Have you used your vision insurance yet this year? Don’t worry, there’s still time to schedule your annual eye appointment! If you are an MSU benefit-eligible employee and enrolled in VSP Vision Care, take advantage of your plan. Getting your eyes checked is a good idea for several reasons.
A routine eye exam can detect diabetes and other hidden health concerns like high blood pressure. Here are some things that can show up in your eye exam:
Signs of diabetes can show in the eyes with blood spots and leaking fluid, your optometrist can also determine diabetic retinopathy.
Diabetic retinopathy is a condition in which continuing damage to retinal tissues from diabetes can lead to impaired vision or even blindness if left untreated.
About 24,000 people lost their sight ever year to diabetes and diabetic retinopathy.
Blurry vision can be a sign of high blood pressure.
High blood pressure can affect your eye by blood covering the macula which affects the light sensing of retina tissue.
Donât wait until vision problems occur to make an important eye exam. For more information on VSP Vision Care, visit MSU Benefits Plus.
This weekâs job of the week is an Office Assistant IV (#548001) for the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. This position is seeking an individual to provide general office support for the department and accounting support for the Dairy Foods Complex.
The responsibilities for this role include preparing and submitting transactional documents such as travel and other types of reimbursements, cash advances and invoices. Other responsibilities for this role include monitoring and controls and preparing financial summaries and reports for the Dairy Foods Complex.
The ideal candidate would possess knowledge acquired in the first two or three years in college, technical school or related field; one to three years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in maintain account ledgers, departmental operations, employment; experience in word processing, editing and composing correspondence, and maintain spreadsheets and/or databases; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
For more details on the responsibilities of this position, and to view all our current postings, visit careers.msu.edu. Internal applicants should access postings through the Careers @ MSU tile in the EBS Portal.
With the cold temperatures and snow falling, have you made sure your family will be warm and safe this winter? Here are some basic steps you can take to get your home ready for the winter:
Seal your windows to improve heating efficiency.
Use layered curtains to keep your home insulated for moderate comfort.
If you have a fireplace, hire a chimney sweep to make sure your fireplace is working properly. A chimney sweep can clear out soot, check for damages and change the chimney cap to prevent rain, snow, birds, squirrels and anything else from entering your home.
A generator can be very helpful to have over the winter. Living in Michigan, we know snowstorms can sometimes knock the power out for long periods of time. Having a generator can keep you and your family warm during a storm.
Clean and inspect your gutters – clogged gutters can cause water to back up and freeze once the temperature drops. Keep your gutters clear and make sure theyâre properly connected to ensure the melting snow runs off your roof through downspouts.
After a heavy snowfall, it can be tough to see your driveway, flowerbeds, or walkways. Try using fiberglass snow poles or driveway markers every several feet to line the edges of the areas. This will help provide a clear path whether youâre blowing or shoveling snow yourself.
Insulate your attic or crawl space. This can save you money in the long run by keeping your homeâs heat in the living space instead of in your attic. It will also help keep your attic cooler which can prevent damaging ice dams from forming on your roof.
Did you know MSU benefits-eligible employees have the option to enroll in voluntary home and auto insurance through MetLife or Liberty Mutual Insurance? As youâre getting your home winter ready, or considering those work commutes over our Michigan winter, you might want to consider re-looking at your home and auto insurance. Make sure your family has the coverage they need this winter season.
For more information on voluntary home and auto insurance through Liberty Mutual and MetLife, visit MSU Benefits Plus. You can get a free quote by contacting Liberty Mutual at 888-860-0316 or MetLife at 877-619-5604.
This weekâs job of the week is an Event Services Manager (#547277) for the Wharton Center for Performing Arts. This position is seeking an individual to oversee management of food services events and other related auxiliary space activities.
The responsibilities for this role include assisting, instructing and overseeing concession/donor lounge setup, meal and beverage services and proper work methods and procedure related to food service activities. Other responsibilities for this role include managing food and beverage inventory, supplies and equipment.
