Author: mon035

Walking the Walk!

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Henrico County Walks… more like Henrico County Sprints with the amount of support and teams that have signed up to be a part of this fun, Countywide fitness challenge. The Fitness and Wellness Division of Human Resources just received their 100th team registration! We were able to catch up with a few of the team captains to ask them about their experiences thus far, and how they plan to stay motivated for the rest of the journey:

  1. How did you get so many teams to participate in the Henrico County Walks challenge?
    • “We kind of branched off the Henrico County Walks challenge and developed an agency challenge. We had the support of Liz Stovall and as we talked about what we were trying to do she offered to come over and talk with our staff about the benefits of wellness and supported us fully. She brought over Liz Warden from Employee Health and they did a 30-minute presentation that got the teams fired up so to speak.” -Ed Martin, Juvenile Detention (six teams participating)
    • “When I was asked to speak about this program before school started, I took the information given by the program coordinators and made a slide in the PowerPoint presentation at a faculty meeting.  I talked about how cool it would be if we could walk the entire East Coast.  I explained how just walking two miles a day/30 minutes a day would not only make us healthier but also help us to our goal of walking the east coast. We do a pedometer competition in May (Health and Physical Education Month) and that brings out the competitive side of everyone, so this was something I thought our school would really get involved in…” -Len Weiss (Tuckahoe Middle School, nine teams participating)
  2. What are some things you have done to keep teams motivated to walk?
    Len Weiss and her team, ‘Making Tuckahoe Fit Again.’

    • “My team meets every day for lunch and as we eat, we talk about the things we have done to get our miles in for the week. We are all competitive people and we don’t want to lose!!!!!   I wish we did have time to walk together and I am hoping that we all can find time to do that soon. Another team captain sends out weekly emails to the team to encourage them to walk as well as log their miles in.” -Len Weiss and Townsend Duane
    • “We try to stay in constant communication as we all work in different offices within HR and keep encouraging each other. We try to get together at least once a week and walk as a group. Throughout the week we will also try to go grab another team member and just take a quick walk around the courtyard or through the administration building to keep up our movement.” -Patricia Witmer (Team Captain for CirqueDeSoreLegs, most creative team name winner)
  3. What is some of the feedback you have received from the teams since starting this initiative?
    • “Much comradery and encouraging each other. When you see the staff moving around someone’s saying I see you’re getting those steps in. Also, the competitive fun nature along with a little brash talk about being at the top when the dust settles.” -Ed Martin
    • “My team loves it, being Physical Educators, we do a lot of walking already, but we are pushing ourselves to do more outside of school.  Other teams are having fun.  They do wish that we could log our miles in earlier than the end of each marking period, so that we can see where we are on the journey as well as where other teams are too.” -Len Weiss
  4. Would you all participate in an initiative like this in the future?
    • “I truly believe we will. Hopefully this fun internal challenge will lead to more participation in events like this or others that we can make fit.” -Ed Martin
    • “Most definitely yes!” -Patricia Witmer
    • “Both my team and the other teams would definitely do this again!” -Len Weiss
  5. Do you see any positive impacts directly related to Henrico County Walks?
    • “Yes, staff generally feeling better and paying attention to an everyday activity that we do. With the challenge or goal, we’re doing a little more stepping.” -Ed Martin
    • “Most definitely…I am feeling better about myself overall and am starting to experience some weight loss. This program has made me take notice of how sedentary my life had become, and it is forcing me to take time every day and get up and move as much as possible.” -Patricia Witmer
    • “Seeing everyone walking and putting in the time motivates me and others to go a little bit further and get more active!” -Townsend Duane (Tuckahoe Middle School)
  6. Any other comments?
    • “Just remember to walk steady!” -Ed Martin
    • “I recommend any employee who has not joined this initiative to grab a couple co-workers and create a team and join in this adventure.” -Patricia Witmer

It is not too late to get a team together and join the fun! Head to the Power Henrico website to find more information on the journey, walking trails around the County, and what it takes to be a part of Henrico County Walks!

