UNIQUE WORK PERKS 12 A SPACE FOR HEALING 14 MAINTAINING EYE HEALTH 15 NEWS YOU CAN USE • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2022 A Generational Shift
Cover: As part of different generations, Dr. Robert Brown, Karima Blaize, Fernando Orozco and Anjali Chandrasekhar bring their own perspectives to their roles at Duke. Photography by Justin Cook and Alex Boerner. Leanora Minai in the Rubenstein Library reading room at Duke.
“It’s such a gift,” said Morgan, who, for the capstone project, wrote a novella about living in a college town. I, too, count Duke’s tuition assistance program among my favorite benefits. It allowed me to afford a master’s degree in Liberal Studies from Duke. I have the Liberal Studies program to thank for introducing me to special friends Matt Duncan and Sara Stevens, staff at Duke and Liberal Studies grads. The program also empowered me to pursue, and receive, a research protocol from the Campus IRB about grief after fatal automobile crashes. Finally, there’s Duke University Libraries, which I used extensively for my studies. Sure, there’s the DVD collection of hot movies to borrow but have you ever gone back in time in one of our libraries’ archival collections? Priceless.
2 WORKING@DUKEWORKING@DUKE CONTENTS 4 1412 4 A Generational Shift At Duke, monthly retirements so far in 2022 are outpacing 2021, illustrating the exodus of older workers that, while expected, was hastened by the pandemic. As a result, younger generations are filling the void. 12 Unique Work Perks From the Sarah P. Duke Gardens and Duke University Chapel to the Libraries and more, staff and faculty cherish non-traditional benefits that build community and connection. 14 Working Toward Racial Justice: A Space for Healing A program for Black leaders in Duke University Health System offers peer and organizational support. 15 Keep up with your eye health 2017, 2014 Gold, 2019, 2015, 2013, Silver, 2016, 2009, 2007 Bronze, Print Internal Audience Publications and 2012, 2011, 2009, 2008, 2007 Gold Medal, Internal Periodical Staff Writing Visit Working@Duke daily on Duke Today: working.duke.edu Editor/Executive Director of Communications: Leanora Minai (919) leanora.minai@duke.edu681-4533 Assistant Vice President: Paul S. Grantham (919) paul.grantham@duke.edu681-4534 Graphic Design & Layout: Paul (919)Figuerado684-2107 paul.figuerado@duke.edu Stephen Schramm Senior Writer (919) stephen.schramm@duke.edu684-4639 Jack Frederick jack.frederick@duke.edu(919)Writer681-9965 Working@Duke is published every other month by Duke’s Office of Communication Services. We invite your feedback and story ideas. Send email to working@duke.edu or call (919) 681-4533. Contact us My Favorite Benefit (Disclaimer: I Have Many) In a brief questionnaire shared through the Working@Duke e-newsletter this March, we invited you to tell us about the benefits you value most as staff or faculty at Duke. We received just over 300 responses from colleagues who described their appreciation for Duke’s benefits such as health insurance and the employee tuition reimbursement program. But many staff and faculty also gushed over campus resources and places, jewels like the Duke University Libraries and Sarah P. Duke Gardens. In May, we shared some personal employee accounts in an online story that has at least 14,300 views. On pages 12 and 13 inside this issue, you’ll meet other employees like Morgan Hendrix, who can pin a Duke benefit to just about every milestone in her life, including getting married in Duke Chapel and using the tuition reimbursement benefit to earn a master’s degree in Liberal Studies at Duke. Morgan, admissions operations director at the Divinity School, started the flexible Liberal Studies program as a part-time student in 2003. She was able to work full-time and finished in 2009. Duke paid for most of her tuition.
NoteEditor’s LEANORA MINAI
“What we’ve found is that there are plenty of people who maybe don’t know about some of these tools, or maybe they want a refresher, or a deeper dive,” said OIT Training and Education Coordinator Trina Rodriguez. “People are definitely finding these sessions useful, and we look forward to doingForthem.”more information, visit oit.duke.edu/what-we-do/services/
With the onset of flu season coinciding with a predicted rise in COVID-19 infections this fall, Dr. Carol Epling, executive director of Duke Employee Occupational Health & Wellness, said that it’s especially important to get the influenza vaccination.
