Go Green this Earth Day!

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Earth Day is April 22, so let’s celebrate because helping the planet is not only recycling but so much more! Here are some ways you can help our Spartan community go green! Whether you are working from home, heading into the office or any combination, use these great tips and resources to make your lifestyle more sustainable.

MSU Recycling Center always leads the charge for reusable materials at MSU. The center is open seven days a week for dropping off materials. These materials can be anything and everything from books, cardboard, glass, plastics and more! Find their hours along with what and how to drop things off at the MSU Recycling Center website. 

If you do spend some or all of your workday away from home, consider looking into clean commuting options. You can try biking, CATA or even Spin Scooters. MSU Bikes can give 1-on-1 bike commuter assistance, helping you find the safest, lowest-stress route from your home to campus. MSU also offers secure covered bike parking and repair and air stations for your convenience. Information can be found on their website. 

Capital Area Transportation Authority offers multiple clean commute options with travel modes that fit your work hours and location. CATA also offers a commute cost calculator by examining how much money you spend driving and how much you can save by using the bus and other CATA services. Visit the CATA website to learn how to add CATA to your sustainable daily routine. 

Spin electric scooters are the newest addition to clean, affordable, convenient and fun ways to get around campus. These scooters are dockless, so no need to find a charger to pick them up or drop them off. They operate seven days a week during all daylight hours. To ride these electric scooters that travel up to 14 miles per hour, just download the Spin App and scan the unique QR code on the scooter you want to ride. Get ready to ride on and around campus by going to MSU’s Spin Scooter landing page. 

Are you looking for some new accessories to improve your work from home space? Do you need something different as you transition back to the office? The MSU Surplus Store is worth checking out! Finding items second hand is a great way to make a pledge to go green, especially when everything is at such great prices. Read MSU HR’s feature on the Surplus Store to learn more about the great services and items they offer!

This Earth Day, it has never been easier to make a pledge and go green! Reduce your carbon footprint with a clean commute, reuse and shop second hand at the MSU Surplus Store, and of course, recycle at the MSU Recycling Center. Putting in the effort this Earth Day and every day after that will make a difference for our planet!

Pet Care Options and Employee Discounts on Pet Insurance

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Updated April 2023

Pet lovers already know, and the Center for Disease Control confirms, that there are many benefits to caring for pets. Pets increase opportunities for exercise, enjoying the outdoors, and socializing. These health benefits can decrease blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. The companionship of pets also makes us less lonely and reduces depression and anxiety. Along with the joy and health benefits our pets bring us, caring for them also comes with responsibility. Make sure you’re aware of all the services and resources available to the MSU community.

Primary Care and Emergency Services with the MSU Veterinary Medical Center

The MSU Veterinary Medical Center (VMC) on campus can provide for all the health care needs of your entire animal family, including cats, dogs, equine, pigs, cows, camelids, sheep, goats, pocket pets, zoo animals, and wildlife. They provide care in 20+ specialty services including cardiology, oncology, primary care, and much more. Find a complete list of VMC services.

The VMC also offers emergency services for your small or large pets. If you have an emergency, you can bring your animal to the VMC at the corner of Bogue and Wilson on the MSU campus. For exotic or pocket pets (non-canine or feline), please call the MSU Small Animal Clinic prior to bringing them in to make sure they can care for your animal. Learn more about VMC emergency services.

The VMC uses the most advanced technology combined with cutting-edge research to provide optimal care for all animals. Similar to specialists in human medicine, veterinarians pursue additional education and certification beyond veterinary school. That training allows the hospital to offer 20+ specialty services with clinicians who supervise and teach our senior veterinary students, interns, residents, and veterinary technology students to fulfill the hospital’s commitment to educating future professionals. 

Exclusive Employee Savings on Pet Insurance

Maintaining optimal health for your pets is a financial investment, and emergency care can be costly. Keep those expenses manageable with MSU employee-preferred pricing from Nationwide pet insurance offered through MSU Benefits Plus. You’ll also receive additional benefits for services such as emergency boarding, lost pet advertising, and more. Visit the MSU Benefits Plus website to learn more and enroll at any time.