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Simplify the Holidays – Stress Less, Enjoy More

mon035

Oh, the holiday season. A time filled with magic, giving and wonder— or at least that’s what it’s supposed to be. For many, the holidays can quickly become stressful and overwhelming, becoming one of the busiest, most expensive and most draining times of the year. With a few mindful actions, there are ways to simplify the holidays and live intentionally through the holiday hustle.

  1. Prioritize your priorities
    • The first step towards simplifying the holidays is to figure out what your priorities are. Take time to understand what’s most important to you. Being intentional involves accepting that you can’t do everything. Pick what you want to focus on and let the rest go. For me, spending time with the people I love is my most important priority during the holidays. For example, I spend less time cooking on Christmas day and enjoy a simpler meal allowing more time to spend creating memories with my family.
  2. Adjust your expectations
    • Adjusting both expectations and perspective is important to simplify the holidays. A “perfect” holiday season isn’t what matters, especially if it means you’re a burnt out, cranky, exhausted mess. Your friends and family won’t remember (or care) if you had five different kinds of cookies. They will remember spending a fun night laughing, talking and enjoying your company while eating cookies.
  3. Keep your focus on gratitude
    • Remembering to focus on gratitude can go a long way to shift your perspective during the holidays. Actively look for things for which to be grateful. Take the time to notice and appreciate the simple joys during the holidays. My favorite memories aren’t the gifts received or how fancy the holiday decorations are, they are the laughter and the cozy fire in the fireplace as we sip hot chocolate on a cold and snowy evening. Keep your eyes and heart open to notice and feel grateful for the simple moments.
  4. Other practical tips
    • Start saving for the holidays throughout the year. Instead of racking up debt during the holiday season, set aside some money each month for holiday purchases, travel and hosting.
    • Plan your time, activities and to-dos well ahead of time. Make a list of everything you need and want to do for the holidays and when you need to have each task completed. Planning in advance is a great way to avoid last minute stress and chaos. With a little intention and planning you can bring joy back into the holiday season.

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Wellness is Power Henrico!

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Welcome to the launch of POWER HENRICO! 

With this new wellness initiative, we challenge each and every employee to take charge of their own journey towards a healthy lifestyle.  Our employees are the County’s most valuable resource and we want to help you be well and healthy.

We understand that wellness looks different for every single person. That is why we are providing YOU the tools to build a strong foundation and resources to grow within your own journey. Through education, support and commitment, Henrico County wants to see you be the best version of yourself.

Power Henrico provides an abundance of resources at your fingertips to keep you engaged on your journey to a healthy lifestyle:

  • A concentrated calendar of events (with wellness programs, fitness classes, seminars) to get active and stay involved.
  • Walking Trails at EVERY County location, including an interactive map that describes the length and terrain of each trail so there is no excuse not to get up and move.
  • Success stories of fellow employees and how the services provided by the County have changed their lives for the better.
  • Galleries, articles and local resources to assist you on your journey and keep you engaged, supported and healthy, both in and outside of work.

And that is just the tip of the wellness iceberg!

Go out to power.henrico.us now and take a look at everything available to you as a Henrico County employee. Building a healthy lifestyle is not going out of style any time soon. Take an interest and take care of yourself now so that that you can power your future.

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Open Enrollment for 2019 Benefits

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Now is the time to evaluate your health care needs and wellness goals…

Are you looking to lower your out of pocket costs by improving your health and wellness in 2019? Open Enrollment is the perfect time to take stock in your health, your plan enrollment and your wellness goals to ensure you have the right level of coverage and the right services for you and your family. Health care is not one size fits all and circumstances change, so you need to evaluate each plan and explore the possibilities to decide what is best for you and your family.

Open Enrollment will take place Saturday, October 6 through Friday, November 2, 2018. This is your chance to enroll or drop benefit coverage, change plans, or add/drop dependents. Changes made during Open Enrollment will be effective on January 1, 2019. Outside of Open Enrollment, changes can only be made if you have a qualifying event.

