WorkLife Connections:
June News
Outstanding Supervisor Award
Nominations Due July 31
graphic text of outstanding supervisor award
This year has been exceptionally challenging for all of us. We know there are supervisors who demonstrated leadership despite the adversity and honored employees' work and personal lives even in the shifting landscape of a pandemic. Tell us how your supervisor pulled your team together, modified workloads or scheduled to fit the changing times, created transparent and honest communication or shouldered the responsibility of safety and care for your teams reporting to campus. How did your supervisor handle transparent and honest communication, empathy, motivation tools, gratitude, acknowledgment and general care and support for you and your colleagues? Outstanding supervisors are all across this campus managing teams both large and small, working in research, education, communication, development, housing, technology, infrastructure, administration, and senior leadership. 

Nominate your supervisor and help us celebrate their leadership through the years and/or recent challenging times.
Recognizing Burnout
and Working Toward Health
drawing of popsicles slowly melting due to burning stick
By Jaimie Hutchison, MA, LPC

Sometimes people use the phrase, "I am so burnt out," to mean that they are overwhelmed, and the stress is getting to be too much. But what exactly is burnout? Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands. 
Key Questions and Process for Making Decisions on Employee Requests for Flexibility, Leave or Similar Considerations
People holding cutouts of icons like arrows and lightbulbs
By Dr. Barbara Roberts, Executive Director, WorkLife

I often heard about challenges making fair decisions about different employees' individual work-life circumstances. Leaders do not feel confident making different decisions for different people, based on their unique situations. Sometimes this results in simply denying requests (flex time or leave), or having universal but ill-fitting practices that are not satisfactory to anyone involved. A protocol that is responsive to individual circumstances, accountable and transparent through consistency, while protecting individual privacy is needed. Such processes build trust, enhance effectiveness of strategies, and foster teamwork among department members and with leadership. My background in equitable decision-making through consistency of analysis led me to develop a protocol for such administrative decisions.

Social Isolation Impact:
How your Social Circle can Offset the Effects 
man talking on the phone and smiling
By Erica Venton

Did you know a smile really is contagious? There are components of the brain called mirror neurons that causes you to automatically reflect a smile (or other facial expression or action of those near you  - like the sports arena full of people with their hands in the air after a key play). The effect of a smile on the brain is the same as if you had initiated the smile. Smiles make your brain think you are happy. "Turns out there was one - and only one - characteristic that distinguishes the happiest 10 percent from everybody else: the strength of their social relationships," said Shawn Achor, author and former Harvard researcher.

Backup Childcare Available
little girl with face paint on her face
Across the university parents are trying to find solutions to childcare, many of them juggling work and parenting in one consistently running 24-hour loop. It can be exhausting. If you need help there are a couple of options available to you for in-home care providers. 

How to Financially Prepare for
a Possible Furlough or Layoff
woman at computer with head down
Presented by: Jeff Hollenbeck, Chief Investment Officer at ACE Financial Advisors

Finances and health are the top two stressors in our community, even in the best of times. With unprecedented times ahead, Jeff Hollenbeck helps define the difference between a furlough and lay off, provides tools to reassess your current financial plan, shares resources that are available and discusses alternative plans to consider.

Keep your Financial Goals on Track 
TIAA logo
Information provided by TIAA

We know that there is a lot of uncertainty in the world today. And just as we have for more than 100 years, TIAA is here to help you with one-on-one sessions, webinars, a video playlist on popular topics, and a site of articles to search your interests.

33 Trust-Building Questions
to Ask in the Workplace

two women talking near a laptop
From TINYPulse

So, how then do you build an effective team? It all starts with asking thoughtful questions at work. Because questions can start conversations, and conversations can lead to more trust and engagement-improving team productivity along the way.

Outstanding Supervisors Share Experiences
Over the course of the year, supervisors were interviewed to talk about topics effecting the workplace and providing tips and insight for leading teams. Listen to the podcast posted on the website.
The Outstanding Supervisor Award honors Michigan State University supervisors
who have consistently demonstrated worklife sensitivity and support of the professional/personal needs of the employees in their unit. 
Applications due by July 31,2020.  Awards will be rewarded in October.
Upcoming Events
June

  • June 2 - Leading in Transition
  • June 3 - Navigating the "Next Normal"
  • June 9 - Leadership that Inspires
  • June 16 - Resistance to Change
  • New Events added weekly: check the calendar
  •  
    SAVE THE DATE - details available in the future

  • October 20, 2020 - WorkLife Office Conference

  • CATCH THE REPLAY
    Some webinars are recorded and available for replay along with the transcripts. 
     
     
    Follow us on Facebook for more information and upcoming events

    Join WorkLife Listservs

    The WorkLife Office manages several popular listservs. These email lists are an effective way for MSU faculty and staff to communicate directly with a group of people just like you!   Join a Listserv   
    Request a Workshop for Your Team

    Do you have a request for a workshop not already on the calendar? Is there something specific you'd like to have presented or discussed with your team? We've now made it even easier to connect with us for those requests.

    Request a Workshop or check out the "Request a Workshop" button on our homepage.   
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    Care.com has More Than Babysitters for You
    School holidays mean school is closed. Use care.com for help.
    Whether you need ongoing help taking care of your kids or parents, a back-up pet sitter, or even someone to help you set up a party or organize your garage, you can depend on Care.com!

     Check out Care.com/msu
    Visit the WorkLife website!
    Connect with us!
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