In-person IT Help is Back with Tech Bar

Are you looking for easy, in-person support for common tech issues and specific IT needs? If so, we have good news for you: “Tech Bar” is back at the County Operations Center! After a successful pilot run last year, the service will return on Sept. 6.

You can:

• Get help with issues like WiFi connections, mapping a drive or software installations.

• Get help connecting to County network remotely with EAA and MFA.

• Get computer accessories, like a mouse and keyboard, or other parts for a quick fix.

• Arrange with Peraton to pick up items you ordered from the catalog. 

• Ask general questions about using Outlook or your Employee Timecard (formerly Kronos).

• Get a loaner laptop for an on-the-spot swap if your device needs more service.

• Get a scheduled laptop refresh done.

And much more!

Tech Bar doesn’t replace the Service Desk, but adds another option for routine technology issues. More complex problems may require something more, but the Tech Bar is a great place to start.

You can drop in or make an appointment. Those with appointments will be served first. Make an appointment online and then check in online (available starting Sept. 6) or at a kiosk at the Tech Bar. Appointments are 30 minutes and are generally limited to one session per person a day.

Tech Bar Location and Hours

County Operations Center (COC)
5520 Overland Avenue, COC Commons, in former cafeteria*
Monday through Thursday
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

*For October, Tech Bar will move to 5560 Overland Ave., Room 172. Days and hours will stay the same. Tech Bar returns to the Commons Nov. 1.

The County Technology Office and County IT outsource partner Peraton are teaming up to provide the Tech Bar after hearing from you that the Tech Bar served your needs.

If you have any questions, please contact Joseph Schlientz at the Technology Office at joseph.schlientz@sdcounty.ca.gov or find him on Teams.

How Engaged Are You at Work? We Want to Know!

The Employee Engagement Survey is coming to your inbox on Sept. 12. CPS HR, an independent public consulting agency, will administer the survey and provide overall results and analysis to the County. So, look for an email from CPS HR in a couple of weeks. Take this opportunity to shape the future of your workplace. It’s anonymous. It’s quick. It’s your voice. The survey will be open for three weeks, and it takes less than 10 minutes to complete.

Why are we conducting this survey?

We want to hear from you to make this an even better place to work! We recognize the time and energy you put into serving the public as part of the County team, and research in both the public and private sectors has clearly shown the value of higher levels of employee engagement. Improved engagement not only enhances the individual employee experience, but also leads to better decision-making and improved individual and organizational performance. Learning more about what keeps you engaged can lead to:

• greater personal meaning in work

• a heightened employee connection to work, co-workers, and our overall County vision

• improved employee retention

• improved individual performance

• better organizational performance and outcomes

• a higher level of customer satisfaction

• increased involvement and collaboration in decision-making, resulting in better organizational performance and more effective use of resources

• stronger partnerships across the organization

How was the survey developed?

The independent consulting agency CPS HR developed the survey, which is based on the best questions from other surveys specifically designed for the public sector.

How long will it take me to complete the survey?

It should take 5 to 10 minutes.

Will anyone be able to find out how I responded?

All survey responses will be confidential. No one in the County will review any individual employee’s survey responses. All results will be aggregated either organization-wide or by work units within the County. Candid participation in the survey will help assess strengths, identify areas for improvement and suggest action items.

When will the survey be administered?
CPS HR will launch the survey on Monday, Sept. 12, and it will remain open through Friday, Sept. 30. CPS HR will send each eligible employee an email invitation or provide a hard-copy invitation. CPS HR will also send three email reminders during the survey period.

How will the survey be administered?
CPS HR will administer the survey online. Eligible employees will receive an email invitation with a web link that will enable you to access the survey. Employees who do not have a computer will receive paper invitations with passwords.

Will I be allowed to complete the survey during work hours?

Yes, you may complete the survey during work hours.

What if I don’t want to take the survey?

Your participation is voluntary, yet highly encouraged.

What if a survey is started but not submitted?

Surveys not submitted will not be included in the final results.

Will I receive the results of the survey?
The County plans to distribute the results of the survey after receiving results and analysis from CPS HR in the weeks following the close of the survey.