Come to an Open Enrollment wellness session (dates below) to get a look at all the wellness benefits the County has to offer. Also, you can view plan comparisons, rates, benefit details and enrollment instructions on the HR Employee Portal at the start of Open Enrollment, October 6th. Please come by and learn more about all options available to you and speak to some of our vendors at the in-person sessions.

  • October 12 & 31: Eastern Government Center (3820 Nine Mile Rd.) Multipurpose Room from 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
  • October 17 & 24: Henrico Training Center (7701 East Parham Rd.) from 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

What you need to know:

  1. ALL Anthem plan participants will receive new medical insurance cards for 2019 with new group numbers. Please make sure you use the new card for services starting January 1, 2019.
  2. No changes will be made to the Lumenos HSA plan. The rates have been the same since the plan was introduced in 2015! This may be a great option for you.
  3. Delta Dental will continue to offer the same plan options for 2019 with a slight change in rates.
  4. MetLife will continue to provide disability coverage with no changes to rates or benefits offered.
  5. Navia will also continue to provide Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs). This year there will be a $50.00 increase to the Health Care FSA limit. The new limit will be $2,650. The Dependent (Day) Care FSA limit will remain at $5,000.

What do you have to do as an employee?

  1. Re-enroll for Flexible Spending Accounts if you wish to participate in 2019.
    1. Note: This is a great pre-tax option so consider using this benefit.
  2. Look at your current plans and make sure they are right for you!
    1. Note: Health care, dental and short-term income protection enrollments will rollover for 2019, unless you change them during Open Enrollment.
  3. Check out Power Henrico for Open Enrollment events, benefits and other wellness information!

Now that you have the overview, plan to attend one of the scheduled Open Enrollment wellness sessions to learn more.

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October is Energy Month!

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October marks the start of energy action month, a national effort to raise awareness of energy conservation and efficiency.  There are many ways to save energy at work and in your personal lives so that you’ll not only be conserving resources and improving the environment, you’ll also save money! 

The difference between conservation and efficiency is an important distinction to know.  Conservation refers to using less energy with the tools and technologies that you already have.  Examples of conservation include turning off the lights or setting back the temperature on your thermostat.  Efficiency means improving on your systems to perform the same function while using less energy.  Examples of efficiency include changing out light bulbs to more efficient LEDs or adding insulation to a building.  Conservation measures cost nothing—they are simple behavior changes.  Efficiency measures may come with a cost but in time you will see a return on investment with energy savings. 

Here are five simple conservation measures that you can practice at work or at home:

  1. Turn off the lights when not in use.  You’ve heard it 1000 times and it remains the easiest way to conserve energy! 
  2. Put your computer in sleep mode when not in use.  Despite their name, screen savers do not save energy. Sleep mode uses practically no energy and allows you to return to your work fairly quickly.  You could also turn your monitor(s) off when not in use if you prefer that to using sleep mode.
  3. Think before printing.  Do you really need to print that?  Printing uses energy and paper.  If you must print, use the shared office printer instead of individual desktop printers so only one piece of equipment has to be kept on. 
  4. Use your window blinds smartly.  To avoid heat gain in warm weather and make the most of passive heat in cold weather, lower blinds on hot days and raise them on cold days. Also, close them on cold nights before leaving the office or when you are at home.
  5. Unplug chargers and electronics when not in use.  Small amounts of electricity, called standby power or vampire power, are drawn by chargers, small appliances and electronics when plugged in.  Unplug or use a power strip that can be switched off when these items aren’t needed.

The Henrico County Energy Management program strives to reduce energy use and costs in County buildings and operations, and to foster a culture of sustainability and stewardship.  The Energy Fair is held twice a year to help County employees, residents and businesses learn about energy and sustainability products, services and resources available in the Richmond area. 

This year’s fall fair will be held at the Western Government Center on Friday October 19 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  The fair is free and open to the public.  Gifts and goodies will be available for all attendees while supplies last.  This year’s gift is a portable power bank—get there early to make sure you get one!  You can learn more at https://henrico.us/calendar/fall-energy-fair/. If you have questions, please contact Carrie Webster by email at [email protected] or by phone (804)501-5763.

