ENEWS
Employee Development ProgramIn November 2006, Santa Fe County Human Resources Division implemented an official Employee Development Program. The overall purpose of this program is to ensure that our employees have the tools they need to be successful in their jobs; to allow employees the opportunity to acquire additional skills and abilities for upward mobility and to maximize their effectiveness in County government.
Santa Fe County Human Resources Division provides New Employee Orientation for all new employees. New Employee Orientation at Santa Fe County is designed to introduce and welcome employees to the County; inform employees of what services the County provides, and explain to employees the County’s Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals. Each employee is given a copy of their job description which enables them to determine how their job may impact or interface with other areas of the County. During New Employee Orientation, the Human Resources Handbook is discussed, Safety Policies and Procedures are explained, and employees are given instruction on completing timesheets and also policies on usage of information technology equipment. All remaining new hire paperwork is completed with individual attention given to each question employees ask. During orientation the first session of the Customer Service Series Certification Program is conducted. In an effort to align our belief in providing superior customer service to our community, it is crucial that customer service expectations of employees are identified and discussed at time of hire. Providing the first session of the Customer Service Series upon hire is an opportune time for employees to really understand the culture of the County and expectations for the delivery of quality customer service. Being able to pay employees for superior performance, related to assigned duties creates dedication, high morale, and loyalty. The Human Resources Division implemented Merit Increase Program in 2007. This program allows for supervisors to reward employees for continued exemplary performance. The program gives supervisors a detail of what process they need to follow to grant a merit increase, and gives employees clear information on what they need to do to achieve to be eligible for this increase. In addition, the Human Resources Division has worked with the local AFSCME bargaining unit to create merit increase opportunities for their members. The Merit Increase Program along with the cost of living adjustments result in a well-rounded compensation plan. Continued feedback regarding job performance is critical for future job success. Santa Fe County conducts performance evaluations annually. The feedback is very beneficial to employees and allows for additional discussion on goals, performance, standards, and behavioral expectations. The Resource Center is an informational library available to all County employees. The purpose of the Resource Center is to provide employees the opportunity to learn more about certain topics pertinent to their current and possible future jobs with the County. The Resource Center includes books, tapes, and DVD’s on Leadership Skills, Management Skills, Business Law, Career Development, Technical Communication, Work/Life Balance, Job Interviews, Performance Appraisals, as well as resources that are being used by employees enrolled in the College for Working Adults Program. The Resource Center is located at the Human Resources Office located at 949 West Alameda. In an effort to keep employees informed about various County events and topics that may be of interest to them, the County has begun issuing a quarterly newsletter. Some of the topics included are upcoming events, healthy lifestyles, financial stability tips, employees who have recently received awards, and newly hired employees. ADOBE stands for Actions or Deeds of Santa Fe County employees Being Exceptional. Employee of the Quarter is an award given quarterly to one employee. This award is granted to employees who have demonstrated superior public service and/or job performance. A nomination can be made by any County employee, or a member of the public. The nomination must include justification (letters of recommendation, recognition for excellent customer service, etc.) as to why an employee should be considered for the award most deserving nominee. Performance evaluations are also taken into consideration. The Employee of the Quarter Committee evaluates all nomination packets to select. Employee of the quarter receives (2) days of Administrative Leave and an Employee Recognition Form that is placed in their personnel file. They are also recognized at the Special BCC Presentation Meetings which are held quarterly. Being nominated Employee of the Quarter boosts morale and encourages continued exceptional service and/or performance. Santa Fe County recognizes the need to let employees know when they have done something exceptionally well, or have really gone beyond their normal scope of work to assist a customer. Employee recognition is a formal process to recognize exceptional incidents and allows more than just the employee’s immediate supervisor to know about the good deed. This form goes through the immediate supervisor, to the next level supervisor, up to the Department Director, to the Human Resources Director, and finally the County Manager. The form is then placed in the employee’s official Human Resources file. Employee recognition is a wonderful tool to boost morale in the workplace. The Employee recognition form may be completed by a supervisor, director, elected official or another County employee. Santa Fe County feels it is important to recognize employees who go the extra mile. The Hats off Award is similar to the Adobe Award but is given to departments, Tuition Assistance is a benefit offered to employees to attend college courses to pursue a degree and/or to increase job knowledge. The County reimburses employees who successfully complete these courses at 100%. The County may also approve leave to attend courses. This is a great benefit for employees who are interested in attending college. Human Resources, in collaboration with the Santa Fe Community College began the College for Working Adults Program in the fall of 2007. This program allows employees to obtain an Associate’s Degree in 2 ½ years. The highlighted benefits of this program are that many of the classes are conducted during the day, employees are allowed time to attend, and the group is with fellow employees. This allows for employees to begin study groups with each other. This program is fully funded by the County. Santa Fe County strives to provide exceptional customer service. Because this is something that is very important to the County, each employee attends a series of courses to obtain their certification in customer service. These courses thoroughly explain what the County’s customer service expectations are, and gives employees valuable tools to use while working. Similar to the Customer Service Certification, the County also offers an Administrative Service Support Certification. The courses have an emphasis in customer service; however it is evident that administrative support personnel encounter many of the same issues. The purpose of this certification is to discuss topics that are of concern for employees in this field and how to handle these situations. It is also designed to build relationships among departments and divisions which results in expanded knowledge and ultimately better customer service. Santa Fe County Human Resources Division is pleased to announce Santa Fe County’s Leadership Development Program. This program is designed to offer all employees the opportunity to develop both personally and professionally and to be responsive, effective, and efficient. The Leadership Development Program consists of The Leadership Skills Series; The Supervisory/Leadership Series and Employee Development Courses. All employees that are in a supervisory capacity are required to attend the Leadership Skills Series, and The Supervisory/Leadership Series. Additionally, there are numerous workshops that are offered annually. The Santa Fe County Leadership Skills Series The first session of the Santa Fe County Leadership Skills Series begins with an overview of an Introduction to Leadership. The second session is training on Teamwork. The third session is Submitting to Authority, and the last session is Using Executive Intelligence at Santa Fe County. After each session, the County Manager gives the floor to each participant to talk about their experience as it relates to the specific topic. This series has been a great success since it began, and each series has been completely full. The Santa Fe County Management Series The Santa Fe County Management Series is a series of pertinent supervisory training that each employee in a supervisory capacity is required to complete. This series provides training for supervisory personnel in the areas of Leadership/Management Style, Conducting Performance Evaluations Effectively, Interviewing, Hiring, and Processing Human Resource Action Forms, Navigating through the Disciplinary Process, Labor Relations, and Employment Law. The catalog of employee development courses offers employees many choices. We offer many courses that are designed to assist employees both personally and professionally. Employees may choose any of the offered courses. Some courses are required annually depending on job requirements. A few examples of courses are: Communicating with Your Boss, Conflict Resolution, Organizational Skills, Conducting Effective Meetings, Diversity, etc. The Employee Wellness Program is designed to assist employees with work/life issues and educate employees about healthy life styles. Employees are invited to local health screenings are no or very minimal fees. We also send employees monthly health tips. Some courses we offer in Employee Wellness include: Weight Management, Exercise Tips, Living with Diabetes, Coping with Depression, Smoking Cessation, Raising Children, and Caring for Elderly Parents, etc. We believe this gives employees additional support in with life events. |