The ideal candidate would possess knowledge acquired by completing a four year college degree program in hotel, restaurant and institutional management, or a related field; one to three years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in food services include proper meal service techniques and protocol; special events; food sanitation and safety procedures; cost control and supervision; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
For more details on the responsibilities of this position, and to view all our current postings, visit careers.msu.edu. Internal applicants should access postings through the Careers @ MSU tile in the EBS Portal.
Are you looking for some last-minute recipe ideas for the Thanksgiving holiday? Members of the HR team share their favorite holiday dishes below. Whether youâre looking for a unique addition to your holiday menu or youâre still trying to plan what youâre going to make, these recommendations will help make your Thanksgiving meal a success!
Sharon Mooreâs Cranberry Sauce
This delicious homemade cranberry sauce is a special garnish to put with any Thanksgiving turkey. Sharon found this recipe a few years back and decided to try it out on the family. They love it and now it is requested every year.
Edita Herbstovaâs Cream of Peanut Soup
This yummy soup dish is served with chopped toasted peanuts on top and sippets. What are sippets, you ask? Click the recipe above to find out!
Monica Burrowâs Pumpkin Layered Magic Cake The pumpkin and cake layers in this Betty Crocker Kitchens dessert recipe magically switch places while itâs baking (awesome!). Finished with a fluffy cream cheese whipped cream on top.
Becky Proctorâs Classic Sage Stuffing If youâve been looking for the very best stuffing recipe, look no further. This stuffing recipe is remarkably simple to make and will be the star dish at your table.
Megan MacGregorâs Vegan Lentil & Sweet Potato Shepherdâs Pie If you have any friends or family members with dietary requirements coming over for Thanksgiving, this dish is dairy-, egg-, and meat-free (but full of flavor!). Perfect for the vegans or vegetarians at your table.
Happy Thanksgiving from the MSU Human Resources team!
This weekâs job of the week is an LBGT Resource Center Manager (#546132) for the Vice President for Student Affairs and Services. This position is seeking an individual to provide leadership for the office and all programs and services.
The responsibilities for this role include assisting students who identify with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) community in their transition to MSU and throughout their academic careers. They must provide support and encouragement for student academic, cultural and personal development. This position will also promote an inclusive atmosphere committed to cultural and social awareness, allowing students, staff, faculty, and alumni to be united in advancing education about and support for the community.
The ideal candidate would possess knowledge acquired by completing one or two years of post-bachelor degree work such as Masterâs degree with emphasis in Higher Education, Student Affairs, College Student Personnel, Educational Administration, Counseling, Social Work, Gender Identity or related field; three to five years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in higher education or within the LGBTQ community; experience with individual and community development activities; experience and familiarity with both LGBTQ issues and their intersections with communities of color; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
For more details on the responsibilities of this position, and to view all our current postings, visit careers.msu.edu. Internal applicants should access postings through the Careers @ MSU tile in the EBS Portal.
Jeff Brodie is a Management Analyst at MSU Human Resources who was diagnosed with diabetes in 2011. When theLivongo for Diabetes Management program first rolled out as a free benefit to MSU employees and their spouses/dependents, Jeff was one of the first to sign up.
Jeff admits his process for handling his diabetes needed to improve, âPrior to signing up for Livongo, I managed my diabetes primarily by reviewing my A1C numbers (average blood glucose) every three to six monthsâŠbut unfortunately, the absence of a âbadâ number caused me to do very little to manage my condition.â The Livongo program aims to reduce the burden on those living with diabetes by offering technology and support to help members easily manage their health.
Members get a free Welcome Kit which contains the Livongo connected meter, a charger, unlimited free strips/lancets, a convenient carrying case, and optional coaching with a health care professional.
The Livongo Welcome Kit
Jeff finds the Welcome Kit and support immensely helpful, âI receive FREE test strips and lancets, and weekly summaries of my resultsâŠthe best thing is: it keeps a record of every test result that I can put into a spreadsheet and share with my doctor.â Jeffâs favorite part of the program is the unlimited free test strips and lancets â why pay for these supplies when they are available free?
