Interview with Students

Q: In your past club/leadership experiences, what was one key activity you/your club did that improved the overall health and wellness of all members?

Selina: One exciting project that I spearheaded at the office was planning and hosting a Wellness Fair for all of our staff members at Safe! This involved tasks such as reaching out to local businesses to come on-site to booth at the fair, connecting with the Canadian Mental Health Association to collaborate and have them present a workshop about mental health in the workplace, and coordinating additional logistics such as catering lunch and preparing the booths and presentation areas. With the help of my lovely team, we were able to help improve the overall health and wellness of our employees through sharing resources, education, and providing a delicious and healthy lunch!

Jessica: Through my past experiences, I realize that regular check-ins are essential to ensuring the overall mental health and wellness of members! Doing so will help increase communication within your team as you can identify any barriers to success or areas that members need support with. This can also help in realizing areas of growth to keep them motivated - some may want to take on more responsibility while others may already have their plate full. Understanding each member’s situation and providing them with support in their role can help generate greater overall success! Karen: During my experiences in AIESEC as the Vice President of Talent Management, which acts as the HR function, I made it a priority of mine to check in with each individual member. I wanted to ensure that they all individually felt valued for the work that they put in, and that they were gaining tangible skills out of their experience. This allowed my team and I to learn more about how to best support each member, while focusing on member development and retention strategies. In addition to having socials, at the end of the year we hold an Appreciation Night to celebrate all our successes and look back on all our accomplishments. A simple “thank you” and “great job!” goes a long way, so if you’re an exec member, make sure to appreciate all the members who put in their time and effort! Likewise, if you’re a member, say thank you to the execs because they put a lot of hard work and dedication into what they do.

Q: From an HR perspective, do you have any advice for working students that may encounter health and wellness problems in their workplace?

Selina: The emphasis on health and wellness is highly valued by both current and prospective employees, so if you get the chance to work at an organization that recognizes the importance of mental wellbeing, this is a wonderful aspect to embrace if you are working in the HR team! If your workplace has health and wellness policies in place, be sure to review them and learn about resources available for staff to better prepare yourself to navigate through any issues. At the same time, be sure to speak with your manager and/or team before handling any health and wellness related problems that are brought up by an employee - this is a great opportunity to learn by example and have your team guide you along the way. From there, you can debrief and learn how to act upon similar issues that may come up in the future. As well, if you have a chance to revise or implement any health and wellness initiatives to improve employee well-being or address specific concerns, I would highly suggest taking that on!

Karen: Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health is now more important than ever. Good communication skills are super important in the workplace, along with building a strong connection with your manager and teammates. Be communicative with what tasks you are interested in learning, but also learn to be comfortable with saying no. If you’re being asked to take on additional tasks on top of your already packed schedule, you’re sacrificing your work/ life balance for the benefit of your workplace and face the risk of burning out. Know your value, don’t underestimate your workload, and focus on the quality of your work rather than the quantity. The best way to approach this situation would be to be professional, assess your situation, and provide an alternative. Rather than saying “I can’t take on that task”, consider a response such as “I’d love to take on another task, but I’m currently working on xyz tasks and don’t have the capacity to do so. If it’s not a rush, I can work on the new task after my deadline for xyz task next week.”

Jessica: Don’t be afraid to ask for support! If you are encountering issues in your workplace that impact your health and wellness, be it mentally or physically, reach out to your supervisors and explain your situation to them. They may provide you with suggested accommodations that can help you continue to do your work to the best of your ability. Some of my past supervisors were strong advocates of health and wellness in the workplace and were helpful in resolving any concerns. Additionally, if you are in a role through the coop program, reach out to your coop advisor for additional support!

Selina: In addition to general tips such as writing out your schedule, outlining your to-do’s, and overall time management skills (SFU has really great articles on these topics), my biggest advice for students trying to balance their commitments is to prioritize their mental health. A common trait (that I definitely exemplify myself) is forgetting to make time to do things you enjoy - whether it’s hanging out with friends, volunteering, reading a book, watching shows, etc. I think enjoying your university experience is so important, so be sure to make time to do things that make you smile and bring fulfillment to your dayto-day! Practicing this act of prioritization is a skill that requires constant trial and error and recognition of what works well for you, as well as frequent self-reflection on what is important to your well-being, what your goals are, and how to reach these goals.

Jessica: Balancing everything on your plate can be a lot and can often lead to burnout, especially during these uncertain times. While everyone has different strategies to deal with stress, I found that establishing a structure and routine helped me the most. With the increased time we spend online with lectures and remote-work, try setting times for breaks and step away from the screen. Personally, I try to disconnect completely from my task at hand during my break and would go for a walk or eat some snacks. This helps me return to my computer feeling rejuvenated and often with a new idea or solution to a problem I was facing earlier.

Karen: Balancing all these aspects of your life is definitely easier said than done! My first tip would be to use Google Calendar extensively. At the beginning of each semester, I sit down and plan out an overview of the next few months. Block out times when you have class, work, and team meetings for clubs. In addition, block out times for study sessions and for yourself to unwind at the end of the night! On a day-today basis, I create to-do lists on a sticky note. I break my tasks down into small, tangible tasks and aim to complete 5-6 tasks per day. When writing out your tasks, rather than saying “Start BUS381 Essay”, it should be “Create essay outline and find 2-3 supporting articles” to ensure your goal is easily identifiable. Crossing off your tasks once you’ve finished them makes you feel productive as you progress through the day. Finally, make sure to take breaks during your study sessions! Personally, I work for 45 minutes and then I take a 15 minute break. I make a study playlist that is about 45 minutes long, so once my music stops, I know it’s time to take a break and unwind.

Selina: I believe that many students have begun to recognize how important health and wellness is as they progress in their academic career - not only at the workplace to maintain productivity and enhance engagement but also personally as they navigate through their undergraduate experience. My biggest advice is to be proactive in learning and recognizing what works best for you, and also seeking out help when you are struggling. Promoting mental health is a wonderful opportunity that I’ve been able to do here today, so that is how I will end off! Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn if you’d ever like to chat about anything - HR-related or not, I am always happy to hop on a call! :)

Karen: Don’t be afraid to try something new! There’s always room for growth in taking on new experiences and learning how to navigate challenges along the way. There’s no perfect answer to what a healthy work/life balance looks like, the main thing is to just ensure that YOU are happy with your own well-being and productivity. Whether you’re taking courses, on co-op, or about to graduate, I believe in you! Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn if you have any questions or if you’d like to chat! https:// www.linkedin.com/in/kaarenwu/