For assistance with pet insurance, the MSU Benefits Plus Customer Care Team is available to answer questions and help you enroll in new plans or make changes at 888-758-7575.

Sources:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, April 29). How to stay healthy around pets. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved April 3, 2023, from https://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/keeping-pets-and-people-healthy/how.html

Job of the Week: Events Worker

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This week’s featured job from MSU Human Resources is a temporary/on-call Events Worker with the Department of Police and Public Safety (posting 771329). 

If you or someone you know enjoys the events at Michigan State University such as concerts, sporting events, outdoor functions, and other university special events, this temporary/on-call support staff position might be just right! If selected for this position, you would work at an assigned station in a concession stand helping with food preparation and operating a cash drawer. You may also be assigned to parking enforcement, ushering, or other event-related responsibilities as needed. 

This role is important in ensuring the safety and success of MSU events by performing regular rounds of the complex, monitoring secured areas, leading and directing in emergencies, reporting crimes, and more. Successful applicants will be available to work in this job capacity for a minimum of one year. The hours available for this position currently include nighttime hours, primarily over weekends, at a rate of approximately 8-15 hours per week. 

If you are interested in this position, you should have great communication and interpersonal skills and a high standard of ethical conduct. The physical demands include being able to stand or walk for an entire shift. Additionally, applicants will be expected to become Red Cross certified if they are not already, and pass radiation safety worker training. 

Learn more about MSU Police at police.msu.edu. To apply, submit your resume and cover letter here by April 14. All the latest job postings can be found at careers.msu.edu.

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Leadership Blog Series: Lean Into Leading — Remote Work Edition

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Written by Sharri Margraves, Director for HR Organization and Professional Development

At the retirement party for one of my former colleagues, they reflected that the main thing they were looking forward to was “never being responsible for another human being again.” And they meant it. As leaders, it’s important to recognize the significant responsibilities of our roles, with impacts on both the organization and the individuals with whom we serve.

It has always been challenging to be a good leader, and this is not going to get easier anytime soon. The incredible shifts in the past two years will continue to play out within our teams, departments and units as we move to understand the full capabilities of remote work (including “hybrid” work) and learn what our stakeholders want from their experiences with us.

Fulfilling the Goals and Objectives of MSU’s Strategic Plan

As you consider MSU’s strategic goals and objectives, leaning into new concepts about work, productivity and satisfaction will require a paradigm shift. Not only are external forces pushing this, but the university is also pulling us toward a new mindset focused on growth, and this means change.

Consider MSU’s strategic goal of faculty and staff success: Creating an environment in which excellence and opportunity thrive will attract and keep talent and create conditions where staff and faculty can do their best work, individually and collaboratively. We will develop the flexible, supportive, inclusive workplace required to respond to the aspirations and needs of every employee.

As employees integrate career goals with efforts to create a meaningful life for themselves and their families, they will expect — and we, as supervisors, will deliver — ongoing opportunities to grow and develop.

Related resource: MSU 2030 Strategic Plan

Remote Work and Flexibility

We are working in the most disruptive workforce changes since WWII, dubbed “The Great Resignation”. Research shows that 90% of employees expect to have flexibility in their work, and 54% are planning to leave their position if they don’t get it.

In the coming weeks, you will hear more about what MSU intends to do about remote work from a policy perspective, but that is only part of the equation. As with every policy, you can either hide behind it, or you can embrace it. I challenge you to embrace the new remote work policy in the spirit of our strategic goals. We are working with, and are, professional adults — and adults know when something does not make sense and know they need to be accountable for their actions. Be creative and innovative as you lean into implementing this new policy in your area and working toward better fulfilling the university’s goals and objectives for staff success.

A word about flexibility: not all jobs are going to be remote-friendly. Approximately one-third of our jobs will not offer remote work capability. However, most jobs can have some flexibility, at least at some point in the year. Think broadly about the organizational culture you want to thrive in — thrive…not simply endure — and do the same for your staff. It may be more challenging, but it also can also lead to greater rewards.