BRIEFLY
The free Learn IT @ Lunch online technology training series will be back this fall to help Duke community members sharpen skills on popular digital tools. The live webinars are offered by the Duke Office of Information Technology (OIT) and open to staff, faculty and students.
Influenza vaccinations will be available for staff and faculty on campus starting in September. The influenza vaccination is a condition of employment for Duke DukeHealthUniversitySystemandUniversity School of recommendedemployees.MedicineItisstronglyforDuke University staff and faculty.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), influenza activity usually begins in October, peaks between December and February, and can continue until May. In North Carolina, 17 people died from influenza during the 2021-22 flu season.
Stay up to date on tech with ‘Learn IT @ Lunch’
As flu season approaches, Duke staff and faculty can protect themselves and those around them with the annual influenza vaccine.
Duke has long been known as a leader in education, research, and healthcare. Behind that world-class reputation are the contributions of thousands of staff and faculty who care for what they do, and for one another. And Working@Duke strives to shine a light on these employees through print and digital channels.
Now, you can follow Working@Duke on Instagram for behind-thescenes pictures and content showcasing everyday examples of the passion, creativity, and dedication of staff and faculty who work to solve pressing challenges and advance our communities. We provide glimpses into life and work at Duke so you can get to know the people and places that make Duke special. We also share campus happenings, and other events. And no matter where you fit into Duke, we want you to see your work reflected in the images and stories we share. So, head to andInstagramfollowalong: workingatdukeinstagram.com/
Followlearnitlunch
The sessions, which are held at noon every other Wednesday, begin September 14 and run until early December. Topics include tips for efficiently managing Zoom recordings, how to get more out of Microsoft Teams, and advice from cybersecurity experts on keeping your data safe.
“Our players are involved in this community in so many ways that we want to make sure we invite our faculty and staff to be a part of our program and part of the things we do here,” said Duke Football Coach Mike Elko, who is entering his first season with the Blue Devils. “The more people we can get, the more times we can do this for everybody.” Visit hr.duke.edu in late August for details on how to get free tickets and other gameday information.
Working@Duke on Instagram
working.duke.edu 3
For details on when and where you can receive your influenza vaccination, visit flu.duke.edu Save the date: Duke Football Employee Kickoff is Sept. 17 Come cheer on the Blue Devils and enjoy time with your family, friends, and colleagues as the Duke Football Employee Kickoff Celebration returns on September 17. Benefits-eligible employees of Duke University and Duke University Health System can reserve four free tickets for the 6 p.m. showdown with visiting North Carolina A&T at Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium.
Mike Elko
“We’re always concerned about a bad flu season,” Epling said. “With COVID still a threat in our community, we need to get vaccinated from the flu so we don’t add more stress to our health care system.”
Prevent seasonal flu with a vaccine
A Generational Shift
The most concrete goal: “retire at age 66 years in good financial health.”
4 WORKING@DUKE
From Gen Z to baby boomers, staff and faculty bring varied perspectives to future of work
“At some point, you come to the realization that this has been good work, and you made a difference, but someone else can come in and have a fresh perspective and do things differently,” Looney said. “That kind of thinking is what we should have, and what our colleagues should expect from us.”
ince 2007, Jacqueline Looney, former senior associate dean for the Graduate School at Duke, kept a small index card labeled “JL’s Long-term Goals” in her wallet.
“You can really see a change in attitudes toward work, especially among younger workers,” Nagy said. “And they’re really driving things now. You had the boomers and older workers, who are used to working 50-60 hours a week because they felt that just came with the territory. And now younger people are saying, ‘Not so fast.’”
S
At Duke, the number of monthly retirements so far in 2022 is outpacing 2021, illustrating the exodus of older workers that, while expected, was hastened by the pandemic.
According to research economists for the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, during the first two years of the pandemic, when many workplaces changed and the future seemed uncertain, the number of Americans who retired exceeded pre-pandemic projections by 2.6 million.
