Past President Al Zdrazil introduced Visiting Rotarians and Guests: Ellen Kennedy (Minneapolis-University Rotary); Debbie Meyers and Jackie Rein (from Telacris Plasma)
Ken Schaefer gave an update on the Membership/Member Experience Team:
This team gathers member feedback to keep the club relevant to members and also works to engage and mentor new club members. Program Chair Carolyn Will lines up our speakers, but every member is free to suggest and refer speakers. The team is looking for volunteers (which is a great way to really get to know other members):
- lead for Rotation Day (where instead of meeting at the hotel for one day, we meet at member businesses)
- lead for Fellowship (fun social) activities
- at large team members
Dana Bruce introduced new member Katie Johnson of Talecris Plasma Resources. Katie had been a member of Fridley Rotary, but works now in Saint Paul. She immediately brought in a new corporate membership from her company! Katie has two boys who love hockey and baseball. She loves scrapbooking when work and family actually give her a little free time. She loves the impact of what Rotary service can do and looks forward to becoming involved.
Program: The Return to Office
Dr Ken Crabb introduced Bridgett Looney, Human Resources Center of Excellence Consultant, Associate Relations at Securian. Ms. Looney mentioned that she has rewritten this presentation 6 times over the last month due to ongoing changes in the pandemic and work place needs.
Associate health and safety is a top priority
- 96% of our 2,800 associates were fully remote/virtual throughout the pandemic
- 80 hours’ Covid-19 paid leave benefit
- $500 stipend to support ergonomic home office purchases
Securian updates its associates via intranet and Town Halls
- Educational and benefits resources
- Highlighting mental health resources to support associates, families and community
Ms. Looney stressed that Securian is committed to downtown St. Paul.
- Key consideration: balancing health/safety with office camaraderie & collaboration
- On-site essential function associates have been on site throughout the pandemic
- Volunteers started returning May 12, 2021
- May 12: approximately 200 volunteers
- June 9: approximately 175 volunteers
- July 14: approximately 300 volunteers
- Currently planning for August 11: approximately 221 volunteers
- Full-time on-site or hybrid
- The company continues to offer education on vaccines and is not requiring vaccination for return to the office.
- Decisions are data-driven, not date-driven
- On May 20, we announced a plan for a return to office on September 8, 2021 in both buildings. Because the company works within a 4-week notification window, Aug 11 is the day to announce if that return date still holds (likely not due to the spike in COVID-19 cases due to the Delta variant)
- Most associates will work in a hybrid model: the company recognizes and value swork based on results, not physical location
- Facilities team was able to speed up planned office remodeling with so few associates on site in 2020. Some floors have new designs for collaborative working spaces that will be tested and replicated or improved based on how they work as more associates return to work.
- Remodeling includes new “Zoom Meeting Rooms” where the hybrid meeting experience is easier and more seamless.
Advice on your return to office:
- Communicate with employees and clients in multiple ways
- Seek input
- Survey employees
- Benchmark
- Use a decision-making model (Securian uses the DRIVE model)
- D: Decides
- R: Recommends
- I: Input
- V: Veto
- E: Educate
- Stay flexible: test, learn and modify
From the Q&A session:
- The company is a huge supporter of nonprofits and is willing share their templates and insights on return to office and hybrid work teams with others
- 60% of associates will be on site any given day when the return to office is complete, so employee volunteer projects during the workday will still be possible
- The company wants to leave vaccination up to employee choice, but the recent federal mandate for vaccinations of federal employees may influence that decision since they have several federal contracts. Wait and see.
President Todd reported on the Membership Director Search Team. The team consists of Heidi Fisher (team lead), Ken Schaefer, Michael-jon Pease, David Dominick, Todd Nicholson, Ken Crabb, Jason Bradshaw, Laura Nichols-Endres. The updated Position Description will be available this Friday, Aug 13. Please share and refer any recommendations to the team. Hoping to schedule first interviews in early Sept.
Past President Al Zdrazil collected Happy Dollars from: Brianna Vujovich (her team came in 1 over par at the Crystal-Robbinsdale Rotary Golf Tournament); Doug Hartford (out of 86,000 entries, his photo was chosen to be printed and exhibited among 40 others in New Delhi, India); Rita Dibble (happy to have Doug exhibiting work in the country of her birth); Carolyn Will (ran into Al Zdrazil in Bemidji at the annual Dragon Boat Races, where there were two Rotary Club teams competing); Al Zdrazil (let’s get our club to have a team in the race next year!).
Respectfully submitted,