How can the survey results be used?
The County of San Diego is committed to employee engagement, and the results will be used to assess the current level of engagement to enhance positive activities and make improvements where needed.

If I have technical problems completing the survey, who would I contact for help?
Contact CPS HR at surveyhelp@cpshr.us.

If I have other questions about the survey, who should I contact?
Please contact Dominic Fulgoni, HR Services Manager, at dominic.fulgoni@sdcounty.ca.gov.

CAC Lit for Women's Equality Day

The County Administration Center is lit tonight for Women's Equality Day.

Meet OERJ’s New Deputy Director

The County’s Office of Equity & Racial Justice is excited to introduce its newest member to the team! Melissa Bartolome began her new role as the Office’s first Deputy Director, Departmental Operations, on Aug. 12.

Bartolome has 24 years’ experience with the County. Most recently, she worked at HHSA, where she led various finance and administration teams for Child Welfare Services, EOC Finance, and East and North Central Regions. Prior to HHSA, she worked at First 5 San Diego as a communications and community outreach coordinator and health projects coordinator where she managed multiple contracts providing services and supports to San Diego’s most vulnerable populations from newborn to 5 years old. And before First 5, she worked at the San Diego Sheriff’s Department.

Bartolome was a diversity and inclusion champion where she served on the HHSA Transformation Team, developing and implementing strategies to create an equitable, diverse and inclusive workplace and community. She also served as a member-at-large for the San Diego County Employees’ Charitable Organization where she co-chaired the annual CECO Breakfast Awards Committee and helped to plan many fundraising activities.

In addition, she holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from California State University San Marcos. A native San Diegan and second-generation Filipino American, she enjoys the outdoors, travel, and spending time with her family.

Rewind: Watch ‘Your Voice, One Vision’

Watch the Rewind video now.

Did you miss the D&I Executive Council Townhall: Your Voice, Our Vision for employees on Aug. 25? You can now watch the session on why the foundational steps for a culture of belonging (our reimagined General Management System, new strategic plan, and values) matter to all of us.  

The event featured how this evolution is shaping up across the organization. Representatives from each group shared efforts: 

• Taryell Simmons, Department of Human Resources (FG3) 

• Susan Moore, County Libraries (LUEG) 

• Kimberly Giardina, DSW, and Keisha N. Clark, D.M./OL, Child Welfare Services (HHSA) 

• Jordan Furrow, Public Defender’s Office (PSG) 

And closed with an open engagement period to take a pulse on how the transition is reaching the work we do. 

Watch now (above).

Resources referenced in this session: 

Continued Participation 

• The poll during the engagement asked: 

  • (Multiple Choice) What is resonating with you? 

  • (Open ended) What are the biggest things you've learned in implementing the new GMS thus far? 

  • (1-5 Rating) How much do you feel you have direct contribution to accomplishing these organizational goals? 

  • (Open ended) What could be adjusted to help you feel like you have a direct contribution to accomplishing these organizational goals? 

• An opportunity to have your voice heard anonymously is available in a D&I EC Townhall Series: Your Voice, One Vision form through Thursday, Sept. 1. 

• Help refine what future D&I Executive Council Townhalls look and sound like by giving your anonymous feedback at D&I Executive Council Townhall Series: Attendee Survey.

Shared Resources 

• Filling Vacancies in the Classified Service  

  • Interview Panelist Quick Glance Guide 

  • Hiring Manager Interview Quick Glance Guide 

• Blind Applicant Screening  

• D&I Champion Show Case  (Café Connections & BIPOC Human Libraries)  

• InSite: Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) 

• All ERG Membership Application 

• D&I Champions 

Ways to Spread the Word 

• Share this REWIND link with others.  

• Encourage your team to watch the recording and ask to have a team debrief utilizing the poll questions. 

• Brainstorm ways to increase communication from where you are. 

• Get involved with the Employee Resource Groups and your department’s D&I Champions.

Don’t Miss SDCLA’s Bonfire Meetup

UPDATED 9/27/22: This event was rescheduled to Oct. 1.

UPDATED 9/7/22: This event was postponed. For additional info, contact SDCLA@sdcounty.ca.gov.

