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Public Service Recognition Week and Celebrating You! Employee Appreciation Weeks

 
DANA DEROUCHEY
Public Service Recognition Week and Celebrating You! Employee Appreciation Weeks
by DANA DEROUCHEY - Tuesday, April 25, 2023, 1:16 PM
 

Public Service Recognition Week May 7-13 2023 and Employee Appreciation Weeks

In recognition of this year’s annual Public Service Recognition Week, observed every year the first week of May, Team AgLearn is providing information and resources to celebrate all the hard work done by public servants at USDA and beyond. This year Public Service Recognition Week is May 7-13, 2023.


Public Service Recognition Week

Since 1985, the first full week of May has been set aside as Public Service Recognition Week External Link (PSRW) to honor the men and women who serve our nation as federal, state, county, and local government employees. It provides a fitting time to not only celebrate the contributions of USDA staff but also contributions of the entire federal workforce now—and throughout history.

In conjunction with this year’s PSRW, USDA is kicking off its first ever Celebrating You! Employee Appreciation Weeks organized and led by the Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM).

Beginning Monday, April 24th and continuing through Friday, May 5th, USDA employees and contractors will be recognized and celebrated for their hard work, achievements, and positive impact in touching the lives of all Americans each day. Celebrating You! USDA Employee Appreciation Weeks aims to positively influence employee engagement through:

  • Recognizing and honoring USDA employees for the great work they do each day to improve the lives of millions of Americans and people across the globe.
  • Encouraging a culture of inclusion, recognition, and appreciation.
  • Highlighting the many faces and facets of USDA public servants.

Celebrating You! Events

To officially kick things off, please watch the short video USDA Acting Deputy Secretary Kevin Shea Welcomes USDA to Celebrating You! External Link There are several events planned over the next two weeks. We encourage you to participate and join in all events:

  • Friday, May 5th: Mental Health. Join clinical psychologist Dr. Jaseon Outlaw, PhD for a discussion on some of the most common mental health challenges faced by employees in the workplace and effective strategies for promoting mental health and well-being among staff. Register for the Mental Health event External Link zoom meeting!

  • Thursday, May 4th: Celebrate USDA – Multicultural Celebration through Food & Its History. Join Kimberly Nguyen, Equal Opportunity Specialist, FS as she discusses a history of USDA’s The Mixing Bowl, which encourages and celebrates cultural differences and brings everyone together through genuine sharing, storytelling, and connecting through food demonstrations. Register for the Celebrate USDA – Multicultural Celebration through Food & Its History event External Link

  • Thursday, May 4th: Nutrition and Exercise. Join Elise Harris for a discussion on how nutrition and exercise impacts chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity and what are some effective strategies for managing these conditions through lifestyle changes. Register for the Nutrition and Exercise event External Link zoom meeting!

  • Wednesday, May 3rd: Women's Health. Join Dr. Shawn Davis-Wilensky, MD, MPH for a discussion on unique health challenges faced by women throughout their lives and how these can be addressed through preventative care and treatment options. Register for the Women's Health event External Link zoom meeting!

  • Tuesday, May 2nd: Workplace Wellness Initiative. Join us for a live interactive yoga webinar with Bara Vaida, RYT-200 certified yoga teacher. This yoga class will promote the importance of movement for the mental and physical well-being of staff. Register for the Workplace Wellness Initiative event External Link

  • Tuesday, May 2nd: Workplace Burnout. Join Dr. Scott Cook, MD, MPH for a discussion on stressors in the workplace and practical strategies for preventing burnout and maintaining optimal physical and mental health. Register for the Workplace Burnout event External Link

  • Wednesday, May 1st: Talent Management Showcase. OHRM’s Talent Management Division (TMD) invites employees to see a sneak preview of the Talent Manage Division SharePoint site. This will be your opportunity to access Learning and Development across USDA. Register for the Talent Management Showcase event External Link zoom meeting!

  • Monday, May 1st: Medical Unit Overview. Join Dr. Webb and Dr. Whitaker for an overview of USDA’s Medical Unit and a discussion on the services offered to employees and how to access these services. Register for the Medical Unit Overview event External Link

  • Friday, April 28th: Employee Profile Podcasts. The Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer will post a series of five-minute podcasts with up to seven employees from various careers to recognize them for the work they do to support USDA’s mission.

  • Thursday, April 27th: Take Our Children to Work Day 2023. This year’s virtual Take Our Children to Work Day will provide interactive learning activities focused on ways to protect our national resources and the environment, how to develop healthy eating habits, and methods for growing your own food! Participating virtually means we are able to reach and include more youth to explore the great work happening across our agency. Join the Take Our Children to Work Day 2023 External Link zoom meeting!

  • Wednesday, April 26th: Talent Development Lunch and Learn. OHRM’s Talent Management Division (TMD) invites employees to a virtual “lunch and learn” at 12:30p.m. EST about the different learning and development resources available through LinkedIn Learning, Skillsoft, through Aglearn and other training resources. Register for the Talent Development Lunch and Learn External Link.

  • Wednesday, April 26th – Wednesday, May 3rd: OneUSDA Employee Appreciation "Kudos!" Board. You are invited to submit a peer recognition that will live on the OneUSDA page for all employees to see as a department-wide recognition during this season of appreciation. Send your kudos in to the OneUSDA Employee Appreciation "Kudos!" Board External Link.

  • Monday, April 24th: “Thank You and Pass It On” Ride the Wave. OHRM will initiate “thank you and pass it on” event by passing along gratitude to leaders and staff across USDA. Be on the lookout for a special message and remember to pay it forward!

  • Monday, April 24th - Tuesday, April 25th: Peer Recognition. Show appreciation to colleagues by sending them badges with personalized messages using the “Praise” app in Microsoft Teams. These acclaims can be delivered in a chat, or for wider recognition, sent in a channel conversation. Give your teammates the recognition they deserve with this feature in MS Teams. To learn more about how to use Praise, please visit the YouTube tutorial How to use Praise in Microsoft Teams External Link.

Thank you for your help in celebrating the hard-working employees and contractors of USDA!

Visit OneUSDA to learn more about Celebrating You USDA Employee Appreciation External Link and get involved.


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