The first goal listed on the dogeared card read, “maintain excellent physical, spiritual, & mental health.” Others included using her skills and experience to serve her community and writing spiritual devotionals.
In 30 years at Duke, Looney recruited brilliant students from underrepresented populations and created a network of support services to help students thrive. After the pandemic, and with a strong, stable team around her, Looney followed through and retired this June at age 66, adding to a generational shift that’s occurring in Duke’s workplace and beyond.
As a result, younger generations are filling the void. Since 2016, millennials have been the largest generational cohort in the country’s workforce. And at Duke, millennials – those born between 1980 and 2000 – went from being 21 percent of the workforce in 2012, to 47 percent in 2022.
Daniel Nagy, a former Fuqua School of Business associate dean who leads workshops on generational differences for business organizations and the Duke Leadership Academy, said the rise of millennials, and new ways of working during the pandemic, are fueling an evolution of the American workplace. As a result, he explained, employers are embracing more flexible work arrangements and improved work-life harmony to recruit and retain talent.
For years, former Duke Graduate School Associate Dean Jacqueline Looney, left, carried an index card, right, on which she wrote personal goals.
Across Duke, staff and faculty – from baby boomers pondering retirement to the roughly 237 members of Gen Z who are starting their careers – came out of the pandemic reflecting on how their jobs fit within their lives. Whether they have a set plan, like former Graduate School Associate Dean Jacqueline Looney, or an undefined path ahead, their aspirations will shape what comes next for Duke.
How the past few years shaped his path:
5
Duke has been Robert Brown’s home for nearly 50 years. After arriving as a student in the 1970s, he’s spent the past four decades designing powerful computing systems for his research on quantum mechanics, and teaching on campus in the Physics Building and at the Duke University Marine Lab in Beaufort. Along the way, Brown has developed a team-based teaching style that ignites in his students the same fascination he finds in physics. When the pandemic struck, Brown adapted his teaching again, making lessons more efficient for hybrid and remote students. “I think I’ve found a good way to teach,” Brown said. “It’s rewarding when the students have fun and get enthusiastic.”
From his Physics Building office, Dr. Robert Brown ignites the curiosity of his students. Photo by Justin Cook.
What is important moving forward? Brown knows retirement will include plenty of saltwater fishing and time at his family’s second home in the small coastal community of Marshallberg. However, with his heart in teaching, he plans on staying at Duke for at least five more years. A College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR) national survey shows that roughly one-third of full-time faculty over 50 said the pandemic changed their retirement plans; roughly 25 percent say they’ll retire later and about 11 percent said sooner. While Brown could retire, he’s not ready to give up the joy of teaching Duke students. “This is home,” Brown said. “I’ve been here almost 50 years, so how could I not love it?”
University and Health System Faculty and Staff Retirements 2022202120202019 523 573571 695
Dr. Robert Brown, 67 Lecturer of Physics
>>> continued on page 6
Duke
As the work landscape has been altered by the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of retirements among Duke’s workforce has ticked up in recent years. Source: Duke Human Resources working.duke.edu
Baby Boomer Enjoying the Ride
6 WORKING@DUKE
Baby Boomer
Holley Broughton’s artistic hobbies ensure that she has plenty of colorful fun ahead whenever she decides to retire. Photo by Justin Cook.
Holley Broughton, who had previously served as marketing and communications director for an area private school, had been at Duke for two months when COVID-19 forced her to work remotely. Looking back at time at home during quarantine, she jokes that she enjoyed all of the cliché pandemic pastimes alongside her teenage daughter such as baking bread, tending a garden and making mixed-media art. Prior to the pandemic, Broughton viewed retirement as a far-off, abstract idea. But spending time at home with family during the pandemic revealed what her retired life could look like. “I think I sort of saw all the things I could do if I someday retired,” Broughton said. What is important moving forward? With a hybrid work arrangement, Broughton is in no rush to leave Duke. She enjoys her colleagues and cherishes opportunities to find new ways to share stories of their work, whether through videos or social media such as TikTok. While she expects to work several more years, she’s excited about what’s waiting up the road. “While I don’t plan to retire anytime soon, the lightbulb did begin to flicker a little,” Broughton said. Najla McClain, Duke University School of Nursing program coordinator and co-convener for the Fulfillment & Purpose core for Healthy Duke, said it’s common for people to imagine what’s next as they get deeper into their careers. “As we get older, we start balancing our work with what we have going on outside,” McClain said. “Often what’s happening outside of work becomes more important.”
