New Approach to Performance Management

The following e-mail was sent to all users regarding a new performance management plan. If you have further questions, please contact Micki Knudson, Human Resources Director (Michaelene.Knudsen@modot.mo.gov).

In the coming weeks, you will hear more about a new approach to performance management that places more emphasis on good conversations and employee development and moves away from performance evaluations.  We will launch those details after further discussions with the senior management team, our statewide HR team, and the EAC in March. 

There have been major leadership decisions we are able to share now: 

• The requirement of MAPS ratings will end immediately. This means, employees will not receive a “final rating” as is currently required for the ratings period ending March 30, 2018.

• Supervisors should continue to offer regular feedback to employees, set good expectations, and do performance planning using the MAPS form (for now), especially with new employees or employees in new positions.

We will soon move away from requiring use of the MAPS forms.  More details will follow.

Corporate Challenge 2018 Sign Up Call

If you plan to take part in this year's Corporate Challenge competition, now is the time to sign up because time is running out for certain events.

While the deadline to sign up for KCCC is March 28, the captains of specific events need to know beforehand so that they will know if they have enough participants to field a team.

Let's say for example, you would like to take part in women's basketball. If the captain of the team hasn't heard from you and others, they will have to assume there's no interest in that event. And if that's the case, MoDOT KC would not field a team for women's basketball.

The decisions to field those teams are expected to be made within the next two weeks. That means captains will need to know for sure by the first week of March.

The whole reason behind the notification is to help allow Corporate Challenge officials to set the schedules.

Currently, there several dozen events in which captains need to know if you want to participate.

In addition, there are also several captains' positions that are still available as well.

If you'd like to take part in this year's Corporate Challenge or wish to be a captain, please see Brian Burger @ brian.burger@modot.mo.gov 

New participants can go to www.kccorporatechallenge.com and create a new profile. The password is “modot”...  all lowercase

Safety Shout: Reporting Injuries, Accidents, and Damage

The last thing any of us want is to have to report an injury, accident or damaged equipment.

Why Report?

•       For legal documentation of the event

•       Capture details while info is fresh

•       Establish a timeline for dealing with the event

•       To prevent it from happening again

•       To learn lessons

•       To identify trends

•       Reports can protect the employee from false information, accusations or liability

What To Report?

Injuries

•       Whether you need to go to the doctor or not, all injuries must be reported

•       Injuries might get worse over the next few hours, days or weeks. Non reported injuries are very difficult to go back in time to record

•       Failure to report may delay getting needed treatment and medications

•       If you do not report it immediately there is a chance it will be denied by work comp, leaving the employee with a highly stressful situation

•       You have the right to deny medical care, but you do not have the right to avoid reporting

Accidents

•       If involved in an accident, notification MUST be made immediately to law enforcement (9-1-1). A report is to be completed by local PD, Sheriff Department or Highway Patrol

•       Notification must also be made immediately to the supervisor and to Risk Management

Damaged Equipment

•       Policy requires immediate reporting of damaged equipment. Whether it happed while you were using it or you found it damaged, report it.

•       Ignoring or trying to place blame on someone else will only escalate the issue. Far better results come from honesty.

Theft

•       Policy also requires immediate reporting of theft. Do everything you can to avoid disturbing evidence such as footprints, fingerprints, broken locks, etc.

•       Notify law enforcement and obtain a police report on the incident. Include with the MoDOT report.

Where to find report forms – The two most used forms are the E-11, used to report accidents and damaged equipment; and the Field Injury Report. Each are located on the KC SharePoint site under Safety and Health/Forms.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

•       Spelling – It is very important to spell names correctly. Incorrectly spelled names will be entered into the system as they are provided on the form and this could cause a report to be false, inaccurate or even get lost.

•       Leaving sections blank – This is probably the most common reason reports are sent back. Note: If a report goes to court, you don’t want it to appear you were hiding something or negligent

•       Veering from the facts  – A report should state facts. Avoid assumptions, guesses or speculation

•       Protecting Others – Changing the story or leaving out important facts in order to protect someone from getting in trouble only makes things worse

In summary: Report immediately

•       Injuries - whether going to the doctor or not and no matter how minor. Of course if immediate care is required call 9-1-1

•       Accidents – call law enforcement, notify supervisor and Risk Management. Make sure you get a police report.