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Deferred Comp- Start Contributing Today!

mon035

One year can make a difference!

Waiting just one year to start saving and investing in deferred comp may cost you more than you realize. The sooner you start to save and invest, the sooner your money can start working for you. Having a VRS retirement benefit is an important step in the right direction, but that benefit on its own may not be enough for you to retire. So, get started contributing to deferred comp now!

Even investing a small amount now can really add up over time. What’s most important is to just get started. Then, if you increase your contribution on a regular basis, the impact to your paycheck will not seem too great. The bottom line, saving today will definitely help you down the road when you retire.

There are also tax benefits for participating in this 457-deferred compensation plan. You can contribute pre-tax money to decrease your overall tax burden now. Or, you also have the option of contributing to a post-tax ROTH account. Why is ROTH a great option? You will pay taxes based on your current tax rate now and, if your tax bracket is higher later in life, you avoid paying higher taxes when you withdraw funds in retirement!

It’s too late if you wait until you think you are ready to retire. Pick the age you want to stop working and meet with our 457-deferred compensation plan advisor to set your goals. Your journey to retirement savings needs to start today!

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Solving the Nutrition Puzzle

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Most of us want to “eat right,” but knowing that AND sticking to it can be a challenge. Personal preference, cultural influences, time, budget and social environment all contribute to our food choices. In addition, the constant flow of changing nutrition information can also make it difficult to make those choices easier.

So, what should you eat?

Start by taking a closer look at your current dietary patterns and identify the chances for improvement. It’s not a single nutrient or food that might be keeping you from your weight loss goal. The combination of foods eaten on a regular basis may be hindering progress. Food journaling can be a useful tool because you can see patterns of behavior or attitudes about food that are barriers to change. An honest assessment of what and why you are making certain choices will allow you to begin making small changes towards a dietary pattern that supports your weight loss and health goals.

Deciding on a dietary pattern:

There are many good options out there for healthy eating patterns. When making the decision about what type of “diet” to choose, keep in mind your current lifestyle and what kind of changes are realistic for you. There are many factors to consider, family or social structure, time for meal planning, prep and cooking, past successes or failures and your specific weight loss goals.

Although everyone’s eating pattern will look different, there are a few basic rules to keep in mind. Research shows that a dietary pattern high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, unsaturated oils and fish while low in total meat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sugar-sweetened foods and drinks, sodium, and moderate in dairy products and alcohol is associated with more favorable outcomes related to body weight or the risk of obesity. Regardless of your pattern, your diet must include a reduction in energy intake (calories) in order to achieve any weight loss.

You may find it helpful to base your pattern on an already established one. Remember to modify based on your personal preferences AND what is realistic for you. Here are a few suggestions that are supported by research and may be effective for weight loss and weight maintenance:

Mediterranean Diet: easy to follow, safe, meets government guidelines and supports weight loss and heart health.

  • Emphasis on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, olive oil, fish and seafood, poultry, eggs.
  • Limits red meat, sugar and saturated fat.

DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension): benefits weight loss and heart health.

  • Emphasis on nutrients (potassium, calcium, protein and fiber) found in fresh produce, whole grains, lean protein and low-fat dairy foods.

MIND Diet: aims to prevent mental decline with brain healthy foods.

  • Emphasis on green leafy vegetables, nuts, berries, whole grains, beans, fish, poultry and olive oil.
  • Limits red meat, butter and margarine, cheese, sweets, fried and fast foods.

Volumetrics Diet: Based on the theory that your body likes a certain feel (volume) of food.

  • Emphasis on low-energy, highly dense foods. Encourages consumption of foods with a high-water content like soups, fruits, vegetables, non-fat dairy.
  • This diet is safe, easy to follow and no foods are off limits.