Related resource: Remote Work Guidance for Employees and Supervisors at MSU

Take a Deeper Dive

Consider the following ways that you, as a leader, can help MSU meet our collective strategic goals and objectives through the lens of the updated remote work policy:

  1. Examine the value of an employee’s work and not the “busy work” a person brings to their role. How can you maximize that value?
  2. What is the maximum and minimum flexibility for each position? Each team?
  3. Is the flexibility the same during the full year, or can summer months or breaks be different than the academic year?
  4. Do you really know what your stakeholders want and expect and the services they need?
  5. Can you flex starting times, hours, days?
  6. Have you already decided what is “right” or are you open to new possibilities?
  7. Consider the individual as well as the team dynamics. What can change to provide flexibility for all? Did you ask your team to help devise the strategy?
  8. What are the core times you might expect people to attend meetings (and is the meeting effective and productive, or is it casual and meant to just connect)?  Global working hours help everyone be flexible.
  9. Can you accommodate a “split shift”, with the employee able to have alternate times?
  10. What communication plans will make you more effective? Effective communication isn’t a one-way process, and employees have responsibilities here as well.
  11. What role do expectations have for the team? Individuals?
  12. What collective development and individual development will foster the kind of organizational culture that will help us meet our strategic goal?

Additional resources are available to support you as you navigate integrating MSU’s new remote work policies with your team.

MSU Remote Work Policy – Important documents, resources and FAQs

Remote Work Supervisors’ Discussion Guides

Instructor-Led HR OPD Courses

elevateU Resources

Leading From Anywhere: How to Build High Performing Remote and Hybrid Teams (56-minute recording of live event)

Working Remotely – Curated Resources (Self-paced courses, videos, books)

Sources

Kroop, B., McRae, E.R., January 12, 2022. 11 Trends that will shape work in 2022 and beyond. Harvard Business Review blog post. https://hbr.org/2022/01/11-trends-that-will-shape-work-in-2022-and-beyond

Ascott, E., October 19, 2021. 90% of workers want flexibility. Companies aren’t delivering (This could be a disaster). https://allwork.space/2021/10/90-of-workers-want-flexibility-companies-arent-delivering-this-could-be-a-disaster/

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2022/01/05/era-flexible-work-higher-education-has-begun

photo of two women talking during an interview.

Are you hiring? Review best practices to be most effective!

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This is a guest post written by Tina Alonzo, CM, CHRS, DEI Administrator for the Office of the Executive Vice President for Administration

As stated within our University Strategic Plan, we commit to expanding opportunity, advancing equity, and elevating excellence. As outlined within the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategic theme, we are engaging in efforts that recruit, retain and expand career development for staff from diverse backgrounds. One effort that serves as one component of the connected series of tactics is mitigating bias in hiring. Bias is a human condition, not a character flaw and can influence our ability to make equitable decisions without adequate self-awareness. According to the Cognitive Bias Codex, we have 188 systematic patterns of cognitive deviation and the brain can process 11,000,000 pieces of information on an unconscious level, so it’s imperative for us to prioritize equity and diversity in the hiring process. Here are a few best practices to be most effective:

  • Building a diverse selection committee is one way to minimize bias in the search process.
    • Identify qualified applicants based on pre-determined criteria required for the position when screening.
    • Avoid discriminatory bias, prejudice or stereotyping in evaluation criteria and communications.
    • Redacted screening is one tool to reduce initial subjectivity by removing preconceived notions associated with identifying information that may trigger biases or unfair assessments.
    • The applicant/candidate experience matters; remember they are evaluating MSU as an employer of choice during every step of the hiring process.
  • Ensure adequate diverse representation in the applicant and candidate pools.
    • The goal is to broaden the applicant pool, not lower standards.
    • Cast a broader net and expand your reach.
  • False narratives can be formed before a position is ever posted, influencing the overall equity of the hiring process.
    • Use inclusive and balanced language in the position posting; always display how to request accommodations.
    • Be able to adequately explain decisions to retain or reject candidates, linking to job requirements and qualifications.
    • Embrace differing communication styles.

Would you like to learn more and access additional best practices and tips? The Executive Vice President for Administration’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion recently launched the Mitigating Bias in Hiring eLearning to aid efforts in prioritizing equity and diversity in hiring.

