WorkLife Connections Newsletter | |
Wellbeing at Work is Tied to Higher Retention,
Morale and Productivity!
| |
|
The world of work continues to shift as we cumulatively adjust to an ever-changing landscape. Join us for a deep dive into industry backed research on how everyone, no matter their role, can support a whole-person perspective in the workplace. Learn how being adaptable, teachable and genuine affects the work experience for yourself and others!
Join us Thursday, October 20, 2022, from 9 to 11:30 a.m. (EST)
for the Whole Person Workplace Conference online
| | |
|
The WorkLife Office supports MSU’s faculty, academic staff and support staff in connecting and navigating multiple roles throughout workplace, career and life transitions. The WorkLife Office partners with the community to create an inclusive, responsive work environment where all faculty and staff are respected and supported toward well-being in their work and personal lives. The team within the WorkLife Office serves the MSU community in a wide array of areas that fall into one of these five categories: family, career, workplace, community connections, newcomers.
Learn about the WorkLife Office
| |
Caregivers Need Help: Tell Us How | |
Advancing a university-wide caregiving program remains a high, institutional-level priority. We now invite your input and feedback to aid in prioritizing some of the committee recommendations by way of this Caregiving Prioritization Survey, available now through Oct. 17.
This request is the result of President Stanley charging a cross-functional Caregiving Work Group with building the foundation of a university-wide caregiver program that prioritizes support for faculty, academic staff and support staff in December 2021. The initial recommendations from the Work Group include efforts to increase awareness, fund caregiving resources and revise relevant policies. Some initiatives are already underway. Your participation in the survey contributes to our important work advancing caregiving at MSU..
| |
From Founder to Leader: MSU Marks 29 Years of Involvement with CUWFA | |
As we reflect on work-life month being observed at MSU in October, it is a good time to reflect back. In 1993, a group of about 20 women interested in and working with work life issues came together. They later called themselves the “founding femmes” of the College and University Work-Life Family Association (CUWFA). Among these women was a Michigan State University employee who was a founding member of CUWFA. Over the past 29 years, MSU has played a significant role in this professional organization on a consistent basis.
| | |
Coalition of Racial and Ethnic Minorities (CoREM) | |
This organization is comprised of the Asian Pacific American Islander Desi American/Asian Faculty and Staff Association (APIDA/AFSA); the Black Faculty, Staff & Administrators Association (BFSAA); the Chicano Latino Faculty, Staff, Specialists and Graduate Student Association (ChiLA); and Educating Anishinabe: Giving, Learning, Empowering (EAGLE) and serves as an advisory and advocacy council to the University. CoREM will hold the University accountable for monitoring, advancing and supporting Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Engagement for historically underrepresented racial and ethnic students, staff, faculty and administrators. CoREM is a leadership team that advocates for faculty, staff, and administrators of color to ensure they have full participation at/in MSU. The focus of CoREM includes but is not limited to: (i) equitable recruiting, hiring, compensation, promotion and retention of Faculty, Staff and Administrators of color; and (ii) recruiting, admitting, retaining and graduating undergraduate, graduate and professional students of color. Register for membership.
| | |
|
Take Your Child to Work Day is Back!
Save the Date: Thursday, April 27, 2023!
| |
The WorkLife Office is proud to announce the return of the highly attended Take Your Child to Work Day. This much anticipated annual event is one of our favorites to bring to the Spartan community. It highlights the university’s support for its employees, their family members and all of our MSU community. During this one-day event, MSU employees are encouraged to bring their child, or a special child in their life, to celebrate the many career, educational and entertainment events we offer right here at MSU! Most activities are geared for kids ages 8-16 and younger ages are welcome. You’ll want to plan your day to visit the places they will enjoy. More information to come.
MSU units/departments will have the opportunity to participate in a few ways:
- Host a tour of your office or department
- Present a career exploration program or other activity
- Donate unit branded items for gift bags and prizes for the participants
- Sign up to volunteer
- Encourage members of your unit to bring a child to participate
If your unit has participated in the past, keep an eye out for an initial interest email to go out in early October seeking your level of interest in participating again. If your unit/department has not participated in the past, or your unit’s contact person has changed over the past few years, please reach out directly to Rachel Perez (gonza243@msu.edu), WorkLife Consultant for the WorkLife Office for more details on how to sign up!
Looking forward to the tremendous return of the Take Your Child to Work Day and celebrating our campus, our employees and their families!
| | |
|
The WorkLife Office is a strong advocate of support for Spartans who are caregivers. We appreciate the struggles, we see the challenges and we are here for you. Our work also includes several childcare and eldercare supports which President Stanley has listed as a top priority for the University in bullet 4, objective 2, faculty and staff success of the 2030 Strategic Plan.
