The Well-being at Work guide began as an idea that arose in 2019 after a number of on-campus presentations. The same questions surfaced across the ranks of faculty and staff, supervisors and leaders, focusing on how to create and maintain healthier, happier, workspaces and teams. (continue below)
Well-being at Work Conference
The Well-being at Work Conference was held on October 21, 2021, from 9-11:30 am. View the recording to explore the questions that have surfaced in the ranks of faculty and staff, supervisors, and leaders, focusing on how to create and maintain healthier, more productive workplaces and teams. Well-being at work is important. It honors each employee as a complete person both inside and outside of work. It provides shared knowledge about workplace culture and practices that attract people to work at MSU and keep them here.
Watch the session recordings here
The goal of this guide is to provide evidence-based best practices in order to recruit and retain high-quality candidates and create healthier workplaces and teams, as we take care of our well-being and the well-being of each other. Well-being at work is important. It honors each employee as a complete person both inside and outside of work. It provides shared knowledge about workplace culture and practices that attract people to work at MSU and keep them here. It is a tool to use from any position when thinking about strengthening a team or a unit.
I invite you to use this tool and to follow up by scheduling a consultation or a presentation on workplace well-being. Together, we can make MSU an even healthier place to create, collaborate, and produce excellence in all we do.
I would like to thank Megan Lee for working tirelessly alongside me to make the Well-Being at Work guide a reality. I would also like to thank Chadelle Richardson for her contributions and the members of the MSU WorkLife Office, Health4U, EAP, Barbara Roberts, and the Provost’s Communication Team, specifically Erica Venton, for their contributions.
Jaimie Hutchison, MA, LPC
Pronouns: she/her/hers – What is this?
Director, MSU WorkLife Office
From the Conference
The Guide Overview with Jaimie Hutchison, MA, LPC, Director of the MSU WorkLife Office, and Megan Lee, MHRLR Candidate, May 2023, Employee Relations & Project Lead at the MSU WorkLife Office
Session Description:
The Well-being at Work guide began as an idea that arose in 2019 after a number of on-campus presentations. The same questions surfaced across the ranks of faculty and staff, supervisors and leaders, focusing on how to create and maintain healthier, happier, workspaces and teams.
The goal of this guide is to provide evidence-based best practices in order to recruit and retain high-quality candidates and create healthier workplaces and teams, as we take care of our well-being and the well-being of each other. Well-being at work is important. It honors each employee as a complete person both inside and outside of work. It provides shared knowledge about workplace culture and practices that attract people to work at MSU and keep them here. It is a tool to use from any position when thinking about strengthening a team or a unit.
This presentation gives an overview of the Well-being guide and provides some background on its creation.
Presented by:
Jaimie has worked in organizations that have served individuals and families for over 20 years. Jaimie’s diverse work experiences have prepared her for focusing on the wide array of needs that faculty, staff, and families have. As a military spouse, Jaimie worked for several educational, government, and non-profit organizations in California, Montana, Colorado, and Michigan. She is an active volunteer in her community, and has volunteered over 10,000 hours in her communities. Jaimie received her Bachelors degree in Psychology from Michigan State University, her Masters degree in Community Counseling from the University of Northern Colorado, and a post-Masters certificate in School Counseling from Eastern Michigan University. Jaimie is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Michigan. Jaimie and her family are proud Spartans and enjoy all of the diverse events and activities that MSU and the Greater Lansing area have to offer.
Jaimie is serving a three-year term for the College and University Work-Life-Family Association (CUFWA) Board of Directors. Jaimie is co-chairing the Membership Engagement Committee with a work-life representative from the University of Arizona. Jaimie’s participation in these leadership roles will allow the MSU WorkLife Office to help guide national conversations about work-life, as well as provide MSU an opportunity to share and learn from other best practices in these areas from around the country and Canada.
Megan is currently a graduate student at MSU in the Human Resources & Labor Relations Master’s program, graduating in May 2023. She graduated with a B.A. in Human Capital and Society and a minor in Leadership of Organizations in May 2021. Working in the WorkLife Office has helped Megan realize where her passions lie within human resources: the niche area of work-life and the retention strategies and employee empowerment it brings to an organization. She values her contributions to the Well-being at Work guide, which encompasses mental health and work, why breaks are important, different aspects of the work environment, how to support caregivers in the workplace and more, as her light-bulb moment that has allowed her to learn more about all she wants to bring into her career.
Megan is excited to become a double Spartan and continue working in the WorkLife Office throughout her graduate studies. Personally, Megan enjoys spending time with her boyfriend, family, and dog, as well as reading, working out, and baking and creating recipes.
How to Use the Guide
Throughout the sections, these icons appear.
To be as user-friendly as possible, these icons have been added to allow users to jump to the corresponding area of each page.
At a Glance
This icon is for the At a Glance section on each page. These sections give the main points of the page and using this icon by clicking on it will bring the user to the corresponding At a Glance section.
