The Campus CONNECTION Issue 16 June 2015
In this issue Benefits of Taking a Vacation P.1 Employee Corner P.2 Reminders & Updates P.3 Employee Enhancement P.4 Supervisor Corner P.5
Now You Know Compliance News
University Procedure (UP) 31.99.99.H0.01, Special Holidays and Early Release Current Staff Openings
Director and Coordinator of Budgets
Secretary III - NTCC Mt. Pleasant Center Director of Financial Aid and Veteran Services
Benefits of Taking a Vacation According to the 2009 International Vacation Deprivation Study, commissioned by travel service company Expedia, more than 30 percent of Americans did not use all their vacation days. Health Benefits Taking time away from work and routine allows the body to replenish and repair itself, according to Karen Matthews of Mind Body Center at the University of Pittsburgh. The center surveyed 1,399 participants recruited for studies on cardiovascular disease, breast cancer and other conditions, and found that leisure activities, including taking vacations, contributed to higher positive emotional levels and less depression among the participants. Other benefits include lower blood pressure and smaller waistlines. Women especially seem to benefit from taking vacations, according to a 2005 study conducted by Marshfield Clinic in Wisconsin. Women who vacationed less often than once every two years were more likely to suffer from depression and increased stress than women who took vacations at least twice a year. Creativity and Innovation Benefits Robert Kriegel, author of "How to Succeed in Business Without Working So Damn Hard," says workers get many of their best ideas away from the job. Without the pressure to respond to each crisis that arises, workers have the opportunity to consider innovative approaches, Kriegel explains. "Vacation should be really defined as a time when we can really turn off those tech work savers and just relax and have fun," says Robert R. Butterworth, a Los Angeles psychologist with International Trauma Associates. Workers in creative fields especially need the opportunity recharge their batteries. "If you have a job that's very creative and you don't take time off you hit a wall and you need a change. The break will allow you to refresh your brain cells," explains Butterworth. Productivity Benefits The Vacation Deprivation study suggests when employees take vacations, businesses benefit. According to the survey results, 34 percent of the respondents reported feeling better about their jobs and more productive after taking a vacation. "The research is clear, despite leaving vacation days unused, Americans believe in the restorative power of taking time off," says Paul Brown, president of Expedia.com. Christine Louise Hohlbaum, author of "The Power of Slow: 101 Ways to Save Time in Our 24/7 World," explains on the CNN website that workers who forgo their vacations aren't doing themselves or their companies any favors. Even if they are physically present, they have often mentally checked out. "If people are overworked, they're surfing the Internet. They're not contributing to the bottom line," Hohlbaum says.
Employee Corner Employee of the Month April BIRTHDAYS Craig Howard Kim Murray Summer Nelson Jennifer Willis Luz Mary Rincon Jessica Luckey Becky Golas Carl Greig Stacy Glover Walter Casey Callie Fortenber- Simon Kuderry natsch Marc Icenhower Margie Wilburn Sara Lawrence Teri Fowler Si Yu Brian Billings Alex Serrano Kimberly Bursey Rosanne StripRachel Grant ling Terrica Kirk
Our t e e M
Don Koontz Woman’s Soccer Coach
Carol Langston Director of Communications
Shannon Gustafson Admin Assistant with UA
Stacy Glover “Stacy Glover is always willing to pitch in and help with a smiling and willing attitude. Since October, Stacy has been carrying out the duties of the Director of Communications (DOC) as well as maintaining her own responsibilities as Director of Marketing. Just a sampling of the additional DOC responsibilities have included being "on call" 24-7 for general media inquiries, university emergencies/alerts and communications from The Texas A&M University System. Stacy has also been charged with writing and generating press releases, ensuring that university events were promoted and covered by the media, as well as maintaining internal daily eagle communication alerts. During this time of transition, Stacy has not let her marketing duties slide or miss the multiple deadlines in which she is responsible. In fact, her duties during this time period were somewhat magnified with the new web site design project! I am thrilled to nominate Stacy for the employee of the month and feel that she has genuinely been happy to assist and help during this time of transition.” The Campus Connection Issue 16 June 2015
REMINDERS & UPDATES Cafeteria Closing The cafeteria will be closed beginning, Thursday, May 14 and will reopen on Monday, June 8.
In Loving Memory of Steven Shidemantle, a courageous friend and colleague.
University Center Leak Repairs Beginning on June 8th, a contractor will be on site in University Center to repair some leaks and leak damage, including inside sheetrock replacement and repairs. Some office spaces may be affected but we expect the interruptions to be nominal and to be completed in a timely manner. If you have questions about the repairs or would like to know which office spaces may be affected, please contact Sara Power.
Weather-Related Events It is important that you are prepared for weather-related events before they occur, and to know the university’s procedures on what to do should a weather-related event happen on campus. Visit http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/brochures.shtml for training and informational material, or for a great PowerPoint presentation that educates on weather, visit http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/lightning/science/Dr_Lightning_Guide-science.ppsx.