We are emphasizing the importance of well-being and supportive workplace culture. The WorkLife Office is available to assist you, your colleagues, and your team with work and life concerns. We’ve compiled some great information, links and checklists to help find childcare. Perhaps you already have a handle on childcare or adult dependent care, but just need assistance from time to time. Subsidized care options are available to stand in when you or your regular care provider have to step out.
| | |
Boosting Workplace Cohesion | |
Within a team atmosphere, having a cohesive workplace allows employees to work well together and feel they contribute to the overall success of the group. When employees are in a cohesive work environment, they focus more on the group goals than their individual success, becoming motivated by the team’s efforts.
| | |
|
Work-life fit is connecting employees’ work lives and personal lives together in a way that allows them to succeed in both. Work-life fit is different than work-life balance because balance implies that employees need to be putting equal time or effort into their work and personal lives, which is not always possible. Sometimes employees work lives will take more time or effort, and other times their personal lives will take more time or effort. Using work-life fit allows employees to actively adjust their work and personal lives to fit together and accommodate each other. Balance is reactive, where fit is proactive, allowing each person to plan and address their most pressing work and family concerns in a way that works for them.
| | |
Why You Should Be a Mentor | From HERC | |
With so much uncertainty these days, people want guidance and support to navigate the sometimes-treacherous waters of the working world. Mentoring, whether formal or informal, can help us paddle through these waters with a little more knowledge and confidence. "Mentor someone else? I need a mentor!" With everything on your plate, why would you take on another task? Consider these benefits of being a mentor. Have you ever mentored someone?
| | |
|
The WorkLife Office and Health4U are partnering to bring you Wellbeing Wednesdays. These weekly Wednesday sessions are focused on wellbeing in its many forms: workplace wellbeing, mental health wellbeing, physical wellbeing, etc. Join us each week for informal webinars that bring new topics and presenters.
| | |
|
Supervisor Training Series (Class 2 of 4):
Introduction to Compassionate Communication
| |
Thursday, October 6, 1 to 2 p.m.
A basic introductory course, Compassionate Communication is communicating in ways that foster understanding, connection and compassion. It is not just a set of approaches, but an awareness designed to develop a certain kind of compassionate rapport with ourselves and each other. Approaches include translating judgments into observations, emphasizing needs instead of strategies, replacing thoughts with feelings, and changing demands into requests. Empathy, self-empathy, and authentic self-expression are emphasized.
| | |
Newborn Care Educational Series | |
Friday, October 7, noon to 1 p.m.
Friday, October 14, noon to 1 p.m.
Friday, October 21, noon to 1 p.m.
Friday, October 28, noon to 1 p.m.
| | |
|
Family Employee Resource Group:
Together We Can | Co-Parenting
| |
Tuesday, October 11, noon to 1 p.m.
Parenting is a team effort. The adults in a child’s life need to consider their children’s needs as they parent together. Build upon your knowledge and skills to promote healthy family and parenting relationships. This workshop is for all parents (married, divorced, single, step, etc.)
| | |
Post Parental Leave Employee Resource Group: Maintaining a Healthy Relationship with Your Spouse/Significant Other While Returning to Work | |
Thursday, October 13, noon to 1 p.m.
After the birth, adoption, or fostering of a child, your relationship with your spouse or significant other can sometimes take second place. There are so many things to consider with a new child in your life, but let’s not forget about the importance of maintaining and strengthening our relationship with our partners during that time as well. Come meet with Dr. Jonathan Blair, of Blair Psychology, to discuss different tips and strategies on how to maintain a healthy relationship with your Spouse/Significant Other while returning to work. This will include concepts around communication, the importance of connection, and overcoming challenges created by the new roles you are juggling as a caregiver and spouse/significant other.
| | |
|
Women’s Networking Association:
All Things Women’s Health | Women's Nutrition
| |
Wednesday, October 19, noon to 1 p.m.
Join us to hear from Health4U Nutritionist, Abbey Richey, as she talks to us about the varying factors of women's nutrition.
| | |
|
2022 WorkLife Conference:
The Whole-Person Workplace
| |
Thursday, October 20, 9 to 11:30 a.m.
Our keynote speaker and author of the book "The Whole-Person Workplace," Scott Behson, will discuss how to build a better workplace through work-life, wellness and employee support.
| | |
|
International Employee Resource Group:
MSU Campus Walking Tour
| |
Thursday, October 20, noon to 1 p.m.
Join us for a walking tour to visit MSU's most iconic spots and learn the best places to visit on campus, more about self-guided tours, and hear about the important apps that should be downloaded for navigating.
| | |
|
Adult Caregivers Employee Resource Group:
October Topic TBD
| |
Thursday, October 27, noon to 1 p.m.
This group is intended to virtually connect MSU faculty and staff who have caregiving responsibilities for adults in their lives and those navigating assisting a senior in their life with changing care needs. This group is open to anyone interested in connecting with other adult caregivers, or learning about issues such as how to care for yourself as a caregiver, how to start conversations about living situation changes, or how to navigate end of life choices conversations.
|
| | |
MSU WorkLife Office | worklife.msu.edu
| |
| | | | |
