September 2022

Henrico County Honored for Supporting Cristo Rey Richmond High School Corporate Work Study Program

Christy Nealey

For many years, Henrico County has supported students and provided opportunities for them to learn, grow, and develop. In 2019, we partnered with Cristo Rey Richmond High School. This Catholic learning community educates young people of limited economic means to become men and women of faith, purpose, and service. Through a rigorous college preparatory curriculum, integrated with a relevant work study experience, they graduate ready to succeed in college and life. Students are required to participate in a corporate work study program that pairs them with a business or organization where they work one day a week instead of attending classes.

 The Work Study Program centers on strengthening students’ competence, confidence, and aspiration from families of limited economic means and empowering them to build fulfilling lives that advance the common good. By providing students with an outstanding college preparatory education and a unique four-year, integrated corporate work study experience, we seek to transform Richmond one student at a time.

As a founding partner in 2019, Henrico County sponsored a team of four students whose opportunities were cut short due to Covid-19. However, we continued to support the students through virtual mentoring workshops until pandemic restrictions were lifted. In September 2022, Henrico County was able to sponsor a team of 4 students with in-person experiences.  However, many employers could not provide opportunities as their offices could not accommodate students. Henrico stepped up to provide workplaces for 14 additional students in many departments such as Community Corrections, Emergency Management and Workplace Safety, Fire, Human Resources, General Services, Public Utilities, Recreation and Parks, General District Courts, and Economic Development Authority. On June 23, Cristo Rey recognized Henrico County as “Partner of the Year” for our support and dedication to the program.  

 

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What do you know about your withholdings?

Christy Nealey

Come tax time, the W-4 is an important form that allows your employer to withhold the correct federal income tax from your pay. Without adequately completing this form, in some instances, you may end up owing the Government money come tax time. In 2020, the old faithful form got a redesign that reduced the form’s complexity and increased the withholding system’s transparency and accuracy. While it uses the same underlying information as the old design, it replaces complicated worksheets with more straightforward questions that make accurate withholding easier for employees. However, with new forms, there always come questions. Here are the short answers to some of the most common questions regarding the new 2020 Form W-4:

 

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Henrico’s New Capability Model: The Communication Capability

Christy Nealey

Whether you’re a new or longtime employee, the ability to meet the demands of our rapidly changing workforce is essential. With this in mind, Henrico County has introduced a new Capability Model designed to help County employees develop the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in our new work landscape. The model is shown below, and you can learn more about the capabilities within it on our resource page.

 

 

To help you gain an understanding of each of the seven individual capabilities within the model, the County Connection is featuring a series of articles, each of which focuses on one of the capabilities. This article focuses on the capability of Communication.

 

Effective communication is essential for productivity and good working relationships, and it’s only become more important now that many employees work from home. While verbal and written skills may initially come to mind, there is much more involved. Good communication also requires strong listening skills, the use of diplomacy and tact when interacting with others, and effectively addressing conflict when it happens. The Communication capability, defined as “Expresses thoughts, ideas, and information effectively,” encompasses all these skills.

 

Conflict can be an area many of us struggle to navigate well. Some may avoid it at all costs while others may be too aggressive when confronting others, resulting in damaged relationships. However, handled well and with good communication skills, learning and growth can occur. Communication can be at the root of many conflicts among employees. Let’s look at an example of a conflict between two employees and how applying the components of the Communication capability can help resolve it.

 

Two employees are working on a team to redesign a process. During a brainstorming meeting, they both present very different ideas on a solution, and they end up in a disagreement. To work through this conflict employing the Communication capability, one employee might respectfully approach the other and propose they meet to have an open dialogue about each other’s ideas.

 

During this meeting, each employee actively listens to the other’s ideas, asks questions to further their understanding, and tries to comprehend the other person’s perspective. They use diplomacy and tact to give feedback on each other’s ideas and their own opinions of them. Instead of trying to “win” or be the one with the “right” solution, these two employees would have a goal of coming to an agreement on the best possible solution for the process.

In this example, the employee proposing the meeting showed strong communication capabilities through the desire to learn more about their coworker’s point of view and approach them to suggest a meeting to discuss their ideas in more depth. The second employee demonstrated the capability by being open to the meeting and their coworker’s perspectives. Both employees approached the meeting with the goal of the best solution for the organization, listened to and appreciated each other’s ideas, and engaged in mutually respectful dialogue.

In summary, great communication is the foundation of a successful workplace through building positive relationships, increasing collaboration and innovation, and engaging employees. To find more examples of communication capability, view our Communication videos that include tips on respectful dialog and dealing with conflict on our OLTD Division YouTube page.

For more information on the Capabilities, visit our resource page.

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Finding Your Way to Well-being

Christy Nealey

Self-care can take many forms. At its core, it’s about doing things that support and nourish your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health and well-being. This is especially true when it comes to managing stress. It’s about being in tune with what you need to take care of YOU.

One way to thrive more is with consistent self-care practices. These may change over time or even daily. The key is to consistently do something daily. Here are some ways you may choose to practice self-care:

  • Take a walk or hike
  • Meditate
  • Read for pleasure
  • Keep a journal
  • Make time for friends
  • Eat healthy foods
  • Listen to calming music
  • Make sleep a priority
  • Make time for health care appointments

To get a jump start on setting up daily self-care activities, use a monthly calendar to record your efforts. Intentionally set aside time within your day to:

Be mindful – such as a gratitude journal or avoid doing other things while eating to become a mindful eater

Move more – like getting up from your desk to take a walk break or track your steps

Nourish your body – bringing healthy snacks to work and avoid overeating at night

Sleep well – use ear plugs, a fan, or a white noise machine to block out disruptive nighttime noise

Whether they suit you on a daily or you commit to them once a month, make it a priority to add them to your routine to help yourself feel better, whenever.

Remember…

“Nothing is impossible. The word itself says I’m possible.” – Audrey Hepburn, American Actor

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