Memo- Worksite Wellness WorkshopMemorandum
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Steven C. Mielke, City ManagerA
Date: March 6, 1998
Subject: Worksite Wellness Workshop
Office of the City Manager
The city has had a Wellness Committee since 1991. The purpose of the Wellness
Committee is to provide programming to Hopkins employees that will enhance the
physical, mental, and emotional health of all employees. Throughout the year, the
Wellness Committee provides various programs such as speakers, social events,
health audits, and other programs that are intended to support employees and
management in providing a healthy workplace.
In 1997, a survey of employees was conducted by Hennepin County Health
Department, called the Lifegain Health Culture Audit (copy attached). The survey
pointed out some interesting opinions from the employees, and a decision was reached
to hold a workshop with a representative sample of employees to discuss the audit and
to look at strategic actions which could be take to improve the health culture within the
City of Hopkins.
A summary of the discussions at the workshop /planning meeting is attached, and
concludes with eight suggested strategies that could be pursued as an organization to
move ahead in creating a healthy organization. They include:
1. Finding common ground. This suggestion revolves around the need to find
ways to get departments to better work together through yet to be determined
methods.
2. Support for wellness activities. There was a strong consensus that the
programs created by the wellness committee are quality programs, but for
various reasons are not being well attended by employees, both labor and
management.
3. Communications. The committee felt the need to increase communications
between levels within the organization, so that there were clear pictures of
priorities and better knowledge of activities flowing from top to bottom, and
bottom to top, within the organization.
Worksite Wellness Workshop
Page 2
4. MIS computer specialist. There was significant discussion about the need
to hire an MIS computer specialist to resolve some of the frustrating and
difficult computer issues that face the organization. It was pointed out that
the Council has authorized an analysis of our computer processes to
determine whether or not an MIS specialist is necessary, or if it can be
handled in different manners.
5. Make juice out of bad apples. This suggestion revolves around the fact that
certain employees continue to work here, but are not happy with their
positions and can be disruptive to the organization.
6. Citywide management/employee committee. Both the police department
and the public works department have labor /management committees to
resolve issues within their specific realms. This suggestion would create a
citywide committee to work on citywide concerns.
7. Council /staff discussion about eliminating unnecessary or low priority
programs. Within the discussions, it was pointed out by the employees that
some programs are viewed as time consuming and low priority, and could be
eliminated. They recognized the need for Council concurrence with those
decisions.
8. Internal mediation. From time to time there are issues that arise between
employees, which either do not get resolved or could potentially be less
disruptive if resolved earlier. An internal mediation process could provide
relief to some of these issues.
During the workshop, these items were prioritized and items one through four were
listed as top priorities to be addressed.
Finally, a survey was sent to members of the committee, asking for direction on what
should be done. The survey indicated the need to expand the discussion to other
levels within the organization including the City Council. Thus, the purpose of the
discussion is to review this information so that the Council is aware that organizational
discussions will be taking place within departments and between departments on some
of these issues. I would be interested in receiving Council feedback to this process.
mayorccworksiteworkshop
2