Cuyahoga County Employee Engagement Plan

- Make Cuyahoga County an Employer of Choice
Strategic Priorities
  • 15.2 Create a positive, open, supportive culture that values our staff, prioritizes our customers, reflects our values, promotes teamwork and inclusion, and encourages innovation
    - Make Cuyahoga County an Employer of Choice
About this measure

This measure provides updates on major milestones and anticipated next steps associated with efforts related to employee engagement. 

Updates are provided by the Cuyahoga County Department of Human Resources on a quarterly basis.
Why is this important?

Engaged employees are those who are enthusiastic and committed to their work and workplace. Employee engagement is critical to organizational success and employee engagement strategies have been proven to reduce staff turnover, improve productivity and efficiency, and increase customer satisfaction. To transform Cuyahoga County into “a vibrant and prosperous region where everyone thrives, and all things are possible,” the County must have a thriving workforce. Through its employee engagement effort, CARE, the Department of Human Resources hopes to build an engaged, enthusiastic, and committed workforce, focused on transforming our vision into reality.
How are we making an impact?

At Cuyahoga County, employee engagement efforts are focused on communication, appreciation, relationships, and education (CARE).

Communication: Creating departmental committees that will serve to enhance organizational communication and employee recognition. Current efforts include:

  • “In the Know” Weekly newsletter from the County Executive
  • Project Drive ERP Pit Crew
  • Quarterly update meetings with Sanitary Engineer

Appreciation: Sustaining a system of ongoing employee appreciation and recognition opportunities to enhance morale. Current activities include:

  • Employee Engagement E-Card

Relationship: Promoting organization-wide social events to build a sense of community among County staff. Examples of current events include:

  • Harvest for Hunger Campaign
  • Charity Choice Campaign
  • Tru2U Mentoring Program

Education: Offering education and development opportunities to increase employee engagement. Examples of current offerings include:

  • Innovation Conversations Series
  • Project Drive Just-in-Time Training for ERP Roll-Out
  • Lean Six Sigma Training
  • Project Management training funded by the office of Innovation and Performance
  • Leadership Lunch n’ Learn series with local leaders invited to speak on a variety of topics

Future employee engagement initiatives may include a Service Awards banquet, a customer service award, and celebration of Public Service Recognition Week.
Milestone Measure

The County provides many opportunities for employees to be engaged. During this quarter, engagement efforts have included:

  • True2U Mentoring - Working with Cleveland Foundation, County employees were omce again offered the opportunity to mentor eighth graders in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District
  • Innovation Academy - The Department of Innovation and Performance hosted several cohorts for its Innovation Academy. These yellow and green belt courses encourage employees to become agents of innovation, with a focus on improving programs, finding efficiencies, and decreasing costs
  • Lead for Change - HR's leadership lunch 'n' learn series continued to grow in attendance and this quarter's speakers were Dr. Floun'say Caver, Interim CEO and General Manager at Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority; Marianne Crosley, President & CEO of Cleveland Leadership Center; and Eric Gordon, CEO of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District
  • Be Well & Thrive! - Wellness activities such as fitness incentives, fresh produce programs, and webinars on topics like grief, counseling, and diabetes continued this quarter. Overall participation in wellness activities continues to increase. This quarter, employees who participated in the wellness program received a $500 incentive in their paychecks!