Refreshed View of HolleyRetirementBroughton,62 Communications Strategist, Duke Orthopaedic Surgery How the past few years shaped her path:
grandmother, Constance, died in 2019, Blaize changed course, moved to North Carolina, and eventually landed a position at Duke in 2021. For fellow members of Gen X – born between 1965 and 1979 – such moves aren’t particularly common.
>>> continued on page 8
working.duke.edu 7
What is important moving forward? While mild winters and laid-back vibes feel new, Blaize said she’s come to feel at home in North Carolina. And she’s content in her role at Duke, where a hybrid work arrangement allows her to stay closer to her grandmother. Professional development opportunities, such as technical development courses available through Duke‘s Learning & Organization Development, a unit in Human Resources, have her thinking about where her career could go at Duke. She said she’d love to eventually pursue a master’s degree in law in the future. “I feel like there’s always room for growth,” she said. “No one is ever at a place where they can’t learn something new.” Working from home has given Karima Blaize a chance to better balance her job and life. Photo by Justin Cook.
Generation X A New Home Karima Blaize, 48 Senior International Student & Scholar Advisor, Duke Visa Services
According to a 2022 Microsoft report, 52 percent of millennial and Gen Z workers are considering a job change, compared to 35 percent for Gen X and baby boomers. “I wasn’t ready to switch jobs. When I did, it was out of necessity,” said Blaize, who’s helped Duke students, scholars, and staff from places such as China, India and Togo navigate immigration challenges. “But I really like Duke. I’m happy where I am.”
How the past few years shaped her path: As a lifelong New Yorker, Karima Blaize had no plans to leave the city she adored. But when her mother Verna, who lived in Holly Springs and served as the sole caregiver for Blaize’s 90-year-old
While Stacy Weiss is looking forward to retirement, the flexibility of her work arrangement means she is in no rush to leave a role she enjoys. Photo by Alex Boerner.
Stacy Weiss, 51 Assistant to the Director of Graduate Studies, Department of Asian & Middle Eastern Studies
appealing. “There is a level of freedom you have not coming to the office every day,” said Weiss, who works remotely two or three days each week. What is important moving forward? With less commute time, Weiss’ flexible work arrangement has improved her work-life balance. While workplace flexibility is something younger workers prize, Gen X workers such as Weiss have come to appreciate it, too.
A 2022 AARP survey shows that 77 percent of remote or hybrid workers 50-and-older, prefer it. “The younger millennials and Gen Z are really driving the change in the workforce now, but the older workers are going along with the changes because it gives them the ability to have more balance,” said Nagy, the former Fuqua School of Business associate dean who studies multi-generational workforces.
How the past few years shaped her path: For much of her 21 years at Duke, Stacy Weiss planned on retiring in 2024, when her age and years of service made her eligible for Duke’s retiree medical insurance. But when she began working from home during the pandemic, plans changed. Without a daily 90-minute roundtrip commute between campus and her Youngsville home, and with the ability to work with her two dogs and six cats, staying at Duke longer grew
Embracing Flexibility
Generation X
8 WORKING@DUKE
How the past few years shaped his path: Early in the pandemic, Fernando Orozco had an epiphany as he watched his three children – ages 6 to 8 – play in a waterfall at Hanging Rock State Park. “We need to do this more,” he said to himself. In the early days of COVID-19, he had recently been named assistant operations manager of Laboratory Animal Resources, a position that came with managing 10 staff members. He was also working on a master’s degree in Business Administration at the University of Mount Olive. After finishing the degree in August 2020, he began reassessing priorities, with more time to spend with his family. “The pandemic made me tap the brakes on my career and realize what are my priorities,” said Orozco, who is among nearly 20,000 millennial employees at Duke born between 1980 and 2000. “My family has always been important to me, but I have learned to appreciate it more.”
