ASR Staff Engagement May 14 Survey

With the end of the semester upon us, this week’s ASR Engagement Survey asks about how we're managing our stress. Thank you for continuing to share your stories and experiences.

According to the last survey, folks are evenly split when it comes to sports! 37.5% of you are interested in sports, while 37.5% are not interested in sports. When asked about music, many of you are listening to classic rock artists, such as Fleetwood Mac and the Smashing Pumpkins, as well as classical artists like Beethoven.

Finally, we asked if you have a special interest, hobby, or niche that your colleagues may not know about. Many interesting hobbies were mentioned from gardening to cross stitching to painting miniatures for tabletop games. Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated.

April 30 survey results

In general, are you interested in sports?

• Yes (37.5%)
• No (37.5%)
• Yes, but only for a specific sport or event (25%)

What music (song and/or artist, soundtrack, etc.) have you been listening to lately?

• Fleetwood Mac. It's time for summer!
• Bad Bunny and Karol G
• Six the musical
• Early 2000s girly pop
• 1960s Psychedelic Rock
• Living Room lofi playlist (acoustic background music perfect for working)
• Bongo Cat (because that's what my daughter insists we listen to 😆)
• Coheed and Cambria
• Noah Kahan

Do you have a special interest, hobby, niche, etc. that your colleagues may not know about? If so, what is it?

• Participating in community theatre.
• Love watching Motocross!
• Coloring by numbers, making stickers and iron-on decals on my cricut, and designing announcement posters/social media posts for my church.
• I collect and sell trading cards.
• Mesh wireless networking (Meshtastic). If HAM radio and texting had a baby, this would be it. Great for being in low/no signal areas such as hiking and camping.
• Pop music trivia.
• I've been really into learning everything about pourover coffee lately.

Mental Wellness in the Workplace

Join us at the DEI Coffee Hour

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committee is collaborating with the Mental Wellness in the Workplace workgroup for their upcoming March 16 coffee hour. We are excited to meet and chat with you at the intersection of DEI and mental health and how we can continue to work during stressful times.

The DEI committee will be sending out additional resources and reflection questions to guide the conversation before the Coffee Hour. We also recommend checking out the following resources:

• Protect yourself from Fear when reading the News (5 min read)
• Managing low mood from Ongoing Stress (requires login, 8 min)
• Managing Emotional Disregulation (15 min read with exercise)

Update from Stacey

A common theme lately is stress. Whether it’s the news, “doom scrolling,” or concerns closer to home, I know a lot of people are under extra stress right now. So today I’m doing something a little different, and I’m asking you to check out these Somatic exercises. The “shorts” are indeed short, and there are different styles to choose from. Adding this practice has been a helpful reset midday, and I hope you give one of them a try. I highly recommend doing one as part of a lunch break. If this doesn’t turn out to be your thing, that’s ok. Perhaps a short walk or something else will fill your cup. Take care of yourself. You deserve it!

Mental Wellness in the Workplace

Managing burnout: Conversation starters

Based on your feedback, we are offering resources to help you identify when your workload is too much and how to have conversations about stress, burnout, and workload with your supervisor.

From staff to supervisor 

• What am I doing that is working well and why? What am I doing that needs to change? 
•  What do you see as the highest priorities for me right now? What are lower priorities? 
• Could we discuss re-evaluating/postponing/removing X from my workload? 
•  What parts of my work are most important for you to be up to date on and how can we check-in? Where can I be more autonomous? 
• What projects or tasks do you think are coming around the corner? 
• What would you like to know about my work? 
• What causes you to feel stressed related to my work? What gives you confidence? 
•  What skills do you think are most important for me to work on to support my career progression? What steps should I be taking? 
•  If I need help with something, what's the best way to get your input or support? 
• Is there anything I need to know about you or the team to support you right now? I feel it’s important for you to know… 

See our additional resources on having meaningful conversations.

Join the Mental Wellness in the Workplace Committee

Are you interested in shaping and supporting mental wellness in ASR? The Mental Wellness in the Workplace Committee is looking for new members, and welcome anyone interested to join us! Depending on our workload and capacity, we meet about every two weeks. If you are interested in joining or have any questions, you can reach out to a committee member.

Mental Wellness in the Workplace

Managing burnout - Conversation starters

Based on your feedback, we are offering resources to help you identify when your workload is too much and how to have conversations with your direct reports about stress, burnout, and workload. Here are some questions that may be helpful to get you started.

