Everyone’s adjusting to an altered workday during the response to COVID-19.
For Mike Knapp, that’s meant finding a renewed appreciation for in-person customer service.
Knapp, a Social Services Supervisor, has been with DSHS for 25 years. He’s been a manager in the Puyallup Valley Community Services Office for 14 years, currently working with a team of seven social workers.
When the vast majority of his office transitioned to teleworking, office administrator Hilliary Bryan worked with office leadership to utilize their strengths in a difficult situation. He volunteered to be the sole point-of-contact and the face visitors see when making in-person visits to the Puyallup office.
“I always enjoy doing direct services, and I kind of miss that as a manager,” Knapp, who has a background in community mental health, said. “It’s nice to serve people so you can see tangible results for the work.”
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday, Knapp watches the front door and meets clients just outside the building. It addresses the same health concerns everyone’s working with, and reduces the risk involved with bringing potentially-emotional visitors inside. He chats with clients, many of whom have found themselves out of work and looking for help with few other options. In stressful situations, Knapp has been a calming presence.
“I gave a lady an EBT card. She started crying and tried to hug me, even though I was wearing gloves and a mask,” he recalled with a laugh.
When clients arrive with complex questions, Knapp heads back inside to relay the information. Sandy Lindberg, the WorkFirst Program Supervisor who also stayed in the office, looks up the answer, and Knapp takes the information back to the client.
“I could not answer a financial question if I had to,” he said with a laugh. “We’d research, and I’d go out and give answers. She’s always been an incredible teammate and a godsend in my ability and what I’ve been doing here.”
The Puyallup Valley office, normally staffed with around 60 people, is down to four at the moment: Knapp, Lindberg, Ketra Campbell and Randy Jackson. Knapp holds his coworkers in high regard.
Campbell, a Social Services Specialist, is a wiz at eligibility determinations and EBT coverage; Jackson, a Customer Service Specialist, can issue EBT cards at an impressive rate, Knapp said. He is also impressed with their ability to manage the workload with a positive attitude, despite the obvious stress.
“People in the community, before, kind of took what we do for granted,” he said. “I think it’s kind of been good marketing for us, as well.”
There’s also a cuisine-based camaraderie among the office’s skeleton crew. Lindberg’s brought in Stromboli; one worker brought in a pot of venison soup; a security guard made Italian food.
Knapp took up smoking meat a few years ago, and has brought in brisket, shredded pork and ribs over the past few weeks.
“It’s a way to lessen the stress,” he said, “and also to fill the emptiness. There’s only four of us here, in addition to our two security guards and the day porter, so it’s quiet.”
Outside of work, Knapp said he’s particularly missing baseball right now. His annual trip to spring training was cancelled, and he had tickets for the Los Angeles Dodgers’ home opener against the rival San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on March 26th.
In the office, though, he misses the chatter among his coworkers.
“Every one of my staff who are teleworking right now would prefer to be here, and I feel the same way,” he said. “Although I’m enjoying doing direct services right now, I really do miss the people that I supervise. It’ll be nice to see their faces again.”