2002
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Category: ETC* Leadership Angela Maglione,
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Listen to one of the radio spots featuring this winner! |
Personal touch helps employees strike
a work/life balance
Taking
the time to learn what holds an individual back from utilizing an alternative
commute mode is helpful not only to better assist that individual in finding
a transportation solution to driving alone to work, but also can help
generate ideas on how to assist others with similar issues. Going the
extra mile to give employees that personal touch is what has earned Angela
Maglione of Alaska Airlines a 2002 Commuter Challenge Diamond Award for
ETC Leadership.
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Jan. 22, 2003 Awards Ceremony
Alaska Airlines' Angela Maglione accepts her Diamond Award for leadership as an employee transportation coordinator. On her right is Dennis Hamel, vice president of employee services. |
Maglione uses a variety of avenues to educate and inform employees of their commute options. On-site personal visits, email updates and participation in the state-wide rideshare event are just a few of the ways she reaches out to Alaska Airlines’ Seattle area employees. “My personal favorite is the one-on-one conversations I have with employees who are weary of driving alone but have some perceived obstacles in the way,” said Maglione. “My greatest reward is to see these employees find a carpool match, give up driving alone and tell me how much they enjoy their new form of commuting.”
FlexPasses are provided to employees for use on Metro and Sound Transit buses or the Sounder train. Those employees who join a vanpool for their commute receive a $65 per month subsidy to use toward vanpool fares. Carpoolers and bicycle riders receive $15 in Commuter Bonus Plus vouchers every month as an incentive to use an alternate commute mode. Priority parking spaces are reserved for carpools and vanpools. Employees using transit or other HOV modes to commute also have the benefit of a guaranteed ride home in emergency situations.
Attendance at Metro-sponsored ETC networking events and Washington State Rideshare Organization (WSRO) meetings helps Maglione generate new ideas for new or improved components for Alaska’s CTR program. She also credits the Alaska employees’ enthusiasm for keeping the ideas flowing.
Management at Alaska Airlines has a strong commitment to support programs that help employees strike a balance between home and work life. As part of the airline’s Work/Life Program, the commute trip reduction program helps employees reduce the time, stress and expense associated with driving alone. In addition, the company also places a premium on fostering an environment where employees feel valued. Helping employees find and pay for alternative commute modes goes a long way in that respect.
Alaska Airlines benefits from the commute trip reduction program as well. When employees feel valued by their employer, job commitment and satisfaction increase. Programs that help improve the quality of life for employees save the company money by helping to retain excellent employees. In an effort to assist even more Alaska Airlines employees with their commute, Maglione applied for and received an employer services grant in 2002 to allow for the expansion of the CTR benefits to other work sites in the Seattle area. In spite of a challenging economy—particularly for the airline industry—Alaska’s continued commitment to CTR is evidenced by its plans to extend the CTR program to even more Seattle area work sites in 2003. “Angela is a wonderful ETC who consistently ‘goes the extra mile’ in every aspect of her position,” said SeaTac Public Works Coordinator Desmond Machuca. “Based on her knowledge of the airlines and commute trip reduction, she is a major contributor to achieving our CTR goals in the City of SeaTac.”
Commute Program
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*Some definitions: An “ETC” is the staff-level employee transportation coordinator responsible for the daily administration of the transportation program; “PM” is the transportation program manager; and “CEO” refers to the top management-level person at the worksite. “SOV” stands for single-occupant vehicle, and “CTR” for commute trip reduction.