From supervisor to staff

Workload management

• What tasks/responsibilities have taken longer than expected? 
• What are your top priorities for today/this week/etc.? 
• Are there any barriers in your job? What can I do to help remove those barriers? 
• What tasks are most stressful? What part of the workday do you find most stressful?

Performance management

• What do you consider your personal successes today/this week/etc.?
• How can I help you be successful at work? 
• What is the best way to give you meaningful feedback about your performance (positive or negative)? 
• What suggestions do you have for improvements in the work? The office?

Wellbeing

• Is there anything new going on that you’d like to talk about?
• What can I do to support you? 
• What are the top one or two things concerning you right now?

You can review our other resources on having meaningful conversations as well.

Mental Wellness in the Workplace

What does burnout look like within your staff?

Based on your feedback, we’re offering resources to help you identify when your workload is too much and how to have conversations about stress, burnout, and workload. Supervisors who want to identify burnout in their direct reports may find these resources helpful:

• Employee burnout (10min read)
• Employee burnout questionnaire

Can you identify one step you can take to help reduce burnout in your staff? Is there an element from these resources that could be brought to your next check-in with your supervisor to spark conversation about your workload and how to reduce burnout?

Mental Wellness in the Workplace

In our last survey, we asked about your favorite workload management tips for new staff members. “You can only do so much in a day. Tomorrow is another day,” and “Talk to your supervisor about expectations and prioritization” were mentioned the most.

From that feedback, we’ve put together the following resources to help you identify when your workload is too much and how to have conversations about stress, burnout, and workload:

• Burnout: Symptoms & Strategies (5 min watch)
• Beating Burnout (5 min read)

After reviewing the resources, can you identify one issue that you could try to address to help reduce burnout in yourself? We plan to write about the following topics over the next several issues of News and Notes:

• What does burnout look like in your direct reports?
• How do you talk to your supervisor about your stress, burnout, or workload?
• How do you talk to your direct reports about stress, burnout, or workload?

In our last survey, we also asked who you would want to meet, the Paris Olympic mascot Phrygian cap or the therapy dog Beacon. With 100% of the vote, the “Goodest Boy” won by a landslide! 

 

Mental Wellness in the Workplace

This week, we continue to share the results from our May 2024 staff engagement surveys. If you haven’t already, please take our three-question survey.

What do you do when you realize you are burned out or approaching burnout?

It is encouraging to see that a large percentage recognize they need to take a break and act on it. We received some great suggestions for other topics they'd like resources on:

• Resources for working with colleagues with mental illnesses such as PTSD or depression.
• Resources for working with colleagues who are exhibiting signs of stress and burnout.

Each survey had several comments from colleagues that we want to acknowledge, including stress and burnout related to work and compensation issues and family-related stress. We would like to express our support for all of our colleagues who have too much to do, pay that is not adequate, and/or family or other non-work-related stress. We hear you, and while some of the topics brought up are out of scope for our workgroup, they are not out of concern for us. We will keep these things in mind as we look at University resources to share, and as we talk with supervisors in September.

What's next?

Over the next few months, the Mental Wellness workgroup is going to be talking to supervisors about survey results, sharing University resources we think will be helpful, and asking you questions to help keep us on track.

Mental Wellness in the Workplace

Thank you to everyone who took our May 2024 staff engagement survey! We received great feedback, which has provided direction for our work. We’ve created another Mental Wellness in the Workplace survey, and we’d love your input. You can view the results from the staff engagement survey below.

What resources can the Mental Wellness workgroup provide regarding balancing workload, stress, and burnout?

What advice would you give a new hire regarding workload management?

• Work one thing at a time to maintain balance
• Set, manage, and communicate expectations with yourself, your team, and your supervisor/staff
• Be strategic with your calendar and use of “focus time”
• Communicate with your team/supervisor/staff/etc when you need help with workload or resetting priorities

Additional tips from the survey are available below. You can also find past tips using the #mentalwellness tag.

Great tips!

• Don't take on more work until you fully understand the work in front of you.
• You can only do so much in a day. Tomorrow is another day.
• Know what to expect. Be prepared.
• Use "focus time" on the calendar to do "deep thought" work.
• Boundaries are wonderful things!
• Work within your work hours and not past them.
• Nothing is life or death, so don't stress yourself out!

One thing at a time

• Take one thing at a time and lean on others if you need any help.
• Do one thing at a time. It will always be there tomorrow. Work/Life balance!!!
• Understand that not all of your work needs to be addressed at once! Keep your head down and work on one thing at a time.