Practical Example
This icon is for the Practical Examples throughout the site. Not every page will have a Practical Example, but this icon will show up at the top of the page when there is one for that section. These Practical Examples are samples of how employees can realistically incorporate these topics into their daily lives. Use this icon by clicking on it at the top of a page.
MSU In Action
This icon is for the MSU In Action sections that appear on many pages. MSU In Action sections show the resources available on campus for that specific topic, as well as more specific situations on campus that are relevant to that topic. Clicking on this icon at the top of a page will jump the site down to the MSU In Action section for that topic.
References
This icon is for the References and sources used on each page. Any user looking for more information on the page’s topics can follow these sources. Use this icon by clicking on it at the top of a page.
Table of Contents
This icon is a link back to the Table of Contents on the introduction page. Clicking this icon will bring the user back to that page to access any of the other pages within the guide.
Table of Contents
- What is Workplace Well-being?
- Benefits of Workplace Well-being Programs
- Working Too Many Hours Can Backfire
- Aspects of the Work Environment
- Mental Health & Work
- Physical Health & Work
- The Nature Boost
- Time Away is Important
- Supporting Caregivers
- References for the entire guide
MSU WorkLife Office Services
The WorkLife Office supports all MSU faculty, staff, specialists, and postdocs, working under the mission of connecting individuals with resources and assistance to help navigate the workplace, career, family, and life transitions. We partner with the community to create an inclusive and responsive work environment where all faculty and staff are respected and supported toward well-being in the multiple roles of work and personal life.
We work to assist faculty, staff, specialists, and postdocs in six primary areas: family care, career transitions, workplace assistance, relocation, community connections, and research, basing our work on evidence, participating in original research, and disseminating information that informs best practices and policies at MSU.
Our goal is to continue to attract and retain excellent faculty and staff, and to create a community where all can be successful. The WorkLife Office is a resource-rich place of creativity, inclusion, safety, and information, working with the community to create a place that supports employees in all their roles, and fosters a place they want to be in.
Services
1:1 Consultations:
Meet with a professional to seek advice, information, or referral. The WorkLife Office staff is here to help answer employees’ work-life questions and assist them and their family members to find the resources and solutions that will work best for them. Learn more about consultations, request a consultation or email worklife@msu.edu to request a consultation.
Supervisor Consultations:
Speak with a member of the MSU WorkLife Office to assist in supporting your employees with work-life fit issues, including but not limited to flex-time proposals, providing community resources, and providing information on support available for a variety of issues. Email worklife@msu.edu to request a consultation.
Presentations:
Presentations can be requested for faculty or staff meetings. The MSU WorkLife Office can present on the offerings and services of the MSU WorkLife Office, topics such as stress management, work-life fit or other topics. Request a presentation or email worklife@msu.edu to request a presentation.
Education sessions:
Learn more about parenting, eldercare, lactation, infant care, adoption, major life changes (divorce, empty nesters, etc.), career changes, MSU resources, and work-life fit through our education sessions. Our annual conference at MSU on work-life needs and other educational programming can be found on the calendar (updated each semester). View the calendar.
Email Listservs:
Connect to others in the MSU community who are engaged in managing or exploring similar topics.
- WorkLife Office list: Monthly updates from the WorkLife Office
- Family (previously called Parent) list: Resources about children and parenting, eldercare, adoption, breastfeeding, and more
- Resources list: Shares resources on a variety of topics, Spartans seek and receive referrals from other Spartans through this list
- International list: Information and events specific for those faculty, staff, postdocs, and scholars with an international background
- Women’s Networking Association list: connects professional women across campus and the community providing, education, networking, training, and more
- Subscribe to listservs
Finding childcare or eldercare:
We provide free access to search Care.com/msu using your MSU NetID (faculty, staff, and postdocs). We also provide a subsidized backup dependent care for children and elders. Learn more about childcare and eldercare options. Additionally, we provide assistance in finding childcare and eldercare in our community and beyond.
Connecting faculty and staff to communities:
Resources to connect faculty and staff both at MSU and beyond, including culturally specific organizations, campus organizations, places of worship, volunteer opportunities, LGBTQIA2S+ community, and more. Find your communities
International Networking Program:
A program open to faculty, staff, administrators, post-docs, and scholars with an international background. The purpose is to connect and share experiences to help build community within the larger university. Learn more about the program
Women’s Networking Association:
Connecting professional women across campus through meaningful and empowering relationships. These are free professional development and networking opportunities.
WorkLife Connections:
A monthly email newsletter that shares articles, information, resources, and upcoming events. See recent issues.
Resource lists:
Lists of resources from the MSU community on realtors, doctors, dentists, the local area, housekeepers, pet sitters, childcare providers, etc. Email: worklife@msu.edu
Thank you to the primary contributors to this guide: Jaimie Hutchison, MA, LPC, and Megan Lee
Visit the WorkLife Office website for more information.