The San Diego County Latino Association employee resource group is hosting a Summer Night Bonfire Meetup on Crown Point Beach on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 5 p.m. Come out to enjoy the sunset and mingle with fellow SDCLA members.

Bring beach chairs or blankets for a fun night around the fire. S’mores and water will be provided.

RSVP to SDCLA@sdcounty.ca.gov. SDCLA will provide additional details with exact meeting location and an activity waiver release by email.

See the flyer below.

Rewind: Social Security and Medicare Lunch & Learns

Did you miss the recent Social Security and Medicare lunch and learn sessions? The Department of Human Resources has resources from both sessions!

You can now review the Medicare presentation slide deck, Social Security presentation slide deck or watch the Social Security session that was recorded.

For more information, contact the Department of Human Resources Employee Benefits Division at 888-550-2203 or DHRBenefits.FGG@sdcounty.ca.gov. 

Se Habla Español...and Seven Other Threshold Languages

Arabic, Chinese, Filipino, Korean, Persian, Somali, Spanish and Vietnamese are the County’s eight threshold languages.

Belonging, equity and access are part of the County’s core values, and one of the many ways to support those values is how we communicate. The County Board of Supervisors has accepted the Inclusive and Equitable Communications Plan.

This means that moving forward, every County department must make reasonable efforts to expand language access for residents and communities. The goal is to ensure communications, business operations, websites and public-facing documents are:

• Inclusive, equitable and culturally responsive

• Trauma-informed

• Literacy-level appropriate

• Accurately translated

All departments shall take reasonable steps to prioritize translation of vital documents. Each department will determine which documents are deemed vital and shall establish a process for identifying and prioritizing these documents for translation.

Language services, including translations and oral interpretation, must be done in the eight threshold languages established by the County in accordance with Board Policy A-139.  The current threshold languages are: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Filipino (Tagalog) Korean, Persian (including Farsi and Dari), Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

When in-person oral interpretation services are not available, services must be made available to limited English-speaking people by phone, internet or video.

Translation and Interpretation Companies Available

To accomplish this goal, the County has retained translation and interpretation companies that can provide services in the eight threshold languages and more than 200 others if needed. A language services intranet site has also been created. It contains easy-to-understand guidance on what to do before, during and after communicating internally and externally as a County government.

The County Communications Office and the Office of Equity and Racial Justice worked with employees from all levels and from multiple departments to develop the Inclusive and Equitable Communications Plan. The plan contains input from key community groups, identifies short-, mid- and long-term initiatives to improve language services and community engagement, which is now at the center of all County operations.

During the planning process, it was determined that while departments are making efforts to provide materials in various County threshold languages, there is opportunity for consistency, monitoring and community input.

Some short-term initiatives of the Plan include making sure that all departments and employees have access to resources when developing communications.

In addition to contracting with the translation and interpretation companies and the intranet site, the Office of Communications has also hired a language services manager and a community engagement manager. Working with the community engagement manager, the language services manager will provide enterprise-wide coordination for resources, best practices and collaboration among groups, departments and the community.

The Inclusive and Equitable Communications Plan and supporting resources provide a framework, recognizing that this is a journey for all employees and departments, and strategies and resources will change over time based on internal input, community engagement and evolving best practices.

Being A Good Listener!

The ability to be a good speaker is often the focus for many; however, there is power in the ability to be a good listener. Being a good listener is one of the keys to providing an inclusive approach to welcoming others. 

How does one develop listening skills?

There are several ways to hone your listening skills. Watch the video to view some of the tips on how to be a good listener. Good communication can go a long way to creating inclusive environments.  

Save the Date: D&I Executive Council’s ‘Your Voice, Your Vision’ Townhall

Join the D&I Executive Council on Thursday, Aug. 25 from noon to 1 p.m. via MS Teams. CAO Chief of Staff and D&I Executive Council Chair Natalia Bravo will lead a discussion on why the foundational steps for a culture of belonging, (our reimagined vision, mission, and values) matters to all of us.

The session will feature how this evolution is shaping up across the organizational groups from representatives from each and an open engagement period to take a pulse on how the transition is reaching the work we do.

No need to RSVP, just click this Teams link to join on Aug 25.