Gaithersburg company, Sodexo says a wide range of methods ensure that employees have knowledge, team spirit and sense of belonging that can build a highly-engaged workforce.

After conducting their biennial survey of employee engagement amongst their management employees and a group of hard-to-reach frontline employees, they publish the findings. The hard-to-reach employees work at client locations or virtually from their home offices, so they sometimes don’t use of computers and email as part of their daily tasks.

The findings include the following ways to build that all-important team spirit:

Daily Huddles

Iamsodexo.com

Sodexo Employee Connect

Virtual Meetings

Best Practices in Recognition

Daily Huddles are short, informal meetings at all locations allow employees to discuss activities of the day and managers to emphasize the importance of customer service and safety, reinforcing the mission and values of the company.

Iamsodexo.com is a dedicated website, in both English and Spanish, serves as a central portal to all critical information providing frontline employees with access an array of company information, such as personal and company-wide benefits, available training, and support resources.

Sodexo Employee Connect provides frontline employees with access to a variety of tools including signing up for training, changing payroll deductions, and other at-work tasks through cutting edge onsite kiosks.

Virtual Meetings bring field managers and support staff together in a time- and cost-effective manner. Virtual meetings are held semi-annually and include presentations from leadership, complete with on-line live discussions with senior company executives and industry experts, e-learning courses, and recognition of outstanding performance. Feedback has shown that Sodexo’s virtual meetings allow more employees to participate and drive engagement higher than face-to-face meetings at a fraction of the cost.

Best Practices in Recognition means sharing best practices for recognizing and rewarding employees with all managers. Tips for recognizing accomplishments are discussed in Sodexo’s weekly e-Bulletin and during regional/district conference calls. Satisfaction with recognition increased three percentage points in 2010, and the company continues to identify and share a variety of creative methods for recognizing employees.

Popularity: 6% [?]

A Gaithersburg man was formally escorted out of his home to New York City on charges of stalking and harassing actress Uma Thurman.

The man, 39 year old Jack Jordan, was extradited back to Montgomery County December 16 to face charges of aggravated harassment and stalking. He also violated the terms of his probation from a 2006 trial in New York, where he was ordered to not contact the actress. He pleaded not guilty to those charges the next day.

The stalker was nabbed by Montgomery County police originally on November 23 after NYC detectives told them he was in the area. NYC police issued an arrest warrant earlier in the day because Jordan tried to make contact with Thurman. Local police found him on his computer Google searching the term “Uma Thurman” at the time of his arrest.

He is now awaiting trial at the at the Manhattan House of Detention Complex on $500,000 bond after waiving a hearing on December 21 in Montgomery County.

Popularity: 39% [?]

With thousands of votes cast for the country’s Most Vegan-Friendly College in America, Sodexo helped client Northwestern University emerge as the top pick for 2010 in the small college category by PETA2, the world’s largest youth animal rights organization.

The university’s dining services, managed and operated by Sodexo, beat out 31 other schools from across the country. Serving a range of entrees such vegan seitan tacos, pumpkin chowder, vegetarian barbeque riblet sandwiches and Thai green curry with tofu helped clinch the top position, which Northwestern also held in 2007.

“Offering clients, student customers and the campus population at-large menu options that are varied and balanced — to include vegan options — is a natural outgrowth of our corporate health and wellness and sustainability objectives,” said Tom Post, president, campus dining services, Sodexo. “It is exciting to see how our contributions work in concert with those of our clients to meet their needs in such a rewarding way.”

In addition to offering vegetarian and vegan options Sodexo promotes choices with reduced sugar, salt, fats, and wherever possible, it sources local, seasonal and sustainably grown products.

John Ferraro, Sodexo menu manager at Northwestern believes that it is important for young adults to understand that today’s vegetarian and vegan alternatives are nothing like the tasteless faux-meat concoctions of the past. He adds that tomorrow’s parents should be especially cognizant of the appetizing, healthier options given current statistics on childhood obesity and related health issues. His popular recipe Vegan Burritos frequently drives that point home.

