Tami Steiner promotes self-care and recognition
07/27/20 02:37:pm
“It was really awesome to be able to build my team from the start,” Tami says. “I got to be involved with hiring everyone and started working on the clinic from the very beginning. It was challenging but also fun.”
While still in the early process of opening, Tami also found herself working closely and coordinating with several other departments within Rogers.
“Even though I’m so far away, making those connections with Human Resources, Finance, and Purchasing was invaluable. It was so meaningful to be in the beginning stages of planning and to be supported by those teams, especially being so far away.”
Tami says that the planning process required a lot of coordination, organization, and overcommunicating with people. It went beyond hiring a team; she also needed to ensure the physical space would be set for the opening and that contractors were addressing what needed to be fixed.
“I had to make sure all the t’s were crossed and i’s were dotted,” she says. “There was a lot of micromanaging of details that couldn’t be overlooked. Sure, there were challenges, but the exciting parts outweighed them.”
Still early in the clinic’s evolution, the pandemic and the need to move away from in-person treatment have added extra stress to the team, but Tami was glad to be able to continue treating patients from San Diego and even outside the immediate area through Rogers Connect Care. She highlights that at every turn from having to work remotely, coming back into the clinic for telehealth, or implementing new cleaning protocols, her team has banded together and transitioned “easily and efficiently.”
Creating a culture of self-care and recognition
When it comes to developing a good work culture in San Diego, Tami believes it’s important to keep everyone engaged. Whether it’s a pre-work breakfast with the team, theme days, or a potluck, Tami and the team try to have at least one activity each month, which is setup by the Employee Engagement Committee. During the pandemic, Tami and her team have switched over to virtual activities, such as Bingo or trivia, and they’ve sent food to winners through Door Dash as a prize.
“For some it has been an easy transition to work remotely,” Tami says. “For others, being in front of a computer all day has been really difficult. It’s important to encourage people to leave their work behind them after they’re done for the day and focus on self-care. It can be hard to separate home from work when you’re working from home.”
Tami’s team also has multiple ways to give and receive recognition, in addition using Daymaker. The team in San Diego gives shoutouts in their daily huddles for those doing an exceptional job and then recognizes an Employee of the Month. In addition, there is what Tami calls a “Woo-hoo box” for staff to submit positive affirmations of their co-workers.
Getting to know Tami
One thing that may surprise people is that Tami likes to go skydiving. So far, she’s gone three times and hopes to go again soon.
In her free time, Tami and her family enjoy spending time on the beach. She and her husband are constantly outside when they’re able and spend a lot of time around the water, kayaking or sailing. Tami has also been learning to surf since moving to San Diego.
When she came to San Diego, Tami created a list of places to explore, restaurants to eat at, and fun things to do on the weekends.
“San Diego is very beautiful. COVID has put a pause on some things, but there’s still a lot to do.”
