Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are traumatic events or situations that happen during childhood and lead to long-term stress. This means that even if your current situation is trauma-free, past trauma can still impact you today. …

A trauma-informed approach to supervision can make the difference when fostering healthy interactions in the workplace. In this article, we look at recognizing and understanding trauma-driven behavior, and fundamentals of trauma-informed approaches to communications and collaboration. What is trauma? According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), trauma occurs when

Name: Kevin Battin Division: Buildings & Grounds Job title: Construction and Maintenance Superintendent 3 and Grounds Shop Supervisor What year did you start at DES? 2007 What year did you begin working for Washington state? 2007 In two sentences or less, describe what you do at DES. I manage the Grounds…

Name: Jennifer McWaid Division: Human Resources (HR) Job title: Talent Acquisition Consultant What year did you start at DES? 2012 What year did you begin working for Washington state? 2011 In two sentences or less, describe what you do at DES. I am a talent acquisition consultant and perform full-cycle…

Last month, we looked at how lack of awareness or education can be a barrier to beneficial mental health support. In the same way, misconceptions about Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services can keep employees from taking advantage of their EAP benefits. Supervisors and managers are uniquely positioned to counteract myths…

In March 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released results from the Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey (ABES). The survey found that “more than 1 in 3 high school students experienced poor mental health during the pandemic and nearly half of students felt persistently sad or hopeless.”…

We recently caught up with two Washington state agency HR leaders to learn how training management supports their agencies’ goals. We asked them to tell us about the intersection of training with strategy, prioritization, professional development, and DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) efforts. Here’s what they said. Tell us about your role and how training management connects to it. Jenny Warnstadt-Stepp, Department…

This month, we had the chance to catch up with four training managers from Washington state agencies. We asked them to tell us about their joys, challenges, current projects, and professional development. They also share tips for anyone thinking about a career in training and development. What do you enjoy most about your work as a training professional? Jason Aldana, Department of…

Did you know that there are national and international training associations that offer resources and conferences for training professionals? The Association for Talent Development and The Learning Guild offer the two largest annual conferences. They bring together learning and development professionals from around the world. Association for Talent Development (ATD) ATD is the largest professional…