The voting process for the Most Vegan-Friendly College in America was held on the PETA2 web site in a March Madness-style bracketed competition. Visitors to the site cast their votes to help PETA2 select a winner.

Sodexo is a business partner to clients in various industries, offering strategic counsel and solutions that make it possible for them to meet any number of objectives, including sustainability goals. Guided by the Better Tomorrow Plan, its roadmap to sustainability, Sodexo has identified 14 specific commitments in the areas of health and wellness, the environment, and support for local communities. For details about the Better Tomorrow Plan visit the corporate citizenship page at www.sodexoUSA.com.

Popularity: 39% [?]

Sodexo applauds the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, which Congress passed paving the way for more children to get healthy, nutritious school meals and to fight childhood obesity.

“This legislation will significantly improve the health, quality and wellness of school nutrition programs,” said Lorna Donatone, Sodexo education president and chief operating officer. “Sodexo is a committed partner in First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative to end childhood obesity in this generation and this bill supports the work we’ve been doing to promote student well-being by improving nutritional content and creating healthy learning environments.”

The new legislation increases the funding available to local school districts through a program administered through the United States Department of Agriculture to increase student access to nutritious school meals.  Sodexo encourages eligible parents to sign up. Parents can sign up any time throughout the school year for the program.

“The national free and reduced price school meals program is a tremendous asset for families that could use a little help, but unfortunately many parents don’t know about the program or how to register for it,” said Steve Dunmore, Sodexo president education-schools. “We encourage parents who want to enroll in school meal programs to speak to the Sodexo manager at their school district.” Sodexo regularly works with its school district partners to encourage parents to enroll in school nutrition programs through parent meetings and school events.

The USDA created the free and reduced price school meals program to ensure that no child goes without food during the school day. Sodexo works with more than 480 partner school districts across the United States to raise awareness of the National School Lunch Program.

The USDA has a website dedicated specifically to the free and reduced price school meals program. The site, http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/frp/frp.process.htm, includes information about income eligibility guidelines and includes downloadable application forms.

Sodexo is committed to take measurable sustainable actions that ensure a brighter future in the areas of health and wellness, environmental stewardship and community development. Sodexo focuses on nutrition, achievement, environment, community and activity to promote student well-being.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Eleven men were  nabbed this month by Gaithersburg Police for trying to get intimate with minors on the Web.

Then men were from different states, including Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia and Washington DC. Cops posted a phony profile online and arranged meetups with the doomed men using phone calls and text messaging. This operation marks the first of its kind for Gaithersburg, lasting from November 15 through the 19th and included the likes of the FBI and the Montgomery County Police Department and attorney’s office.

The 25 to 48 year old men were each charged with a count of sexual solicitation of a minor and thrown in jail. Of the creeps, one was from Gaithersburg, and all  will stand trial in Montgomery County.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Food banks are vital to the community – especially this time of year. Unfortunately, some people don’t quite understand that.

Manna Food Center, based in Gaithersburg, had one of their food vans stolen Tuesday morning – and as if that wasn’t bad enough, some food was stolen from the warehouse as well. The van, a white 2001 Chevy cargo van with their logo, is exclusively used for supply pick-ups and food drives.

Luckily, the van was eventually found at around 3 pm the same day in the parking lot of an apartment complex in Rockville. Police have an arrest warrant out for the person responsible, but have yet to release names.

The local food bank has  been struggling with donations recently, but workers and volunteers say that this along with the recent acts of heartlessness from thieves won’t stop them from helping area families. Manna Development manager Natalie Corbin told the Montgomery Gazette: “Even in the midst of things like this, we’ll continue to provide the services we always have. And, any help from the community is appreciated and needed.”

Popularity: 31% [?]