As of July 2022, Duke’s workforce included 42,522 people. Source: Duke Human Resources Veteran (born before 1946) 1.2% Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) 18.9% Gen X (born 1965-1979) 32.2% Millennial (born 1980-2000) 47% Gen Z (born after 2001) .56% Duke’s Workforce By Generation July 2022 >>> continued on page 10
What is important moving forward? Orozco said flexibility and worklife balance will be most important for long-term contentment at Duke, a preference that matches a Bankrate survey that lists flexible work arrangements as a top career priority for millennials. Orozco and his family share a farm in Rougemont with six goats and 20 chickens. His wife, Lindsay, teaches their children at home. “I have more flexibility to work from home when needed, but the nature of the job still requires a physical presence on campus,” said Orozco, who has worked at Duke for 13 years. While he isn’t shying away from career advancement and more responsibility, Orozco wants to ensure what comes next fits within family priorities. “For me,” he said, “family is the most important thing.” Family comes first for Fernando Orozco, standing second from left. Photo by Justin Cook.
Millennial Adjusting Life Priorities
working.duke.edu 9
Fernando Orozco, 36 Assistant Director of Operations, Duke University Division of Laboratory Animal Resources
How the past few years shaped her path: Karina Goicochea, a certified medical assistant at Duke Orthopaedics Arringdon, began helping at COVID-19 testing and vaccine sites after the pandemic hit. She checked people in, scheduled appointments, administered vaccines and did anything else asked of her. The change of pace during a crisis lifted her out of a comfort zone that typically involved assisting on procedures to relieve muscle, ligament and tendon pain, and opened her eyes to new career opportunities. “I’ve gotten the opportunity to be all over the place,” Goicochea said.
10 WORKING@DUKE
What is important moving forward? While her plans are still coming together, Goicochea expects to transition to a research role in the coming months, administering treatments to patients in larger clinical trials. It’s a new journey that will allow her to forge a long-term relationship with patients. She also wants to begin pre-requisites to attend nursing school for a new role at Duke. According to Nagy, who studies multigenerational workforces, it’s not uncommon for millennials to seek new challenges. “Millennials are at an age where many of them want to take on greater responsibilities, which they feel they deserve,” he said. While 38 percent of millennials plan to stay in their job beyond the next five years, according to a Deloitte Global 2022 Gen Z and Millennial Survey, Goicochea would like to remain at Duke, citing health and financial benefits and professional development opportunities. “I want to do something different, that comes with the excitement of learning something new, compared to just that one category that I’m familiar with now,” she said.
Photo by Justin Cook.
Karina Goicochea, 30 Certified Medical Assistant for Duke Orthopaedics at Arringdon
Millennial New Growth Opportunities
Because of new opportunities during COVID-19, Karin Goicochea is considering a next step in healthcare.
AnjaliHerExpandingHorizonsChandrasekhar, 19 Nursing Care Assistant, Duke University Hospital
“There’s a certain standard of excellence at Duke that I see in the nurses and people I work with,” Chandrasekhar said. “We take a lot of pride in the care we give.”
By Stephen Schramm and Jack Frederick Photography by Justin Cook and Alex Boerner working.duke.edu 11
Surrounded by committed caregivers at Duke University Hospital, Anjali Chandrasekhar is gaining invaluable experience. Photo by Justin Cook.
How the past few years shaped her path: While front-line health care careers are challenging, Anjali Chandrasekhar couldn’t wait to get hers started. Since January 2022, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill sophomore, who is studying neuroscience, has worked 12-hour shifts Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights in Duke University Hospital’s neuroscience step-down unit.
What is important moving forward?
Chandrasekhar isn’t alone in having her values define her path. A 2021 Deloitte Global survey shows 49 percent of Gen Z respondents made career choices based on personal ethics. “It’s great to see,” said Duke School of Nursing’s McClain, a Healthy Duke co-convener. “I always feel like we’re in good hands moving forward with people who want to put their whole selves into their work.”