•       Damaged Equipment – Whether you did it, saw it happen or found it that way, report it.

•       Theft – Get a police report. Don’t destroy evidence or crime scene.

Forms are on KC SharePoint, Health and Safety, Forms, E-11 and Field Injury Report

Thank you and if you need assistance with reporting please feel free to contact Risk Management.

Buckle Up/Phone Down Makes a Guest Appearance at Planet Comicon

At the 2018 Planet Comicon in Kansas City, attendees saw an unusual sight. Well... maybe more unusual than normal. 

The Buckle Up/Phone Down hand jive made an appearance when Area Engineer Rich Shipley won first place in his competition for cosplay, proving that buckling up and putting your phone down is an important message for EVERY audience.   

Rich won for the Novice Level in the Foam Work category which included about 20 entrants. Participants had to construct costumes primarily with molded foam. His costume was fashioned after a character in Fallout, New Vegas. 

Planet Comicon is a 20-year comic book and pop culture convention that bills itself as the biggest of its kind in the Midwest. It's hosted annually at Bartle Hall and includes a variety of booths, guest speakers and cosplay contest. Learn more here: http://planetcomicon.com/

MoDOT Thanks Lee's Summit Fire and Police Departments for Service

On Tuesday, Feb. 20, several MoDOT Kansas City employees gathered together at the Lee's Summit Fire Station 4 to honor and thank various fire fighters and police officers for their services to one of our very own MoDOT employees and his family back in November 2017.

On Nov. 24, Intermediate Construction Inspector Russell Penner, fell from his roof while hanging Christmas lights on his home. 

The Lee's Summit fire and police departments responded to the scene and got Russell transported to the hospital. 

In addition to that, the team later returned to the Penner's home and finished hanging up their Christmas lights for them.

"I really thank you all for everything that you do," says Russell. "I always stop and pull over when I see you all coming and I pray each time that you make it to where you're headed in time to save someone. I never dreamed it would be me. Thank you."

MoDOT Kansas City District engineer Brian Kidwell, as well as MoDOT's Chief Engineer Ed Hassinger attended the ceremony and presented certificates to each of the responders.

"Sometimes, as those who serve the public, we aren't always appreciated. I felt it was very important to be here today to not only thank you for helping our employee, but for the things you do each day for the public," says Hassinger.

Russell's wife Teresa as well as his two children were present and personally thanked the crews for their help.

Retirement Celebration for Robert Broeker - March 29

MoDOT Invites Community to Open House Public Meeting to Learn About I-435 Project

The Kansas City District of the Missouri Department of Transportation has issued an open invitation to commuters and residents along I-435 to learn more about a project known as the I-435 South Loop Link. Work is anticipated to begin in spring of 2018 and be fully completed by late spring 2020.

On Feb. 22 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Center Middle School at 326 E 103rd St, Kansas City, MO 64114, anyone interested in this project can stop in for an open-house style meeting to discuss specifics with the project team. 

This more-than-three-mile project replaces the bridges at Wornall and Holmes, rehabilitates the bridges at 104^th Street and the Blue River, and upgrades the pavement on I-435 which includes adding another lane -- all while maintaining the current four lanes of traffic during construction during peak hours. 

Learn more about the project here: www.modot.org/kansascity/major_projects/I435South/

MoDOT Assists Child Seat Safety Check - Photo Gallery

Ed Jackson took part in another child seat safety check event on Saturday, Feb. 11 held at the McCarthy Chevy Dealership in Olathe, KS. See the photos here.

Odessa High School Students Get First Hand Look at Traffic Management

For the second year, KC Scout played host to Odessa high school seniors. The teacher organized the visit to pair up with their planned afternoon trip to the National Weather Service facility in Pleasant Hill.

"This was such a great group," said Traffic Systems Supervisor Nancy Powell. "They asked lots of good questions and we were working several critical incidents during the visit so they had a first hand view!" 

Kudos to traffic supervisor Amy and her team for accommodating the group inside the TMC as they adeptly handled several incidents and allowed them an up-close look and listen. 

