Job of the Week: Clerical Aide

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This week’s featured job from MSU HR is a Clerical Aide support staff position (posting 748383) in the Department of Human Resources through MSU Administration.

The selected candidate will work in a temporary, on-call position providing clerical support such as secretarial, receptionist, bookkeeping, and informational processing duties. The top priority will be managing mail. This on-call work can be for the MSU College of Human Medicine and the College of Osteopathic Medicine. On call workers can not work more than 520 hours in any six (6) month period. For a complete list of responsibilities and hour restrictions, click here.

The position is completely on-site at the East Lansing Human Resources Office and will work directly with the MSU Human Resources Solutions Center.

Learn more about the Department of Human Resources at https://hr.msu.edu/. Read more about the position and learn how to apply as soon as possible here. The application will close when the position is filled. All the latest job postings can be found at careers.msu.edu.

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Leadership Blog Series: Happiness, Well-Being and Psychological Wealth

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Written by Sharri Margraves, Director for Organization and Professional Development

Am I happy?

How do I know if someone is happy?

What can I do to influence the happiness of others?

Happiness is subjective — each of us has our own vision of what happiness means to us. The many definitions of happiness and the different topics connected to it can lead us to more questions than answers. As such, is it worth your time as a leader to consider whether your employees are happy and take action to increase happiness within your team?

Happiness and Well-Being

Let’s consider the relationship between happiness and well-being. Happiness is a component of well-being; it can exist without well-being, but well-being can’t exist without happiness.

Happiness contributes toward health and longevity, which can be measured with a number of physiological tests including immune system strength, plaque build-up, and healthier behaviors such as a propensity toward physical activity or wearing a seatbelt.

As a supervisor, this is worth noting as happy employees can lead to lower healthcare costs, fewer sick days, lower turnover, and greater productivity and creativity.

Happiness and Psychological Wealth

Dr. Ed Diener, recognized as an expert on Subjective Well-Being (SWB), posits that being happy provides psychological wealth, stating, “Psychological wealth is your true total net worth, and includes your attitudes toward life, social support, spiritual development, material resources, health, and the activities in which you engage.”

SWB is good for work, families and society as a whole, but it’s important to note SWB doesn’t replace workplace basics: flexibility, respect, having the right tools, knowing the goals…these are all still contributors toward one’s psychological wealth.

Happiness in the Workplace

What brings someone happiness may change over time. Fulfillment in your early 20s often looks different than in your retirement years. What was most critical such as family and employment may eventually transition to health and leisure.

Regardless of where your employees are in their professional and personal journeys, there are key ways you can create an environment that supports their happiness and well-being.

  1. Empower employees to craft their jobs. Provide training and build relationships that are connected to a purpose. Do your employees know how what they do serves the greater good? Can you honor flexibility in working conditions? Research has shown flexibility can contribute to reduced turnover and physical and mental health improvements.
  2. Honor core organizational values and encourage employees to define their own personal core values. While we each have our own core values, organizational values that are practiced, observed, and honored foster happier employees.
  3. Ask employees for help in problem solving workplace issues — then actually implement the improvements to reduce stress and help retain employees.
  4. Foster social belonging. Each work environment has its own microcultures but recognizing each other should be a regular feature. Leading with kudos — both internal and external — can foster happiness and well-being by building positive relationships.
  5. Think positive. Self-sabotaging a positive mindset affects you personally, but as a leader, it also has the added impact of influencing others. You are worthy of success and adequate. You can do hard things. When you feel the need to lament on something — and let’s face it, we all have our moments — be sure you are reaching out to a neutral party to vent or process.
  6. Build healthy habits. From stretch breaks to healthy snack choices, lean into fostering a healthy environment by engaging with Health4U and other resources for MSU staff and faculty. Below are a few ideas to help you get started.

Recommended Resources

Mental Health Matters: Resources from MSU

Compassionate Leadership: Awareness of Mental Health Needs as the Pandemic Continues

Recognizing and Managing Stress During Times of Change

References

Diener, E., Diener-Biswas, R., Happiness: Unlocking the Mysteries of Psychological Wealth (Blackwell, 2008). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdxbmVbr3NY

Kelly, L., Berkman, L., Kubzanksky, L., Lovejoy, M. (2021). 7 Strategies to improve your employees’ health and well-being. https://hbr.org/2021/10/7-strategies-to-improve-your-employees-health-and-well-being

Image of the livongo welcome kit with the following text: "In the United States, 34 million people have diabetes and 88 million people have prediabetes. Your Livongo benefit can help."

Recognize World Diabetes Day with Livongo

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World Diabetes Day was November 14 and MSU HR is here to remind you that if you are living with diabetes, Linvongo can help. 

Livongo is a diabetes management program offered completely free to MSU employees and their spouses/dependents. 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.