Sodexo employees at eight college campuses cut kitchen waste by about one third, simply by tracking and monitoring food waste, according to the preliminary findings from the first eight weeks of a pilot study that is part of the company’s commitment to stop wasting food to curb climate change and improve business practices.

Sodexo is partnering with LeanPath, a technology company providing food waste tracking systems, to conduct the review. The pilot study focuses on kitchen – or pre-consumer – waste, not what customers throw out. The pilot study system features a tracking station where Sodexo employees enter data about what they are throwing out and why. By tracking the reason for throwing away items, Sodexo is able to correct the problem to prevent future food waste. Sodexo employees at those eight sites have dramatically reduced overproduction, spoilage, expiration and trimmings by participating in the pilot study.

“Our people have been vigilant about preventing food waste at these sites demonstrating they are extremely good stewards of the environment,” said Tom Post, president of education – campus, at Sodexo. “The pilot results show it’s possible to send less waste to landfills and to reduce costs without compromising the quality or variety of the food we serve.”

LeanPath estimates that 4 to 10 percent of the food that is purchased ends up in kitchen waste. Each participating site in the Sodexo pilot also has a Stop Waste Action Team (SWAT) composed of employees. This group reviews the waste tracking data, sets specific goals for improvement, and tests waste prevention ideas. The most effective ideas become permanent.

In September, Sodexo launched “Stop Wasting Food”, a campaign to engage its customers and employees in reducing food waste to curb climate change. To learn more, visit www.stopwastingfood.org.

Americans trash 25 percent of all the food they prepare each year, leading to 31 million tons of wasted food piling up in landfills annually. Food waste in landfills produces methane gas, which is at least 21 times more potent than carbon. Methane breaks down the ozone layer and leads to climate change.

Sodexo pilot study results come from a program initiated in early September at eight college campuses across the country to analyze and measure kitchen waste in an effort to better manage it. Colleges participating in the waste-reduction pilot program include Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, California State University of Monterey Bay in Seaside, Calif., Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa., Linfield College in McMinnville, Ore., Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Pomona College in Claremont, Calif., University of California at Davis, Calif.,  and University of Wisconsin in River Falls, Wis.

Popularity: 34% [?]

A local man was shocked with gunfire early Saturday while climbing through a window that he thought was his. Instead, it was the apartment window of his neighbor, who was armed with a shotgun filled with lead pellets.

The resident of Governor Square apartments in Gaithersburg called Montgomery County Police to tell them that he had shot an intruder. The confused “intruder” was taken to a local hospital where he is expected to recover.

No one has been arrested, and an investigation is ongoing.

Popularity: 34% [?]

Vandals set fire to two cameras used to catch speeding violators in Gaithersburg Monday, giving late commuters to work added incentive to make it on time.

One camera on Quince Orchard Road was reported to be burning at around 2:30 am Monday, and the other was found smoldering three miles west of that one at noon.

Both of the cameras are toast  and will cost $80,000 to replace due to the city’s lack of insurance.

Two other cameras were covered with spray paint early in the year, and the cameras have been targets for vandals in previous years. The main reason for this is probably the fact that the cameras have been the bearer of 33,000 citations at 40 bucks each in September alone.  The city expects to gain $17.2 million from drivers courtesy of Big Brother in fiscal 2010.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Layoffs of more than 100 firefighters is a major consequence of Montgomery County voters voting against an ambulance fee.

The proposition, which if approved would have set a countywide ambulance fee that would charge insurance companies, Medicare and Medicaid for ambulance rides, lost with 54 percent of voters having none of it. The proposition was spearheaded by newly elected incumbent County Executive Isiah Leggett, who says the fees would have generated $14 million for the fire department – which is now left wounded.

Leggett said there was a lot of misunderstanding surrounding the proposal, which is partly to blame for its failure. Given the failure, board members say that the ambulance fee is logical, given the dire situation of the fire department and what could be lost in the form of 118 employees.

The county will actively push for the ambulance fee, nonetheless.

Popularity: 2% [?]