Wednesday, January 24, 2024
The right balance
USPS Wellness resources aid employees and teams alike
Like it did for a lot of people, the COVID-19 pandemic changed how Cara Greene approaches health and fitness.
Greene, the Postal Service’s controller and vice president, reassessed the foods she was eating and lost 60 pounds over six months. She also rethought her exercise routine by setting smaller, more achievable goals — such as starting with walking before graduating to running and cycling — and lost another 40 pounds.
“I used to view exercise with the end goal of weight loss, but I changed my mindset. I now focus on exercising for mental health benefits,” she said.
In addition to following a program that helped her complete a 5K run, Greene relied on some of the resources available from the USPS Benefits and Wellness team.
Each month, the team offers several informational webinars that address a variety of topics, including diet and exercise.
The team also publishes a monthly newsletter and manages the USPS Wellness LiteBlue page, which offers a library of short videos on exercise, healthy cooking and practicing mindfulness.
“Our mission is to support the overall wellbeing of employees. We want to provide them with resources and materials to help them meet their health and fitness goals and achieve the right balance in life,” said Jaime Brown, the wellness program manager.
In addition to working with individual employees, the Wellness and Benefits unit offers support for other groups within USPS — including Greene’s department, which has made “family and personal wellness” a core goal.
During quarterly town hall meetings, Greene and her managers celebrate employees for their wellness achievements.
For example, one team member was recently recognized for starting a walking routine and lowering their diabetes A1C numbers in the process.
The controller’s team also completed the recent Coast to Coast challenge, a six-week virtual road trip sponsored by USPS and GEHA, a provider of health plans for federal employees.
Greene said she appreciates how these kinds of programs help employees — and how they have helped her personally.
Her next fitness goal? After finishing a half-marathon in October, she is training for her first marathon this spring.
“I look forward to exercise for the mental health benefits and I remember to take a moment to be kind to myself,” she said. “I feel exercise is a choice, not a chore.”
Heroes
A heart on the line
This postmaster performed CPR on a customer who collapsed
Postmaster Lisa Di Paolo-Schweers was working at the Santa Ysabel, CA, Post Office recently when a customer collapsed.
Di Paolo-Schweers called 911 and rushed to help the 78-year-old man. She spoke to the dispatcher, describing the customer’s condition: He had hit his head as he fell to the floor and appeared to be suffering a heart attack.
The postmaster followed the dispatcher’s instructions and performed CPR on the man until emergency responders arrived.
He was flown to a hospital, where he underwent surgery.
The customer’s siblings later visited the Post Office to thank Di Paolo-Schweers and tell her their brother was recovering.
The local fire department presented the postmaster with a “CPR Saves Lives” pin, which she often wears.
Since the incident, Di Paolo-Schweers has received certification in administering CPR.
Milestones
Appointments, awards and more
Here’s a look at recent USPS announcements
• Margaret P. Ford was named the Charlotte, NC, Regional Processing and Distribution Center’s plant manager. She previously served as plant manager of the Mid-Carolina Processing and Distribution Center in Charlotte.
• William T. Graves Jr. was named the Greensboro, NC, Network Distribution Center’s plant manager. He previously served as the Raleigh, NC, Processing and Distribution Center’s plant manager, a post now held by Jason R. Beach, who previously served as the Norfolk, VA, Processing and Distribution Center’s plant manager.
• Kimberly B. Levenson, the USPS Human Resources Shared Service Center’s operations manager, was named its acting executive manager.
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January 31, 2024
Datebook
Constance Baker Motley
The Postal Service will dedicate its Black Heritage stamp honoring legal pioneer Constance Baker Motley on Wednesday, Jan. 31, in New York City.
The ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. Eastern at the Constance Baker Motley Recreation Center at 348 E. 54th St.
The speakers will include Anton Hajjar, a member of the USPS Board of Governors.
Attendees are encouraged to RSVP online.
Service performance remains steady across the USPS network
Last week, the average time for the Postal Service to deliver a mailpiece or package across the United States was 2.7 days, according to data released Jan. 23.
The data also show that from Jan. 1-12, which represents the fiscal year’s second quarter thus far, USPS delivered 85.8 percent of First-Class Mail on time when compared with the organization’s service standard.
This was consistent with the Postal Service’s performance during the first quarter.
USPS delivered 93.7 percent of Marketing Mail on time, consistent with the previous quarter, and 81.5 percent of Periodicals on time, up 0.8 percentage points when compared with the first quarter.
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What's included
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The right balance
USPS Wellness resources aid employees and teams alike
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Heroes
A heart on the line
This postmaster performed CPR on a customer who collapsed
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Milestones
Appointments, awards and more
Here’s a look at recent USPS announcements
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January31Datebook
Constance Baker Motley
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Brief
Service performance remains steady across the USPS network