Open up and ask for help

• Ask for help when you need it. Everyone is willing to help!
• When you feel overwhelmed, ask for help.
• Ask questions!!! Stand up for yourself!
• Communicate! If you're feeling overwhelmed or need assistance with prioritization, etc. There are resources available to help you manage your workload.
• If it's too much, say so!

Talk to your supervisor:

• To prioritize your work and discuss your workload.
• If your plate is full, ask, "I have too much, what should I prioritize?" Protect yourself.
• For help with prioritizing work and/or getting help from others.
• Openly talk about workload. Be frank and honest.
• So expectations are clear, communicate regularly with your supervisor about workload and when you're approaching a place of feeling overwhelmed.
• Keep an open and ongoing dialogue going.

Talk to your team:

• If you are a part of a team or working with others who are performing similar functions, establish a regular cadence of checking in or having "stand ups" to discuss workload across the team to balance the load where possible.

Turn to your supervisor AND your team!

• Develop a close relationship with your manager and team and keep lines of communication wide open. Be transparent with how you are feeling and what you like and what you don't enjoy about your work.
• Confirm priorities with your direct supervisor first. Then lean on other members of your unit/other ASR staff for tips and tricks.

ASR Staff Engagement May 2 Survey

This week’s ASR Staff Engagement Survey is a collaboration with the ASR Mental Wellness group and focuses on stress and burnout. Please consider completing the survey as it will be used in their work going forward. Thank you for continuing to share your stories and experiences!

According to the last survey, 51.9% of respondents have used the Regents Tuition Benefit program. In addition, most have a general understanding of how the tuition benefit program works (85.2%). Finally, we asked about your favorite breakfast food. Eggs benedict, pancakes, and breakfast sandwiches were mentioned most frequently. Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated. Results from the last survey are available below.

April 18 survey results

Have you ever used the Regents Tuition Benefit program (formerly known as the Regents Scholarship Program)?

• Yes (51.9%)
• No, I am not considering that at this time (22.2%)
• No, but I know someone that has used the program (11.1%)
• No, but I am considering applying for the program in the future (14.8%)

In general, do you know how the Regents Tuition Benefit program works?

• Yes, I believe so (85.2%)
• No, I don’t think so (14.8%)

What's your favorite breakfast food?

• An egg and sausage (or bacon) sandwich on an English muffin!
• No food. Coffee!!
• Cold pizza
• Pancakes
• Chilaquiles with sunny side up eggs on the side and a piece of cecina!

ASR Staff Engagement September 21 Survey

This week’s ASR Staff Engagement Survey is focused on employee benefits. Thank you for continuing to share your stories and experiences.

Last survey, we tested your knowledge about stress. 93.1% of respondents were correct that acute stress (stress that lasts for a short period of time) can come in many forms, such as inadvertently sending your car into a skid, skiing downhill on a difficult slope, or making a presentation before a room full of people. The Pituitary gland is responsible for the stress response (41.4%), as it increases the production of hormones that help you concentrate and impacts your reaction time.

Most were correct that heartburn, sweaty palms, and dizziness are all symptoms of acute stress (96.6%), and that meditation, exercise, and talking with others are all effective ways to deal with stress (96.6%). Finally, we asked if you have a ‘comfort’ tv show or movie that you watch repeatedly. There was a wide array of responses, but Parks and Recreation and New Girl were mentioned most frequently. Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated. The results from the last survey are available below.

September 7, 2023 survey results

Acute stress is the most common form of stress. Which of these can cause acute stress?

• Inadvertently sending your car into a skid on slick pavement
• Skiing downhill on a difficult slope
• Making a presentation before a roomful of people
• Any of the above (Correct answer)

Which gland in your body is responsible for the stress response?

• Lymph gland
• Pituitary gland (Correct answer)
• Thyroid gland
• All of the above

Which of these is a symptom of acute stress?

• Heartburn
• Sweaty palms
• Dizziness
• All of the above (Correct answer)

Which suggestion is an effective way to deal with stress?

• Meditation
• Exercise
• Talking with others
• All of the above (Correct answer)

Do you have a 'comfort' tv show or movie that you watch repeatedly? If so, what show or movie?

• New Girl, The Office, Parks & Rec
• Avatar the last Airbender!
• Greys Anatomy
• Gilmore Girls, Devil Wears Prada
• Parks & Rec, Pushing Daisies
• Veep, Arrested Development, The Shining, Hereditary