Duke employs 237 members of Gen Z –people born in 2001 or later. In the coming years, those numbers are expected to grow. Chandrasekhar’s full-time position at Duke involves checking vital signs and assisting patients, and helps her pay for tuition and provides first-hand experience for what she hopes will be a long medical career. “It’s eye-opening,” Chandrasekhar said. “I can learn about neurological conditions in the classroom, and then see how they manifest in actual patients.”
Learning & Organization Development offers a course for managers, “Leading Through Generational Differences in the Post-COVID Workplace.” Visit: duke.is/nbwn3
While Chandrasekhar’s post-college plans aren’t set, she’d like to stay at Duke, where she’s inspired by the passion and commitment she sees in her colleagues.
Generation Z
n
I
21 years at Duke, Morgan Hendrix can list off several instances when her employee benefits intersected with her life’s journey. Her medical plan covered the bulk of the expenses from the birth of her two children at Duke University Hospital and her husband’s treatment for testicular cancer by Duke doctors, and the employee tuition assistance program helped her pay for her master’s degree in Liberal Studies at Duke. Along the way, her employment has enriched her life in other, less formal, ways. She and her husband, Brian, whom she got to know at Duke, were married at Duke University Chapel in 2004. And their children – son Harrison and daughter Mary Eleanor – have enjoyed the summer camps at Sarah P. Duke Gardens.
During the past fiscal year, Duke paid around $3.1 billion in direct pay and $695 million on total benefits for its workforce, contributing $126 million to retirement plans and spending $398 million on health care expenses for the 74,663 people covered by Duke’s medical plans.
Unique Work
On the strength of its benefits packages and work climate, Duke has long been singled out as exemplary place to work. Forbes ranked the university and health system among the nation’s best employers this year.
And for many staff and faculty, Duke offers rewards that go beyond paychecks and medical plans. From the Sarah P. Duke Gardens and Duke University Chapel to the Libraries and more, employees cherish nontraditional perks that build community and connection.
“I’ve been here for my entire adult life, and it’s felt as much like a home as a workplace,” said Hendrix, director of admissions operations at the Divinity School. “For every step in my life outside of work, there was a benefit that supported me. I don’t think that other workplaces can boast that kind of care and community.”
“To me, Duke has never lost its majesty,” said Antwan Lofton, interim vice president of Human Resources who joined Duke in 2017 but grew up in Cary and visited campus landmarks such as the Chapel as a child. “I can tell you, as an employee, if I’m running from one meeting to the next, walking across campus and seeing those sites just helps me recharge.”
At 50, Ron Ryen, assistant nurse manager with Duke University Hospital’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, gains more appreciation for Duke’s medical and retirement benefits with each passing year. The same goes for Sarah P. Duke Gardens, where Ryen and his family have been regular visitors since he started working at Duke in 1996.
Morgan Hendrix Ron Ryen
12 WORKING@DUKE
From the Chapel to the Libraries, staff and faculty value non-traditional benefits at Duke
A Peaceful Pause
“This part of Duke Gardens is as close as I can get to that.”
The Music Library helped Phillips find flute sheet music for her wedding.
Perks
“I was able to accompany them to the library and check out books on their behalf that wouldn't have otherwise been available,” Phillips said.
When Phillips pursued a master’s degree in Liberal Studies at Duke, she often visited the Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library for primary sources for her thesis on the history of Trinity Park School. She now uses library resources available to all staff and faculty at no charge such as ancestry.com to uncover her family’s history.
This season, Duke staff and faculty can cheer on the Blue Devils for free when the Duke Football Employee Kickoff Celebration returns September 17. University and Health System employees get up to four free tickets to the home game against North Carolina A&T. The opportunity to enjoy the game, and support the community he’s happy to be a part of, is something he can’t pass up this year.
13
On the day she interviewed for a position at Duke in 1989, Kathy Phillips visited Perkins Library and was enamored by an exhibit about advertisements. Since then, Phillips, associate dean in Undergraduate Admissions, can track her 33-year career through moments at Duke Libraries.