You can enroll for Livongo at any time and it takes less than 10 minutes to sign up. Once you register, you will receive a welcome kit in the mail. The kit contains your own Livongo connected meter, unlimited testing strips, a lancing device, lancets, a carrying case, and optional coaching by a healthcare professional. 

One of the first to enroll in Livongo was Jeff Brodie, a Management Analyst for MSU Human Resources, who was diagnosed with diabetes in 2011. Here’s what Jeff had to say about his experience using Livongo: “There is nothing to lose at all, and everything to gain. Even if you sign up and do the [minimum], you will be healthier than if you didn’t sign up at all.” You can read more about Jeff’s experience using Livongo in this previous HR blog post.

To learn more about using your free Livongo benefit, visit the Livongo for Diabetes Management webpage. If you have questions or are ready to sign up, visit the Livongo website. 

Recognize World Diabetes Day with Livongo and find more testimonials like Jeff’s here! Do you have your own experience with Livongo? We’d love to hear in the comments below or email us at hrcommteam@hr.msu.edu.

Job of the Week: Service Manager I

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This week’s featured job from MSU Human Resources is a Service Manager I support staff position (posting 747245) for the Department of Food Stores in the Office of Residential and Hospitality Services.

The selected candidate will work full time overseeing the Food Stores warehouse and any customer service functions for MSU Bakers and Food Store products. Special duties include, but are not limited to, interviewing, training, and scheduling student employees, resolving service complaints and preparing and overseeing operational documents. They will monitor day to day safety operations, coordinate pest control visits, and ensure state, federal, and locals procedures are being followed. For a complete list of responsibilities, click here. 

Applicants interested in this role must have the knowledge normally acquired in the first two or three years of college, technical or vocational school, or a field related to the area of food stores. They should also have one to three years of related experience in supervising operational activities. An equivalent combination of education and experience will also be considered for the position. The desired qualifications include supervisory experience in warehouse operations, supervising unionized employees, warehouse management software, and Microsoft Office. Heavy consideration will be given to candidates that are HACCP and Servesafe certified, but it is not required. 
Learn more about the Department of Food Stores at http://food.rhs.msu.edu/. Read more about the position and learn how to apply by November 23 here. All the latest job postings can be found at careers.msu.edu.

Take Action Now to Reduce End-of-the-Year Stress

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Updated December 2023

Ready or not, December is almost over. When you think about the remainder of the year, how do you feel? If thoughts of work deadlines, family get-togethers, or planning for the holidays and new year ahead have you feeling overwhelmed or anxious, you’re not alone. Thankfully, there are practices and resources we can utilize to help us center ourselves and approach this time of year with a healthier mindset.

Consider Your Sphere of Influence

We all know allowing worry to grow uninhibited can lead to a number of negative consequences, be it with our health, work performance, or relationships. So, why do we allow our minds to spend so much time in a state of worry? In a previous blog post, Jennie Yelvington, Director of MSU Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs, discussed how worry can seem very active — spending time in that mindset can feel like you are working on something productive — but in reality, you are burning through energy that could be better spent.

When you notice yourself worrying about what might happen, stop and ask yourself, “What can I do about it now?” One way to visualize this is the Sphere of Influence.

Graphic representing one's sphere of influence. Three circles are centered on top of each other. The smallest circle in the middle represents "control," the next biggest circle represents "possible influence but no control," and the largest circle represents "no control."

Within the Sphere, there are three areas:

  • No Control. If there is absolutely nothing you can do to change or influence a situation, you can only assess whether you can learn from it, then let it go and refocus on something else. This would apply to things like the weather, supply chain issues this season, or flight cancelations. To reduce feelings of worry and improve your well-being, spend minimal time and energy regarding any matters that fall within this area of the Sphere.
  • Possible Influence but No Control. If there is a step you can take that may influence an outcome, person, or situation, determine what action you can take to maximize that influence, follow through, and then let it go. Resist the temptation to convince yourself that worrying about it means it is within your control.
  • Control. If the issue you are wrestling with is completely within your control, then you have control over your decisions, attitude, and behavior. What action can you take that you’ve been putting off? What self-care practice can you initiate to support your well-being? When you practice shifting your focus and attention to what is within your control rather than allowing what is out of your control to consume your time and thoughts, feelings of helplessness and overwhelm decrease significantly.

Make Yourself a Priority

When asked why we don’t make our well-being a higher priority, the most common answer is: not enough time. Although we can’t add more hours to the day (No Control area of the Sphere of Influence), we can take actionable steps to better manage our time and carve out space to improve our overall wellness (Control area of the Sphere).

Here are a few ideas to help you focus your energy on areas you can control when it comes to your well-being this time of year.

