UPA News
Nanci Klein Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
On May 21, 2010 at the annual meeting of the Utah Psychological Association Dr. Nanci Klien was recognized by her peers for her outstanding service to the organization, and to psychology as a profession, with the life time achievement award.
UPA Announces Healthy Workplace Award Winners
The UPA recognizes organizations that encourage employee well-being through policies promoting work-life balance, employee involvement, employee growth and development, health and safety, and employee recognition. The awards banquet was held November 18, 2009 at the I.J. and Jeanne Wagner Jewish Community Center in Salt Lake City.Congratulations to the following organizations for their 2009 Psychologically Healthy Workplace Awards.
Gastronomy:
Large For Profit Organization Category
The Market Street Broiler, Market Street Grill, the Oyster Bar and the New Yorker are all part of the Gastronomy family of restaurants located in Salt Lake City. Gastronomy employees 600 people. The most notable quality about their workforce is they are happy! Happy to be at work…happy to be with a company that appreciates and recognizes them for their contributions to the organizational goals.
So what does Gastronomy do for their employees to make their environment Psychologically healthy
- Workplace flexibility…working with the staff to accommodate the mom or dad who has children at home or who need to be picked up from school…
- Encouraging staff to seek educational opportunities…. Allowing a work schedule that fits into a school schedule….
- Safety Bingo…. Each year, $16,000 in award monies are paid out to staff… when staff knows that their environment is s
afe, there is great peace of mind at hand. - Then of course employee benefits… paid vacations after one year….medical and dental insurance is offered, and the employee can add family members to their policy.
Gastronomy…. Yes it’s a business…but it’s a business that cares… a business that cares about the people who work in the organization…and a business that cares about it’s customers.
Congratulations to Gastronomy Inc. for their 2009 Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award.
X-Mission:
Medium For Profit Organization Category
X-Mission, headquartered in Salt Lake City, was founded in 1993 by Pete Ashdown and was Utah's 1st ISP. Many things make X-mission a stellar, progressive company. The company Won numerous local awards for best ISP and best customer service
- Powered by 100% renewable energy
- Outstanding customer service & open communication
- Free public wireless internet at locations throughout Wasatch Front
- Support of the Community
Pete Ashdown, CEO of X-mission supports the belief of promoting a “culture of caring.” X-Mission received particular recognition for its commitment to covering health, mental health and dental insurance premiums 100% for employees, their families, and domestic partners.
There are 3 psychologically healthy practices at X-mission that are especially impressive:
Openness of communication
· Monthly executive meeting broadcast live throughout company and is open to all employees
· Questions, discussion, expressing of opinions openly encouraged at all levels of the company
Low-stress work environment
· "Feels like home," "laid-back," "relaxed"
· No strict dress code
· Employees control schedule & free time
· Flexibility to accommodate family schedules
· Employees reported that they sometimes come in on off hours or weekends just to hang out - "unusually strong bond
· Company backs up employee, not abusive customer
Health benefits
· Employees, dependents, & domestic partners pay no out-of-pocket premiums for health insurance - unlimited MH visits
· Generous dental plan - $2000/year
· Life insurance
· On-site massage and yoga instruction
Emily Higbee, Marketing Director for X-Mission thanked UPA for their 2009 Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award, small business category. She said, “We were thrilled to receive such an honor!
Green Valley Spa and Resort:
Small For Profit Organization
According to Dr. Sid Young, Green Valley Spa and Resort in St George, is a five star destination spa and resort. In his own words, here is what Dr. Young said, “What a treat and a joy it was to step into the world of Green Valley Spa and Resort. Alan and Carole Coombs, you truly have provided for your employees and guests alike an oasis of genuineness, comfort, healing, joy and transcending love. All five categories of psychologically healthy workplace practices are in place and actively providing employee positive growth, personal development and a sense of worth and, of being valued in their workplace. I am most impressed with the "we are family" type attitude from all the employees. I do not remember ever hearing the word "job" from anyone. I was on the property multiple times unannounced and at times, unnoticed and I always experienced the same positive employee attitude and enthusiasm, refreshing atmosphere and personally rejuvenating influence.
The employees all speak of a “spiritual healing” presence that they do not want to "give up." Once an employee at Green Valley they do not want to leave; and, if forced to leave due to some personal "have to" each seems to find a way to return. As Carole has stated to me, ”We do have several employees who have been here since the Spa opened for business in late 1986. Our guests and clients have expressed enjoyment and amazement that they find the same staff waiting to serve them year after year.
Some employees have third-generation family members serving our guests today. We even have several therapists who started out as attendants in the Treatment Center in their teens, then, went on to school for advanced degrees or training and are now advanced highly trained and re-known health professions serving our clients.”
Green Valley is a family-owned business. Employees become a part of a loving extended “Green Valley Family.” Management recognizes the potential for stress, hardship, and anxiety that workers may experience when “real” family obligations, emergencies or celebrations must be put aside because of work schedules. Allowing more “family friendly” flexibility with scheduling working hours has provided the staff a more relaxing workplace--knowing that children or other family members can become an important part of their day and that outside obligations and appointments can be met.
Brigham Young University, Center for Service and Learning:
Educational/Non-Profit Organization
BYU student Dalen Hansen and Dr. Mark Owens were the PHWA site visitors for
The Center for Service and Learning at Brigham Young University. The center coordinates student volunteer efforts on campus and in the Provo area. The Center is staffed by 4 paid employees, assisted by 10 student employees. The volunteers consist of an 11 member service council, 140 program directors and 21,000 volunteers—out of a total campus population of 30,000. They provided 106,000 hours of service in 2008.Last year, once again, in large part because of the BYU program, Provo had the largest volunteer rate of any medium sized city in the nation, at 69%. (The runner up was Iowa City with 43%.)The Service and Learning Center was formed in 1999 and has been under the directorship of Casey Petersen for the last 4 years. The Center now has over 50 active service learning projects—all of which are student initiated, including coaching Special Olympics, Hospice, Adopt-a-Grandparent, mentoring “at risk” teens, Habitat For Humanity and many more.
We had a chance during our site visit to meet the staff and many volunteers. Jeffrey, a program director for a k-12 tutoring project said, “I learn to get outside myself. I can be part of something bigger than myself.” Kris
ten leads a program to take special needs kids to the pool. She’s changed her major because of her experience and says that her kids have “helped open my mind.”
ten leads a program to take special needs kids to the pool. She’s changed her major because of her experience and says that her kids have “helped open my mind.” A large percentage of BYU students come from outside Utah, so part of the long term vision is that graduates will take their service and leadership expertise with them when they leave and spread the good works across the globe.
The volunteer rate in this room may be as high as or higher even than Provo’s. Many of us are experienced volunteers and we know how important leadership is in volunteer organizations. The success of the Center’s programs and the enthusiastic participation of student volunteers can be attributed to the leadership of Casey Peterson and his staff. Casey in particular is humble, persistent and focuses on what people “can” do rather than on what they “should” do. His notion of stewardship focuses on his role as a spiritual guardian of the talents and potential of his student volunteers. He serves as a great example of someone who sits at the nexus of education, service and spirituality and he is able to successfully administer a program that mirrors the values and mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
The Utah Psychological Association seeks to advance psychology as a science and as a profession and to promote human welfare by the responsible encouragement of the development of psychology in all its branches in the broadest manner consistent with ethical and scientific standards.
UPA's membership of approximately 300 psychologists provide psychological services, conduct psychological research, teach in a variety of educational settings, and administer a variety of human service programs. UPA's membership also includes graduate students of psychology and high school teachers of psychology.
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