Signing up for the programcouldnât be simpler, âI signed up by phone and it was easyâŠthe Welcome Kit arrived in the mail, I had a phone number or email address handy for questions. And once I got started, it became part of my daily routine to test.â Creating a daily habit to test is a great first step to learn when you may need to make small changes in your diet and/or exercise to improve your overall health.
Jeff admits he could still do more to manage his diabetes, like improve his diet. However, he explains that Livongo, âreminds me that Iâm a diabetic, that I should test, and that I should use my test results to make SOME changes in my diet and exerciseâŠThis has caused me to make changes in my lifestyle that I otherwise would not have made.â And while Jeff has opted to not use the optional coaching services offered by Livongo, he does occasionally reach out to the coaches via email if he has a question about his numbers, diet or the program.
Understanding how what you eat influences your diabetes is vital to improving your health. As Jeff explains, âEven when I let my food monster win for a day, Iâm still aware of being diabetic and the lifestyle changes I must undergo to manage it.â Keeping track of the trends in his numbers has encouraged Jeff to adjust his diet to eat more vegetables and protein and fewer carbs, especially if his results are high.
If youâre unsure if the Livongo program is right for you, consider Jeffâs attitude: âThere is nothing to lose at all, and everything to gain. Even if you sign up and do the minimal, you will be healthier than if you didnât sign up at all.â Your level of participation in the program is entirely up to you, with the option to cancel anytime.
If you have questions or are ready to sign up, visit the Livongo website. Find more testimonials for Livongo here. Do you have your own experience with Livongo? Weâd love to hear in the comments below or email us at hrcommteam@hr.msu.edu.
How do you build better relationships at work? Find the right role to fit your talents? Have powerful, constructive conversations? Living your best life begins when you tap into your unique talents. Learn to Identify and Maximize Your Strengths with a new training opportunity available through Organization and Professional Development.
Before this course, you will complete Gallupâs CliftonStrengths online assessment to determine your natural patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving. The assessment measures your specific order of 34 themes of talentâyour âtalent DNA.â The odds that someone shares your exact same order of 34 themes are roughly 1 in 259,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. Discover what makes you truly unique from everyone else.
When you attend this program, you will:
Receive your assessment results
Explore what you naturally do best
Learn how to further develop these areas
The course instructor will help you understand your customized results, so you can discover what makes you exceptional and maximize your potential. With increased self-awareness and a new language for understanding and expressing what you do best, research has shown that you will be more likely to feel confident, achieve goals, and feel energetic and engaged.
Ready to Sign Up?
The nextIdentify and Maximize Your Strengthsis Wednesday, December 12 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The course is taught by Sabrina Hebeler and Danielle Hook from IPF. More dates for this course will be available soon. Sign up by logging into the EBS Portal and selecting the Courses for Employees at MSU tile under My Career and Training.
This weekâs job of the week is a Veterinary Technician I (#544445) for the College of Veterinary Medicine. This position is seeking an individual to provide patient care for ill and injured animals for the Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
The responsibilities for this role include working primarily in the VMC (Veterinary Medical Center) Emergency and Critical Care unit, instructing and demonstrating techniques to students and maintaining supplies and equipment in the hospital area.
The ideal candidate would possess knowledge acquired in the first two or three years in college, technical or vocational school in Veterinary Technology; six months to one year of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in extensive patient care, surgery, anesthesia, drug-dosing, and sterilization; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
For more details on the responsibilities of this position, and to view all our current postings, visit careers.msu.edu. Internal applicants should access postings through the Careers @ MSU tile in the EBS Portal.
If youâre unsure if the Livongo program is right for you, consider Jeffâs attitude: âThere is nothing to lose at all, and everything to gain. Even if you sign up and do the minimal, you will be healthier than if you didnât sign up at all.â Your level of participation in the program is entirely up to you, with the option to cancel anytime.