  • Schedule downtime. Block downtime off on your Outlook calendar like you would for a meeting or other work engagement.
  • Be selective. Most of us have an extraordinary number of demands on our time lately. This time of year often brings on even more. Before you commit to anything additional, give yourself a little time to consider: do I really need to do this right now?
  • Get back to the basics. Consider your current relationship with sleep, physical activity, and eating. What are one or two simple steps you could take to improve your physical health? Even something as small as not having your cell phone next to your bed at night or scheduling short blocks of time on your calendar to stretch at your desk can have a tremendous impact. Ensuring your basic, physical needs are met helps ensure a solid foundation for all aspects of your well-being.

Utilize Your Resources

One major goal within MSU’s strategic plan is to support the “well-being of staff, faculty and postdoctoral research associates at MSU, focusing on creating a best-in-class workplace culture and environment in which excellence and opportunity thrive.” From one-on-one counseling to self-paced learning opportunities, many resources are available to you as an MSU employee to improve your well-being and take care of yourself this year and beyond. Recommendations to get you started are listed below, along with contact information for specialists at MSU who can provide extra support.

Health4U Programs | Register online for free courses including Chair Yoga, Informal Mindfulness, Increasing Your Psychological Flexibility, and Boundaries. Health4U also provides a wealth of online resources regarding emotional wellness, food and nutrition, and health coaching.

elevateU | Free, self-paced resources including short videos, online courses, and books around a wide variety of topics. Highlighted topics include:

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) | Free, confidential counseling for all faculty, staff, retirees, graduate student employees, and their families.

WorkLife Office | Find affinity groups, webinars, and personalized support to help you facilitate success in your many roles and guide you in creating synergy between those responsibilities.

2021 Gliozzo Clerical Technical Award Recipient Announced

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Congratulations to Jamie Lake, the recipient of this year’s Clerical-Technical Recognition Award!

The Clerical-Technical Award is sponsored by the Thomas and Concettina Gliozzo Endowment Fund and recognizes outstanding clerical-technical employees. Jamie was selected for the award this year because of her outstanding work as a Secretary II staff member in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife. She is known to take her job seriously and care about professionalism while also showing empathy and support for everyone around her. 

Jamie was nominated for this award by Jill Cruth, the Academic Coordinator for the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, who, along with many other staff and faculty in the department, shared kind words and great examples of why she deserves to be recognized. A few of these examples include how this past year, when a co-worker in the Fisheries and Wildlife Office got sick, Jamie took on even more responsibility; and when a visiting scholar from Nigeria seemed homesick, Jamie decorated her office to make her feel at home and welcomed at MSU. 

Jamie is also involved in the community, especially with her church’s youth programs and her passion for nature, which fits her role perfectly in Fisheries and Wildlife. She has cleaned up trash in the Great Lakes and is raising pheasants to release into the wild with the goal of raising the population of the endangered species. 

Jamie is a problem solver who acts on issues without being asked. This great attribute to the department has resulted in an updated and more frequent social media presence, rewards for surveys conducted by faculty members, and even a new protocol for quickly and efficiently teaching faculty and student employees about the office systems. 

Jamie had this to say about winning the prestigious award: 

“I am humbled to accept the Gliozzo CT award. Winning this award recognizes [that] the support I provide is genuinely appreciated by my colleagues and I am thankful to each one of them. I’m super grateful to be working in the Fisheries and Wildlife department, with the most amazing faculty, staff, and students.”

Congratulations Jamie for your incredible work in your department and at Michigan State!

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Providing Reasonable Accommodations for Employees with Disabilities

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Employees with disabilities, who would like to request accommodations in their work environment, have a great resource in the Office of Employee Relations (OER). Academic Specialist, Dr. Julie DeGraw (degrawju@msu.edu), leads and coordinates the accommodation process. The accommodation process empowers units and employees with disabilities to do their best work by establishing timely and reasonable accommodation plans that follow the Michigan State University Disability and Reasonable Accommodation Policy. 

Employees begin the process by registering with the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD). Once RCPD determines that the employee fits the criteria of having a disability, they will be referred to OER/Dr. DeGraw to complete the interactive process. Dr. DeGraw will meet with both the employee and the supervisor/unit to review and gather input about the employee’s essential duties and the requested accommodations.   

The employee, or OER on behalf of the employee, may ask units for temporary accommodations until the accommodations process is complete. These temporary accommodations are only in place while the employee is going through the process and may not be approved beyond a temporary time frame. If the unit has any questions or concerns about providing such a temporary accommodation, it should contact OER/Dr. DeGraw.  

You can review some possible assistive technology available related to various disabilities by visiting the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities Assistive Technology page. 

Please let us know if the Office of Employee Relations (HR.ER@msu.edu) can help in any way to support you and your employees.  