Three photos placed side-by-side. First an image of a sailboat with the MSU helmet, then a photo of a group doing yoga, and lastly an image of a tennis racket and tennis balls with the MSU logo.

Get Active this Spring: Fitness Resources for MSU Employees

Published on by Megan MacGregorLeave a comment

Updated March 2023

Warmer weather on the horizon means more opportunities to get outside! If you need some ideas to help you and your family get active this spring, the following resources and opportunities are available for MSU employees:

In-person Opportunities

  • Biking: One of the easiest ways to add exercise to your daily routine is to attach it to an activity or habit you perform already, such as your commute to work. MSU Bikes provides support with a variety of commuter resources to help you bike to work with confidence, including a 1-on-1 Bike Commuter Assistance service which helps you find the safest, lowest-stress route to and from campus to your neighborhood. If you’re working remotely, there are a variety of Greater Lansing area biking groups you could join instead. The MSU Bikes Service Center also offers new and used bikes, rentals (long and short term), as well as a repair service.
  • Sailing, Stand-Up Paddleboarding, and Kayaking: The MSU Sailing Center is located on Lake Lansing in Haslett just east of campus. The Sailing Center strives to provide a safe, supportive, and welcoming learning environment for all participants. Consider participating in one of their many programs, including a learn-to-sail course, paddle sports, group outings, and private lessons. MSU employees can receive a discounted rate for membership.
  • Tennis: At the MSU Tennis Center you can book a court for singles or doubles or participate in one of their adult instructional classes or drill sessions. There’s something for everyone with classes geared toward both beginners and pro-level players.
  • Golf: MSU Forest Akers offers teaching programs for golfers of all ages and abilities, including adult group classes and private instruction, and a casual golf league for all skill levels. MSU employees can also access the golf range and courses at discounted rates.
  • Swimming: Present a valid staff or faculty ID to use one of the pools available on campus for laps or open swimming during designated pool hours.
  • Group Fitness Classes: MSU Recreational Sports and Fitness offer a variety of group fitness classes with membership pricing for MSU employees.

Virtual Opportunities

  • MSU Benefits Plus offers a bunch of health and wellness discounts, including a virtual gym membership through GlobalFit. After you log in to MSU Benefits Plus, select Employee Discounts from the top navigation, then Health and Wellness – GlobalFit will be one of the options.
  • Sign up for a virtual Chair Yoga or Good Form Walking/Running class through MSU Health4U.

Articles and Resources to Increase Motivation:

Job of the Week: Enrollment Services Assistant

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This week’s featured job from MSU Human Resources is an Enrollment Services Assistant (posting 769164) with the Office of the Registrar. They are looking for a friendly and knowledgeable individual for their customer service team.

The candidate selected to fill this role will work collaboratively with others to deliver positive outcomes, provide exceptional service, and ensure compliance with federal, state, and university regulations. As a primary member of the customer service team, they will explain policies and procedures, and answer questions from students, parents, faculty, staff, and others about all functional areas within the Office of the Registrar. 

The education and experience of interested applicants should include a high school education and one to three years of experience in student and/or financial aid record-keeping systems, word processing, and spreadsheet software. Preferred, but not required, qualifications include experience in a high-volume customer service environment and experience in academic record-keeping, student data systems, and online communication and services such as social media, email, chat, and text. The full list of qualifications can be found here. 

Learn more about the Office of the Registrar at https://reg.msu.edu/. To apply, submit your resume and provide a cover letter explaining your experience and why this position would be a positive career move for you here by April 12. All the latest job postings can be found at careers.msu.edu.

Celebrate 10 Years at the Broad Art Museum

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2022 marks the Broad Art Museum’s 10th anniversary! To celebrate, we sat down with lead museum curator Steven Bridges to discuss what he does for work and what to check out during the festivities!

Question: What does a day in your job look like?

Answer: It can change very drastically day to day. Typically, a day involves quite a lot of meetings, emailing, and a lot of administrative work. My position is to lead the curatorial team in developing, conceptualizing and implementing the exhibition program at the museum. That involves all different kinds of exhibitions from solo exhibitions of individual artists to working with a collection to developing group shows, all different kinds of projects.