KC Scout frequently hosts tours for both the community AND employees. If you have not had a chance to visit the team and see traffic in action, e-mail Nancy Powell to schedule a trip. 

Calling For Your Piece of MoDOT History

MoDOT Kansas City's museum project is underway but we still need submissions. The goal is to capture a piece of memorabilia from every

These highway pins were given
to new employees during the
early 1930s

department. We have submissions from traffic, design, construction and human resources. We need some additional items from safety and maintenance. If you have an older tool or manual, or previously used personal protection equipment, we would love to include it in the museum. Each piece will be cleaned, tagged and displayed in a cohesive collection, in protected cases. If you have a piece of district history, consider submitting for this cool project. The final product will be on display in room 252 in the district office. 

Unsure if your piece should be submitted? E-mail Michele Sewart at michele.sewart@modot.mo.gov and we can review. 

Road Trip: College Style

Several members from the Kansas City District Office are on a college tour in Kansas.

Kyle Chancy and Ashley Johnson from the HR team and Construction Inspector Sean Domingo from the Lee's Summit Project Office are taking part in a career fair at Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS.

While there, they'll be talking to Civil Engineers who may soon become part of the MoDOT team and they'll also be on the lookout for summers interns.

After their brief stop in the Little Apple, they'll head for Lawrence. They'll pick up of their college career fair at the University of Kansas on Thursday, Jan. 8 and Friday, Jan. 10. 

District Chili Cook-Off Sponsored by the EAEC (Photo Gallery)

The EAEC held their annual Chili Cook-off Thursday, Feb. 1. Eight employees from the district submitted their best chili recipe to the competition to see whose was the crowd favorite. 

Employees from the district gathered in the break room of the district office to taste each one and a panel of judges made the final determination.

In first place (and People's Choice winner!) was John Wooldridge (intermediate maintenance worker in Harrisonville)! Second place was awarded to Quincy Livingston (maintenance worker in Richmond). And in third place was Barry Viss! 

All the proceeds of the event help the Employee Assistance Fund. Thank you to everyone who helped support the cause and to all participants!

Safety Shout: Heart Attack and Stroke

Although best known for Valentine’s Day, February is also Heart Disease/Stroke Awareness Month. After all, if you’re going to let Cupid’s Arrow pierce your heart (and probably your pocketbook, too) it needs to be beating. Here are some pointers from the American Heart Association on how to spot symptoms of heart attack, cardiac arrest (yes, they’re different) and stroke, also known as “brain attack.”

HEART ATTACK WARNING SIGNS:

• CHEST DISCOMFORT. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and returns. It can feel like pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
• OTHER UPPER BODY DISCOMFORT. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• SHORTNESS OF BREATH, with or without chest discomfort.
• OTHER SIGNS may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

CARDIAC ARREST WARNING SIGNS

• SUDDEN LOSS OF RESPONSIVENESS. No response to tapping on shoulders.
• LACK OF NORMAL BREATHING. The victim does not take a normal breath when you tilt the head up and check for at least five seconds.

STROKE WARNING SIGNS…Spot a stroke F.A.S.T.

• Face Drooping. Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. 
• Arm Weakness. Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? 
• Speech Difficulty. Is speech slurred, are they unable to speak, or are they hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a sentence, like "The sky is blue." Is the sentence repeated correctly? 
• Time to call 9-1-1. If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get them to the hospital immediately. Also, did you know “hands-only” CPR can be as effective as full-breath CPR? Got a minute? Watch the video at the link below to learn how to save a life, literally in 60 seconds.
  
  http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/CPRAndECC/HandsOnlyCPR/Hands-Only-CPR_UCM_440559_SubHomePage.jsp
  
  Heart attack, cardiac arrest and stroke are often very survivable with quick medical care. Recognizing the signs is vital. When someone’s ticker or brain is racing against the clock, it’s not a gray matter. If you would like more information on this or any safety topic, contact district Risk Management staff.

Marshall Maintenance Receives Thanks for Efforts!

The Marshall maintenance facility recently received some press time for their continued efforts to make Missouri roadways a safer place to drive. Crews were pouring cracks on U.S. 65 through Marshall, a heavy traffic area. The crew received numerous thanks from the public and even made the paper.

Thank you to all maintenance sheds for all of your hard work! It does not go unnoticed.