Like most visitors to the beloved 55-acre piece of campus, Ryen relishes the chance to see the vibrant spring colors. But it’s in the clusters of bamboo found in the W.L. Culberson Asiatic Arboretum where he spends time in quiet, nourishing contemplation, letting stress melt away.
Fuel for Curious Minds
A Game Getaway
In September of 2021, Duke Children’s Hospital Financial Care Counselor Craig Fuller was among the thousands at Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium to watch Duke’s football team host visiting North Carolina A&T.
The Blue Devils won the game, leaving Fuller, who began working at Duke University Hospital as a patient transporter in 2019, with a fun “Imemory.lovethe game of football,” said Fuller, who played college football as a defensive tackle for Fayetteville State in the 1980s. “Going to a game is like a little getaway for me.”
At one point, Ryen lived in Hawaii, where he hiked among breathtaking volcanos and waterfalls. He recalled a hike into a dense bamboo forest, where the only sound was wind rustling leaves and bamboo stalks clinking against one “Thatanother.was the most peaceful place I’ve ever experienced,” Ryen said.
When her two daughters were in high school, they made many weekend and evening trips to Lilly, Bostock and Perkins libraries to borrow books for projects about poetry, dance and the Civil War.
“The benefit of the libraries lies in the access they provide to a wider variety of sources,” Phillips said. “For my children, it enhanced their ability to perform well in school, and it made my own scholarly work much better.”
“It was a really nice time,” Fuller said of last season’s game. “I saw a few faces I recognized from the hospital and got to say ‘Hello.’ I really enjoyed that.”
By Stephen Schramm and Jack Frederick Kathy Phillips Craig Fuller working.duke.edu
AHealingSpacefor
Toward
n late 2020 and early 2021, Duke University Health System’s “Moments to Movement” initiative was making undeniable progress. Formed after a series of killings of unarmed Black citizens, the initiative brought diverse groups of staff and faculty together for facilitated – and oftentimes challenging – conversations about racism’s role in society and how to create positiveOverchange.time,the initiative’s organizers realized that some Black leaders were quietly stepping back from the effort, saying conversations were emotionally draining.
Racial Justice
“To be able to let our guards down, honestly discuss challenges and hear how other people have addressed situations, we could virtually put our arms around each other and say ‘Hey, you’re not alone in this,’” Richardson said.
Program for Black leaders in health system offers peer and organizational support
The TABLE curriculum – developed by a cohort of Black leaders, the Office of Organizational and Leader Effectiveness, and Moments to Movement facilitators – showed participants self-care strategies, constructive ways to address microaggressions, and how to encourage people to keep pressing for change.Butequally as important was the opportunity to make authentic connections through shared experiences.
14 WORKING@DUKE
Learn more about the Moments to Movement initiative: corporate.dukehealth.org/m2m
“There’s a saying in the Black community that you have to be two people,” said Neal Seigler, TABLE participant and Duke Raleigh Hospital administrative director. “You have to be one person at work, and then when you get home, you can be who you truly are. At work, you have to be careful what you say and how you say it. But in these sessions, we were able to talk about a lot of things. There was a real comfort level. Everyone could speakTABLEfreely.”had cohorts, each with roughly two dozen participants, in October 2021, and in January, March and June of 2022. Jane Boswick-Caffery, assistant vice president for organizational and leader effectiveness, who helped organize the program, said an updated version of TABLE will return this fall, giving more leaders a chance to bond.
Duke University Hospital staff members gather with community members for a solidarity walk in June 2020, which helped inspire Duke Health’s “Moments to Movement” initiative. Photo courtesy of Duke Health.
I
In response, in late 2021, the “Talking About the Black Leadership Experience” or TABLE program was created to give Black leaders from across the Health System, School of Medicine, and School of Nursing that space: a series of 90-minute Zoom-based sessions where Black leaders gathered for peer and organizational support to stand against racism.
By Stephen Schramm
“We wanted to reach our African-Americans in leadership and have a safe space to have conversations and share stories and experiences,” said Rhonda Brandon, chief human resources officer and senior vice president for Duke University Health System. “It’s a place to breathe. It’s a place where you have unconditional psychological safety.”
