlue and log on with your Employee ID and USPS Self Service Password.

➢ Under Hot Topics, select Employee Engagement.

➢ In the left column, select Employee Celebration Submission, and fill in the online form.

Engagement Resources and Contact Information

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