Committing to a new dietary pattern can be difficult and weight loss can be slow. There will be feelings of success combined with frustration along the way. To stay committed to your new lifestyle, maintain a sense of intention and focus, keep your thoughts positive, turn thoughts into actions, use your mistakes as learning opportunities, and make yourself a priority.

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Conserving History to Provide for the Future

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Henrico County is always looking towards the future. Recently, this has meant preserving a piece of history so future generations can learn and enjoy our country’s past. Through a $1.5-million contribution, Henrico County now maintains over 400 acres of the historic Malvern Hill Farm. This project has been a collaborative effort for many years and the successful completion of the project is thanks to multiple County employees, departments and the County Manager.

Malvern Hill Farm had been in the Ferguson family since the 1930’s. Earlier this year, a local non-profit organization, Capital Region Land Conservancy (CRLC), bought it from them to preserve its history. “This is extremely valuable property,” said Deputy County Manager for Community Development Randy Silber, “Because all three of the American battles—War of 1812, Revolutionary War and the Civil War—had some engagements of action on the Malvern Hill property. It is the only land in the United States that can say that.” Also, since these battles, the Malvern Hill property has remained virtually untouched, which is a huge bonus for the historical preservation of the land and almost unheard of when it comes to historic sites in the United States.

“We would like to be able to simply use the property for historical interpretation purposes,” said Silber. When looking to the future for this property, changes, if any, would be very minimal due to a Department of Historic Resources Conservation easement on the land. This easement makes it so that only two percent of the entire property can be developed. Hiking and biking trails, historical interpretive centers, picnic shelters, parking and open fields will be the principal uses for the land. Creating and maintaining a space that people can use to enjoy the outdoors along with some history is less common these days, so the Malvern Hill property will be a breath of fresh air for everyone. A small portion of the property will be made into a canoe and kayak landing area, restrooms and parking. The Recreation and Parks Department will maintain the grounds after completion. Not only will residents be able to enjoy this land, but the employees of Henrico County as well.

“The County is always looking to the future to provide a quality living environment for residents. It also adds value to anyone who lives and works in the County,” said Silber. So, whether you enjoy the open fields of Malvern Hill or venture into the nearby National Park Services property, you will not only be experiencing a part of history, but a preserved part of our Nation’s future. That is an accomplishment worth contributing towards.

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Fixing IT Up!

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BOOM! Clank! BzZzz!

If you have walked around the second floor of the Administration Building, down the IT hallway, or even outside, you have probably heard one, if not all, of these sounds over the past few weeks. That is because the Department of Information Technology (IT) is getting a much-needed upgrade to their workspace.

Earlier this year, unveiling of the new data center on the third floor of the Administration Building happened, kicking off the entire IT remodel process. The original data center, built in 1976, had not been significantly updated since its installation. The completion of the new center shrunk the size of IT’s footprint by 3,400 square feet just moving it from the second to the third floor, allowing all the space it once occupied to be converted into offices. “We are excited,” said George Bains, Assistant Director of Information Technology, “A big part of this lets the department as a whole, look at everything new again.”

Not only was the data center moved, but the office space on the second floor is being completely renovated. IT is even getting new windows! The construction on the second floor is so big that it must be done in two phases in order to accommodate everyone’s work environment. Phase One should be completed in early October when the construction crew turns over half of the space (what was the old data center) to IT. They then have to build their new desk areas, assemble furniture and get everyone moved to the new side before demolition starts on the half they just vacated.

Along with all the new offices being built, IT will be gaining a large conference room, multiple collaboration rooms, open meeting areas, standing white board walls and did we mention new windows? “It has been exciting to see we were able to include this as a capital project. It allows us to access creativity we have not been able to before,” said Bains. Not only is collaboration happening between the construction crew and IT but General Services and Schools all have a hand in this renovation project too. When it is all said and done, 16 school employees will now be located in the Administration building, along with the majority of the IT staff.

Completion of all construction, painting and moving should be done by March 2019, and Henrico County will see the benefits of this project for years to come. Through creativity, collaboration and seeing beyond the walls of IT, this renovation project is bringing our information technology office space into the 21st century.

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