“While the sessions that drew diverse audiences together were good, there was also a need for a space where Black leaders could share some of their challenges without feeling the need to be guarded, or feeling like they have to represent an entire race,” said Dinetta Richardson, a Moments to Movement participant and assistant director of Organizational and Leader Effectiveness.
When Baldwin had his annual eye exam, he also ordered stronger progressive lenses for daily use when away from a computer.“Theeye exams cover checking up on any diseases that may have developed as well,” said Baldwin, who estimated that the plan has saved him at least $100 annually.
Baldwin, a clinical data specialist for the Duke Clinical Research Institute, used his vision care insurance to pay for the eyeglasses, which made an immediate difference in his
Dr. Nicky Kim, an ophthalmologist at the Duke Eye Center, said that as people age, eyes undergo a process of presbyopia, or the gradual loss of the ability to focus on nearby objects. That means after age 40, prescription eyeglasses may be needed to better focus on reading or distance or both.
Kim said early detection for macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy or glaucoma lowers treatment costs and improves prognosis for diagnoses that might not always have apparent symptoms until quite progressive.
While Duke’s medical insurance plans only cover an annual eye exam, the voluntary vision care plan extends protection by helping staff and faculty manage the cost of prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses, as well as an eye examination. Staff and faculty can enroll in the vision care plan during annual Open Enrollment this by UnitedHealthcare Vision, the plan allows for paying the monthly vision care premium on a pre-tax basis. With in-network benefits, vision care participants can schedule an eye exam every 12 months for a $20 copay; order new frames every two years using an allowance; and get new lenses per pair with standard options covered in full once every 12 months.
Bob Baldwin shows off computer glasses at his home office in Durham. Photo by Jack Frederick.
“Theworkday.bigpart of it is my eyes aren’t that tired at the end of the day,” said Baldwin, who has participated in the vision care plan since 2011.
A
“If you look at our lens options that are covered in full, we would consider it a Cadillac plan,” said Saundra Daniels, Duke Human Resources Plan Manager.
Vision care provides coverage for an annual exam, eyeglasses, and contact lenses
Administeredfall.
“Diabetes is a big thing that’s important for regular eye exams, and glaucoma. That’s another silent disease,” Kim said. “The patient has no idea it’s happening until it’s quite progressed, and they become symptomatic.”
In-network providers are added periodically, so check to see if a selected provider is in the UnitedHealthcare vision network to ensure maximum benefits. Visit: hr.duke.edu/vision
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), vision and eye problems are increasing as the country ages; 90 million Americans over the age of 40 have vision and eye problems.
fter Bob Baldwin started working from home on a laptop computer, he experienced headaches and eye strain by the end of mostHedays.had been wearing frames with progressive lenses, but after an annual eye exam in late 2020, an optometrist recommended Baldwin order computer eyeglasses with reflective coating to keep his eyes relaxed when using a computer.
working.duke.edu 15
By Jack Frederick Vision Plan
“To see their best, most people will need some sort of prescription,” Kim said.
Keep Up with Your Eye Health
Go online to discover more News You Can KeepingUse:Campus Safe Behavioral assessment teams identify and address potential campus concerns. End 2022 with a Course Check out OrganizationbydevelopmentprofessionalofferedDuke’sLearning&Development. Request a Van Ride The TransLoc app allows Duke community members to book a ride during van service hours. Share story ideas by emailing working@duke.edu DUKE sharingWhatSOCIALyou’reonline Connect with Working@Duke on Social Media Duke University Office of Communication Services 705 Broad St., Durham, N.C. 27708 Jonathan Poe June 13 Puffin in the rain at Black Sand Beach, Vik, Iceland #DukeTimeOff dukeindurham Durham, North Carolina 19 dukeindurhamlikes When the team all randomly shows up in green you know it's gonna be a good day! #dukeindurham #green July 6 Instagram instagram.com/workingatduke Facebook facebook.com/WorkingatDuke Twitter twitter.com/WorkingatDuke