Question: What are the current exhibits on display for the anniversary? 

Answer: 

History Told Slant:

We are leading this 2022 anniversary year with a focus on our collection. The collection has been around much longer than the museum itself. Formerly it was a part of the Kresge Art Museum and the collection started even before then. The approach within the exhibition is to confront and address that collections of art along with many other institutions were founded and built in such a way that have privileged white male artists and those perspectives and voices. A lot of the work that we are doing in the museum presently is confronting and trying to change those narratives. 

Recovery:

We have a large commission from the artist Beverly Fishman who is a Michigan native and formerly showed with the museum in 2013. She has two works in the museum collection and we have commissioned two new works that are on view. We are really celebrating her and her work. 

Art Along the River, Grand:

We also have an exhibition that addresses public art both here at the university and also pointing to all the great things that exist within our communities in the Greater Lansing Region. 

Kahlo without Borders:

Finally, we also have an exhibition that looks at Frida Khalo and her relationship with her doctors. It is a very intimate portrait of the artist that offers a lot of new perspective of who she was and her interpersonal relationships and how that influenced her and her work. 

Question: What is the legacy of the Broad that you and your team are highlighting during this celebration?

Answer: These anniversaries are a great time to reflect on the past ten years. There have been many successes and also many challenges. These moments offer the opportunity to look back, to learn, to celebrate the successes, but also think about, what do the next ten years look like? Where do we go from this moment? What are we excited to build on? In terms of the life of museums, ten years is actually pretty young. The legacy has a lot to do with celebrating the history of art and you see that in these collections. 

Question: What do you say to members of the MSU community who have not visited the museum or believe they won’t enjoy it?

Answer: I fully recognize that not everything is for everyone and that is why, with the range of exhibitions we have on view currently, if you don’t like one thing, hopefully there is something else for you to see. There’s options there. At any given time in the museum, there are so many things to take in, to explore, and to push yourself a little bit. If you are unsure, but you are curious about the museum, come inside and explore it for yourself! You might be surprised by what is inside.

Question: Who is the audience for the Broad Art Museum and the 10th anniversary celebration?

Answer: It is very important to me that faculty, researchers, staff and students of the university really know that we are here for them. We are always free and open to the public and whether you come to see the exhibitions or to visit the cafĂ© and work in the beautiful environment and architecture, we love to have you here. 

The Broad Art Museum turns 10 years old in November, so the exhibitions and celebrations to commemorate the birthday are changing and expanding all year long! Starting in September, the museum will add a new exhibition created to feature the architect of the unique building that catches the attention of so many on campus, designed by Zaha Hadid. Visit the Broad Art Museum’s website for more information on events and exhibitions all through 2022!

Job of the Week: Service Manager III

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This week’s featured job from MSU Human Resources is a Service Manager (posting 767419) in the department of Custodial Services through Infrastructure Planning and Facilities. 

This staff member will be responsible for the management of activities of second and third shift custodial operations at MSU. Through this, the chosen candidate will create a culture that values and recognizes initiative and supports diversity and the inclusion of varying beliefs. Other responsibilities include communication with union representatives, oversight of budgeting multiple departmental accounts and delivery of training objectives for all new hires. IPF requests all applicants value people, partners and stewardship and be committed to engaging in high performing, leading edge practices. For a full list of responsibilities, click here. 

The required qualifications for this position are knowledge normally acquired in the first two or three years in college, technical or vocational school and five to eight years of related experience supervising operational activities. An equivalent combination of education and experience, such as a four year college degree and three to five years of related experience, will also be considered. The desired qualifications include expertise in Microsoft Office 365, knowledge of labor relations best practices, proven customer service skills and experience with workplace management systems such as EBS and FAMIS. The ability to work both independently and in a team and proven communication skills among a diverse population will also be taken into account for hiring. 

Learn more about MSU IPF at https://ipf.msu.edu/. Find more information and apply with a resume by April 5 here. All the latest job postings can be found at careers.msu.edu. 