Don’t forget your MSU employee discounts this holiday season!

Published on by Megan MacGregorLeave a comment

As a benefits-eligible MSU employee, you have access to various discounts and savings that can help you find the perfect holiday gifts. Through MSU Benefits Plus, you can find discounts and special offers on products such as electronics, toys and more!

To access all the discounts, visit MSU Benefits Plus and sign-in using your ZPID number (located on your Spartan Card ID badge), or you can find the number in EBS. If you haven’t used MSU Benefits Plus previously, you’ll need to sign-up using your ZPID number to access the discounts.

The following are a few of the deals you can find through MSU Benefits Plus:

  • Apple – Enjoy employee pricing on most Apple products such as select iPhones, AirPods, MacBooks, Apple Watches and more when you shop through this exclusive link.
  • Amish Furniture Company – Receive a 10% discount on all purchases using coupon code EDU10% during check out (may request proof of MSU affiliation).
  • Best Buy – Save 20% on select cell phone accessories including OtterBox, LieProof, Mophie, Speck, Kate Spade NY, Under Armour, and more when you use promo code 20percentoff at checkout.
  • Calm – Get 57% off* the #1 app for meditation and sleep through this link.
  • HP Gaming Gear – The HP Employee Purchase Program (EPP) offers HP consumer products at discounts typically up to 10% – 50% off starting prices through this exclusive link.
  • Kiwi Crate – Inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers, and save 35% off your first month’s box when you use this exclusive link!
  • Magazine Advantage – get up to 90% off the most popular magazines offering titles such as People, Better Homes & Gardens, Entertainment Weekly, Southern Living, Martha Stewart Living & more! Buy for yourself or send as a gift through this exclusive link.

The HR website also offers other deals you can find on-campus through the MSU Tech Store, MSU Bakers, and the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center, among others. You can check out some of those deals at MSU HR Website.

For more information on discounts through MSU Benefits Plus, visit the HR website. If you have any questions about the discounts, please call MSU Benefits Plus at 888-758-7575.

Job of the Week: Events Worker

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This week’s featured job from MSU Human Resources is an Events Worker support staff position (posting 746818) for the Department of Police and Public Safety in the Office of the President.  

The selected candidate will take on either a temporary or on-call role providing support for large and/or special university events. Special duties include, but are not limited to, working in concession stands, maintaining supplies, operating cash drawers and parking enforcement. They will monitor secure areas and contact police when needed for law enforcement or ordering maintenance. Temporary workers can work two (2) nine (9) month terms with a break in between. On-call employees can work up to 1039 hours in any twelve (12) month period. For the complete list of responsibilities and hour restrictions, click here.

Applicants interested in this role should expect to provide leadership and direction in emergencies and display a high standard of ethical conduct. Other desired qualifications include working flexible hours such as holidays and MSU home football game days. The ideal candidate will also need  to pass a certification test provided by the department,complete  required training, become certified in blood-borne pathogen standards and pass an employment background investigation.  

Learn more about the Department of Police and Public Safety at https://police.msu.edu/. Read more about the position here and apply with an MSU Application, resume and cover letter by November 19. All the latest job postings can be found at careers.msu.edu.

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Submit a Nomination for the 2022 Ruth Jameyson “Above and Beyond” Award!

Published on by Megan MacGregorLeave a comment

Do you know an MSU employee pursuing a post-baccalaureate degree who deserves to be recognized for going above and beyond what is expected of them in their work and studies? Now is your chance to show your appreciation for your coworkers and all the outstanding work they do by submitting a nomination for the 2022 Ruth Jameyson “Above and Beyond” Award! MSU is currently seeking nominations for this award and will accept nominations through January 21, 2022.

This annual award recognizes a support staff member who most closely exemplifies the contributions, personal characteristics, and commitment to MSU demonstrated by Ms. Jameyson, going “above and beyond” what is reasonably expected in supporting the mission of MSU. In recognition of Ms. Jameyson’s own pursuit of a graduate degree while working at MSU, the award recipient must be pursuing a graduate degree at MSU or elsewhere concurrent with their employment at MSU. A stipend of $2,500 will accompany the award and may be used as determined appropriate by the recipient.

Last year’s Ruth Jameyson Award winner, Kelly Feinberg, was a Research Administrator II/S in the Dean’s Office of the College of Communication Arts and Sciences pursuing a graduate degree in strategic communication from MSU. Learn more about the 2021 Ruth Jameyson Award Winner and what her colleagues had to say.

Individuals may be nominated by any member of the university community (colleague, administrator, faculty, support staff, student). A nominee must be a regular, active employee with at least five years of service to MSU in a support staff position.

To learn more about the nomination process, and find the nomination form, visit the MSU HR website. The deadline for nominations is January 21, 2022.