Announcing New Employee Benefit We are excited to announce that we will be offering a new benefit to our employees – 2nd.MD is a medical second opinion service. Some of the details: Available to employees, retirees and their covered dependents on A&M Care, J Plan and 65+ Plan Completely free to the user (we pay on a per employee, per month basis) Can engage the service through the website or by calling Used most commonly for a new diagnosis, possible surgery, or medication change User will speak to a specialist in the field of the diagnosis, normally within 3 days via video conference Specialists come from various locations including Johns Hopkins, UCSF, Mayo Clinic and more The Campus Connection Issue 16 June 2015
Employee Enhancement An EAP Reminder Life Can Be Hectic. The EAP Can Help You Find Your Balance. Deer Oaks, your EAP, is always available to you and your household members. If you are struggling with children, finances, or just want some practical advice on health or the mind-body connection, contact Deer Oaks by calling the Helpline. Counselors are available 24/7 to provide you with immediate care. The EAP benefit covers five confidential short-term counseling visits and is at no cost to employees and their families. Texas A&M University Texarkana has pre-paid for this benefit for all employees and their dependents. The EAP benefit is not only free to all full-time employees and their dependents, but it is also confidential. Deer Oaks EAP has considerable expertise and clinical knowledge possessed by its clinicians and numerous convenient locations. Deer Oaks clinicians are well versed in helping clients of all ages, from young children up to the elderly. The EAP can assist with many different types of problems. Among these are stress, depression, anxiety, workplace difficulties, substance abuse, marital problems, family or parenting conflicts, grief, violence and unhealthy lifestyles.
Ten Quick Tips for Financial Planning Together When you and your partner are busy balancing everything in your lives, sometimes financial planning can fall to the wayside. Ten quick tips about financial planning together for when life gets hectic: • Set priorities and specific goals. Don’t assume you both have the same goals without discussing them. • Discuss values. Sometimes differing values make agreement on goals difficult. When one person wants to spend now and one wants to save for later, it can be a source of friction. The same is true when one spouse tends to be less risk oriented than the other about investments. • Plan in five year units. When planning for five year blocks, you can set both intermediate and long-range goals without feeling you’re being deprived forever. • Budget together. Set up a manageable system for your cash flow together. • Know where your money is going. Keep records of your spending. • Don’t assume that because you’re both working that you have a lot more to spend. • Save regularly so you aren’t locked into that second income. • Who handles the actual paperwork can be a matter of personal preference, although both of you should practice at it. • Don’t confuse the task of doing paperwork with the act of financial decision making. • Sit down together and discuss finances at least once a month. The Campus Connection Issue 16 June 2015
Supervisor’s Corner
The Importance of Emotional Intelligence for Supervisors The ability to manage our emotions at work is an important skill for every employee. Unmanaged emotions can lead to overreactions, poor judgment, and unprofessional behavioral in the workplace. This skill is particularly important for supervisors and managers, who are responsible for objective decision making and modeling professional behavior for their teams. Characteristics of Emotional Intelligence Managers and supervisors with significant levels of emotional intelligence typically share common characteristics such as emotional self-awareness (the ability to know what you’re feeling), the ability to rationally respond to strong emotions (the ability to think before reacting, etc.), and a tendency to use emotion for self-motivation (i.e., use fear of failure to take positive action to improve the situation). Those with Well-Developed Emotional Skills are more Likely to be Effective Managers A study done by Dale Carnegie Training revealed that a “caring” manager is one of the key elements of employee engagement. Supervisors and managers with well-developed emotional skills are better able to show that they care for their employees, which will lead to having a more engaged and productive team. Leaders who manage their emotions well also tend to make better decisions in the heat of the moment. They have the ability to remain more objective in difficult situations, even when they’re feeling powerful emotions like frustration, fear, or anger. Supervisors and managers with well-developed emotional skills will also have the ability to recognize and be sensitive to the emotions of others, allowing them to tactfully and skillfully interact with an employee who is angry, upset, etc. How to Enhance Your Emotional Intelligence Below are several strategies you can use to enhance your emotional intelligence skills: • Stay aware of what you’re feeling throughout the day – when you’re aware that you’re feeling a strong emotion, you can manage the emotion instead of having it manage you which can lead to overreacting, making poor decisions, etc. • Think before you speak – in stressful or challenging situations, everyone experiences the fight or flight response, which includes the release of adrenaline and often the experience of strong emotions. In these situations, it’s important for leaders to take a step back and think rationally so that they don’t overreact emotionally. • Have compassion for your employees – the world is a stressful place, and our employees need managers and supervisors who care about them and are committed to their success.
How can supervisors gain a better appreciation for the impact their behaviors have on those under their supervision? The simple answer is to work on developing an effective working relationship with your employees. Part of that relationship involves “checking in” on communication, interaction, and mutual understanding between each other. More broadly, learning about emotional intelligence (EI) is a way to appreciate human interaction and impact. In this context, you’re able to monitor your emotions, recognize the emotions of others, label them properly, and use this information to guide your behavior and thinking. Many resources are available to introduce you to EI skillbuilding. Your EAP can point the way to these resources. The Campus Connection Issue 16 June 2015