Time Management Blog Series: Pomodoro Technique

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Updated March 2023

Are you juggling multiple, competing priorities? Do you feel like you’re busy all the time but are still not getting things done? If so, you’re certainly not alone. Time management is an area where most of us could use additional practice and skills.

Over a series of posts, we’ll highlight various time management techniques to give you different tools to utilize depending on your needs, preferences and work style. The reality is that the best time management technique is the one you’ll actually use and stick with, so give different approaches a try and see what works best for you.

We’ll focus here on leveling up your time management skills with the Pomodoro Technique.

Pomodoro Technique: What It Is

As bizarre as it may seem to think of time management in units of tomatoes (Pomodoro is Italian for tomato), millions of people swear by the Pomodoro Technique. This popular time management method has you alternate pomodoros — focused, 25-minute work sessions — with frequent, short breaks to promote sustained concentration and reduce fatigue and burnout.

Developed in the late 1980s by overwhelmed Italian university student Francesco Cirillo, Cirillo asked himself to commit to just 10 minutes of focused study time. Encouraged by the challenge, he found a tomato/pomodoro shaped kitchen timer, and the Pomodoro technique was born.

How It Works

1 pomodoro = 25-minute focused work session + 5-minute break

  1. Pick one project or task you want to focus on.
  2. Set a timer for 25 minutes and focus on that single task until the timer goes off.
  3. Mark off one pomodoro and record what you completed. Use whatever medium you prefer — perhaps an Excel spreadsheet, a physical notebook or an online project management tool.
  4. Take a five-minute break.
  5. Go back to Step 1 and repeat the process until you’ve completed 4 pomodoros.
  6. Then, take a longer, more restorative break in the 15–30-minute range.

Who Will It Benefit?

While the Pomodoro Technique can work well for just about anyone, it may be an especially good fit if you meet any of these criteria:

  • Distractions often derail your workday.
  • You tend to work past the point of optimal productivity.
  • You are faced with open-ended work that could take unlimited amounts of time.
  • You enjoy gamified goal setting.
  • You frequently overestimate how much you can get done in a day.

Additional Considerations

The core of the Pomodoro Technique focuses on the alternating “sprints” of productive time and rest periods. Applying the following three rules will help you get the most out of each interval.

  1. Break down complex projects. If you’ll need more than four pomodoros to complete a project, the project needs to be divided into smaller, actionable steps. This will help ensure you make clear progress on your projects.
  2. Group small tasks. Tasks that will take less than one Pomodoro should be combined with other quick tasks within one session.
  3. Do not break up a pomodoro once it begins. Once your pomodoro timer starts, be mindful to not check incoming emails, team chats or text messages. Simply note any ideas, tasks or requests that may come up as something to come back to later. Focus solely on the task set aside for the pomodoro.

What if You’re Interrupted?

Some disruptions just can’t be avoided. If this occurs during your pomodoro, address the urgent matter at hand, then take your five-minute break and start again. Cirillo recommends tracking interruptions as they occur and reflecting on how to avoid them in your next session.

What if Your Task Doesn’t Require a Full Pomodoro?

Planning ahead with Step 2 above — grouping small tasks — will help avoid this, but sometimes you’ll finish your given task before your timer goes off. Use the duration of your pomodoro for related learning, skill improvement or increasing your knowledge around the topic.

Tip

You don’t always need to complete four Pomodoro sessions back to back. Even just one or two Pomodoro sessions a day can set the tone to help you feel more focused and productive.

Below are additional resources that may help you establish a time management approach that works for you. Keep an eye out for additional posts in the Time Management Blog Series that dive into the Eisenhower Matrix, Eat the Frog(!) and more. Do you have other time management tips? Share in the comments section — your ideas may be just the thing another person needs to succeed with time management.

Sources

Collins, Bryan (2020, March 3). The Pomodoro Technique Explained. Retrieved March 20, 2022 from https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryancollinseurope/2020/03/03/the-pomodoro-technique/?sh=41f602ca3985

Scroggs, Laura. The Pomodoro Technique. Retrieved March 18, 2022 from https://todoist.com/productivity-methods/pomodoro-technique.